CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card Review
Pros
- Earn up to 1.5 Aeroplan points per $1 spent on eligible purchases
- Comprehensive travel and purchase insurance coverage
- Access to airport lounges and Priority Pass membership
- Earn 5,000 Aeroplan points for each additional authorized user
- Enjoy Air Canada travel benefits, such as priority boarding and free checked bags
- Access to Visa Infinite Privilege Concierge
Cons
- High annual fee of $599
- Minimum annual income requirement of $150,000 (individual) or $200,000 (household)
- Lesser rewards on everyday spending, only 1.25 points per $1 on eligible purchases
- Limited benefits for those who do not frequently travel with Air Canada
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Performance test results
At DollarWise, for each credit card we test 7 different factors including the rewards, value for money, perks, insurance, strengths and weaknesses of the card.
You can see our full testing methodology here to learn why we’re the most trusted source for credit card reviews.
The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card has earned a 4.55 DollarWise Rating out of 5. This score is based on a weighted average of the two highest scoring factors (excluding acceptance and approval).
4.7
Rewards
0.3
Fees
4.1
Perks
2.5
Interest rates
4.2
Insurance
5.0
Acceptance
2.5
Approval
The highest scoring categories for the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card are rewards and insurance.
These factors are weighted 70% to the highest scoring factor and 30% to the second highest score to get an overall review score.
This weighting allows us to judge cards on their merits and the customers they are designed for.
For the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card the most important factors for scoring this card are its rewards and insurance.
Rewards
With the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, here’s the rates at which you earn rewards for different spending categories per dollar you spend:
| Bills | 1.25 points |
| Pharmacy | 1.25 points |
| Gas | 1.50 points |
| Groceries | 1.50 points |
| Restaurants | 1.50 points |
| Specific Stores | 2 points |
| Travel | 1.50 points |
| All Other Spend | 1.25 points |
Calculating your annual rewards
We estimate that spending $2,000 per month with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card would earn $678 in rewards over the year.
Our performance testing research uses an accurate estimation of the average Canadian households spending patterns to predict the rewards a card will earn.
We found that you’d earn this per category:
| Gas | $72 |
| Groceries | $180 |
| Restaurants | $72 |
| Specific Stores | $48 |
| Travel | $36 |
| All Other Spend | $270 |
Our study investigating the value found that each dollar spent on the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card is worth up to $0.02, depending on how you redeem.
This $678 in rewards value puts the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card in the top 10% of credit cards in Canada based on rewards earned.
The average credit card in our database earns $337 in rewards for the same spend that the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card earns $678 in rewards value.
We can compare this card to other options by looking at the earn rate by category.
This earn rate is the percentage return that you would get when you spend on this card, assuming you redeem at the predicted maximum value.
For example, if a card earned 5 points per dollar on gas and each point is worth up to $0.02, then the earn rate is 5 points multiplied by $0.02 each, divided by the dollar you spent.
In this example, that’s a 10% earn rate on gas.
| Spend | This Card | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | 2.50% | 1.25% |
| Pharmacy | 2.50% | 1.17% |
| Gas | 3.00% | 1.48% |
| Groceries | 3.00% | 1.71% |
| Restaurant | 3.00% | 1.53% |
| Store | 4.00% | 1.94% |
| Travel | 3.00% | 1.19% |
| Other | 2.50% | 1.08% |
| Redemption method | Annual rewards |
|---|---|
| Transfer to partner hotels | $278 |
| Gift cards | $241 |
| Merchandise | $251 |
| Car rentals | $305 |
| Flight rewards | $678 |
| Air Canada gift cards | $339 |
| Air Canada vactions | $281 |
For an annual spend of $24,000, we estimated annual rewards value at up to $678.
That’s equivalent to a 2.83% return on spending.
The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card has an annual fee of $599. After deducting this, we predicted net annual rewards of $79.
This puts it in the bottom 30% of credit cards for net rewards after fees.
In comparison, the average card earns net annual rewards of $254.
Fees
The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card has a $599 annual fee.
The average card charges $85. So, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card is in the top 10% of cards based on the cost of the annual fee.
Perks
We manually review the perks of each credit card to determine how they compare to other cards.
The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card scored a 4.1 out of 5 for perks, putting it in the top 10% of cards.
The average card scores 1.6 out of 5 for perks.
Interest Rates
| Purchase | 20.99% |
| Cash Advance | 22.99% |
| Balance Transfer | 22.99% |
The average (median) credit card has a purchase interest rate of 19.99% and so the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card charges 1% more than the average.
For cash advances it costs 22.99% compared to the average of 19.96%.
Testing the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card with a $2,000 starting balance, you can see in the graph how the 1% more in interest rates impacts the interest over a year, compared to the average card.
Insurance coverage
| Insurance | This Card | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Extended Warranty | 2 years | 1 year |
| Purchase Protection | 180 days | 90 days |
| Travel Accident | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| Emergency Medical Term | 31 days | 15 days |
| Emergency Medical over 65 | 10 days | 4 days |
| Trip Cancellation | $2,500 | $1,500 |
| Trip Interruption | $5,000 | $2,000 |
| Flight Delay | $500 | $500 |
| Baggage Delay | $500 | $500 |
| Lost or Stolen Baggage | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Rental Car Theft & Damage | Yes | No |
| Hotel Burglary | $2,500 | $1,000 |
| Mobile Phone Insurance | $1,500 | $1,000 |
We scored it 4.2 out of 5 for insurance.
It offers 13 types of insurance, whereas the average card has 5 types of coverage.
Approval and qualifying
| Do I qualify? | |
|---|---|
| Estimated Credit Score | 760 – 900 |
| Personal Income | $150,000 |
| Household Income | $200,000 |
| Fees | |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $599 |
| Extra Card Fee | $0 |
| Card type | Visa |
We scored it 2.5 out of 5 for approval.
We predict that you will require a credit score of at least 760 to qualify for the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, while the average card requires 652 to qualify.
This puts it in the top top 10% of cards by approval difficulty.
The personal income requirements are $150,000, while the average card requires $23,896.
This puts it in the top 10% of cards by the income required to qualify.
The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card is designed to reward cardholders with Aeroplan points, providing a strong choice for frequent travellers looking to capitalize on travel rewards. We will delve into its earning potential, key benefits and drawbacks, and other relevant information to help you decide if this credit card is the right fit for you.
Earning potential
The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card earns Aeroplan points primarily on everyday purchases. The reward rates for different spending categories are as follows:
- 1.5 points for every $1 spent on gas, grocery, and drugstore purchases
- 1.25 points for every $1 spent on dining and food delivery purchases
- 1.25 points for every $1 spent on travel purchased through Air Canada
- 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Benefits
- Travel Perks & Insurance: As a cardholder, you will receive numerous travel perks such as priority boarding, priority check-in, and access to Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges. Additionally, this card offers comprehensive travel insurance coverage including emergency medical, trip cancellation/interruption, flight delay, and baggage loss/delay insurance.
- Welcome Bonus & Annual Fee Rebate: New cardholders can take advantage of a generous welcome bonus of up to 50,000 Aeroplan points after meeting the minimum spend requirement.
Furthermore, enjoy a $200 annual statement credit for Air Canada travel purchases and a first-year annual fee rebate for both the primary and additional cardholders (a total savings of up to $599). - Global Airport Lounge Access The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card provides complimentary Priority Pass membership, giving you access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide along with six complimentary lounge visits per year.
- Concierge Service & Mobile Device Insurance This premium credit card comes with a dedicated concierge service to assist with travel arrangements, event bookings, and more. Additionally, cardholders receive mobile device insurance for up to $1,000 in case of loss or damage to their smartphones or tablets.
Drawbacks
- High Annual Fee A significant drawback of this card is the high annual fee of $599, which may deter potential users. However, with the first-year fee rebate and valuable benefits offered, it could still be an attractive option for heavy spenders and frequent travellers.
- Ideal for Frequent Travellers Another drawback is that this card targets frequent travellers, particularly those loyal to Air Canada. Those who do not travel often may not benefit fully from the rewards and perks that the card offers.
Additional information:
Cardholders enrolled in the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card are also provided with purchase protection and extended warranty on eligible items. It is important to consider your personal spending habits and travel preferences before opting for this card, as its full potential can be unlocked with frequent usage and travel-related spending.
Is the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card not convincing you? Consider the CIBC Classic Visa Card or the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card (QC). Still not the right credit card? Make sure not to miss the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card.
FAQ
Key benefits
- Annual interest rate of 19.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances
- Earn 20,000 Aeroplan points upon first purchase
- Points can be redeemed for flights, hotels, car rentals, and merchandise
- Save on fuel with 3 cents per litre discount at participating Petro-Canada stations
- Free Travel Emergency Medical insurance and Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption coverage
- Offers Mobile Device Insurance for smartphones and tablets
- 24-hour Visa Infinite Privileged Roadside Assistance service
- Visa payWave-enabled for contactless payments
- Exclusive dining and wine events through the Visa Infinite Privilege Dining Series program
- Dedicated security specialists for fraud monitoring and prevention
- Zero Liability protection for unauthorized transactions made on your card
- Easily replace lost or stolen cards and emergency cash disbursements
