Neo Cathay World Elite® Mastercard® vs Neo World Elite® Mastercard®: Which one is better?

Neo Cathay World Elite® Mastercard®

Neo World Elite® Mastercard®
Welcome Bonus
Get a welcome bonus of up to 60,000 Asia Miles. Get 35,000 Asia Miles on approval. Get an additional 20,000 Asia Miles after spending $5,000 within your first 90 days.
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Our Cash Offer
N/A
Our Cash Offer
$100 Cash Rebate offer from FinlyWealth
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$502.15
Asia Miles
First Year Bonus Value
+
$770
Asia Miles
Annual Fee
-
$180
First Year Value
$1,192.15
$322.15 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$623.18
First Year Bonus Value
+
$0
Annual Fee
-
$125
Finly Rebate
+
$100Exclusive Offer
First Year Value
$598.18
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
How to Earn Rewards
- Earn 4x Asia Miles per $1 spent on Cathay Pacific flights
- Earn 2x Asia Miles per $1 spent on purchases made in foreign currencies
- Earn 1x Asia Miles per $1 spent in Canada with your cathay neo card
- Earn an average of 5x the Asia Miles when you spend at thousands of Neo partners nationwide
- Save up to 15% off on flights to Asia and beyond when you pay with your Cathay World Elite Mastercard and enter the discount code CXNEO15OFF (valid until Dec 31, 2025)
How to Earn Rewards
- 5% cash back on grocery purchases up to $1,000 spending per month (6% cash back if you have $5k in a Neo everyday account, or 7% cash back with $10k in a Neo everyday account) - drops to 1% cash back after hitting spend cap
- 4% cash back on recurring purchases up to $500 spending per month (4.5% cash back if you have $5k in a Neo everyday account, or 5% cash back with $10k in a Neo everyday account) - drops to 1% cash back after hitting spend cap
- 3% cash back on EV charging and gas purchases up to $1,000 spending per month (3.5% cash back if you have $5k in a Neo everyday account, or 4% cash back with $10k in a Neo everyday account) - drops to 1% cash back after hitting spend cap
- 1% cash back on all other purchases with no spending caps
- 5% average cash back at Neo Partners
Note: our reward calculations use the base cash back rates assuming you do not hold any money in a Neo everyday account to earn the higher tier (boosted) cash back rates, otherwise the reward estimates may be higher.
Insurance Included
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000Baggage Delay
$1,000 after 4 hoursCar Rental Damage & Theft
48 daysCar Rental Accident
$100K for Cardholder, $10K spouse and childExtended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
90 daysHotel Burglary Insurance
$1,000Emergency Out of province Medical
14 daysCar Rental Personal Effects
$1,000/person, $2,000 combinedTrip Cancellation
$5,000Trip Interruption
$5,000Flight Delay
$250/day, $500 Maximum
Insurance Included
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000Baggage Delay
$1,000Car Rental Damage & Theft
YesCar Rental Accident
$100,000 for cardholder, up to $10,000 per Spouse or Dependent ChildExtended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
90 daysHotel Burglary Insurance
$1,000Emergency Out of province Medical
Up to $1,000,000Car Rental Personal Effects
$1,000Trip Cancellation
$1,000Trip Interruption
$1,000Flight Delay
$500
Extra Benefits
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
DragonPass only. No Complimentary visits!Boingo Wi-Fi hotspot
Discount
Save up to 15% off on flights to Asia and beyond when you pay with your Cathay World Elite Mastercard and enter the discount code CXNEO15OFF (valid until Dec 31, 2025)Priority Travel
Online priority check-in and extra baggage redemption for Cathay Pacific, and Cathay Pacific Business class lounge redemption accessPriority Travel
Airport Security Fast Track with and professional and punctual airport with Mastercard benefits
Extra Benefits
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
Pass only - pay $32 USD per visit
Interest Rates
Purchase:
19.99% - 26.99%1
Cash Advance:
22.99% - 28.99%1
1 The Purchase Credit Rate on the Cathay World Elite® Mastercard® is (19.99%-26.99%) and the Cash Advance Rate is (22.99%-28.99%). The standard rate on Purchases and Cash Advances is dependent on our assessment of your credit application, credit profile, and your province. See your Cardholder Disclosure at time of application for your specific rate.
Interest Rates
Purchase:
19.99% - 26.99% (or 19.99% - 23.99% in Newfoundland and Quebec)
Cash Advance:
22.99% - 28.99%
Balance Transfer:
N/A
Annual Fee
$180
Annual Fee
$125
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Loyalty Program
Loyalty Program
N/A
Point Redemption Options
Travel with Asian Airlines
1.4¢ / pointTransfer to Airline Partners
1.2¢ / pointTransfer to Hotel Partners
1¢ / point
Point Redemption Options
Not Applicable
Is this card worth it?
The Cathay World Elite Mastercard is a top choice for frequent travelers to Asia, offering up to 60,000 bonus Asia Miles, high earn rates at Neo retail partners, and exclusive Cathay Pacific benefits like priority check-in and lounge access. With 12 types of insurance coverage, airport lounge access through DragonPass, and the ability to earn up to 15 miles per dollar spent at select partners, this card provides substantial value for those who regularly fly with Cathay Pacific and its partners. However, the card does require a higher income and comes with a $180 annual fee.
Is this card worth it?
This card offers one of the highest cash back rates in Canada for gas (up to 4%), grocery (up to 7%) and recurring purchases (up to 5%) which is pretty hard to beat. While the cash back rates are very high, you need to mind the spend caps set for each category to see if your earning potential is really that high compared to most other credit cards. However, for a typical person who's spending is generally below $12k per year in grocery, $6k per year in recurring bills and $12k per year in gas then you'll be doing pretty well, especially with the great insurance and benefit offers as outlined in our neo world elite mastercard review below.
Pros
- Generous Bonus: Earn up to 60,000 bonus Asia Miles with neo cathay pacific
- Discount on flights: Up to 15% discount on flights to Asia and beyond with code CXNEO15OFF (valid until Dec 31, 2025).
- High Earn Rates: Get an average of 5 miles, and up to 15 miles per $1 spent (first time purchases) at Neo retail partners.
- Cathay Pacific Perks: Enjoy several exclusive benefits with Neo Cathay Pacific.
- Comprehensive Insurance: Your Cathay Neo Card Comes with 12 types of insurance coverage.
- Airport Lounge Access: Gain entry to airport lounges with a Mastercard Travel Pass membership.
Pros
- Highest cash back rates in Canada for highest spending categories like Grocery (up to 7%), especially if you keep at least $5k in a Neo everyday account
- 12 different types of insurance coverage
- Airport lounge access with DragonPass with $32 USD per visit
- Additional cash back earning at over 10,000 Neo partners
Cons
- High Income Requirement: Requires a minimum personal income of $80,000 or $150,000 household income.
- Annual Fee: The card comes with a high annual fee of $180.
- Limited Redemption: Asia Miles cannot be redeemed for flights within Canada.
Cons
- High income requirements of $80,000 personal or $150,000 household
- Cash back spend caps can limit your rewards
- Having to keep at least $5k in an everyday account to boost your cash back tier
Legal
The Cathay World Elite® Mastercard is issued by Neo Financial™ pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated.
Mastercard, World Elite® and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.
The Cathay World Elite® Mastercard is not available in Quebec.