CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
A premium travel card perfect for frequent flyers seeking luxury and comfort. With full access to Maple Leaf Lounges and six complimentary visits to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide, and the convenience of priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling, this card truly takes flying to new heights.
Rewards: Earn 1.5 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries, and travel & dining. Get 2 Aeroplan points per dollar spent directly with Air Canada, and 1.25 points per dollar spent on all other purchases. Double your points at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands, including Starbucks, LCBO, and Amazon.
Welcome Offer: Get up to 90,000 Aeroplan points (worth up to $1,800 in travel value) and a free first checked bag for two travellers on round-trip flights with Air Canada, a value of $120. Spend $3,000 in the first three months to get 60,000 points and spend $6,000 in the first six months to earn an additional 30,000 points.
Annual Fee: $599 (but you can get an annual fee rebate of $139 with a CIBC Smart Plus Account).
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card offers a host of benefits, including worldwide companion passes, excellent travel insurance including emergency travel medical, travel accident, trip delay/cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage insurance, and rental car insurance. You’ll also get purchase security, extended protection insurance, and mobile device insurance. However, its high annual fee of $599 and income requirements may put it out of reach for some. Know that the annual worldwide companion pass requires a minimum spend of $25,000 per year, and the full welcome bonus is only truly realized—renew the card and get your final 30,000 points.
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CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege
CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege is an excellent travel rewards card for those who want to earn points quickly for exclusive travel perks. You can accumulate points faster with an impressive welcome bonus and generous earn rates, making travel more accessible.
Rewards: You can earn 3 points for every dollar spent on travel through the CIBC Rewards Center and 2 points for every dollar spent on dining, entertainment, gas, transportation, electric vehicle charging, and groceries. For all other purchases, you can earn 1.25 points for every dollar spent.
Welcome Offer: Get a welcome bonus of 80,000 Aventura points (up to $1,600 in travel value) when you spend $3,000 within the first four months of account opening. The final 30,000 Aventura points of the welcome bonus can only be unlocked after one year with the card.
Annual Fee: The annual fee for this card is $499, but you can receive an annual fee rebate of up to $139 with a CIBC Smart Plus account.
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege includes 6 complimentary visits at over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide, two NEXUS application fee rebates, and a $200 annual travel credit (so your annual fee is actually $299). With a full suite of insurance coverage, including emergency medical and extended warranty coverage, it protects its members well. However, this card does have some drawbacks, like the high annual fee and income requirements. You also lose some flexibility in having to book travel through the CIBC Rewards Centre. Oh, and no free first checked baggage? A minor detail, but lacking “privilege.”
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BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
BMO’s elite travel card gives you airport perks like 6 complimentary airport lounge access passes, a general welcome offer to get you flying right away, and the luxury that comes along with Visa’s Infinite Privilege program.
Welcome offer: Earn up to 120,000 points. Earn 50,000 points after spending $6,000 within the first 3 months, 30,000 points after spending $30,000 within the first 6 months, and 40,000 points after spending $75,000 within the first 12 months of opening the account.
Annual fee: $599 (you can apply annual $200 lifestyle credit to it, though)
Rewards: You can earn 5 times the BMO rewards points on everyday purchases like groceries, restaurants, drugstores and, of course, your VIP travel experiences. You’ll also get 1 point for every dollar you spend elsewhere.
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: While this card gives you lounge membership to airport lounge programs, it doesn’t include Maple Leaf Lounges. However, you also get a Visa Airport Companion membership (valued at $250) to give you and your partner or travel companion to share in the airport lounge benefits. You’ll also get other airport benefits like priority security lanes, airport parking and valet service discounts. You’ll need a minimum income of $150,000, though.
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CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card
Get airport lounge access without the airport lounge fees with an affordable credit card loaded with quality travel insurance.
Rewards: Collect 2 points per dollar on travel purchases with the CIBC Rewards Centre, 1.5 points per dollar spent at gas and EV charging stations, grocery stores and drug stores and 1 point per dollar on everything else.†
Welcome Offer: Get up to $1,450 in value including a first year annual fee rebate!†. Earn up to 45,000 Aventura Points (up to $900 in travel value†): 15,000 Aventura Points after making your first purchase and 30,000 Aventura Points after spending $3,000 or more in net purchases in the first 4 monthly statement periods. †Terms and conditions apply. This offer is not available to residents of Quebec.
Annual Fee: $139 (Rebated in the first year)† (Purchase Interest Rate†:20.99%; Cash Interest Rate†:22.99%)
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: This card is all about accessing luxury travel for less. You get airport lounge access, a NEXUS fee rebate, and the same great travel insurance as the elite travel credit cards†, without paying an annual fee in the first year. You don’t get Maple Leaf lounge access, but CIBC gives you LoungeKey opening the doors to airport lounges around the world. The only dilemma is the subpar welcome offer, but it’s enough points to fly to any location in Canada or the continental U.S. for one person.
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Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card
A travel credit card with 6 complimentary airport lounge access visits, no foreign exchange fees, and great earn rates for a low annual fee make this card another great option for anyone meeting their $60,000 minimum annual income requirement.
Rewards: Earn 3 Scene+ points for every dollar you spend at Sobey’s and its associated branded stores, and 2 Scene+ points for every dollar you spend on daily transit, dining out, and entertainment tickets.
Welcome Offer: Get 30,000 Scene+ points after spending $2,000 in the first three months and an additional 10,000 points after spending $40,000 in the first year for a total of 40,000 points.
Annual Fee: $150 (supplementary cards are free)
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Six complimentary visits to airport lounges make this card pretty sweet. Throw in the no foreign exchange fees and comprehensive insurance benefits all for a fee of $150 makes this a card worth having in your wallet. With any other card on this list, if you spend $6,000 abroad, the foreign exchange fees add up to $150. However, if you don’t shop at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, or Foodland, you won’t earn as fast (not that we’re complaining about the 2 points at other grocery stores).
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TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
Elite travel is unlocked with unlimited access to Maple Leaf lounges (for you and a guest) and six lounge visits for each card holder at more than 1,200 other airport lounges is great, but there’s more. Priority airport services (think boarding, baggage handling, standby and airport upgrades), an every-four-years NEXUS application fee rebate and an annual round-trip companion pass, what’s not to love (other than the annual fee)?
Rewards: Earn 2 Aeroplan Points for every dollar spent on Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®), 1.5 points for every dollar spent on gas, groceries, travel and dining purchases and 1.25 points for every dollar spent on all other purchases made with your card.
Welcome Offer: Earn up to $3,000 in value† including up to 85,000 Aeroplan points (enough for a round trip to Honolulu†) and additional travel benefits. Conditions apply. Offer effective as of January 7, 2025. Not available for residents of Quebec.
Annual Fee: $599
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: If you’re looking at premium credit cards that come with lounge membership, this is your ticket to VIP travel. An annual round-trip companion pass for $99 (plus fees, etc.), extensive insurance, NEXUS rebate every four years, priority airport services like boarding, baggage handling, airport standby and airport upgrades, and unlimited access to Maple Leaf Lounges for you and a guest and an additional six lounge visits at global airport lounges—it’s hard to beat it. Of course, to travel like this, you can also afford the high annual fee and minimum personal income requirement of $150,000. Starbucks loved this card so much that you can earn 50% more Aeroplan points and Starbucks stars to boot.
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The Platinum Card® from American Express
AMEX always makes the list of premium credit cards and here’s why: access to airport lounges around the world, concierge services, travel coverage and a fantastic welcome offer.
Rewards: Earn 2 Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent on food delivery and dining in Canada, 2 Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent on eligible travel purchases, 1 Membership Rewards Point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases; Earn 1 additional Membership Rewards Point per dollar spent on eligible car and hotel purchases made with American Express Travel.
Welcome Offer: Earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points. Collect 70,000 points when you spend $10,000 in the first 3 months, plus an additional 30,000 points for making a purchase between 14 and 17 months of card membership.
Annual Fee: $799
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: It’s a charge card, so not only are you paying a $799 annual fee, you’ll also be charged a 30% annual interest rate for not paying off your card in full every month. That said, 100,000 membership points transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan points and you unlock access to them in the first three months (after $10,00 spent). It has a full suite of insurance options, unlimited global lounge access, and hotel, dining, and entertainment benefits as well.
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BMO Ascend World Elite®* Mastercard®*
At 5 points for every dollar spent on travel, 4 free airport lounge passes per year, and excellent travel and medical coverage (even if you charge a portion of your trip to the card), it’s a great card for worry-free travel.
Rewards: For every dollar you spend on the card, you earn 5 points on travel purchases, 3 points on groceries, dining and event tickets and 1 point on all other purchases.
Welcome Offer: Earn up to 90,000 points in the first year. Earn 45,000 points after spending $4,500 in the first 3 months and 3,750 points for each subsequent month in which $2,500 in purchases is spent for 12 months.
Annual Fee: $150 (waived in the first year)
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The strongest part of this card is the insurance you can access for a partial charge of your travel to the card (e.g., taxes and fees of your trip). While the four annual complimentary lounge passes (4 solos, or 2 as a couple) is nice, the high spending requirement for the remaining 30,000 points doesn’t draw us in. Though, with no annual fee in the first year, it may be worth it for the insurance package alone.
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RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege
For Avioners with high incomes and the desire for a single credit card, RBC’s premium travel credit card’s unique uniform 1.25 points per dollar spent, may suit your needs.
Rewards: You’ll earn 1.25 the points for every dollar you spend across the board, regardless of category.
Welcome Offer: Get up to 70,000 Avion points. Get 35,000 Avion points on approval, 20,000 Avion points after spending $5,000 in the first 6 months and a one-time 15,000 point anniversary bonus after 12 months of opening an account.
Annual Fee: $399
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: With six annual complimentary airport lounge visits to DragonPass lounges, priority airport services like fast-tracking security in Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto’s Billy Bishop airports, and one of the best insurance packages, including 31 days of emergency medical travel insurance, RBC’s card for best lounge access is simple and straightforward with all the perks and benefits of Visa’s Infinite Privilege program.
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American Express® Gold Rewards Card
A less-expensive, but feature-rich sister card of AMEX’s The Platinum, this is a go-to solution for those who want to stay with American Express but not pay the high-end annual fee.
Rewards: You get 2 points per dollar on hotels, flights, car rentals, travel, fuel, groceries and drugstore purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Welcome Offer: Get up to 60,000 Membership Rewards® points; New Cardmembers earn 5,000 Membership Rewards® points in each monthly billing period when you spend $1,000 in net purchases on your Card, this could add up to 60,000 points in a year. That’s up to $600 towards your next vacation.
Annual Fee: $250
Other Benefits and Drawbacks: For a $250 annual fee, this card unlocks a lot of membership rewards points, a solid earn rate, and four complimentary visits to Plaza Premium Lounges, which makes it a decent card. You’ll also get a Priority Pass membership, but you’ll have to pay to enter, which hurts this card’s reputation among the best lounge access cards. The insurance coverage takes a step back but still maintains emergency medical insurance, just not for as many days. While I applaud the relaunch of an iconic product with the rose gold metal option, if I can’t confidently flash it and walk into an airport lounge, then I’m not totally sold.
The information for the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The information for the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
