CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card Review

If you’re a frequent Air Canada traveller looking for solid Aeroplan points on popular spend categories, extensive coverage, and notable travel benefits like free first checked bags and free extra nights at hotels, then the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card could be for you.

For a better breakdown of what this card offers, where it could improve, and how it compares to similar Aeroplan credit cards on the Canadian market, check out this thorough review.

How You Earn Rewards with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

Earning your Aeroplan points with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is quite simple, with this card you’ll collect:

• 1.5 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries, and Air Canada purchases (including bookings made through Air Canada Vacations)
• An Aeroplan point per dollar spent on all other purchases

As you can see, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card provides plenty of opportunities to earn Aeroplan points – whether you use the card for your day-to-day purchases or your Air Canada travel arrangements.

Ultimately, the card is ideal for everyday shoppers and consistent vacationers alike.

Redeeming your Rewards with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

Once you’ve received Aeroplan points through purchases made on your CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card, you can redeem those points towards the following categories:

• Transfers to airline partners: when you transfer your points over to an airline that’s partnered with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card to buy plane tickets – in this case, of course, Air Canada.
• Travel: refers to booking travel through associated travel platforms (Air Canada), these bookings may include eligible flights or vacation packages.
• Gift cards: when you redeem your Aeroplan points towards eligible gift cards.

The above redemption categories are thoughtfully ranked from most valuable to least valuable. That being said, clearly, the best way to use your Aeroplan points is towards future travel expenses – which is why the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is considered to be such a travel-oriented credit card.

9 Benefits of the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

Now that we’ve covered the rewards side of things, let’s dig a bit deeper and review the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card’s benefits.

Here are all the perks provided by this credit card:

A Beneficial Welcome Bonus

To help persuade applicants all the more, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card rewards cardholders with extra Aeroplan points on their first purchase, and even more points when they meet specific spending requirements – one within the first few months of membership and another as an anniversary bonus.

On top of these point-focused welcome offers, the annual fee is also completely rebated in the first year.

Impressive Aeroplan Reward Rates

After reviewing the previous reward sections, it should come as no surprise that one of the biggest benefits of the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is indeed its rewards program.

These rewards are competitive among similar Aeroplan credit cards on the Canadian market – options we’ll also review later on in this blog post.

Free First Checked Bags

Next, let’s get into the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card’s travel perks.

One of the most notable travel perks is the free first checked bag perk for the primary cardholder, plus up to 8 accompanying travel companions on Air Canada flights.

To claim this amazing deal, just make sure your baggage meets airline-provided weight requirements (up to 50 pounds per bag).

Free Extra Nights on Eligible Hotel Stays

Simply put, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card gives cardholders the chance to earn a free extra night at participating hotels for every 3 nights redeemed with Aeroplan points. This perk is also stackable, meaning you’ll earn 1 free extra night on an eligible 3-night stays, 2 free extra nights on an eligible 6-night stays and so on.

Preferred Pricing for Primary Cardholders

Most of the time, CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card members receive access to preferred pricing – a perk that allows them to book flights for fewer points. 

The Expedited Status Lift

As a member, you’ll also earn extra Status Qualifying Miles and a Status Qualifying Segment each time you meet a specific spending requirement on your card. These bonus earnings will allow you to reach Aeroplan Elite Status sooner.

Why should you care? Aeroplan Elite Status unlocks tons of extra perks, including airport lounge access, complimentary checked baggage allowance, and eUpgrades.

Gas Discounts at Participating Stations

Whether you take plenty of road trips, or you simply need to fill up your car frequently to make your daily errands – the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card offers savings at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar, and Chevron gas stations.

Rental Car Discounts Across the Globe

Speaking of road trips, if you’re ever in need of a rental car, there are car rental discounts automatically loaded onto your CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card.

These discounts are available at both Avis and Budget locations worldwide. 

You can even receive a complimentary upgrade to Avis Preferred Plus, a program that provides expedited services, one-car class rental upgrades, a dedicated phone line, plus parking stall and pick-up counter perks.

Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits

All Visa Infinite cards come with Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits, a program that’s packed with even more benefits – from hotel benefits to dining events to 24-hour complimentary concierge services.

3 Downsides of the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

To help you make an informed decision, we’ve also included some of the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card’s downsides in this credit card review.

Here’s where the card can fall short:

Higher Income Requirements

To apply for the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card, you’ll need to meet some annual income requirements – which could be tough for some applicants, limiting accessibility.

Loyalty Limitations

There are also limitations when it comes to the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card’s loyalty to Air Canada.

Since this card earns you Aeroplan points exclusively, and these points are best redeemed towards Air Canada flights, the card isn’t very flexible when it comes to travelling with various airlines and travel platforms – but that’s to be expected given the card’s name.

Basically, if you don’t plan on travelling frequently with Air Canada, don’t apply for this travel credit card – or any Aeroplan-affiliated card for that matter.

Other Cards Offer Better Aeroplan points

If you do plan on traveling with Aeroplan and your goal is to collect as many Aeroplan points as possible, there are other ways to earn more Aeroplan points. For example, even though the American Express Cobalt isn't technically considered an Aeroplan-affiliated credit card, it still earns you the most American Express Membership Rewards points on everyday spend categories that can be converted into Aeroplan points at a 1:1 ratio, thus optimizing your Aeroplan earnings even further than any actual Aeroplan credit card could. So if your aim is to get the most Aeroplan points, you shouldn't necessarily go for an Aeroplan card.

Comparison to Other Popular Aeroplan Credit Cards

If you’re still here, let’s assume that you are exclusively interested in an Aeroplan-affiliated credit card.

In that case, the best way to make sure that the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is the best Aeroplan credit card for you is to compare it to other popular Aeroplan credit cards on the Canadian market.

Here’s a quick look at the comparisons we’ll be making:

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card Vs. TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

The best place for us to start is by comparing one Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card to another.

Like the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card costs the same annual fee, but it unfortunately isn’t waived in the first year of membership like it is for the CIBC alternative.

The income requirements for the two cards are also the same, so the inaccessibility to some applicants doesn't change.

Between the two, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card has the better, more valuable welcome bonus that earns cardholders extra Aeroplan points on their first purchase and on spending requirement milestones.

As far as Aeroplan points go, the two cards offer similar reward rates on eligible gas, groceries, and Air Canada purchases – but the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card includes electric vehicle charging optimization.

While both cards feature the same coverage categories, some insurance categories have a much higher coverage amount on the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card – like baggage delay, emergency medical coverages, and trip interruption insurance.

Benefits like Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits, car rental discounts at Avis and Budget, the expedited chance of reaching Aeroplan Elite Status, and free first checked bags are all included on both Visa Infinite Cards. While the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card doesn’t offer a gas discount, preferred Air Canada flight rates, or free extra hotel nights – it does feature concierge services, trip and legal assistance, extra Aeroplan points at Starbucks, partnered brands and online retailers, a Nexus Program rebate, and Troon Rewards Golf benefits – surpassing the amount of perks you earn with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card.

Therefore, if you want a better welcome bonus, a similar Aeroplan reward program, higher-value insurance coverage, and more benefits – then the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card might be superior to the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card. But, if you want electric vehicle charging included on your rewards program, perks like gas discounts and free extra nights at hotels, plus a first-year annual fee rebate, then stick with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card.

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card Vs. American Express Aeroplan Card

Another top Aeroplan contender in Canada is the American Express Aeroplan Card.

This Aeroplan option is slightly cheaper annually, but it doesn’t include that enticing first-year-free intro offer.

Luckily though, the American Express Aeroplan Card comes with no income requirements – making the card much more accessible to various applicants.

As for points, the American Express Aeroplan Card offers higher Aeroplan-earn-rates on Air Canada purchases, plus specialized categories like dining and food delivery purchases – emphasizing specialized expensive spend categories over everyday spend categories (which are more so featured on the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card). 

If it’s extensive coverage you’re after, you might want to stick with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card and its whopping 13 insurance categories. By comparison, the American Express Aeroplan Card only offers 7 insurance categories and is missing important inclusions like trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance.

Both cards generously provide cardholders with the expedited opportunity to reach Aeroplan Elite Status, free first checked bags, and free extra nights at partnered hotels. To top it off, the American Express Aeroplan Card also adds extra points at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and Amex Experiences (as opposed to Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits). Still, the benefits list for the American Express Aeroplan Card is slightly shorter, missing perks like gas discounts, rental car discounts, and preferred pricing on Air Canada flights.

So, if you want a less expensive card annually that optimizes expensive dining purchases on top of Air Canada travel (at a higher rate than the CIBC counterpart), then the American Express Aeroplan Card may be worth considering. Alternatively, if you’re looking to optimize your everyday expenses more, pocket more insurance coverage, and take advantage of more benefits – then you might still be satisfied with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card.

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card Vs. American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card 

Also part of the Amex network, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card is a popular contender amongst the best Aeroplan credit cards on the Canadian market.

Jumping right to the points, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card earns even more Aeroplan points on Air Canada purchases, plus specialized points on dining and food delivery purchases. Another impressive aspect of this card’s rewards program is that its base rate is higher than usual, meaning you can still rack up nearly as many Aeroplan points on other non-specialized categories – including those optimized by the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card.

When it comes to insurance coverage, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card has more insurance categories but many of those insurance categories on the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card have higher coverage amount, including categories like lost or stolen baggage, baggage delay, flight delay, and hotel burglary insurance.

Regarding benefits, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card has tons of perks. While it shares important additions like free first checked bags and free extra nights at hotels with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card, it also includes perks like a companion voucher, a Nexus Program rebate, unlimited airport lounge access at Maple Leaf and AirCanada Cafes, a Priority Pass, and Priority Travel options.

With perks this extensive, it's not a shock that the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card costs over double the price annually of the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card. To make up for it (although slightly), the American Express Aeroplan Reserve card thankfully doesn’t have any income requirements.

Overall, you’ll be pleased with the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card if you’re a big spender looking for competitive Aeroplan rewards, comprehensive coverage, and plenty of travel-oriented benefits. If you can’t swing the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card’s annual fee, you can still earn remarkable Aeroplan points, take advantage of extensive coverage, and make use of great travel benefits with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card.

Final Verdict

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is a great option for an Aeroplan-point-earning credit card. It combines the opportunity to earn on popular everyday spend categories (like gas and groceries) with Air Canada purchase-optimization, making it a versatile travel card for day-to-day day shopping and travel bookings.

If you happen to want to optimize other spend categories, like dining, you can consider one of the American Express Aeroplan alternatives.

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card also comes with extensive insurance coverage and plenty of travel-focused benefits – particularly free first checked bags and free extra nights at partnered hotels.

If you’d like even more benefits, consider competitors like the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card or the pricey American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card.

Ultimately, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is a balanced and rewarding Aeroplan option for frequent Air Canada travellers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card worth it?

If your goal is to use a credit card rewards program to fund future trips with Air Canada, then the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is a solid choice.

This Aeroplan card allows you to collect Aeroplan points on both popular everyday purchases and Air Canada travel bookings. After which, you can use those Aeroplan points to book your next Air Canada flight or vacation package.

Does the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card come with airport lounge access?

Unfortunately, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card doesn’t come with airport lounge access.

If you’re looking for an Aeroplan credit card with airport lounge access, consider splurging for the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card.

What are the income requirements for the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card?

As of now, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card has a personal income requirement of $60,000 and a household annual income requirement of $100,000.