When I worked in hospitality in my university years, I remember doing a double take every time somebody handed me a metal credit card. They seemed like such a prestigious, luxurious product.
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably also drawn to metal credit cards and perhaps would like to get one for yourself. Personally, I’m definitely considering it, especially after all the research I did for this post.
Today, I will be covering that research – going over some of the best metal credit cards in Canada options, their prestigious features, and their fees.
- Made with 13 grams of stainless steel metal, available in gold or rose gold
- Up to 2x points per $1 spent
- $100 Annual Travel Credit
- Global airport lounge access
- Extensive travel and shopping insurance
- 20.99% interest on purchases
- $250 annual fee
- Up to two Aeroplan points for every $1 spent
- Priority boarding and baggage handling
- Access to Maple Leaf and Dragonpass lounges
- Up to $100 NEXUS application fee rebate
- Starbucks and Uber perks
- Extensive travel and mobile device insurance
- 19.99% interest rate on purchases
- $599 annual fee
- No pre-set spending limit (pay off as you spend)
- Precision-cut and specially engraved
- $200 annual travel credit
- Up to three times the points per $1 spent
- Extensive travel and shopping insurance
- Event and lounge perks
- 24/7 Platinum Concierge access
- $699 annual fee
Features of Metal Credit Cards
Metal credit cards are seen as premium, luxurious banking products that are highly sought after by consumers.
There aren’t too many of these cards on the Canadian market, especially as they can be expensive and time-consuming to produce and distribute. Out of the ones that are available, we can find some commonalities. Here are some of them.
- Metal credit cards usually have high annual fees, ranging anywhere from $250 to $700 per year.
- Metal credit cards offer accelerated point accrual to redeem on travel, merchandise or cash-back.
- Metal credit cards have amazing insurance offerings, specifically when it comes to travel.
- Metal credit cards usually offer premium features such as concierge access, hotel, travel and airport perks (such as lounge access), dining and event discounts, annual travel credit, fee rebates and much more.
Best Metal Credit Cards in Canada
Here are some of the best metal credit cards in Canada that are available through a simple application. Some of the other metal credit cards in Canada may require an invitation or a special client status, which will not be included in today’s post.
1. American Express Gold Rewards Card: Best Overall
Standout Features:
- Made with 13 grams of stainless steel metal, available in gold or rose gold
- Up to 2x points on travel, gas, grocery & drugstore purchases in Canada
- $100 Annual Travel Credit
- Global airport lounge access
- Extensive travel and shopping insurance
- Presale and reserved ticket access to shows
- One free additional gold rewards card
- $250 annual fee
- No set income requirement
- 20.99% interest on purchases and 21.99% on cash advances
With a relatively lower annual fee, amazing travel/point perks and extensive travel insurance, the Gold Rewards Card by American Express is one of the best metal card options in Canada.
The travel perks included with this card are especially impressive as you get $100 per year towards a single travel booking, bringing the annual cost to $150 right off the bat.
We’d argue that the remaining annual fee is worth it considering the amazing lounge and event perks, fantastic point system and comprehensive travel insurance.
Here is what the travel insurance covers.
- Up to $5 million in out-of-province/country emergency medical insurance
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Flight and baggage delay insurance
- Hotel burglary and lost or stolen baggage insurance
- $500,000 travel accident insurance
- Car rental theft/damage insurance
- 24/7/365 travel emergency assistance
Overall, this American Express Gold Rewards Card is fantastic. You can learn more and sign up here.
2. TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Credit Card
Standout Features:
- Up to two Aeroplan points for every $1 spent
- Up to $100 NEXUS application fee rebate
- Priority boarding, baggage handling, and airport upgrades
- Access to Maple Leaf and Dragonpass lounges
- Starbucks “Star” point perks and complimentary Uber membership
- Extensive travel insurance
- $1500 mobile device insurance
- Discount perks at Rocky Mountaineer, Avis Rent-A-car and Budget Rent-A-Car
- Additional cardholders are $199 each
- $599 annual fee
- 19.99% interest rate on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances
- $150,000 annual personal income or $200,000 annual household income required
TD’s Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege card is the premium card for you, especially if you’re a frequent Air Canada flyer.
With fantastic insurance, point perks, and airport and lounge benefits, the card can prove to be a great addition to your wallet despite its $600 annual price tag.
This card is one of the most premium credit cards that TD offers. Metal and heavier than even American Express’s Platinum Card (coming up next), applicants must prove $150,000 personal income per year to be considered for this card (or a $200,000 annual household income.)
The minimum credit limit for this card is $10,000 per month.
Receiving this card will equip you with amazing travel insurance, including up to $5 million in travel medical insurance, baggage and trip protection, and much more.
You can also earn Aeroplan points at an accelerated rate to redeem for Air Canada flights in the future.
3. American Express Platinum Card
Standout Features:
- No pre-set spending limit (pay off as you spend)
- Precision-cut and specially engraved
- $200 annual travel credit
- Up to three times the points per $1 spent
- Extensive travel and shopping insurance
- Event and lounge perks
- $175 per year for each additional Platinum card ($50/year for Gold cards)
- 24/7 Platinum Concierge access
- $699 annual fee
- No set income requirement
Most people will picture this Platinum Card by AmEx when thinking about a metal credit card. And for a good reason. This card is one of the most premium credit cards available to the general public.
The perks included with this card are hard to count, but we can start by highlighting the amazing point system, travel perks/discounts, lounge access, extensive insurance, the 24/7 concierge service, access to presale and reserved tickets to shows and events, no spending limit, hotel perks/discounts and NEXUS fee rebates.
The card is also precision-cut and engraved with your name, adding some real weight and class to your wallet.
If you can swing the $700 annual fee and are serious about taking advantage of this card’s great perks, I’d definitely recommend it.
4. BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege Card
Standout Features:
- Up to five times the points per $1 spent
- $200 annual travel credit
- Visa Airport Companion membership and six free airport lounge visits each year
- Priority Security Pass, airport parking and valet service perks at airports
- Concierge service access
- Hotel and golfing benefits
- Travel, mobile device and shopping insurance
- 25% more points when you add authorized users to the card
- 20.99% interest for purchases and 23.99% for cash advances
- $499 per year
- A minimum $150,000 annual individual income (or $200,000 household) required
This eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege Card by BMO is another big bank option for a metal credit card. If you take advantage of the $200 travel credit each year, the annual fee comes down to $299 per year right off the bat, which is awesome.
You can also earn some serious points with this card to put towards any travel, merchandise or credit card balance. The included insurance is extensive, too, which is great.
You will need a minimum of $150,000 gross annual individual income to be eligible for this card. A household income of $200,000 is also accepted.
5. HSBC Jade World Elite Mastercard
Standout Features:
- Receive 3% in travel perks (six points per $1 spent)
- $200 annual travel enhancement credit
- No foreign exchange (FX) fee
- Complimentary Dragonpass membership for lounge access
- Free supplementary cards
- 31-day travel insurance coverage
- $299 per year (possible to have an annual fee rebate)
- Must be a Jade customer and have an $80,000 gross personal income or a minimum $150,000 annual household income for eligibility
- 19.90% interest for purchases and 22.90% for cash advances and balance transfers
If you’re an HSBC Jade customer, this Jade World Elite Mastercard can be a great option for you. Here are the eligibility criteria for Jade membership at HSBC.
- Be an HSBC Premier client
- Have either a minimum of $1 million in personal deposits/investments or a minimum of $500,000 in personal deposits/investments coupled with a residential mortgage balance of at least $1.5 million
Jade membership at HSBC gives you access to lifestyle services from third-party suppliers (what they call “Lifestyle Partners”), special rates on HSBC offerings and access to special financial products, such as this HSBC Jade World Elite Mastercard.
6. American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
Standout Features:
- Up to 3x the points on Air Canada and 2x on other eligible purchases (minimum 1.25x the points per $1 spent)
- Made of precision cut and engraved metal (13 grams)
- Annual Worldwide Companion Pass access
- Maple Leaf Lounge access
- The first checked bag is free for up to eight travellers
- Priority Airport Services (expedited security lane, etc.)
- Extensive travel and shopping insurance
- Presale and reserved ticket access
- $599 per annum
- 19.99% interest on purchases and 21.99% on cash advances
- $199 per year for each additional Aeroplan Reserve Card (a no-fee option is also available)
This card is the AmEx sister of the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Credit Card I wrote about earlier in this list. If you’re an Air Canada flyer or are simply interested in the amazing point, insurance and travel perks associated with this card, I’d highly recommend it to you.
Much like the other premium, metal credit cards on this list, the perks associated with this card are manifold. If you are conscious about taking advantage of these perks, then the $600 annual fee can be worth it and save you money each year.
This card has no set annual income requirement for eligibility, and you can get a response on your application in as little as 60 seconds. You can learn more and sign up for this American Express metal credit card here.
7. CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card
Standout Features:
- Up to three Aventura points for every $1 spent
- Airport lounge perks
- Up to nine additional cards available ($99 each)
- Visa Infinite Privilege hotel and travel perks
- NEXUS application fee rebates
- Travel and mobile device insurance
- $499 per year (an annual fee rebate of up to $139 is available if you have a CIBC Smart Plus chequing account)
- 20.99% purchase interest and 22.99% for cash advances
- A minimum $150,000 individual or $200,000 annual household income required
Aventura rewards points are travel points that are unique to CIBC Aventura Credit Cards.
With this Visa Infinite Privilege Card, you get three points for every $1 spent for any travel purchased through CIBC’s Reward Centre, two points for dining, entertainment, gas, transportation, and groceries purchases and 1.25 for all other purchases.
The card also offers you up to 10 cents off per litre at Chevron, Pioneer, Fas Gas and Ultramar gas stations, which is really great.
Beyond mobile device and shopping insurance (such as extended warranty), this card also has great travel insurance, which includes medical insurance, trip cancellation and interruption, flight and baggage delay, auto rental collision, hotel burglary and common carrier accident insurance.
A minimum $150,000 individual or $200,000 household annual income is required for eligibility.
Does RBC Have Metal Cards?
RBC does not offer metal credit cards in their regular, commercial fleet of products but does offer them through their private banking service.
RBC private banking is available for entrepreneurs, families, executives or other individuals with a minimum of $1,000,000 in investable assets or an overall net worth of $3,000,000.
Conclusion
Metal credit cards can be seen as a symbol of wealth in public, especially because they usually sport superior features as well as a significantly higher annual fee.
Despite this premium feel from the outside, many other credit cards on the Canadian market may provide you with what you need without the high price tag.
If you’re comfortable with the fees and feel as though you would take great advantage of the perks, however, metal credit cards can be a great addition to your wallet.
Most metal credit cards are known for their travel advantages. If that is lucrative to you, check out this post on the best travel credit cards in Canada. Thanks for reading.
