National Bank World Elite Mastercard Review 2024: Is It Worth It? - NerdWallet
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Good for travelers who spend big on eats.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard offers 5x À la carte points on restaurants and groceries, as well as free access to the National Bank Lounge at Montréal-Trudeau Airport.
Learn more about how we evaluate cards.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is one of eight credit cards offered by the National Bank, as of this writing. Cardholders can enjoy a high earn rate on groceries and restaurants — 5x À la carte points per CAD spent up to a monthly spend of $2,500, after which, the earn rate drops to 2x.
National Bank World Elite Mastercard
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Annual Fee
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Interest Rates
20.99% / 22.49% -
Rewards Rate
1x-5x Points -
Intro Offer
Up to 40,000 Points
- Earn up to 40,000 Points – Earn 15,000 points when you make $4,000 in purchases in the first three months. Earn 1,000 points per month for the first 12 months when you make at least $2,500 in purchases each month. Earn 3,000 points when you enroll in payment insurance for at least the first three months. Earn 10,000 points when you make $20,000 in purchases in the first 14 months. Offer ends on January 31, 2024.
- Earn up to 5 points per dollar in eligible grocery and restaurant purchases*
- Earn 2 points per dollar on gas and electric vehicle charging, recurring bill payments, and à la carte travel.
- Earn 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
- Points can be redeemed for travel and merchandise or to pay down a mortgage or credit card balances.
- Save on vacation packages and airline tickets when redeeming points through the A la carte Travel online agency.
- $150 annual fee. $50 annual fee for an additional card.
- Unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at the Montreal Airport.
- Purchase protection against theft and breakage for 180 days and triple the manufacturer's warranty, up to two additional years. Maximum coverage of $60,000 for the entire term of the account.
- Trip cancellation and trip interruption protection, worth up to $2,500 per person and $5,000 per person, respectively.
- Emergency medical care outside the province of residence up to $5,000,000 per person. Covers the primary cardholder, a spouse travelling with the primary cardholder on a trip and any accompanying dependent child.
- Departing flight delay insurance (up to $500 per person; minimum 4-hour delay) and delayed/lost/stolen baggage insurance (up to $1,000 per person for loss/damage/theft; up to $500 for delays).
- Car rental insurance (accident, fire, theft, vandalism) up to $65,000.
- Preferred rates: 20.99% for purchases, 22.49% for balance transfers and cash advances.
- Eligibility: Must have an annual gross income of $80,000, an annual household income of $150,000, at least $400,000 in assets or, for existing clients only, $25,000 in yearly minimum purchases on the card. Must also be a Canadian resident of the age of majority in the province or territory of residence.
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National Bank World Elite Mastercard full review
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is a mid-priced rewards card that earns À la carte points — the National Bank's rewards program. À la carte points can be redeemed for travel, merchandise and more.
Benefits of the National Bank World Elite Mastercard
- Up to two years extended warranty on eligible purchases, which is longer than most reward cards on the market.
- High earn rate on groceries and restaurants (5x À la carte points).
- Option to pay your mortgage with your rewards points.
- Free access to the National Bank Lounge at Montréal-Trudeau Airport.
- $150 annual refund for travel expenses, such as airport parking and baggage fees.
Drawbacks of the National Bank World Elite Mastercard
- The earn rate on groceries and restaurants drops from 5x to 2x after you spend $2,500 per month, regardless of the category.
- National Bank Lounge access is only free for international trips, and visits are limited to a maximum of three hours.
Who should get the National Bank World Elite Mastercard?
Anyone who wants to earn À la carte points and spends big on groceries and restaurants, is going to get the most out of this card.
Is the National Bank World Elite Mastercard worth it?
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard may be worth it if you earn enough points to offset the annual fee. This may be easier than you think if you unlock all the welcome offers and, in general, spend a lot at grocery stores and restaurants. At 5x the points per CAD, you'd only need to spend $3,000 a year in this category to cover the $150 annual fee (assuming you redeem your points through the À la carte travel agency, which offers the highest point redemption value). Keep in mind that the 5x earn rate drops to 2x after you spend $2,500 in one month. The 5x earn rate resets each month.
National Bank customer ratings
- Below average in customer satisfaction: The National Bank ranks 12 out of 13 banks in J.D. Power's 2023 Credit Card Satisfaction Study for Canada.
- Low Trustpilot rating: The National Bank of Canada scored 1.8 out of 5 possible stars based on 35 customer reviews, as of this writing.
- Low Better Business Bureau rating: The National Bank of Canada scored 1 out of 5 possible stars based on 4 customer reviews, as of this writing. It has a D- Rating and is no longer accredited.
National Bank World Elite Mastercard eligibility
Who qualifies for the National Bank World Elite Mastercard?
To qualify for the National Bank World Elite Mastercard, you must be the age of majority in your province or territory and a Canadian resident. You must also meet one of the following requirements:
- Have a gross annual income of at least $80,000 ($150,000 per household).
- Be an existing National Bank customer and make a minimum of $25,000 in transactions with your card annually.
- Have at least $400,000 in investable assets.
Approximate credit score needed for approval
Canadian credit card issuers rarely disclose required credit scores, which makes it hard to know your chances of approval when comparing credit cards. However, higher scores generally mean better chances of approval, and that's true regardless of the type of credit you're applying for.
Want to learn more? Visit our "What Credit Score is Needed for a Credit Card?" page.
National Bank World Elite Mastercard rewards
Welcome offer
Ongoing rewards
Card value
Earn up to 40,000 points by unlocking multiple offers:
- Earn 15,000 points when you make $4,000 in purchases in the first three months.
- Earn 1,000 points per month for the first 12 months when you spend at least $2,500 each month.
- Earn 3,000 points when you enroll in payment insurance for at least the first three months.
- Earn 10,000 points when you make $20,000 in purchases in the first 14 months.
Offer ends on Jan. 31, 2024.
- 5x À la carte points on groceries and restaurants (drops to 2x points per CAD after you spend $2,500 each month).
- 2x À la carte points on gas, recurring payments, electric vehicle charging and À la carte travel.
- 1x À la carte point on everything else.
According to the National Bank website, every 10,000 À la carte points equals $100 (one cent per point) when redeemed through the À la carte travel agency.
Points may have different values when redeemed for other purchases or for reimbursement.
How to apply for the National Bank World Elite Mastercard
Follow the below steps to apply for the National Bank World Elite Mastercard:
- Navigate to the World Elite Mastercard page on the National Bank website and click the Apply now button.
- Accept the terms and conditions.
- Provide your personal contents details and income information.
- Submit requested information about credit card payment insurance and consents.
- Verify your identity.
- Submit your application.
National Bank World Elite Mastercard vs BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard
When shopping for a rewards card, you might see the term 'World Elite Mastercard' being used on multiple cards. This means the card belongs to Mastercard's World Elite series — the highest of the two World Mastercard tiers, offering premium perks. But depending on the issuer, World Elite features and perks can vary greatly. Take a look below at how the National Bank World Elite Mastercard stacks up to its BMO counterpart as an example.
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $150. | $150. |
| APR | 20.99% / 22.49%. | 20.99% / 23.99%. |
| Rewards | 1x-5x Points. | 1x-5x points. |
| Benefits |
|
|
Reasons you might want a different card
You may want to consider another option if you:
- Want to earn a different type of reward, such as cash back, or prefer a different points program, like airline-specific rewards.
- Need a card with a low interest rate.
- Cannot afford the annual fee.
National Bank World Elite Mastercard facts
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | |
|---|---|
| Card type | Rewards credit card. |
| Fees and interest rates | |
| Annual fee | $150. |
| Regular/purchase APR | 20.99% / 22.49%. |
| Penalty APR | 25.99% if you miss two payments within 12 months. This penalty APR will stay in place until you've made nine consecutive payments on time. |
| Cash advance APR | 22.49%. |
| Balance transfer APR | 22.49%. |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.5% of the transaction amount. |
| Rewards and benefits | |
| Intro offer | Up to 40,000 Points. |
| Reward earn rates |
|
| Other perks |
|
| Insurance coverage | |
| Travel medical | Up to $5 million per insured person per trip. |
| Flight delay | Up to $500 per person if the delay is more than four hours. |
| Trip cancellation | Up to $2,500 per person. |
| Trip interruption | Up to $5,000 per person. |
| Baggage delay | Up to $500 per person if the delay is more than six hours. |
| Lost or stolen baggage | Up to $1,000 per person. |
| Rental car theft/damage | For up to 48 days. |
| Extended warranty | Up to two additional years. |
| Medical, general and legal assistance | Included. |
| Purchase Protection | 180 days. |
| Mobile Device Protection | Up to $1,000 of mobile device protection in case of loss, theft, accidental damage. |
Rating Methodology
NerdWallet Canada rates credit cards according to overall consumer value and their suitability for specific kinds of consumers. Factors in our evaluation methodology include annual and other fees, rewards rates, the earning structure (for example, flat-rate rewards versus bonus categories), redemption options, bonus offers for new cardholders, introductory and ongoing APRs, and other noteworthy features such as airline or hotel perks or the ability to transfer points.
The minimum household income requirement for the National bank World Elite Mastercard is $150,000 ($80,000 for individuals).
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