American Express (AMEX)

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Comparing Canadian and U.S. SPG American Express

The U.S. based Starwood Preferred Guest American Express personal and business cards have increased their sign up bonus from 25,000 to 35,000. The last time was about a year ago. My question is, when is it going to be Canada’s turn? Also, what about waiving the first year fee? Let’s take a quick look at the highlights of the four cards in question.

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Credit Cards that Offer a Free Checked Bag (updated February 11, 2017)

Bringing luggage onto the plane, whether checked-in or carry-on, has become such a complicated issue since the introduction of the pay-per use for the past few years. It seems like it will only get more problematic when costs are attached to carry-ons. As a result, the free checked bag offer from credit cards is only going to become more valuable.

Below is an updated list of credit cards that offer a free checked bag, ranked by annual fees:

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The Cash Back War is On!

There are a handful of credit card companies that are really upping their game when it comes to cash back credit cards. Some promotions are permanent or indefinite, others are temporary.

For the past 2 years, I really felt that the Canadian credit card companies are putting more and more emphasis on cash back credit cards. Maybe they are capitalizing on people’s frustration with mile and points programs. Maybe it is more profitable, considering that there is no real lucrative sign up bonuses that are offered. Whatever the reason is, I really do believe that the current competitive in the cash back market is the best I’ve ever seen.

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Top Credit Card Higher than Normal Sign Up Bonuses for February 2017

Quite a few credit card offers feel off the books from the 2016 holdover, so we are really getting a look at what 2017 has to offer going forward. Last year was really a strong year, so I have drastically lowered my expectations for this year.

For now, here’s the list of top credit card sign up bonuses that have a higher than normal offer.

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AMEX vs. CIBC vs. TD Aeroplan (Lowest Annual Fees)

Today, I am continue my series on credit card comparisons, which I asked my readers to provide suggestions. Feel free to continually add more suggestions to the comment section in that post.  I have already written posts about the other co-branded…

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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.

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AMEX vs. CIBC vs. TD Aeroplan Platinum/Privilege Cards

Today, I will be comparing the American Express AeroplanPlus Platinum Card, CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite Privilege and TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card. But first, below are the highlights of each respective cards and then provided my commentary on some of the key factors to compare.

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Top Credit Cards to use at Restaurants (updated January 14, 2017)

We are exactly 1 month away from Valentine’s Day. One of the biggest expenses on that day is the restaurant bill. With one month away, you should have enough time to sign up for a credit card to help you optimize your rewards on that day. This list is due for an update anyway.

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Best Travel Credit Cards

The question of which is the best travel credit card has been asked frequently. I would not say that there is one absolute best credit card out there. However, you can argue that there is a best credit card for specific travel situations. I have included 3 key factors to consider when determining which is the best credit card to use under certain situations.