Best Current First Year Fee Waived Cards (updated January 26, 2017)
First year fee waived promotions are extremely valuable. One of the biggest deterrence of signing up for a credit card is a hefty annual fee. By waiving the first year annual fee, customers can get a free trial before deciding whether they want to keep it going.
This can also be a pain for financial institutions who want to clamp down on churners. But if enough people retain the credit cards beyond the first year, a few churners here and may be worth the first year fee offer.
Today, I will list the top first year fee offers, which I will rank by annual fees.
Permanent Offers
These are credit cards that do not have an expiry date on their first year fee waived offer. Unfortunately, it also means that they can end the offer at any time without notice.
Rogers Bank Platinum MasterCard
- $29 annual fee (waived the first year or waived so long as you have pre-authorized Rogers payments set up)
Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa
- $120 annual fee (waived the first year)
American Express Gold Rewards Card
- $150 annual fee (waived the first year)
Current promotional offers
These offers change all the time, but there are some cards that are relatively consistent at offering first year fee waived promotions.
- $39 annual fee (first year fee waived if you apply before February 28, 2017)
CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card
- $99 annual fee (first year fee waived if you apply before February 28, 2017)
Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
- $99 annual fee (first year fee waived if you apply before January 31, 2017)
Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card
- $99 annual fee (first year fee waived if you apply before January 31, 2017)
- $120 annual fee (if you apply by February 28, 2017)
CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
- $120 annual fee (if you apply by February 28, 2017)
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card
- $120 annual fee (if you apply by March 5, 2017)
Past Offers that may come back
There are some credit cards that offer first year fee waive promotions for only a short period of time in a year that you have to catch.
MBNA Rewards World Elite MasterCard
Past Offers that may Never come back
There are some first year fee waived promotions on card that used to have it and I suspect may never come back.
American Express Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card
- $120 annual fee
American Express AeroplanPlus Gold Card
- $120 annual fee
American Express Air Miles Platinum Credit Card
- $120 annual fee
- $120 annual fee
Cards that I would love to see the first year fee waived
I don’t even know where to begin. There are so many to choose from. But I will focus on some realistic and reasonable ones that work for both sides.
This problem would be solved if we saw more system wide retention bonus offers instead.
WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard
- $99 annual fee
RBC Cathay Pacific Visa Platinum
- $120 annual fee
RBC British Airways Visa Infinite
- $165 annual fee
Other Notes
That being said, there may be situations where you can get a first year fee waived offer if you have a certain banking package with a bank. But that will be a case by case basis and not system wide.
I think there are ways to churn and ways not to churn.
I know some people cancel the card shortly after the promotional reward is credited. I can understand why the companies would crack down on this.
Personally, if I cancel I wait until I see the renewal fee, and just give the reason that I have other cards that I choose to keep or (highlight) another card that gives me a retention reward at renewal. (for example Chase Marriott with the free night certificate).
I would say, do what works for you as long as you are following the rules. I would not worry about the subjective.
Sadly, I doubt the BMO World Elite card will see that promo again. They are pushing their World Elite Air Miles and World Elite Cash Back, both of which offer poorer rewards.
That’s always why I say that if you see a good promo, don’t wait around in case it never comes up again.