CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card Review
Pros
- Welcome bonus: Generous sign-up bonus offers for new cardholders
- Reward points: Earn Aventura Points on eligible purchases, with bonus points on travel, dining, and transportation spending
- Flexible redemption: Use points towards a wide range of travel options, including flights, hotels, and vacation packages
- Travel insurance: Comprehensive travel insurance coverage, including trip cancellation, medical, and baggage loss
- Priority services: Access to airport lounge and priority boarding with the Visa Infinite Privilege benefit
- No blackout dates: Book travel with no restrictions on airlines or peak travel times
Cons
- Annual fee: $139 annual fee, although it may be waived for the first year in some promotions
- Foreign transaction fees: 2.5% foreign currency conversion fee on international purchases
- Limited partnerships: Fewer airline and transfer partners compared to competing travel rewards cards
- Credit score: Requires a strong credit score for approval and high income eligibility requirements
- Interest rates: Higher than average interest rates on purchases and cash advances
- Redemption restrictions: Points cannot be used to cover taxes, surcharges, or fees on travel redemptions
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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 Aventura Visa Infinite Card has earned a 4.57 DollarWise Rating out of 5. This score is based on a weighted average of the two highest scoring factors (excluding acceptance and approval).
4.5
Rewards
1.2
Fees
2.8
Perks
2.6
Interest rates
4.6
Insurance
5.0
Acceptance
3.0
Approval
The highest scoring categories for the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card are insurance and rewards.
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 Aventura Visa Infinite Card the most important factors for scoring this card are its insurance and rewards.
Rewards
With the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card, here’s the rates at which you earn rewards for different spending categories per dollar you spend:
| Bills | 1 point |
| Pharmacy | 1.5 points |
| Gas | 1.5 points |
| Groceries | 1.5 points |
| Restaurants | 1 point |
| Specific Stores | 1 point |
| Travel | 1 point |
| All Other Spend | 1 point |
Calculating your annual rewards
We estimate that spending $2,000 per month with the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card would earn $653 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:
| Pharmacy | $21 |
| Gas | $82 |
| Groceries | $206 |
| All Other Spend | $344 |
Our study investigating the value found that each dollar spent on the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card is worth up to $0.02, depending on how you redeem.
This $653 in rewards value puts the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite 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 Aventura Visa Infinite Card earns $653 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 | 2.29% | 1.25% |
| Pharmacy | 3.44% | 1.17% |
| Gas | 3.44% | 1.48% |
| Groceries | 3.44% | 1.71% |
| Restaurant | 2.29% | 1.53% |
| Store | 2.29% | 1.94% |
| Travel | 2.29% | 1.19% |
| Other | 2.29% | 1.08% |
| Redemption method | Annual rewards |
|---|---|
| Redeem for travel | $285 |
| Apply to statement credit | $237 |
| Charity | $285 |
| Gift cards | $202 |
| Merchandise | $202 |
| Airlines Rewards (Charts) | $653 |
| CIBC financial products | $237 |
For an annual spend of $24,000, we estimated annual rewards value at up to $653.
That’s equivalent to a 2.72% return on spending.
The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card has an annual fee of $139. After deducting this, we predicted net annual rewards of $514.
This puts it in the top 10% of credit cards for net rewards after fees.
In comparison, the average card earns net annual rewards of $254.
Fees
The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card has a $139 annual fee.
The average card charges $85. So, the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card is in the top 20% 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 Aventura Visa Infinite Card scored a 2.8 out of 5 for perks, putting it in the top 20% of cards.
The average card scores 1.6 out of 5 for perks.
Interest Rates
| Purchase | 20.99% |
| Cash Advance | 21.99% |
| Balance Transfer | 21.99% |
The average (median) credit card has a purchase interest rate of 19.99% and so the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card charges 1% more than the average.
For cash advances it costs 21.99% compared to the average of 19.96%.
Testing the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite 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 | 1 year | 1 year |
| Purchase Protection | 90 days | 90 days |
| Travel Accident | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| Emergency Medical Term | 15 days | 15 days |
| Emergency Medical over 65 | 3 days | 4 days |
| Trip Cancellation | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Trip Interruption | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Flight Delay | $500 | $500 |
| Baggage Delay | $500 | $500 |
| Lost or Stolen Baggage | $500 | $1,000 |
| Rental Car Theft & Damage | Yes | No |
| Hotel Burglary | $2,500 | $1,000 |
| Mobile Phone Insurance | $1,000 | $1,000 |
We scored it 4.6 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 | 660 – 724 |
| Personal Income | $60,000 |
| Household Income | $100,000 |
| Fees | |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $139 |
| Extra Card Fee | $0 |
| Card type | Visa |
We scored it 3.0 out of 5 for approval.
We predict that you will require a credit score of at least 660 to qualify for the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card, while the average card requires 652 to qualify.
This puts it in the top bottom 50% of cards by approval difficulty.
The personal income requirements are $60,000, while the average card requires $23,896.
This puts it in the top 20% of cards by the income required to qualify.
The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card is a travel rewards credit card that offers a variety of earning opportunities and valuable benefits for cardholders. Let’s take a closer look at its features, including its earning potential, four primary advantages, two drawbacks, and any other relevant details that might be pertinent for those considering this card.
Earning potential
The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card allows cardholders to earn Aventura Points on their everyday spending, with higher reward rates in specific categories.
Cardholders can earn 2 points per $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre, 1.5 points per $1 on gas, grocery, and dining expenses, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. These reward rates make the card an attractive option for those who regularly spend in the bonus categories.
Benefits
- Generous Welcome Offer: The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card comes with a significant welcome offer, enabling new cardholders to earn up to 35,000 Aventura Points within the first year, providing a value of around $800 in travel rewards.
Cardholders can receive 20,000 points upon their first purchase and an additional 15,000 points when they spend $10,000 in the first 12 months. - Complimentary Travel Insurance: This card provides various complimentary travel insurance coverages, including out-of-province emergency medical coverage, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and auto rental collision/loss damage insurance.
These benefits can save cardholders significant sums in the event of unforeseen circumstances, easing the financial burden such accidents might entail. - Airport Lounge Access: CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Cardholders receive a Priority Pass membership with four complimentary visits per year to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. This perk adds extra comfort and convenience, making air travel more enjoyable and relaxing for cardholders.
- Flexible Travel Redemption: The Aventura Points earned through this card offer flexible travel redemptions, with no blackout dates or airline restrictions.
Cardholders can redeem their points on flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages, and more through the CIBC Rewards Centre, maximizing the utility of their rewards.
Drawbacks
- Annual Fee: The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card has an annual fee of $139, which may deter some potential cardholders. However, the value generated from the card’s various benefits can quickly offset this cost for individuals who extensively utilize their credit card for everyday spending and are frequent travelers.
- Earning Limitations: Although the card offers attractive reward rates, the 1.5x bonus for gas, grocery, and dining expenses is limited to your first $80,000 spent per year in those categories, after which it drops to 1x points earned per $1 spent.
Consequently, this cap might limit the earning potential for high spenders in these particular categories.
Additional information
Cardholders also have access to the Visa Infinite Concierge service, which provides 24/7 personalized assistance with various tasks such as travel planning, dining reservations, and event ticket purchases.
Moreover, the Visa Infinite program entitles card members to exclusive dining and wine country experiences and other valuable perks.
In summary, the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card is an appealing choice for individuals who regularly spend on travel and the bonus categories of gas, groceries, and dining.
The multitude of benefits, such as its generous welcome offer, complimentary travel insurance, and airport lounge access, make this card a valuable addition to any Canadian traveler’s wallet.
Interested in other credit cards? Canadians that like the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card credit card also like the CIBC Classic Visa Card. If you’re looking for other options you should consider the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for students, and the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students.
FAQ
Key benefits
- Stellar Welcome Offer: Earn substantial bonus points as an introductory gift for new members
- Amplified Reward Earnings: Regular points accrual on qualifying expenditures, boosted rates for categories like travel, dining, and transportation
- Travel Aspiration-Centric: Points redeemable for diversified travel essentials such as flights, lodging, and holiday packages
- Insurance Perks: All-encompassing travel insurance coverage incorporating trip termination, health emergencies, and luggage misplacement
- Premier Advantages: Partake in airport lounges and expeditious boarding access through the Visa Infinite Privilege tier
- Liberation From Restrictions: Uninhibited flight bookings, devoid of impediments like airline constraints or peak period limitations
- Yearly Commitment: $139 yearly card membership cost, potentially waived during initial year under certain campaigns
- International Trade-Offs: 2.5% foreign exchange fee for overseas transactions
- Partnership Scarcity: A smaller ensemble of partnering airlines and transfer opportunities compared to rival reward programs
- Exclusive Prerequisites: Approvals contingent on high creditworthiness and substantial income thresholds
- Soaring Interest Charges: Elevated interest rates applicable to both purchases and cash advances
- Redemption Caveats: Taxation, additional fees, and surcharges not eligible for point utilization during travel bookings
