CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card Review

4.95

★★★★★

$599.00

Annual Fee

$666.00

Annual Rewards

20,000 points

Intro Offer

$599.00

Annual fee

$666.00

Annual rewards

20,000 points

Intro offer


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

How you earn rewards

Each card earns rewards differently. Part of choosing your card is deciding what type of rewards you want to get. With CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, here’s how you earn rewards:

Gas1.50 points
Groceries1.50 points
Restaurants / Delivery1.50 points
Specific Stores2 points
Travel1.50 points
All Other Spend1.25 points

How much your rewards are worth

The dollar value of your rewards depends on the specific CIBC rewards program and what you choose to redeem your points for.

For CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card in particular, if you spend $2,000.00 per month, here’s our estimated rewards earned depending on which reward you choose:

Redemption methodAnnual rewards
Transfer to partner hotels$273.06
Gift cards$236.43
Merchandise$246.42
Car rentals$299.70
Flight rewards$666.00
Air Canada gift cards$333.00
Air Canada vactions$276.39

Calculating your annual rewards

$24,000.00 annual spending x $2.78% return on spending = $666.00 annual rewards

$666.00 annual rewards – $599.00 annual fee = $$67.00 net annual rewards

Details and eligibility

Do I qualify?
Estimated Credit Score760 – 900
Personal Income$150,000.00
Household Income$200,000.00
Interest Rates
Purchase20.9%
Cash Advance22.9%
Balance Transfer22.9%
Fees
Annual Fee$599.00
Extra Card Fee$0
Card typeVisa

Insurance coverage

Extended Warranty2 years
Purchase Protection180 days
Travel Accident500000
Emergency Medical Term31 days
Emergency Medical over 6510 days
Trip Cancellation2500
Trip Interruption5000
Flight Delay500
Baggage Delay500
Lost or Stolen Baggage1000
Rental Car Theft & DamageYes
Hotel Burglary2500
Mobile Phone Insurance1500

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card Review

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

Benefit 1: 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.

Benefit 2: 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).

Benefit 3: 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.

Benefit 4: 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.

Drawback 1: 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.

Drawback 2: 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

With the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, you can redeem your Aeroplan points for a variety of rewards, including:

  • Air Travel: Use your points for Aeroplan flight rewards on Air Canada and its partner airlines, which gives you access to over 1,300 destinations worldwide. Additionally, you can enjoy the benefit of no blackout periods or seat restrictions on Air Canada flights.

  • Hotel Stays: Redeem your points for stays at partner hotels worldwide through the Aeroplan hotel rewards program.

  • Car Rentals: Use your points for car rental rewards with participating rental agencies such as Avis and Budget.

  • Vacation Packages: Put your points toward Aeroplan vacation packages, making your dream vacation a reality.

  • MERCHANDISE AND GIFT CARDS: Browse the Aeroplan eStore, where you can use your points to obtain various merchandise items, electronics, and gift cards from popular retailers.

  • Experiences and Events: Use your points to access exclusive dining, entertainment, and sporting events through the Aeroplan Experiences program.

  • Charitable Donations: Choose to donate your points to a variety of participating charities and support causes close to your heart.

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card does have foreign transaction fees associated with it. For transactions made in a foreign currency, this credit card will charge a fee of 2.5% on top of the converted amount, which is a relatively common rate among Canadian credit cards. This fee applies to both purchases and cash advances made outside of Canada.

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card has a minimum personal income requirement of $150,000 or a minimum household income of $200,000.

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

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