TD Platinum Travel Visa Card review

How the Platinum Travel earns points

The card earns 6 TD Rewards points per dollar on travel booked through Expedia For TD and 4.5 points on groceries, dining and public transit. Recurring bill payments and streaming, digital gaming and media earn 3 points, and everything else earns 1.5 points.

For example, a household spending $500 a month on groceries, $200 on dining, $100 on transit, $150 on recurring bills, $30 on streaming and $500 on everything else earns 3,600 points from the 4.5x categories, 540 from the 3x categories and 750 from the rest. That’s 4,890 points a month, or 58,680 a year, before any travel booked through Expedia For TD.

The welcome offer

New cardholders can earn up to 50,000 TD Rewards points by spending $3,000 within 180 days of opening the account. That’s roughly $500 a month over six months, which the example budget above clears comfortably.

Separately, making your first purchase within 3 months qualifies you for the first-year fee rebate under the current offer, so start using the card early.

Redeeming TD Rewards points

TD Rewards points go furthest when you redeem them for travel booked through Expedia For TD, so that’s the redemption to plan around. Travel redemptions come with no blackout dates or seat restrictions, and points don’t expire.

That makes the card most rewarding for people who are happy to book through Expedia For TD. You can also earn 50% more points at Starbucks by linking your card.

Fees, interest and the fine print

The annual fee is $89, about $7.42 a month. It’s rebated in the first year under the current offer, and it’s rebated every year if you hold a TD All-Inclusive Banking Plan, which makes the card effectively free for those customers.

Foreign currency purchases carry a 2.5% fee, about $25 per $1,000 spent abroad. Purchases are charged 21.99% interest and cash advances 22.99%, so pay the full balance each month to keep the points ahead of the interest.

Insurance coverage

The coverage list is strong on trip disruptions and everyday items, but travel medical insurance isn’t included, so you’ll need separate coverage for medical emergencies abroad. Read the certificate for limits and exclusions.

• Flight and trip delay
• Delayed and lost baggage
• Common carrier travel accident
• Auto rental collision and loss damage
• Hotel and motel burglary
• Purchase security and extended warranty
• Mobile device insurance

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

The Platinum Travel suits people who spend heavily on groceries, dining and transit and want to turn that into travel booked through Expedia For TD. With no minimum income requirement, it’s also an option for applicants with modest incomes.

If you travel abroad often, the missing travel medical coverage and the 2.5% foreign transaction fee are real gaps. And if you don’t want to book through Expedia For TD, the points are less useful.

How it compares

The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite costs $139 a year and earns up to 8x on travel booked through Expedia For TD, with a welcome offer of up to 146,000 TD Rewards points. It’s the step up if you qualify.

The TD Rewards Visa Card has no annual fee and earns up to 4x on Expedia For TD bookings, with up to 15,152 TD Rewards points as a welcome offer. It suits lighter spenders who don’t want to pay a fee.

Before you apply

The recommended credit score is 720 or higher, and TD makes the final decision based on your full credit profile. Confirm the welcome offer, fee rebate and insurance details on TD’s website before you apply.