Head-to-Head: TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card vs. WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡

In this edition of Head-to-Head, we’ll take a look at two of the primary mass-consumer credit cards for Air Canada and WestJet: the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card and WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡.

While both are flagship co-branded credit cards from Canada’s largest airlines, there are key differences to explore to determine which card ultimately comes out on top.

Card Basics

When comparing credit cards, it’s essential to start with the fundamentals. Let’s start by evaluating key aspects such as welcome bonuses, annual fees, and earning rates to help determine which card provides the best overall value.

1. Welcome Bonuses

One of the most compelling factors when deciding between two credit cards is the signup bonus. 

The TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card currently offers up to 45,000 Aeroplan points,^† along with a first-year annual fee rebate.^† Historically, TD’s offers fall in the 40,000–50,000 point range, with occasional bumps during seasonal promotions.

Meanwhile, the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡ is currently offering up to 70,000 WestJet points,^† which represents the higher end of its typical offer structure. As a baseline, WestJet’s welcome bonuses generally sit around 45,000 WestJet points, with promotional spikes to 70,000 points—similar to the current offer.

It’s important to highlight the difference in points value. Aeroplan points have variable value, depending on how strategically you redeem them, especially for premium cabins. In contrast, WestJet points have a fixed value of 1 cent per point, other than getting slightly better fare via Member Exclusive fares.

Indeed, we value Aeroplan points at 2.1 cents per point (cpp), and WestJet points at 1 cent per point.

Using these valuations, we’d peg the total value of the welcome bonuses at $945 (CAD) for the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card, and $700 (CAD) for the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡.

However, these values don’t take into consideration the cards’ annual fees, or any points earned through the minimum spending requirements.

As for the structure of the welcome bonus, both cards have three components to unlock the full allotment.

To earn the full welcome bonus of up to 70,000 WestJet points on the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡, you’ll need to complete the following:

• Earn 30,000 WestJet points upon making your first purchase^†
• Earn 30,000 WestJet points upon spending $5,000 in the first three months^†
• Earn 10,000 WestJet points after first year anniversary^†

Meanwhile, the welcome bonus of up to 45,000 Aeroplan points on the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite^* Card is structured as follows:

• Earn 10,000 Aeroplan points upon first purchase^†
• Earn 15,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $7,500 in the first 180 days^†
• Earn 20,000 Aeroplan points on renewal after spending $12,000 in the first year^†

Both cards use a three-part bonus structure, awarded in stages as you meet milestones.

Verdict: while both bonuses are structured similarly, Aeroplan’s higher redemption value helps the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite^* Card come out ahead for travellers looking to maximize long-term value.

2. Annual Fee

Both the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card and the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard^‡ charge the same annual fee of $139.

However, TD continues to offer a first-year annual fee rebate for the primary cardholder (and often the first supplementary cardholder),^† while WestJet does not currently offer a first-year fee waiver.

Verdict: Even though the ongoing annual fee is identical at $139, TD wins this round thanks to its first-year rebate, making it the more affordable choice in year one.

3. Earning Rates

Both cards offer elevated earn rates in useful categories, but the structure — and ultimately the value — differs considerably between the two.

With the updated program, the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard^ǂ now earns:

• 2 WestJet points per dollar on eligible WestJet flights, WestJet Vacations, and Sunwing Vacations^†
• 2 WestJet points per dollar on groceries, gas, EV charging, public transit, and rideshares^†
• 1.5 WestJet points per dollar on all other eligible purchases^†

Since WestJet points have a fixed value of 1 cent per point, these rates effectively translate to:

• 1.5% return on everything else
• 2% return on WestJet/Sunwing purchases
• 2% return on groceries, gas, transit, and rideshares

On the other hand, the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card earns:

• 1.5 Aeroplan points per dollar on eligible gas, groceries, and direct Air Canada^® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations^®)^†
• 1 Aeroplan point per dollar on all other purchases^†

Using our valuation of 2.1 cents per Aeroplan point, your effective return becomes:

• 3.15% return on gas, groceries, and Air Canada purchases
• 2.1% return on all other eligible spending

While Aeroplan requires more strategy to maximize, the upside is hard to ignore.

Verdict: The updated WestJet card finally brings strong earning power to everyday categories like groceries and gas — making it far better than before. However, once we account for Aeroplan’s higher redemption value, the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card still comes out ahead*, delivering higher returns on both its bonus categories and base earn rate.

4. Ease of Redeeming

WestJet keeps things extremely simple. With fixed-value points, what you see is what you get.

• WestJet points are worth 1 cent each, applied directly toward the base fare of WestJet flights.
• Minimum redemption is extremely low (effectively 50 points per direction).
• Points can also be used on WestJet Vacations and even some partner flights, though value is still tied to 1 cent per point.
• For Member Exclusive Fares, you must cover the entire base fare with points.

There are no blackout dates, no routing rules, and no award charts to study. The downside, of course, is that you’ll never get outsized value — but you’ll also never waste an afternoon hunting for an award seat.

Aeroplan offers far more flexibility and opportunity, but at the cost of a steeper learning curve.

• Access to 45+ partner airlines, including some of the world’s best premium cabins
• Ability to add stopovers for 5,000 points
• Fixed and dynamic pricing depending on airline and route
• Optional Points + Cash for more flexibility
• Ability to stretch your points dramatically further with sweet spots (when you can find them)

The system is powerful, but it does take time, patience, and a little strategy to get the best value. Not every traveller wants to turn into a part-time award-search detective — though the payoff can be huge if you do.

Verdict: WestJet wins in this category, due to the simplicity of its redemption structure and the lower minimum amount required to redeem.

5. Foreign Transaction Fees

Both the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card and the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡ have a 2.5% foreign transaction fee,^† so it’s a clear tie in this department.

Verdict: Both cards are equally disappointing in that they’re geared towards travellers but still levy foreign transaction fees. Whichever issuer makes the first move in offering no foreign exchange fees would surely earn a strong advantage in this comparison.

Perks and Benefits

Premium travel cards typically justify their annual fees through added travel perks, so let’s see how Aeroplan and WestJet’s flagship cards stack up against each other in this department.

1. Free Checked Bags

Both cards advertise a free checked bag, but how the benefit works in practice is very different — and the gap has widened with WestJet’s recent changes.

The TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card continues to be the more flexible option. The primary cardholder receives a complimentary first checked bag, and the benefit also extends to up to eight companions travelling on the same reservation.

Supplementary cardholders receive the perk as well, even when travelling independently of the primary cardholder. Most importantly, TD does not require you to pay for your airfare with the card to trigger the benefit.

As long as your Aeroplan number is attached to the booking, the free bag applies. This means the perk works seamlessly whether you’re travelling on an employer-paid ticket, booking through a corporate or third-party portal, redeeming Aeroplan points, or using flexible currencies like TD Rewards, Scene+, or Amex Membership Rewards.

WestJet’s version of the perk appears similar at first glance, since the primary cardholder and up to eight companions are also eligible for a free checked bag.

However, the perk does not extend to supplementary card holders. Moreover, following WestJet’s recent program update, the benefit only activates if the airfare is paid for using the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard^ǂ.

This restriction significantly reduces the perk’s real-world usefulness. If your flight is booked through your workplace, purchased through a travel agent, redeemed with flexible bank points, or paid for by someone else, the free checked bag simply does not apply.

For many travellers, this introduces an inconvenient dependency on how and through whom the ticket is issued.

Verdict: This category decisively goes to TD. The Aeroplan card’s bag benefit works automatically across virtually all booking channels, while the WestJet version now comes with a strict “must pay with the card” rule that limits its practicality for anyone who doesn’t always book airfare directly with their own credit card.

2. Companion Voucher

The WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^ǂ offers a companion voucher as an ongoing annual benefit,^† which is important to factor in when comparing the cards over the long-term.

When used strategically, the companion voucher can offer solid savings, especially when booking travel during peak periods, higher fares, or premium cabins.

Presently, the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite^* Card doesn’t offer a companion voucher, either as part of its welcome bonus or as a benefit earned through spending.

It’s worth noting that this card used to come with a Buddy Pass; however, it’s been a long time since it was offered, and there’s no telling if it’ll ever make a return.

Verdict: It’s a clear win for the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡ here, since there’s currently no companion voucher associated with the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite^* Card.

3. Lounge Access

On the surface, neither card comes with complimentary lounge access as an ongoing cardholder benefit.

However, with the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡, you can convert a companion voucher into two lounge passes if you wish, marking another win for WestJet in terms of optionality.^†

This feature is particularly useful for anyone who isn’t able to make use of their companion voucher, and especially those who can visit the airline’s flagship lounge in Calgary.

Verdict: WestJet comes out ahead here. While neither card offers traditional lounge access as part of the core benefits, the option to transform the companion voucher into four lounge passes gives the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard^ǂ a clear edge in terms of optionality and overall travel comfort.

4. Onboard Wi-Fi

Both Air Canada and WestJet are in the middle of a Wi-Fi glow-up, and your experience in the air increasingly depends on which aircraft and route you happen to be on.

WestJet has announced that it will be introducing complimentary Wi-Fi across its fleet using Starlink technology, which should eventually mean fast, reliable internet access for all guests once the rollout is complete.

For now, though, availability can vary by aircraft and route, and it’s best thought of as a work in progress rather than a guaranteed benefit on every flight.

Air Canada is also moving towards Starlink-powered Wi-Fi on select aircraft, while continuing to offer paid connectivity on much of its existing fleet.

The key advantage on the Air Canada side is that Aeroplan members enjoy complimentary in-flight messaging, which allows you to stay connected through popular messaging apps even when you don’t spring for a full Wi-Fi package.

Verdict:
Both airlines are clearly heading toward faster, better Wi-Fi with Starlink, but the experience is still in transition. In the meantime, Air Canada has the edge for everyday usability thanks to free messaging for Aeroplan members, while WestJet’s promise of complimentary full Wi-Fi becomes more compelling as the rollout matures.

5. Elite Status via Spending

Both cards can help you climb the elite status ladder with their respective airlines, but they do so in very different ways – and one clearly offers a more flexible path than the other.

On the Aeroplan side, the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card will continue to play a direct role in earning status under Air Canada’s new Status Qualifying Currency (SQC) framework, which launches in January 2026.

With this card, you earn 1,000 SQC for every $20,000 in eligible purchases. For anyone putting serious annual spend through the card, that SQC can meaningfully top up your progress toward Aeroplan Elite Status, especially when combined with SQC earned from flying.

On top of that, Aeroplan keeps its Everyday Status Qualification (EDQ) mechanism, which is where things get really interesting. If you earn 100,000 EDQ in a calendar year, you unlock Aeroplan 25K status without ever setting foot on a plane.

Since base earn on the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card is 1 Aeroplan point per dollar on non-bonus spending, a member who runs $100,000 of spend at the base earning rate through the card would generate 100,000 points and, in turn, enough EDQ to qualify for 25K status purely from everyday activity.

That’s not a casual spending level, but it does create a genuine “status without flying” path that simply doesn’t exist with most airline programs.

WestJet’s approach with the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard^ǂ is built around Status Lift, which bolsters your tier-qualifying spend as you use the card.

Every time you hit $5,000 in everyday credit card spend, you receive a $200 boost to your tier qualifying spend, and you can earn up to 50 Lifts per year, for a maximum of $10,000 in tier qualifying spend credited from the card alone.

WestJet illustrates this nicely with examples such as reaching Silver by combining, say, $25,000 in card spend (worth $1,000 in tier qualifying spend) with a smaller amount of actual flight spend. In practice, this is very helpful if you already fly WestJet somewhat regularly and just need a push over the line to reach or maintain a tier.

The key distinction is that WestJet’s Status Lift is fundamentally a top-up to a flight-based status system, whereas Aeroplan gives you both a SQC boost from card spend and a completely separate Everyday Status track that can get you to 25K with no flying at all if your spend is high enough.

Verdict: Both cards reward heavy spending with progress toward elite status, but Aeroplan’s setup is clearly more flexible. With 1,000 SQC for every $20,000 in card spend plus the ability to earn 25K status through 100,000 EDQ, the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card offers multiple viable paths to status, including a pure “spend-only” route. WestJet’s Status Lift is a strong enhancement for loyal flyers, but it’s ultimately a supplement – not a standalone path in the same way.

6. Other Benefits

The TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card gives preferred pricing and discounts on Aeroplan flight redemptions,^† while the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡ doesn’t offer any type of preferred pricing model for cardholders when booking WestJet flights. 

Furthermore, the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card offers a $100 (CAD) NEXUS application fee rebate of up to $100 every 48 months, which isn’t offered on the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡.

Other Factors

1. Supplementary Cards

TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Cardholders may add an additional cardholder for $75, while the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard^‡ allows an additional cardholder for $59.

Under the current welcome bonuses, the TD Aeroplan^® card includes a First Year Free offer on the first authorized user as well,^† as long as it’s added at the time of application.

Verdict: While the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡ has a lower authorized user fee, it’s worth noting that the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card extends more benefits, such as the free first checked bag, to the authorized user as well.^†

Which one you prefer will depend on whether you’re adding an additional card for the convenience of having a shared account, or the upside of sharing cardholder benefits.

2. Travel Insurance

Both credit cards offer a strong suite of travel insurance, with each one pulling ahead in different areas.^†

The TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card provides more generous emergency medical coverage, with protection for out-of-province trips of up to 21 days if you’re under 65, or four days if you’re 65 or older.^† In contrast, the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ covers the first 15 days of a trip, or three days if you’re 65 or older.^†

Both cards include trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance, with similar maximum coverage limits per person and per trip, which can help protect you if you need to call off or cut short a journey for an eligible reason.^†

When it comes to delays and baggage, the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card offers up to $1,000 per person for delayed or lost baggage after a qualifying delay, as well as separate flight delay coverage.^†

With the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡, you’ll typically have up to $500 in coverage per occurrence for eligible delayed baggage or flight delay expenses, shared across all covered travellers on the same trip.^†

Both cards now feature mobile device insurance. The TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card covers eligible devices up to $1,000,^† while the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard^‡ offers coverage up to $1,500 per claim, subject to depreciation and other conditions.^†

Finally, both cards’ insurance applies when you book flights with their respective loyalty currencies: Aeroplan points bookings are covered when you charge the taxes and fees to your TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card,^† and trips paid with WestJet points are eligible when charged to your WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡.^†

Verdict: Overall, the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card still comes out slightly ahead for longer trips and stronger delay and baggage coverage, while the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ now largely matches the core benefits and even wins on mobile device insurance.

3. Ease of Getting Approved

As a Visa Infinite product, annual income requirements for the TD Aeroplan card are set at $60,000 for an individual and $100,000 as a household.^†

Meanwhile, as a World Elite Mastercard^‡, the WestJet RBC credit card has a higher minimum income level of $80,000 per individual or $150,000 as a household. ^†

Verdict: While TD has a lower published income requirement, some applicants have reported challenges with TD’s system, and being denied for cards despite meeting all published criteria and maintaining excellent credit scores.

This strict approval process on TD’s part leaves this criterion as a tie between both cards.

4. Visual Appearance

The TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card features a more minimalistic design. The 16-digit card number has been removed from the front of the card, creating a sleek, higher-end look compared to the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard^‡.

Verdict: TD’s modern design gives it a much snazzier look.

Conclusion

The TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card and the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ both bring strong value to Canadian travellers, but they’re ultimately built for two very different types of flyers.

If you prefer flexibility, regularly chase premium cabins, or want access to a deeper rewards ecosystem, the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card pulls ahead with higher earning potential, stronger travel insurance, better free checked bag mechanics, and multiple pathways toward elite status.

On the other hand, the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ shines for travellers who value simplicity. Its fixed-value points, companion voucher, and the ability to convert that voucher into lounge access make it a practical choice—especially for loyal WestJet flyers or families who appreciate predictable savings.

Choosing between the two comes down to your travel style. If you’re willing to put in a bit of effort to unlock outsized value, Aeroplan is hard to beat. If you want something straightforward with reliable returns and meaningful perks, WestJet delivers. Either way, both cards continue to hold their place as Canada’s top airline-co-branded options.

^† Terms and conditions apply.