Tired of guessing what the value of 1 Meridian Rewards point is? FinlyWealth's point calculator tool can estimate the value of your points when redeemed through various options in Canada.
Are you an Ontario resident looking to optimize everyday spending and foreign currency purchases? If so, this loyalty program might pique your interest.
Meridian rewards offer cash, travel, and U.S. dollar rewards on day-to-day expenses.
Once you collect enough points, you can use them to plan an upcoming trip, convert them into cash to stash away for later or redeem them towards eligible gift cards and merchandise.
To learn more about what the Meridian Rewards program has in store, keep scrolling.
How Do You Earn Meridian Rewards Points? 🏆
There are a few credit cards that allow you to collect Meridian Rewards points.
In this section we’ll give you a brief rundown of the top three:
The Meridian Visa Infinite Cash Back Card offers solid cash back rewards, particularly with up to 4% on groceries and gas, and a competitive annual fee of $99 (waived in the first year). It stands out with comprehensive travel insurance, including price protection, which is a rarity in this category. However, the card does come with some drawbacks, such as high income requirements and limited availability to Ontario residents. Overall, this card provides excellent value for those who spend heavily on groceries, gas, and utilities, and for those who value strong insurance coverage and a low annual fee.
Pros
High grocery optimization
High gas optimization
Comprehensive insurance
Flexible redemptions
Lower annual fee
Cons
High income requirements
Restricted to Ontario residents
Rewards
Earn 4 reward points for every $1 spent (4% cash back) on gas and groceries˄ (up to $25,000 in spending annually)
Earn 2 reward points for every $1 spent (2% cash back) on pharmacy and utility bill payments˄ (up to $25,000 in spending annually)
Earn 1 reward point for every $1 spent on other eligible purchases
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
Up to 1 year
Mobile Device Insurance
Up to $1,000 per occurrence
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$1M per insured person per trip
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
Up to $5M for 48 days
Travel Medical Insurance (65+)
15 days
Trip Cancellation
$2,000
Trip Interruption
$2,000
Baggage Delay
$500
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Max car value of $65k, up to 48 days
Price Protection
$100 per item, $500 per year
Benefits
Details
Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits
Eligibility
Credit Score
Good
Annual Income
$60,000 personal or $100,000 household
The Meridian Visa Infinite Cash Back Card earns cardholders strong points per dollar spent on gas and groceries, plus decent points per dollar spent on pharmacy and utility bill payments, before returning to a standard base-rate on all other eligible purchases.
The insurance coverage on this card is also extensive, with valuable inclusions like trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance, emergency medical coverages, and rare price protection insurance.
On the other hand, the benefits are pretty straight to the point, offering only Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits.
As far as drawbacks go, this card has an annual fee (although it’s relatively low and waived in the first year), plus some higher income requirements. On top of this, as we had hinted in the intro, like all Meridian credit cards, this card is only available to Ontario residents.
Overall, the Meridian Visa Infinite Cash Back Card offers great value for those who are constantly tapping their card while running everyday errands (like gas and groceries) and those who want to optimize utility bill payments. This contender also has notable insurance coverage (like purchase protection insurance) and is issued out annually at a respectable price-point.
The Meridian Visa Infinite Travel Rewards Card stands out primarily for its flexible reward options and considerable insurance coverage. With the ability to earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases and double points on foreign currency transactions, it offers a competitive edge for frequent travelers. Its extensive insurance benefits, including rare price protection, further bolster its appeal, making it a strong contender for those who meet the income requirements and reside in Ontario.
Pros
Versatile Rewards
Impressive insurance coverage
First-year fee waiver
Cons
Restricted to Ontario residents
High income requirements
Rewards
Earn 3 reward points for every $1 spent (3% cash back) on purchases made outside Canada in foreign currencies
Earn 1.5 reward points for every $1 spent (1.5% cash back) on other eligible purchases
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
Up to 1 year
Mobile Device Insurance
Up to $1,000 per occurrence
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$1M per insured person per trip
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
48 days
Travel Medical Insurance (65+)
15 days
Trip Cancellation
$2,000
Trip Interruption
$2,000
Baggage Delay
$500
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Max car value of $65k, up to 48 days
Price Protection
$100 per item, $500 per year
Benefits
Details
Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits
Eligibility
Credit Score
Good
Annual Income
$60,000 personal or $100,000 household
For the same annual fee and annual income requirements, the Meridian Visa Infinite Travel Rewards Card pays particular attention to purchases made outside of Canada in foreign currencies. In fact, this top-focus earn category holds a solid reward rate followed by an above-average base-rate on all other eligible purchases (even higher than the base-rate on the Meridian Visa Infinite Cash Back Card).
When it comes to coverage, the insurance inclusions on the Meridian Visa Infinite Travel Rewards Card are identical to the Meridian Visa Infinite Cash Back Card.
Both cards also come with Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits.
Ultimately then, you’d likely select the Meridian Visa Infinite Travel Rewards Card over the Meridian Visa Infinite Cash Back Card if you intend on using your Meridian card for purchases you make abroad in foreign currencies rather than common everyday items and services close to home.
The Meridian Visa U.S. Dollar Card is designed for Canadians who frequently make purchases in U.S. dollars, offering a practical way to save on foreign transaction fees. With a simple rewards structure that grants 1 point per $1 spent on all purchases and a modest annual fee, this card is particularly appealing for those who have U.S. dollar expenses. Its additional perk of 8 types of insurance coverage makes it even more valuable for travelers. However, it's essential to have access to U.S. dollars to maximize the card's benefits, as all transactions and payments are in USD.
Pros
No currency conversion fees
Straightforward rewards program
Comprehensive insurance
Cons
Annual fee in USD
Requires USD bank account
Restricted to Ontario residents
Rewards
Earn 1 reward point for every $1 spent (1% cash back) on all eligible purchases
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
Up to 1 year
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$100k per insured person per trip
Trip Cancellation
$2,000
Trip Interruption
$2,000
Baggage Delay
$500
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Max car value of $65k, up to 48 days
Eligibility
Credit Score
Good
Annual Income
N/A
The unique feature about the Meridian Visa US Dollar Card is actually stated directly in its name.
This contender earns you Meridian Rewards points when you make US dollar purchases – either in-person or online.
At first glance, this card may appear to have a lower annual fee than its previous two counterparts (one that’s also waived in the first year of membership), but in reality, this fee is presented in US dollars, so after the conversion, it’s basically the same. Still, it’s nice that this option doesn’t come with any annual income requirements.
In terms of its rewards program, the Meridian Visa US Dollar Card is more straightforward, offering a standard flat-rate of Meridian Reward points for every US dollar spent on all eligible purchases.
To be honest, this card is lacking a bit by comparison when it comes to insurance coverage, excluding important protections like mobile device insurance, rare price protection insurance, and emergency medical coverages.
Unlike the other two competitors, the Meridian Visa US Dollar Card also misses out on Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits and forfeits added benefits altogether.
All in all, the Meridian Visa US Dollar Card is best suited to those who want an uncomplicated Meridian Rewards card that caters to US dollar purchases with no annual income requirements.
How Do You Redeem Meridian Rewards Points? 🤑
Now that you’re aware of where Meridian Rewards points come from, let’s explore how to redeem those points.
Redemption Category
Redemption Description
Estimated Average Point Value
Travel 🌴
Applying points towards eligible travel bookings like flights or vacation packages
1 cpp
Statement Credits 💲
Redeeming points as cash towards your credit card statement balance
1 cpp
Merchandise 🛍️
Using points to pay for eligible products provided by partner brands
1 cpp
Gift Cards 🎁
Turning points into the perfect present by using them to pay for eligible gift cards
1 cpp
As you can see from the table above, all redemption categories are estimated to have the same cent-per-point value. So no matter which redemption route you take, you can’t really go wrong!
Before we move on, let’s cover a bit more context on the Meridian Rewards redemption process.
The Meridian Visa Rewards Program is operated by ScoreCard which is a loyalty rewards management system.
Accessing ScoreCard is fairly simple, all you need to do is:
Log in to your eZcard account, which is accessible through Meridian online banking.
After you’ve logged in, you should be able to see your account information as well as your Rewards balance.
To sift through the rewards site and redeem your reward points, click the “View Rewards” button in the Account Details tab.
Are Meridian Rewards Points Worth it?
If you’re a traveller, an avid shopper, or you just want your credit card to put some extra cash into your back pocket, Meridian Rewards points may be an asset – especially if you tend to spend outside of Canada.
Unlike most redemption programs, your Meridian Rewards are on-average worth similar cent-per-point values across the board, so there’s really no such thing as a “bad” redemption category (as long as you're satisfied with the options available).
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