CAA MasterCard Review
Most Canadians know the benefits of belonging to an association like CAA. For a small annual fee, you get 24-hour roadside assistance, competitive insurance rates, travel planning and discounts on a wide variety of items.
What many Canadians don’t know is that CAA offers a great line-up of credit cards for members to save and earn points.
The true benefit of the CAA MasterCard is realized if you are a CAA Member. As you use your MasterCard, you earn CAA Dollars which you can apply towards any CAA product or service.
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You’ll grow your CAA Dollars with every eligible purchase you make with the CAA MasterCard. Then, you can redeem for things like membership renewal fees and upgrades, the latest travel merchandise, your next cruise, flight or hotel, and more.
Every CAA Dollar you earn is equivalent to $1. Here is a list of partners you can use your MasterCard and save and earn CAA dollars:
CAA has three cards for you to choose from; the CAA No Fee MasterCard, the CAA Premium MasterCard, and the CAA Low Rate MasterCard. Here’s how they work:
CAA No Fee MasterCard
With the no-fee card, you’ll earn 1% in CAA Dollars with each eligible purchase, and get 2% back at Husky gas stations. The interest rate is 17.99%. This card offers basic insurance protection on purchases and while travelling.
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You’ll need to spend $6,700 a year to earn enough CAA dollars to cover a basic annual membership ($67) and $13,700 a year to cover the premium membership fee ($137).
CAA Premium MasterCard
With the premium card, you’ll earn 1.5% in CAA Dollars with each eligible purchase, and get 2.5% back at Husky gas stations. This card comes with a $99 annual fee, and an interest rate of 19.99%.
In addition to the larger earning potential you’ll also get added insurance coverage, including car rental, flight delay and trip interruption protection.
When you spend $6,700 a year, you’ll earn $100.50, which just offsets the annual fee (note: although you can’t redeem CAA Dollars towards your annual fee).
To justify the annual fee, you’ll need to spend $20,000 a year on your CAA Premium MasterCard, which will earn you $201 a year, net of fees.
CAA Low Rate MasterCard
If you carry a balance from month-to-month, CAA offers a low rate card. At 11.99%, the Low Rate MasterCard is a decent option. It comes with a $29 annual fee, but unlike most low rate cards, the CAA card still allows you to earn rewards.
You’ll get 0.5% back on eligible purchases, including at Husky gas stations. The insurance benefits are the same as you get with the no fee MasterCard.
With the low rate card, you’ll only need to spend $5,800 to offset the annual fee, but be careful. The purpose of a low rate card is to keep your interest costs down on your monthly balance.
Final Thoughts
CAA offers a wide variety of savings, discounts and benefits to its members. If you’re already a member, then the CAA MasterCard’s are worth a look. The rewards are comparable to other cards like the PC MasterCard, and you can easily redeem points for things you need.