National Bank Platinum Mastercard® Review

The National Bank Platinum Mastercard is an affordable travel-point collector, complete with comprehensive coverage.

Oct 19, 2026 11:01 AM

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The Bottom Line


For a more accessible and affordable alternative to most travel point credit cards in Canada, opt for the National Bank Platinum Mastercard. That said, there are higher-fee competitors that offer better points, protections, and perks.

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Finly Special Offer

Welcome Bonus

Get up to 40,000 points(1)

Rewards Rate

1x - 2x

Points

Annual Fee

$70 $0

Interest Rates

20.99% / 22.49%

RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300
Poor
560
Fair
660⁎
Good
725⁎
Very Good
760⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on Equifax scoring

Rewards

  • Earn up to 2 points per dollar in eligible grocery and restaurant purchases*
  • 1.5 points per dollar in eligible gas and electric vehicle charging purchases, recurring bill payments and À la carte (TM) travel purchases*
  • 1 point per 1.5 dollars in other purchases

With the À la carte Rewards Plan® (the “À la carte Plan”), you earn points for every dollar on eligible purchases. These points may be exchanged for rewards such as merchandise, a travel package, a gift card, a travel discount, a donation, a financial product, repayment with rewards points or any other reward offered under the À la carte Plan.

Insurance

Coverage

  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    180 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    2 years
  • travel accident medical

    Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)

    Up to $5,000,000 per person for 10 days
  • travel accident medical

    Travel Medical Insurance (65 to 75)

    Up to $5,000,000 per person for 10 days
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $1,500
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1,000
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500
  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $1,000
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Against collision, theft or damage for a period of 48 days
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,000
  • credit card lock

    Mastercard Zero Liability Protection

    yes

Eligibility

  • Credit Score

    Good
  • Annual Income

    N/A

Finly Special Offer

Welcome Bonus Details


Get up to 40,000 points1:

  • 10,000 points when enrolling in credit card payment insurance for at least the first three months
  • 15,000 points if you made $2,500 in purchases within the first three months
  • 15,000 points if you made $10,000 in purchases within the first 12 months

Offer available June 30, 2026 to November 4, 2026

Card Details


Interest Rates

Purchase APR

20.99%

Cash Advance APR

22.49%

Balance Transfer APR

22.49%

Fees

Annual Fee

$70

$0 first year

Additional Cards

$35

Eligibility

Minimum Individual Income

N/A

Minimum Household Income

N/A

Credit Score Estimate

Good

Type

Card Type

Credit

Reward Type

Points

Loyalty Program

National Bank Rewards

Pros & Cons


Pros

  • Decent optimization
  • Extensive Coverage
  • Good for travel

Cons

  • Low base earn rate
  • Monthly reward cap

Our Detailed Review


How to Earn Rewards with the National Bank Platinum Mastercard

Here's how you pocket National Bank Rewards points using the National Bank Platinum Mastercard:

  • 2x points per $1 spent on eligible grocery and restaurant purchases (max $1,000 spent per month - 1.5 points after)
  • 1.5x points per $1 spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, recurring bills, and travel booked through À La Carte Rewards
  • 1x point per $1.5 (0.66x point per $1) spent on all other eligible purchases

How to Redeem Rewards with the National Bank Platinum Mastercard

Once you collect enough National Bank Rewards points, you can redeem them towards the following categories, ranked from most valuable to least valuable:

  • Travel Through À La Carte Travel
  • Travel
  • Financial Products
  • Merchandise
  • Gift Cards
  • Statement Credits (Cash)

Redeeming your points towards À La Carte Travel yields the highest 1 cent-per-point (cpp) value.

To learn more about each redemption category and the rewards program as a whole, check out our Credit Card Points Value Calculator page.

Benefits and Perks


4 Benefits of the National Bank Platinum Mastercard


There are a few perks that make the of one of the best National Bank credit cards in Canada.


Currently, the National Bank Platinum Mastercard is providing new cardholders with bonus points upon enrolling in credit card payment insurance for at least three months, plus additional points when certain spending thresholds are met within the first year of membership.


The National Bank Platinum Mastercard offers travel rewards and extensive insurance for a relatively low annual fee. In fact, this fee is waived for the first year of membership, making it extremely affordable up front.


This card also avoids annual income requirements, making it accessible to low-income applicants who want to collect travel points and coverage.


As mentioned, the National Bank Platinum Mastercard comes with tons of coverage categories, including trip interruption, trip cancellation, and travel medical insurance.


Drawbacks and Considerations


3 Downsides to the National Bank Platinum Mastercard


There are also a few downsides to consider before submitting an application.


The amount of National Bank Rewards points cardholders collect on non-specialized purchases is below average.


The highest earn rate cardholders receive on eligible grocery and restaurant purchases is capped monthly. Once the monthly threshold is met, the earn rate decreases.


While the National Bank Platinum Mastercard includes impressive travel insurance coverage, it lacks travel perks.

Compare to Similar Cards


In this section, we're going to compare the National Bank Platinum Mastercard against some top travel point credit cards that optimize similar categories.


American Express Cobalt® Card

American Express

4.9

Best travel points earning credit card in Canada

Limited offer

Scotiabank Amex Gold

Scotiabank

5.0

Great rewards, travel benefits and no FX fees

Annual Fee

$70

$0 first year

$191.88

$120

Interest Rates

Purchase

20.99%

Cash advance

22.49%

Balance transfer

22.49%

Purchase

21.99%*

Cash advance

21.99%*

Rate details

Purchase

21.99%

Cash advance

22.99%

Balance transfer

22.99%

Welcome Bonus

Get up to 40,000 points(1)

Up to 15,000 Membership Rewards® points

Earn up to $950 in welcome offers, first year rewards and savings value, and up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points.

Rewards

$689.56

First year rewards

$1,072.15

First year rewards

$1,016.6

First year rewards

Apply Now

on National Bank's website

Apply Now

on American Express' website

Apply with Confidence — won't impact your credit score

Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website



National Bank Platinum Mastercard vs American Express Cobalt Card


Another top credit card in Canada is the American Express Cobalt Card. As one of the best dining credit cards in Canada, it's no surprise that this contender offers more points on eligible food and drinks, including groceries and food delivery. The reward rate on gas is also higher. That said, the National Bank Platinum Mastercard has better coverage, but the Cobalt Card comes with superior perks, like a hotel-oriented travel credit. To account for its value, the Cobalt Card has a higher annual fee.


Verdict: The American Express Cobalt Card is one of the most valuable credit cards for everyday optimization that can later be redeemed towards travel.


National Bank Platinum Mastercard vs Scotiabank Gold American Express Card


For tons of Scene+ points on groceries, dining, entertainment, transit, streaming, and travel, apply for the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, another one of the best travel credit cards in Canada. The coverage on this card is more comprehensive, plus cardholders receive valuable perks like no foreign transaction fees, concierge services, and a discount on a Priority Pass membership. Sure, the annual is pretty steep, but luckily the income requirements are small.


Verdict: The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers more value through its points, coverage, and perks.



Frequently Asked Questions

If you're looking for a low-fee, comprehensive travel coverage credit card without income requirements, the National Bank Platinum Mastercard is a decent option.

Your National Bank Rewards points are the most valuable when put towards Travel through À La Carte Travel.

Unfortunately, no. The National Bank Platinum Mastercard lacks added travel perks like travel credits, airport lounge memberships, or no foreign transaction fees.

About the author

Sara Skodak

Sara Skodak

Lead Writer

Since graduating from the University of Western Ontario, Sara has built a diverse writing portfolio, covering topics in the travel, business, and wellness sectors. As a self-started freelance content ...

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National Bank Platinum Mastercard®
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Special Offer

National Bank Platinum Mastercard®

3.6

FinlyWealth Rating

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National Bank Platinum Mastercard® Points Calculator

Little details that matter


1Length of the welcome promotion

From June 30, 2026 to November 4, 2026.


Eligibility conditions

Sign up for a National Bank® Platinum Mastercard® credit card as a primary cardholder via the redirection link provided on the FinlyWealth websites during the promotion as a primary cardholder.

Have not held any National Bank personal Mastercard credit card as a primary cardholder during the past 12 months.

Keep the credit card account open and in good standing, in compliance with the Credit Card Agreement, until the annual fee refund and reward points are credited. For example, all minimum payments must be made on time.

Not be employed by National Bank of Canada or an entity in its group.


Description of the promotion

Up to 40,000 reward points upon enrollment, and a refund of the annual fee for the first year for the primary cardholder of a National Bank® Platinum Mastercard®.


Annual fees

The $70 annual fee for the primary cardholder will be refunded for the first year.

We will charge the annual fee to your new card account and then refund it. You will receive this refund within five months of opening your account, provided that your account remains open and in good standing. The refund will appear on your statement as a credit.

Annual fees related to authorized users’ cards are not eligible for this promotion.


Reward points

Points Offered

Conditions

When points are awarded

10,000

Enrollment in credit card payment insurance* for at least the first three months

Within two months following the minimum enrollment period

15,000

$2,500 in purchases within the first three months**

By the end of the 6th month following enrollment**

15,000

$10,000 in purchases within the first 12 months**

By the end of the 15th month following enrollment**

* To apply for payment insurance, you must complete the sections related to the Credit Card Payment Protection Plan (CCPPP) included in the credit card application form.

** The purchase calculation period starts on the date you sign up for the card. For example, if you sign up on July 15, 2026, you have until October 15, 2026 to make the required $2,500 in purchases, and the 15000 points will be credited to your account by the end of January 2027.


How total purchases are calculated

The calculation is based on the total amount of purchases made using all cards linked to the account.

Transactions not included in the calculation are set out in article 1.5 of the À la carte Rewards Plan™.


Other conditions

This promotion may only be used once per person.

Issuance of the card is subject to National Bank of Canada’s credit approval. Other conditions apply to the issuance of the card.

Unless otherwise indicated, this promotion cannot be combined with any other National Bank credit card promotion and is not retroactive.

This promotion may be modified or withdrawn without notice.


Minimum age

Age of majority in your province or territory of residence

Legal status

Be a Canadian resident


Annual fee 2

$70

Annual fee for the second authorized card

$35

Purchase rate

20.99%

Balance transfer and cash advance rate 2,3

22.49%

Minimum credit limit 6

$500


Number of points per $ spent 1

Groceries and restaurants7:

The amount of points earned on grocery and restaurant purchases depends on the total gross monthly amount charged to the credit card account, regardless of the purchase category.

  • You will earn 2 points for every dollar in eligible grocery and restaurant purchases until a total of $1,000 in gross monthly purchases is charged to the account.
  • After that, you will earn 1.5 points per dollar in eligible grocery and restaurant purchases.

Gas and electric vehicle charging: 1.5 points per dollar in eligible purchases8

Recurring bill payments: 1.5 points per dollar in eligible purchases9

À la carte TravelTM: 1.5 points per dollar in eligible purchases10

Other purchases: 1 point per $1.50 in eligible purchases11

Earn points even faster by adding another card to your account (e.g. for your spouse) or by booking travel through our À la carte Travel™ online agency.

Travel deals 1

With the À la carte Rewards Plan®, you have the freedom to travel with the agency and airline of your choice. For more information on travel rewards, go to rewards.nbc.ca

À la carte Travel

Save on vacation packages and airline tickets when you redeem your points through the À la carte Travel™ online agency. Plan your entire trip with hotel and cruise bookings, car rentals and more.
Discover the À la carte Travel online agency

À la carte Extras

Invest in a financial product, save on your banking packages or pay your mortgage with your rewards points thanks to the À la carte Extras®

Pay with rewards points

Pay your credit card balance with your rewards points directly in your online bank.

For more details, visit our Pay with rewards points page page.


Summary and insurance certificate

Consult the Purchase protection summary[PDF]| Travel insurance summary |Insurance Certificate[PDF]

Zero Liability5

Included

Purchase protection against theft or damage4

180 days following the purchase date

Extended warranty4

Possibility of tripling the manufacturer's warranty (up to 2 additional years)

Trip cancellation insurance4

Up to $1,000 per person

Trip interruption insurance4

Up to $1,500 per person

Out-of-province-of-residence medical/hospital insurance4

Up to $5,000,000 per person for 10 days (76 and over: no coverage)

If your trip is longer than these time periods, you will not be covered.

Flight delay insurance4

Up to $500 per person (over 4 hours)

Baggage insurance in case of delay4

Up to $500 per person (over 6 hours)

Baggage insurance in case of theft or loss4

Up to $1,000 per person

Vehicle rental insurance4

Against collision, theft or damage for a period of 48 days

Medical, general and legal assistance4

Included

Mobile device insurance

Up to $1,000 in the event of accidental breakage, loss or theft for a maximum of 2 years after the purchase date12


Customer service (24/7)

À la carte Rewards Centre

Insurance claim and assistance

Lost or stolen card

Chargeback


To learn more about the terms applicable to your card, read the Credit card Agreement[PDF].


There are two main elements of a joint credit card:

  • The primary cardholder’s name will be the one that appears on the credit card contract. This person can decide to add up to three authorized users to their account, as well as remove them at any time. They must meet all the eligibility criteria to apply for a credit card. 
  • An authorized user has their own card and PIN. However, all transactions made by that person are charged to the primary cardholder’s account. An authorized user could be a spouse, a child aged 16 or older, or a friend. The designated person doesn’t need to meet all of the eligibility criteria to access their card. 

Please remember that the primary cardholder is responsible for paying any outstanding balances and managing the account. This also means that they’re the ones who will receive any cashback generated by the account. If any disagreements or separations occur, the authorized users and primary cardholder must agree on how to proceed. 

The authorized user doesn’t receive a statement and doesn’t have access to transaction details and account information, including the credit card limit. However, both cardholders can enjoy the benefits of their card. They can also change their respective PINs, as well as cancel or replace their cards.

How do I get a joint credit card?

If you’re applying for a new credit card, answer “Yes” to the “Do you need an additional card” question in our application form.

If you’d like an additional card for an existing account, fill out our credit card application or call us at 1-888-622-2783. 

Please note that there’s an annual fee for an additional credit card. 


To learn about how we protect your information, consult our Confidentiality Policies.


®Mastercard and Platinum Mastercard are registered trademarks, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Authorized user: National Bank 

®À LA CARTE EXTRAS, À LA CARTE REWARDS PLAN, NATIONAL BANK and the NATIONAL BANK logo are registered trademarks of National Bank of Canada. 

®THE TOTAL, THE CONNECTED, AND NATIONAL BANK are registered trademarks of National Bank of Canada.

*Platinum Mastercard®

National Bank of Canada® Platinum Mastercard® credit card was named the best credit card for young professionals by Milesopedia in 2025 and 2026. Each year, Milesopedia examines the credit card offers of the largest financial institutions and establishes its ranking according to more than 150 criteria such as fees, welcome offers, minimum income required, number of points per category, account credits, insurance, airport lounge access, etc.

1. Certain restrictions apply. For more information, consult the Rewards plan section or the Plan rules regarding how to earn points. 

2. Grace period:

No interest will be charged on purchases made during the month, provided the client pays the balance in full within twenty-one (21) days of the statement date. This grace period does not apply to cash advances or balance transfers. Minimum payment: If your account balance is lower than $10, you must pay the entire balance. If you reside in the province of Quebec, your minimum payment will correspond to 5% of the credit card account balance plus any overdue payment or $10, whichever amount is higher. If you reside outside of Quebec, your minimum payment represents 2.5% of the credit card account balance plus any overdue payment or $10, whichever amount is higher. Account statement: A statement is sent monthly.

Example of credit charges over a 30-day period

Annual interest rate

Average balance

 

$500

$3,000

22.49%

$9.24

$55.45

20.99%

$8.63

$51.76

13.2%

$5.53

$33.16

9.2%

$3.78

$22.68

*Variable interest rate in effect on September 1, 2021

3. Balance transfers and cash advances are subject to credit approval by National Bank. Each balance transfer must be at least $250.

4. This coverage applies to purchases and rentals charged in part to the card, except out-of-province medical/hospital insurance for which the travel arrangements need not be charged to the card, and lost or delayed luggage insurance where all transportation costs must be charged to the card. This coverage applies to the primary cardholder, their spouse and/or dependent children when they (spouse and/or dependent children) travel with the primary cardholder. Extended warranty coverage applies to most new items purchased with the card, in Canada or abroad, as long as the manufacturer's warranty is valid in Canada. Certain conditions and restrictions apply. For more information and for details of your insurance coverage, please consult the insurance certificate associated with your card.

5. Certain conditions apply. Visit mastercard.ca for more information. Refer to the credit card terms and conditions.

6. Subject to credit approval by National Bank.

7. The amount of points earned on grocery and restaurant purchases depends on the total gross monthly amount charged to the credit card account, regardless of the purchase category. You will earn 2 points for every dollar in eligible grocery and restaurant purchases until a total of $1,000 in gross monthly purchases is charged to the account. After that, you will earn 1.5 points per dollar in eligible grocery and restaurant purchases. The total gross monthly amount is calculated based on your monthly billing period. Grocery purchases include any purchase made at a store that primarily sells food, i.e., grocery store, delicatessen, supermarket, greengrocer or specialty food store. Ready-to-eat meal services and meal delivery services are eligible. This definition excludes purchases made at retail stores and big box stores whose core business is the sale of non-food items. Certain merchants may sell products and services that appear identical or similar to those sold by eligible merchants, or may be separate merchants located on the same premises as eligible merchants, but are classified in different categories by Mastercard. For purchases at other merchants, you will only earn regular rewards points. Restaurant purchases include purchases at a restaurant, fast food restaurant, bar, nightclub or pub. For a full list of Mastercard codes associated with eligible merchants, download the terms and conditions of the À la carte Rewards Plan®.

8. To earn 1.5 points per dollar in purchases, you will need to purchase gas or an electrical vehicle charge from a service station or from certain big box stores. Certain merchants may sell products and services that appear identical or similar to those sold by eligible merchants, or may be separate merchants located on the same premises as eligible merchants, but are classified in different categories by Mastercard. For purchases at other merchants, you will only earn regular rewards points. For a full list of Mastercard codes associated with eligible merchants, download the terms and conditions of the À la carte Rewards Plan®.

9. Recurring bill payments are defined as monthly or regular payments automatically charged by a merchant to your National Bank Platinum Mastercard credit card. Not all merchants offer recurring bill payments, and not all recurring payments are considered recurring bill payments. Certain payments therefore may not entitle you to earn more points.

10. To earn 1.5 points per dollar in purchases, you must make your eligible purchases via the À la carte TravelTM Agency section of our À la carte RewardsTM site.

11. The device must have been purchased using your National Bank Platinum Mastercard credit card, or your phone plan must be paid via recurring payments charged to your National Bank Platinum credit card starting September 1, 2022. For complete terms and conditions, please consult the insurance certificate associated with your card.


National Bank is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for a National Bank Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from National Bank, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

National Bank Platinum Mastercard®
FinlyWealth
Special Offer
APPLY NOW

on National Bank's website