Aeroplan
Redeem on 25+ Star Alliance airlines
As CIBC’s top-tier Aeroplan co-branded credit card, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege currently offers 20,000 Aeroplan points as a signup bonus upon making your first purchase on the card. You’ll also earn an Air Canada Buddy Pass after spending $3,000 in the first four months.
In the past, this card has offered higher signup bonuses as well (up to a peak of 50,000 Aeroplan points), although currently it’s at a relative low point along with its fellow CIBC products: the mid-range CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite and the entry-level CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card.
As a Visa Infinite Privilege product, this card also commands a relatively high annual fee of $599. However, this can be reduced to $479 via a $120 rebate if you hold CIBC’s Smart Plus Account (which itself requires a minimum balance of $6,000 to waive the monthly maintenance fees of $29.95).
Some travellers might highly value the Air Canada Buddy Pass, while other travellers might not. The Air Canada Buddy Pass is essentially a buy-one-get-one voucher for paid Air Canada economy class flights within North America.
20,000 Aeroplan points and an Air Canada Buddy Pass in exchange for an annual fee of $599 isn’t really a great deal, so I’d wait for a better offer to come along before applying. If anything, consider applying for the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege instead, which gives you an additional 30,000 Aeroplan points on top of everything, for the same annual fee.
In terms of the returns on everyday spending, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege offers cardholders:
For a premium credit card, the earning rates are quite ordinary. After all, the mid-range CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite already offers 1.5x Aeroplan points on the same categories; it’s only the 1.25x earning rate on general purchases that’s higher on the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to get this card for a $599 annual fee solely for its earning rates, but if you do have the card, then the 1.25x return on all purchases is pretty competitive in the “everything else” category.
As Air Canada’s premium travel credit card, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege leans in heavily on the Air Canada travel benefits:
It’s worth noting that the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege, unlike its TD-issued counterpart, allows cardholders to bring one guest for free on their Maple Leaf Lounge visits within North America as an introductory perk until November 7, 2021.
(Otherwise, the benefits package is virtually identical to the TD Aerogold Visa Infinite Privilege.)
In addition to the Air Canada benefits, the card also offers a strong set of benefits through its Visa Infinite Privilege designation:
Finally, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege also offers a $100 NEXUS credit, which is always useful for getting a NEXUS card to make your journey across the US border much smoother.
As a high-end product, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege excels in the insurance department. Some examples of its strong coverage include:
It’s important to note that these benefits would also apply on Aeroplan reward tickets, as long as you charge the taxes and fees of your booking to your CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite Privilege.
Additionally, the card also offers Purchase Security and Extended Warranty Protection, covering most eligible items you’ve purchased with your card should they be stolen or damaged within 120 days of purchase, as well as a two additional years on top of the manufacturer’s warranty.
As a Visa Infinite Privilege product, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege requires a minimum household annual income of $200,000 to be eligible. You'll also need to be approved for a credit limit of at least $10,000.
Follow the below link (not an affiliate link) to the CIBC website to learn more about this card and submit an application.