The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is one of Aeroplan’s mid-tier branded credit cards in Canada. If you regularly fly with Air Canada, or intend on taking a flight with AC, or one of their partner airlines over the next 12-24 months, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite card can help propel you to a world class aviation experience, without having to shell out a lot of money for expensive credit cards.
Stay up to Date on the Latest Travel Deals
The Basics
Annual Fee: $139
Sign up Bonus: up to 45,000 Aeroplan points
First Year Free: Yes
GCR Rebate: $0
Referral Bonus: None
Lounge Access: No
First Year Value: $900
CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card Sign up Bonus
New cardholders will earn 10,000 Aeroplan points upon first purchase
New cardholders will earn 20,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $4,000 in the first 4 months.
You’ll also earn $15,000 as an anniversary bonus upon spending $10,000 in the first 12 months.
Earning Rewards
The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is a great card for earning Aeroplan points. The earn rates are as follows:
1.5 Aeroplan Points per dollar spent on food, gas, & travel
1 Aeroplan Point for every dollar spent everywhere else
While other cards have higher earning rates for particular categories (the American Express Cobalt card offers 5 Membership Rewards on Food & Drink, which can be transferred to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio), the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card provides great everyday earning if you are interested in collecting Aeroplan points.
Given that some establishments don’t accept American Express, it’s a good idea to have a Visa card in your wallet that has solid everyday earning. The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card certainly fits that parameter.
It also should be noted that the 1 Aeroplan point per dollar spent on everyday purchases is equal to mid tier Aeroplan cards offered by TD & American Express, and slightly below the premier Aeroplan cards offered by CIBC & American Express.
Redeeming Your Rewards
The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite allows you to earn Aeroplan points.
Read: Your Complete Guide to Aeroplan Points
Collecting Aeroplan points enables you to redeem those points for free flights on the following airlines.
Canada & US
Note: Aeroplan has also partnered with Pal Airlines, which services Eastern Canada
Central & South America
Europe
Middle East, Africa & India
Asia & Pacific
the full list of partners can be found here
For Canadians, the most popular Airline you’ll be using is Air Canada.
Aeroplan is part of the “Star Alliance” network.
Redemption Zones
In 2020 Aeroplan released a pricing chart based on geographic zones. In total, there are 4 zones (North America, South America, Atlantic & Pacific) which are built into the award chart
The updated dynamic pricing is shown below. As you can see from the chart, Air Canada flights will have a dynamic pricing component, while partner carries will have a more traditional fixed cost to them.
Overall there are 10 different award chats, reflecting travelling between each zone, and also within the zone itself. Here are the updated distance based award charts.
Here’s the new award chart for travel within North America:
Here’s the new award chart for travel between North America and the Atlantic region:
Here’s the new award chart for travel between North America and the Pacific region:
Here’s the new award chart for travel between North America and South America:
CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card Benefits
Free Checked Bags on Air Canada Flights
That’s right, cardholders and supplementary cardholders receive their first checked bag for free when traveling on an Air Canada flight.
Accelerators for Earning Elite Status
Cardholders earn 1,000 status qualifying miles (SQM) and 1 status qualifying segment (SQS) for every $5,000 in purchases charged to your card.
Cardholders can also roll over 200,000 unused SQMs to apply towards elite status in the following year.
For those who are looking to achieve elite status, this can help get you there sooner.
Preferred Pricing when Redeeming Aeroplan Points on Air Canda Flights
Cardholders receive preferred pricing when redeeming Aeroplan points on AC fights, up to 25% off
CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card Insurance Coverage
The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite card is a premier travel credit card, and thus comes with a multitude of insurance coverage, including:
- Out of Country Insurance – up to $5,000,000 (15 days of coverage)
- Trip Cancellation Insurance up to $1,500
- Trip Interruption Insurance – up to $5,000
- Flight Delay Insurance – up to $500
- Baggage Delay & Lost Baggage Insurance – up to $1,000
- Car rental damage insurance
One thing to note is that the CIBC Visa Infinite Card will extend the insurance coverage to trips booked with points.
Summary
If you’re looking for a credit card that offers great benefits and perks, then the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite card may be worth considering, especially if you regularly fly on Air Canada.
Along with its fantastic welcome bonus, and best of all, this card has a first year free offer.
Canadians will have to make a personal decision as to whether or not the $139 annual fee is worth taking into the third year. It may be in your best interest to downgrade to a lower tier CIBC credit card after year two, and look at re-applying for this card a few years down the road.
Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a small commission if you make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. For more information, please visit our disclaimer page