Quick overview of Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard
The Capital One® Aspire Travel™ Platinum Mastercard is a great, no frills travel credit card with insurance benefits. We've thoroughly reviewed this Capital One credit card, so you can see if it fits your lifestyle.
Who's it for?
Travellers who want the simplicity of earning a flat rate of travel rewards on all their purchases, want to book their arrangements wherever they like, and dislike annual fees are well-suited to the Capital One® Aspire Travel™ Platinum Mastercard®. Those who appreciate flexibility will also enjoy the opportunity to spend their miles on cash back and gift cards as well.
Pros and cons
Pros
-
Earn 1 mile per $1 with no purchase ambiguity
-
Flexible miles for retroactive travel purchases
-
$0 annual fee
-
Price protection for marked-down items
-
Basic travel insurance coverage
-
Redeem miles for gift cards and cash back
Cons
-
Basic travel insurance compared to some competitors
-
$100/item limit on price protection
-
Limited features for high-end travel benefits
-
No specific travel perks or elite status
-
May not suit high-spenders seeking premium rewards
How to earn rewards with Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard
Rewards miles come at a steady and unrestricted rate of 1 for every $1 spent. With no ambiguous purchase eligibility, cardholders can be confident that they’re earning rewards miles every time they use their card. The miles themselves are some of the most flexible travel rewards we’ve seen, and can be used retroactively to cover travel-related purchases that show up on a monthly statement. Travel can therefore be booked everywhere, and cardholders won’t be limited by in-house booking sites, seating restrictions, or blackout dates.
How to redeem rewards with Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard
The miles themselves are some of the most flexible travel rewards we’ve seen, and can be used retroactively to cover travel-related purchases that show up on a monthly statement. Travel can therefore be booked everywhere, and cardholders won’t be limited by in-house booking sites, seating restrictions, or blackout dates. can also be redeemed in other ways, like gift cards and cash back against the card’s statement. For more information on the nuances of Capital One miles, check out our Loyalty Rewards Bible.
Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard insurance coverage
1. Purchase protection: Purchases charged to your card are protected for 90 days incase of loss or accidental damages.
2. Extended warranty: This policy automatically extends original manufacturer warranties by up to two years.
3. Common carrier travel accident insurance: This coverage offers $250,000 in coverage in case of accidental loss of life or dismemberment while traveling on a common carrier.
4. Baggage delay insurance: Receive reimbursement for lost or delayed luggage, up to $100, when you charge your trip costs to your card.
5. Car rental collision/loss damage waiver: This coverage allows you to waive the insurance policy of the car rental company and provides coverage for up to 31 days, with a maximum of $65,000.
Feature breakdown
- Earn 1 mile for every $1 spent on purchases
- $0 annual fee
- Book your own travel, pay with rewards miles
- Price protection services
- Solid array of insurance benefits
The peripheral benefits of the Aspire Travel Platinum card include Price Protection and insurance perks, both of which help cardholders save money. Price Protection is rather unusual among travel credit cards, and it allows cardholders to get reimbursed if they discover that something they purchased is later marked down. With Capital One® cards there’s a $100 limit per item and collective $500 limit per year, and cardholders can only use the feature on items that were marked down within 60 days of their initial purchase. For example, if a cardholder were to buy a $500 item and then find the same item listed for $400 a month later, they could claim the difference (and still have $400 left to claim against other purchases for the remainder of the year).
The Aspire Travel card comes with basic travel insurance as well, though the key word here is ‘basic’: it’s missing some of the more valuable travel coverage that is provided by some competing travel cards. Capital One® provides coverage for common carrier travel accidents, car rental collisions and damage, baggage delay, and travel assistance. While it’s logical that a no-fee card would only have the most basic insurance options, some other no-fee travel cards have managed to raise the bar a bit.
Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard compared
Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard vs. The Rogers World Elite Mastercard
The Rogers World Elite Mastercard is a great option for travellers who are looking for more insurance coverage and cash back rewards. This card provides out-of-province/out-of-country medical coverage as well as trip interruption and trip cancellation coverage. You earn 3% of unlimited cash back rewards on purchases made in U.S. dollars and 1.5% unlimited cash back rewards on all other Canadian dollar purchases.
Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard vs. American Express Green Card The American Express
The American Express Green Card is a great no annual fee credit card that comes with a nice welcome bonus and flexible rewards redemption. You can transfer your rewards points to Amex travel partners like Aeroplan or Flying Blue. But when it comes to insurance coverage, the benefits are not as comprehensive as the Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard.
Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard vs. Tangerine Money-Back Card
The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card is a great no annual fee card with cash back rewards and low minimum income requirements. Let's see how it compares with the Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard.
| Card | Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard | Tangerine Money-Back Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Benefits | Earn 1 Rewards Mile for every $1 spent |
Earn 2% cash back on 2 categories of your choice (e.g. groceries, recurring bills, gas, drug stores, etc.)
Get a Tangerine Savings account and add a 3rd 2% cash back category |
| Insurance | Purchase protection, Extended warranty, Common carrier accident insurance, baggage delay insurance, Car rental and collision insurance | Purchase assurance, Extended warranty |
| Read review | You are reading it. | Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card review |
| Apply Now | Apply Now | Apply Now |
If you're looking for more flexible rewards redemption, the Tangerine Money-Back is a great option, but it does have very low insurance benefits. So, the ultimate choice depends on your lifestyle needs.
Is it worth it?
If you're looking for a travel rewards credit card with low eligibility requirements and insurance benefits, the Capital One® Aspire Travel™ Platinum Mastercard is definitely worth considering.
Capital One Aspire Travel Platinum Mastercard eligibility
To be eligible for the Capital One® Aspire Travel™ Platinum Mastercard, you need to have a fair credit score.
Lubna Umar has worked in the field of personal finance for over 5 years. She has produced a wide variety of content including personal finance guides and insurance reports for brands like RATESDOTCA and the Financial Post. In her free time, she can be found writing fiction or exploring the café culture in Toronto or any other major city.
Latest Articles
Statistics Canada to release April jobs report this morning
5 smart things wealthy baby boomers do with money
Canfor to close sawmill, curtail pulp production citing B.C. policy changes
Tourism workers union questions New Brunswick minister's European trip
Pembina Pipeline Corp. sees earnings rise to $439 million in first quarter
Pathways Alliance names former MEG Energy CEO Derek Evans as executive chair
Disclaimer
The content provided on Money.ca is information to help users become financially literate. It is neither tax nor legal advice, is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, either express or implied, with respect to the data provided, the timeliness thereof, the results to be obtained by the use thereof or any other matter.