How Canadian and U.S. Credit Cards Stack Up

Comparing Cards Table
	Visa^‡ Signature Black / Visa Signature Black Plus RBC Bank (U.S.)	Typical U.S. Dollar Based Credit Cards (Canada)	Most Rewards-Based Travel Cards (not U.S. Dollar)

Ideal for	Regular U.S. travellers or residents looking for an easy way to make U.S. purchases, earn rewards points and avoid foreign transaction fees.	Occasional travellers to the U.S. who sometimes use a credit card for U.S. purchases and want to avoid the cost of foreign exchange.	Canadians who typically don’t travel to the U.S. They are focused on earning rewards points for Canadian or overseas travel.

Annual Fee²⁰	$0 — Signature Black $75 USD — Signature Black Plus	$35 - $65 USD	$120 - $150 CAD
Additional Card Fee	$0	$0 - $30 USD	$30 - $50 CAD
Foreign Transaction Fee	None for U.S. purchases¹⁹	None for U.S. purchases	2.5% - 3.0% for U.S. purchases

Rewards Points⁶	1 point per $1 spent – Signature Black 1.5 points per $1 spent – Signature Black Plus	1 point per $1 spent	1-2 points per $1 spent
Cash Back²⁴ Redeemed Through Rewards Points	1.0% – Signature Black 1.25% – Signature Black Plus	Not Available	Not Available
Pool Points with Friends and Family	Yes	No	No
Transfer Points Across the Border⁷	Yes	No	No
Annual Summary Statement	Yes	No	No
Visa Signature Perks	Yes	No	No, but may have access to Visa Infinite benefits
24/7 Concierge Service	Yes	No	Sometimes Available
Travel & Emergency Assistance²³	Yes	Sometimes Available	Sometimes Available
Roadside Assistance	Yes	Sometimes Available	Sometimes Available
⁹
Trip Cancellation or Interruption	Up to $5,000	Sometimes Available. $2,500 - $5,000	Sometimes Available. $500 - $2,500
Travel Accident	$500,000	Typically $500,000	Typically $500,000
Lost Luggage Reimbursement	Up to $3,000	Sometimes Available	Sometimes Available
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver	Yes	Sometimes Available	Sometimes Available
Cellular Telephone Protection	Up to $200	No	No
Warranty Manager Service	Yes	No	No
Extended Warranty Protection	Yes	Yes	Yes
Purchase Security	Yes	Yes	Yes