American Express Cobalt® Card vs TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card: Which one is better?

American Express Cobalt® Card

More Details

RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300

Poor

560

Fair

660

Good

725

Very Good

760

Excellent

TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

3.5

More Details

RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300

Poor

560

Fair

660

Good

725

Very Good

760

Excellent

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$1,041.82

American Express Membership Rewards

Welcome Bonus

$315

American Express Membership Rewards

Annual Fee

$155.8

First Year Value

$1,201.02

$886.02 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$533.24

Air Canada Aeroplan

Welcome Bonus

$735

Air Canada Aeroplan

Annual Fee

$139

First Year Value

$1,129.24

$394.24 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Insurance Included*

Emergency Out of province Medical

$5M/insured Person Up to 15 days

Flight Delay

$500

Baggage Delay

$500

Hotel Burglary Insurance

$500

Lost or Stolen Baggage

$500

Travel Accident

$250,000

Car Rental Damage & Theft

$85K up to 48 days

Mobile Device Insurance

$1000

Purchase Protection

90 days

Extended Warranty

1 year

Insurance Included

Emergency Out of province Medical

$5M/insured Person Up to 15 days

Flight Delay

$500

Baggage Delay

$500

Hotel Burglary Insurance

$500

Lost or Stolen Baggage

$500

Travel Accident

$250,000

Car Rental Damage & Theft

$85K up to 48 days

Mobile Device Insurance

$1000

Purchase Protection

90 days

Extended Warranty

1 year

Emergency Medical Over 65

$2M/insured up to 4 days

Trip Cancellation

$1.5K/person, $5K/trip

Trip Interruption

$5K/person, $25K/trip

Extra Benefits*

American Express Experiences

Extra Benefits

Free first checked bag

First checked bag is free for primary cardholder on WestJet flight and up to 8 guests

Nexus Application

$100 every 4 years

Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits

Concierge Services

Golf Benefit

Troon Rewards Golf benefits like discounts at over 95 resorts and courses around the world plus access to select private clubs across the U.S

Extra points

Earn 50% more Stars and 50% more Aeroplan points at participating Starbucks stores

Extra points

Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore

Status lift

Reach Aeroplan Elite™ Status sooner by earning 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and one (1) Status Qualifying Segment for every $10,000 of net purchases

Car Rental Discount

10% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car

Trip and legal Assistance

Interest Rates*

Purchase:

21.99%¹

Cash Advance:

21.99%¹

Interest Rates

Purchase:

20.99%

Cash Advance:

22.99%

Annual Fee*

$155.8

Annual Fee

$139

Income Required*

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

Income Required

Min Personal Income:

$60,000

Min Household Income:

$100,000

Welcome Bonus*

Earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in purchases on your Card in the first Year

Welcome Bonus

10,000 points after approval. 25,000 points after spending over $5,000 within 180 days of account opening.

Rewards Rate*

5x points per $1 spent in Restaurants, Fast Foods, Coffee Shops, Food delivery and Groceries up to 12500 points monthly
3x points per $1 spent on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada
2x points per $1 spent in standalone gasoline stations, Amex Travel online, travel services or local commuter transportation in Canada including ride share services
1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases

Rewards Rate

1.5 points on gas, Groceries and Air Canada and Air Canada vacations (maximum 120,000 points annually)
1 point on everything else

Loyalty Program*

American Express Membership Rewards

Loyalty Program

Air Canada Aeroplan

Point Redemption Options*

Most Optimal

Transfer to Airline Partners

2.1¢ / point

Gift Cards

0.765¢ / point

Fixed Point Travel Program

1.66¢ / point

Transfer to Hotel Partners

1.66¢ / point

Statement Credits

1¢ / point

Amazon.ca

0.7¢ / point

Merchandise

0.63¢ / point

Point Redemption Options

Transfer to Airline Partners

2.1¢ / point

Gift Cards

0.765¢ / point

Most Optimal

Travel

0.825¢ / point

Is this card worth it?

This card was voted the Best Credit Card in Canada by FinlyWealth. The rewards earned on this card for a person with average spending exceed those of other credit cards in Canada by a huge margin! In addition, the card has good benefit coverage, making it the best candidate to become the main credit card for the majority of people.

Is this card worth it?

If you are a frequent AirCanada traveler, we highly recommend this card given its many benefits specific to the Aeroplan program. Among all the Aeroplan cards, we like this one the most because it provides a more comprehensive list of benefits compared to the others.

Pros

Generous welcome bonus of up to 15,000 points
4 different ways of redeeming your points for great value
10 different types of insurance, including travel
Often referred to as the Best Credit Card in Canada

Pros

Great benefits for Air Canada travelers, such as free checked baggage, will save you more in fees than you spend on annual membership fees. High coverage limit on the insurance for this card

Cons

Less acceptance of American Express at different merchants across Canada
Not all types of travel insurance are covered, especially trip cancellation and interruption insurance

Cons

The rewards rate on this card is not that high. There are non-Aeroplan cards with much better reward programs, and their points can later be transferred to this card, making them better options if you are looking to gather Aeroplan points.
You lose the flexibility to use other airlines if you want to take advantage of the benefits of this card.

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American Express Cobalt® Card vs TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card: When to go for one over the other

Annual Fees and Requirements

The American Express Cobalt® Card and the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card have comparable annual fees, with the Cobalt® Card being slightly higher. However, the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card requires a minimum personal or household income, which could limit accessibility for some applicants. The Cobalt® Card has no specific income requirements, making it more broadly accessible to a wider range of users.

Rewards Comparison

The American Express Cobalt® Card shines in everyday spending categories such as dining, groceries, and streaming services, offering a more consistent rewards rate year-round. In contrast, the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card delivers higher rewards when used for Air Canada purchases and Aeroplan partners, which is ideal for frequent flyers. Both cards offer strong welcome bonuses, with the TD Aeroplan® card providing a larger initial bonus, although its ongoing rewards may not match the Cobalt® Card for general spending.

Reward Redemption Options

The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card allows users to redeem points primarily through the Aeroplan program, offering excellent value for Air Canada flights and partner airlines. The American Express Cobalt Card provides more flexibility with redemption options, including transferring points to various airline and hotel partners, using points for travel through Amex Travel, or redeeming them for statement credits. This flexibility makes the Cobalt Card more versatile for users who value multiple redemption avenues.

Benefits and Insurance

Both cards come with extensive insurance coverage, including travel-related protections and purchase assurances. However, the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card stands out with additional travel benefits like a free checked bag on Air Canada flights, a Nexus application rebate, and the ability to earn Aeroplan Elite™ Status faster through the Status Lift feature. The American Express Cobalt® Card, while slightly less travel-focused, offers unique perks such as access to American Express Experiences, which may appeal to those interested in exclusive events and offers.

Conclusion

For most users, the American Express Cobalt® Card is the better option due to its excellent rewards on everyday purchases and lack of income restrictions. However, frequent Air Canada travelers or those invested in the Aeroplan program may prefer the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card for its specific travel benefits, such as the Nexus rebate, free checked bags, and faster path to Aeroplan Elite™ Status.

Annual Fees and Requirements
Rewards Comparison
Reward Redemption Options
Benefits and Insurance
Conclusion

Legal

^*American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment. Check for full details and current product information.

¹ If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 28.99%.