CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Card
Review

• 

  Travel Accident

  $100,000

• 

  Purchase Protection

  90 days

• 

  Extended Warranty

  Up to 1 year

• 

  Car Rental Damage & Theft

  Up to $65k car MSRP

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  Discount

  Primary cardholders can often book flight rewards for even fewer points

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  Extra points

  Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore

Imagine the opportunity to pocket decent Aeroplan points, some useful insurance coverage, and a couple of benefits – all for no annual cost.

This criteria turns into a reality with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card.

To learn more about this Aeroplan credit card in particular, plus other budget-friendly Aeroplan credit cards on the Canadian market, keep reading.

How You Earn Rewards with the the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card

Simply put, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card earns the following:

• 1 Aeroplan point per dollar spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries, and Air Canada purchases (including bookings made through Air Canada Vacations)
• 1 Aeroplan point per $1.50 dollars spent (0.66 per $1) on all other purchases

As you can see, this rewards program is pretty straight-forward, allowing cardholders to collect decent Aeroplan points on everyday purchases and Air Canada travel purchases (at least decent rates for a no-fee credit card).

Redeeming your Rewards with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card

There are a few ways you can redeem your Aeroplan rewards with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card, let's take a look at those redemption categories now:

• Transfers to airline partners: when you transfer your points to a partnered airline to redeem points towards plane tickets.
• Travel: using your points to book travel through eligible platforms for participating flights or vacation packages.
• Gift Cards: when you use your points to purchase eligible gift cards.

These redemption categories are conveniently ranked from most valuable to least valuable. With this in mind, it’s clear that your Aeroplan points are worth the most when you use them towards eligible travel bookings, particularly through Air Canada.

5 Benefits of the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card

Considering it’s a no-fee credit card, it’s expected that the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card isn’t exactly known for its added perks. That said, the card still comes in handy – even simply by the fact that it has no annual fee in the first place.

Generous Welcome Offers

To entice hesitant applicants, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card proudly promotes no annual fees, plus extra Aeroplan points on your card’s first purchase. The best part? The amount of points you’ll receive on this first purchase bonus is enough to support a one-way economy class short-haul ticket in North America (which could easily take you from Toronto to somewhere like New York).

Commendable No-Fee Reward Categories

Of course, we can’t expect the rewards categories on this no-fee card to be that high, but the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card still does a great job of optimizing key everyday categories like gas and groceries, plus travel expenses – supporting everyday shoppers and Air Canada travellers alike. In fact this card is one of the best no-fee Aeroplan credit cards in Canada!

Two Travel-Oriented Protections

Aside from classic insurance categories like purchase protection and extended warranty coverage, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card comes with travel accident insurance and car rental damage and theft insurance – two ways to protect cardholders while travelling abroad.

Discounted Departures

Cardholders will be pleased to know that their CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card unlocks preferred pricing on Aeroplan flight rewards, meaning you can often book flight rewards for fewer points.

Extra Points Through Partnered Retailers

If you’re looking to double-up your Aeroplan points, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card allows you to earn twice the points at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and more than 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore.

3 Downsides of the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card

To keep things balanced, it’s best that we highlight some of the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card’s downsides as well.

A Below-Average Base Rate

It’s important to keep in mind that the base rate on the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is lower compared to other no-fee competitors, earning cardholders only 1 Aeroplan point per $1.50 spent (instead of per dollar spent) on all other purchases.

Loyalty Limitations

Obviously, this CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is ideal for Air Canada travellers, which is why the maximum redemption value is through Air Canada flights. That said, travellers are limited in terms of airline flexibility if they don’t fly with Air Canada.

Missing Out on Important Aeroplan Perks

If you're someone who frequently travels with Aeroplan, you might want to consider paying an annual fee for an Aeroplan Card that comes with Aeroplan-specific perks like free first checked baggage or lounge access. Not only will these perks compliment your trip, they'll also add tons of value to your travels, saving you extra money on luxury expenses in the long run.

That said, if you don't travel too often with Aeroplan but still want some Aeroplan rewards to help you save for when you do, then the no-fee CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is still a great option.

If you don't necessarily plan on travelling with Aeroplan in the first place, then there are many other budget-friendly non-Aeroplan points cards made to optimize your most frequent purchases and spending habits – so keep your options open.

Comparison to Other Aeroplan Credit Cards

There are a couple of other Aeroplan credit cards on the Canadian market that you might want to consider before sticking with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card some that are also budget-friendly, and others that offer more perks for frequent Air Canada travellers.

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

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card vs. American Express Green Card

While it’s not technically an Aeroplan-branded credit card, the American Express Green Card earns you decent American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on all purchases. These American Express Membership Rewards points can then be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to Aeroplan points. That means that you’ll have a better base rate on Aeroplan-transferable points with the American Express Green Card than you will direct Aeroplan points with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card.

When you take a look at the two cards’ coverages, you’ll notice that the Amex Green Card only comes with extended warranty and purchase protection insurance, whereas the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card adds travel accident and car rental damage and theft insurance – which is reassuring if you’re slightly more travel-oriented.

Both cards have their own versions of extra point benefits, with the Amex Green Card earning you double the Aeroplan-transferable points on Amex Travel Online purchases instead of the extra points at partnered retailers through the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card. Where the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card adds preferred pricing on Aeroplan reward flights, the Amex Green Card adds Amex Experiences instead – which are more entertainment-oriented with programs like Front Of The Line.

If we’re getting technical, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card also comes with a small household income requirement whereas the Amex Green Card lacks any kind of income requirement.

All in all, if you’re looking for a better overall base-rate of Aeroplan-transferable points, plus some travel and entertainment-focused benefits without any income requirements, then the Amex Green Card may be worth considering over the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card. On the other hand, if you want more travel coverage, benefits, and directly earned Aeroplan points with Aeroplan-affiliated perks, then the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is still the best option.

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card vs. TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Credit Card 

In all honesty, the TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Credit Card isn’t quite as budget-friendly as the other Aeroplan cards we’ve looked at so far, that’s because it comes with a small annual fee. That said, this annual fee is completely waived for the first year of membership – making it pretty budget-conscious up-front.

To make matters more impressive, the TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Credit Card earns cardholders slightly more Aeroplan points on eligible gas, grocery, and Air Canada purchases, plus the same below-average Aeroplan-point base rate on all other eligible purchases as the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card.

The small annual fee on the TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Credit Card also gets you better insurance coverage by optimizing the coverage for travel accident insurance, and adding lost or stolen baggage, baggage delay, and flight delay insurance.

As far as benefits go, you’ll also get twice as many points at partnered retailers, including extra Stars and Aeroplan points at participating Starbucks stores. Not to mention, a car rental discount at Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car locations.

The TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Credit Card is also void of any income requirements.

So, you might opt for the TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Credit Card over the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card if you don’t mind spending a little bit of money on an annual fee (after the first year of course) for extra coverage and benefits, plus more Aeroplan points on everyday and travel expenses. Alternatively, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is still the most budget-conscious Aeroplan-branded option, with good rewards, benefits, and coverage for no annual fee.

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card vs. CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

If you're willing to spend some money annually, you can get your hands on plenty more Aeroplan perks that optimize your travels.

The first paid card we'd like to compare to the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card. Sure, the fee may seem daunting at first, but it's helpful that it's completely rebated in the first year of membership, giving you a nice head start on your spending and savings.

Let's start by looking at these two cards' reward programs. Rightfully so, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card earns cardholders slightly more Aeroplan points on every dollar spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries, and Air Canada purchases, plus a more standard base rate of one Aeroplan point per dollar spent on everything else.

Now let's compare the coverage. Also to be expected, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card offers an extensive list of 13 insurance categories (compared to the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card's 4 categories). These added inclusions feature everything from trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance to emergency medical coverages to flight and baggage delay protections.

Now for the best part, the benefits. The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card offers the same preferred pricing on Aeroplan flight rewards as the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card, but it adds tons of other travel-related perks, including free first checked bags for you and up to 8 travel companions when you fly with Air Canada, free extra night stays at participating hotels when you book three nights with Aeroplan points, car rental discounts at Avis and Budget locations worldwide, plus the ability to reach Aeroplan Elite Status sooner with extra Status Qualifying Miles and a Status Qualifying Segment when you meet certain spending milestones.

On top of the annual fee, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card also has higher income requirements than the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card – which is always something to keep in mind.

Overall, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is a much better CIBC option for frequent Air Canada travellers because it offers better rewards and plenty of Aeroplan-related perks for a premium travel experience. However, if you can't support this card's annual fee after the first year, then the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is a decent alternative.

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card vs. TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

We couldn't bring this review to a close without comparing the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card to the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card – otherwise known as the best overall Aeroplan credit card.

This Aeroplan option offers optimized points per dollar spent on gas, groceries, and Air Canada purchases when compared to the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card. Still, unlike the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card doesn't optimize electric vehicle charging, but it does offer a better base rate on all other eligible purchases.

Like its Aeroplan Visa Infinite counterpart, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card also offers 13 comprehensive insurance categories like trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance, emergency medical coverages, hotel burglary insurance, and flight and baggage delay coverage.

When it comes to benefits, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is absolutely stacked with perks. In addition to earning cardholders extra points at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore (like the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card), the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card also supplies members with benefits like free first checked bags, a Nexus Program rebate, concierge services for trip bookings, car rental discounts, an expedited chance at earning Aeroplan Elite Status, and trip and legal assistance while abroad.

Still, it's important to note that the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card comes with an annual fee (one that's waived in the first year) and higher income requirements than the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card.

In conclusion, if you can afford an annual fee, opting for an Aeroplan card like the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card gives you more value overall when it comes to Aeroplan points, coverage, and perks – the perfect combination for frequent Air Canada travellers. It's likely that you'd only settle for the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card over the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card if you wanted to avoid annual fees altogether but still collect some Aeroplan points.

Final Verdict

Even among other budget-friendly competitors, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card offers the best mix of Aeroplan-oriented rewards, coverage, and benefits – all for no annual fee. Still, if you’re looking to get a better flat-rate of Aeroplan points on all purchases plus some travel and entertainment perks, the Aeroplan-transferable Amex Green Card could be a better alternative. Likewise, if you want better Aeroplan rewards on everyday and Air Canada purchases, plus more benefits and coverage, the TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Credit Card is also a great contender – as long as you don’t mind covering a small annual fee after the first year rebate.

All things considered, if you're able to fund a higher annual fee and you're a frequent Air Canada traveller, then you might want to invest in the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card or the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card – as they pair competitive Aeroplan points with complementary Aeroplan perks, plus both these contenders rebate their annual fees in the first year of membership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does CIBC Aeroplan have lounge access?

If you’re looking for more premium perks with CIBC Aeroplan, like airport lounge access, you might want to consider the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card which offers some complimentary visits to select Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafes – just mind the card’s high annual cost.

How do I get free checked baggage with CIBC Aeroplan?

There are a couple of other CIBC Aeroplan card options that come with free first checked bags for you and up to 8 travel companions – as long as you can front the annual cost of these contenders.

The two cards in question are of course the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card and the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card – which conveniently waives its annual fee in the first year of account activation.