The best credit cards for Airbnb and other accommodations – May 2026

Q: What is the best credit card for booking Airbnb in Canada?

The American Express Cobalt Card is one of the most popular cards for Airbnb bookings because it earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on eligible eats and drinks, plus 2 points per dollar on travel purchases, including most Airbnb charges.Other top options for Airbnb spending include:- The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card, with up to 165,000 points welcome bonus and 8x Expedia rewards; - The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, earning 5x points on travel including vacation rentals; - The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, with no foreign transaction fees and 5x on dining;

Q: Should I use a hotel-branded card or a flexible-points card for vacation rentals?

For Airbnb and Vrbo specifically, a flexible-points card is almost always the better choice because hotel-branded cards (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors) only give bonus points on stays at their own properties.Cards like the American Express Cobalt, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + or the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite let you redeem points against any travel purchase, including vacation rentals, with rates as favourable as 1,000 Scene+ points = $10. Keep a Marriott or Hilton card on hand only when you regularly mix Airbnb stays with traditional hotel nights.

Q: Can I pay an Airbnb in a foreign currency without paying extra fees?

Yes, but only with a credit card that waives the standard 2.5% foreign transaction fee. The best Canadian options are:- The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + Card, with no foreign transaction fees and 6 lounge accesses; - The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, with no foreign transaction fees and strong dining rewards; - The Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card, with no foreign transaction fees and up to 80,000-point welcome bonus; On a typical 14-night international Airbnb at $200 USD per night, the foreign transaction fee alone would cost about $70 CAD. A no-FX card saves you that amount on a single booking.

Q: Does Airbnb count as a hotel or as a travel purchase for credit card categories?

Most Canadian issuers classify Airbnb as a travel purchase rather than a hotel/lodging purchase. That means:- Cards earning bonus points on the broad travel category (BMO Ascend, RBC Avion Visa Infinite) do earn the bonus rate on Airbnb; - Cards offering bonuses only on hotels booked through their travel portal (TD Expedia, Marriott Bonvoy properties) generally do not trigger the bonus on Airbnb; Always check your statement after the first booking to confirm the merchant category code and the rewards rate posted on the transaction.

The best credit cards for Airbnb and other accommodations – May 2026

These credit cards are perfect for redeeming points for Airbnb rentals. But also on Booking.com, Expedia, VRBO or any other accommodation platform.

Here is a table summarizing the different offers. For more details, read on or click on the name of a card.

National Bank World Elite Mastercard

With Milesopedia, enjoy an exclusive offer to get up to 50,000 points with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This offer is exclusively available through the Milesopedia network and allows you to quickly earn points by following these steps:

10,000 reward points upon enrollment in your credit card payment protection, for a minimum of 3 months of membership.
10,000 points when you make $5,000 in net purchases within the first 3 months.
20,000 points when you reach $20,000 in purchases within the first 12 months.
10,000 points when you combine your credit card with the opening of your first current account within 7 days of your credit card application.

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is the best Mastercard credit card offered by NBC.

With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:

5 points per dollar for groceries and restaurants
2 points per dollar on gas and electric recharge purchases
2 points per dollar on recurring bills
2 points per dollar on À la carte Travel
1 point per dollar for all other purchases

And since it’s an NBC mycredit Mastercard, you can use it at Costco.

With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:

Airport parking
Baggage fees
Seat selection
Access to Airport Lounges
Flight upgrades

What’s more, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.

Finally, Milesopedia has named the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as the Best Travel Credit Card in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers an excellent welcome bonus.

Until July 1, 2026, you can get up to 45,000 Scene+ points as a bonus, distributed as follows:

25,000 Scene+ points by spending $2,000 on the card within the first 3 months
20,000 Scene+ points by making $7,500 in purchases on the card in the first year

This represents a value of up to $450 for travel (including Airbnb).

With the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, you earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! grocery stores. FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

Also, you earn 5 points per dollar for:

Grocery stores
Restaurants
Entertainment centers

And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.

You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). You can also use your points as cash back rewards with Scene+.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card also offers no foreign transaction fees, excellent insurance for your travel or purchases, concierge service, exclusive American Express benefits like the Front of the Line program.

Use your AIR MILES Reward miles to buy electronic vouchers (gift cards) for Airbnb! With 3,000 miles, you’ll earn $300 in Airbnb gift cards.

TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card

With the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 165,000 TD Rewards points^†and a rebate on the annual fee for the first year:

20,000 TD Rewards points for the first purchase made with your Card^†
145,000 TD Rewards points if you spend $7,500 within 180 days of opening^†
A birthday bonus of up to 10,000 TD Rewards points^†

Plus, get an Annual Fee Rebate for the first year.^† This is the highest offer we have ever seen!

With the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn:

8 TD Rewards Points^† for every $1 you spend when you book travel through Expedia^® For TD^†
6 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on Groceries, Dining, and Public Transit^†
4 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on Recurring Bill Payments and Streaming, Digital Gaming & Media^†
2 TD Rewards Points for every $1 you spend on other Purchases made using your Card^†

This TD credit card is one of the best TD travel rewards cards. As of April 30, 2025, it now offers access to airport lounges with 4 free visits per year.

American Express Cobalt® Card

The American Express Cobalt^® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

The welcome bonus is distributed monthly for the first 12 months. You’ll earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for every $750 in purchases charged to your card during the month (whether in the 1X, 2X, 3X or 5X category). That’s up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points.

You can easily use these points as statement credits for everyday or travel purchases. The value is the same for both: 1,000 points = $10.

Alternatively, transfer them to Aeroplan points, Avios (British Airways/Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy, or Hilton Honors.

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to:

15,000 Aeroplan points
15,000 Avios points
15,000 Flying Blue Miles
18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With the American Express Cobalt^® Card, you can earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category	Points per dollar
Grocery (Métro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.)	5
Home food delivery	5
Restaurants and bars	5
Convenience stores	5
Streaming services	3
Service station	2
Transport	2
Travel	1
Other	1

This is a 1 to 5% return on all these purchases.

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or restaurants and/or food delivery, you’ll earn $50 cash back per month, or $600 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases!

And if you decide to transfer your points to other programs like Aeroplan, you could get even more value!

In addition, this card provides excellent insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, flight delay, $250,000 travel accident, hotel or motel burglary, Mobile Device Insurance, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection Insurance.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

The Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card is the best credit card for free hotel nights.

With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points:

Earn 60,000 points after spending a total of $3,000 on your Card within your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
In addition, earn 10,000 points after you spend $500 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership.

It’s a card we recommend you keep, because each year at renewal, you’ll get an Annual Free Night Award for up to 35,000 points, plus 15 Elite nights per year, counting towards your Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.

With this Card, you earn 5 points per dollar on all purchases at Marriott Bonvoy properties and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Last but not least, this Card comes with a wide range of insurance coverages: baggage delay, baggage loss or theft, $500,000 travel accident, flight delay, hotel/motel burglary, rental car theft and damage, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite +* Card

With this welcome offer for the Scotiabank Visa Infinite ^+* Passport^MC Card, you get up to 60,000 Scene+ points as a welcome bonus (a value of $600):

40,000 points after $2,000 in purchases within the first three months
10,000 points after $10,000 in purchases within the first six months
10,000 points after $40,000 in purchases in the first year

Then, each year, if you make at least $40,000 in purchases on the card, you’ll earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 points, which represents a $100 value.

With the Scotiabank Visa Infinite +* Passport^MD Card, you earn 3 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! grocery stores. FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

You also earn 2 points per dollar spent, including on foreign purchases, in the following categories:

Grocery shopping
Restaurants
Entertainment centers
Transit

The Scotiabank Visa Infinite +* Passport^MD Card is an excellent Visa credit card for these types of purchases.

These points can be used for any travel purchase at a rate of 1,000 points = $10 (flights, hotels, all-inclusive packages, and even Airbnb). You can also redeem your points as cash back with Scene+, for example, at your grocery store checkout at the same rate of 1,000 points = $10.

The Scotiabank Visa Infinite +* Passport^MD Card also offers:

No fees for foreign currency transactions
6 access to VIP airport lounges
Excellent insurance for your travels and purchases
Concierge service
Travel with confidence with 10 GB of free GigSky global mobile data for 15 days, plus access to GigSky Travel Essentials for essential apps on the go.
Cardholders also receive a free 1 GB/15-day GigSky global mobile data package annually, plus a 20% discount on future GigSky purchases.

We have named this credit card the Best Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card

By subscribing to our offer for the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you can receive an exclusive welcome offer of up to 80,000 BMO Rewards points, as well as a waiver of the $120 annual fee for the first year.*

In addition, you will benefit from a $50 annual lifestyle credit. You also have a monthly statement credit for streaming services for the first year.*

With the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn 5 BMO Rewards points per dollar spent on:

groceries*
food delivery or takeout*
ridesharing*
public transit*
gas*

And 1 BMO Rewards point per dollar spent everywhere else. Plus, if you add a supplementary card to your account, you’ll earn 10% more points*.

You can use BMO Rewards points for travel (flights, hotels, car rentals, packages, etc.) or for rewards and gift cards on the BMO Rewards platform.

Finally, enjoy six months of Instacart+ membership and a monthly $10 Instacart credit when you sign up with your eligible BMO credit card*.

BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is one of the best World Elite Mastercard credit cards with travel points in Canada. With our exclusive welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 BMO Rewards points.

These points have a value of approximately $650 to $700, according to our estimate, and can be applied to your travel expenses.

Plus, there is no annual fee for the first year for the primary cardholder and additional cardholders.

You can also take advantage of a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for 12 months, with a 2% balance transfer fee.

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you get:

5 points per dollar on eligible travel*
3 points per dollar on eligible dining, entertainment, and recurring bill payments*
1 point per dollar on all other purchases*

You can use BMO Rewards points for your travel (flights, hotels, car rentals, packages, etc.) or for rewards and gift cards on the BMO Rewards platform.

The card also offers:

4 complimentary airport lounge accesses per year via Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass*
comprehensive travel insurance, including emergency medical coverage up to $5 million for 21 days*

Finally, enjoy six months of Instacart+ membership and a $10 monthly Instacart credit when you sign up with your eligible BMO credit card.*

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card

With this exceptional limited-time welcome offer, you can earn up to 70,000 Avion points as a welcome bonus with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card!

Receive 35,000 points upon approval
20,000 additional points when you spend $5,000 within the first six months of account opening
15,000 points on your account anniversary

You can use your Avion Rewards points to book flights with over 500 airlines or transfer them to select partner loyalty programs, such as:

American Airlines AAdvantage
The British Airways Club (and Qatar Airways Privilege Club)
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
WestJet Rewards

You can also maximize the value of your points using the Air Travel Redemption Schedule, which offers fixed pricing year-round based on the destination and flight type.

Depending on your goals, this offer can represent strong value, particularly for transfers to partner programs or for using the Air Travel Redemption Schedule.

With the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card, you earn 1.25 Avion points per dollar on eligible travel purchases¹² and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases².

The card also includes several insurance coverages⁷, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, out-of-province/country emergency medical insurance, rental vehicle collision/loss damage insurance, and mobile device insurance.

MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard® (Quebec)

With the MBNA Rewards World Elite^® Mastercard^®, you can earn 5 points per dollar of purchases for:

Dining
Grocery purchases
Digital media purchases (Netflix, Spotify, etc.)
Memberships
Household utility purchases (electricity, etc.)

Everywhere else, you will get 1 point per dollar.

Enough to make the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard the best MBNA credit card for restaurants, groceries, digital media, subscriptions and household utilities.

Knowing that Mastercard recognizes Walmart Supercenters as grocery stores, this is the best credit card for Walmart customers!

Plus, depending on your province of residence, you’ll get a welcome bonus of between 20,000 and 30,000 points, a value of $200 to $300!

And each year, you will receive Birthday Bonus Points equal to 10% of the total number of Points the Account earned in the 12 months before the month of your birthday, to a maximum Birthday Bonus each year of 15,000 Points.

Scotiabank®* Platinum American Express® Card

For a limited time, by subscribing to Scotiabank Platinum American Express^® Card, you can earn up to 80,000 points. That’s a value of $800 for trips including Airbnb.

With Scotiabank Platinum American Express^® Card, you earn 2 points per dollar spent on all your purchases. You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). And you can also use them for other rewards in the Scene+ program, such as cash back.

What’s more, with this card you pay no fees for foreign currency transactions, and you get 10 free accesses to airport VIP lounges like Priority Pass and Premium Plaza.

And you get excellent insurance for your travels or purchases, concierge service, and exclusive American Express Offers (American Express Invites Program).

Frequently Asked Questions about credit cards for Airbnb and other accommodations

Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about credit cards for Airbnb, Vrbo and other vacation rentals.

What is the best credit card for booking Airbnb in Canada?

The American Express Cobalt Card is one of the most popular cards for Airbnb bookings because it earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on eligible eats and drinks, plus 2 points per dollar on travel purchases, including most Airbnb charges.

Other top options for Airbnb spending include:

The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card, with up to 165,000 points welcome bonus and 8x Expedia rewards
The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, earning 5x points on travel including vacation rentals
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, with no foreign transaction fees and 5x on dining

Do credit card travel insurances cover Airbnb stays?

Yes, most premium card insurance benefits apply to Airbnb and Vrbo bookings paid with the card, including:

Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance, often covering $1,500 to $5,000 per person
Out-of-country emergency medical insurance, typically 15 to 60 days for travellers under 65
Baggage delay and flight delay insurance

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard stands out with up to 60 days of emergency medical coverage, while the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard offers $5 million in emergency medical coverage. Always pay the booking with the card to activate the protections.

Should I use a hotel-branded card or a flexible-points card for vacation rentals?

For Airbnb and Vrbo specifically, a flexible-points card is almost always the better choice because hotel-branded cards (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors) only give bonus points on stays at their own properties.

Cards like the American Express Cobalt, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + or the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite let you redeem points against any travel purchase, including vacation rentals, with rates as favourable as 1,000 Scene+ points = $10. Keep a Marriott or Hilton card on hand only when you regularly mix Airbnb stays with traditional hotel nights.

Is there a credit card that pays back rental fees or cleaning fees on Airbnb?

No Canadian card refunds Airbnb cleaning or service fees directly, but several cards effectively reduce the total cost through rewards. Examples on a typical $1,500 Airbnb booking:

The American Express Cobalt Card at 2x points = 3,000 Membership Rewards points, worth roughly $30 in flexible travel value
The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard at 5x points on travel = 7,500 BMO Rewards (up to $50 in travel value)
The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite through the Expedia for TD portal at 8x = 12,000 points (up to $60 in travel value)

Stacking these rewards across an entire travel year offsets a significant portion of cleaning and service fees.

Can I pay an Airbnb in a foreign currency without paying extra fees?

Yes, but only with a credit card that waives the standard 2.5% foreign transaction fee. The best Canadian options are:

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + Card, with no foreign transaction fees and 6 lounge accesses
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, with no foreign transaction fees and strong dining rewards
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card, with no foreign transaction fees and up to 80,000-point welcome bonus

On a typical 14-night international Airbnb at $200 USD per night, the foreign transaction fee alone would cost about $70 CAD. A no-FX card saves you that amount on a single booking.

Does Airbnb count as a hotel or as a travel purchase for credit card categories?

Most Canadian issuers classify Airbnb as a travel purchase rather than a hotel/lodging purchase. That means:

Cards earning bonus points on the broad travel category (BMO Ascend, RBC Avion Visa Infinite) do earn the bonus rate on Airbnb
Cards offering bonuses only on hotels booked through their travel portal (TD Expedia, Marriott Bonvoy properties) generally do not trigger the bonus on Airbnb

Always check your statement after the first booking to confirm the merchant category code and the rewards rate posted on the transaction.

Which credit card is best for Airbnb hosts in Canada?

Hosts who furnish, maintain and supply their rentals can earn substantial rewards by routing supplier payments through the right card:

The American Express Cobalt Card earns 5x points on groceries, restaurants and food delivery, perfect for stocking welcome baskets
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card earns 4% cash back on groceries and recurring bills (utilities, internet)
The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Card earns 5x points on groceries, gas and transit, useful for cleaning trips and supply runs

For larger furniture or appliance purchases, a card with extended warranty and purchase protection, such as the National Bank World Elite Mastercard, adds peace of mind on every replacement.