CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card Review

4.70

$499

Annual Fee

$822

Annual Rewards

25,000 points

Intro Offer

$499

Annual fee

$822

Annual rewards

25,000 points

Intro offer


Pros


  • Generous welcome bonus
  • High earning rate on travel, dining, and gas
  • Comprehensive travel insurance
  • Lounge access and priority airport services
  • Flexible rewards redemption options

Cons


  • High annual fee
  • Standard earnings rate on non-bonus categories
  • Limited benefits for everyday purchases
  • Minimum income requirement
  • Not optimal for those seeking cashback or low-interest rates

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 Privilege Card has earned a 4.70 DollarWise Rating out of 5. This score is based on a weighted average of the two highest scoring factors (excluding acceptance and approval).

Rewards

Fees

Perks

Interest rates

Insurance

Acceptance

Approval

The highest scoring categories for the CIBC Aventura 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 Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card the most important factors for scoring this card are its rewards and insurance.

Rewards

With the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card, here’s the rates at which you earn rewards for different spending categories per dollar you spend:

Bills1.25 points
Pharmacy1.25 points
Gas1.6 points
Groceries1.6 points
Restaurants1.6 points
Specific Stores3 points
Travel1.25 points
All Other Spend1.25 points

Calculating your annual rewards

We estimate that spending $2,000 per month with the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card would earn $822 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$88
Groceries$220
Restaurants$88
Specific Stores$82
All Other Spend$344

Our study investigating the value found that each dollar spent on the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card is worth up to $0.02, depending on how you redeem.

This $822 in rewards value puts the CIBC Aventura 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 Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card earns $822 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.

SpendThis CardAverage
Bills2.86%1.25%
Pharmacy2.86%1.17%
Gas3.66%1.48%
Groceries3.66%1.71%
Restaurant3.66%1.53%
Store6.87%1.94%
Travel2.86%1.19%
Other2.86%1.08%
Above, we’ve calculated the earn rate for the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card for every spend category and compared it to the average for all Canadian credit cards.
Redemption methodAnnual rewards
Redeem for travel$359
Apply to statement credit$298
Charity$359
Gift cards$255
Merchandise$255
Airlines Rewards (Charts)$822
CIBC financial products$298

For an annual spend of $24,000, we estimated annual rewards value at up to $822.

That’s equivalent to a 3.42% return on spending.

The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card has an annual fee of $499. After deducting this, we predicted net annual rewards of $323.

This puts it in the top 40% 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 Privilege Card has a $499 annual fee.

The average card charges $85. So, the CIBC Aventura 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 Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card scored a 3.0 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

Purchase20.99%
Cash Advance22.99%
Balance Transfer22.99%

The average (median) credit card has a purchase interest rate of 19.99% and so the CIBC Aventura 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 Aventura 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

InsuranceThis CardAverage
Extended Warranty2 years1 year
Purchase Protection180 days90 days
Travel Accident$500,000$500,000
Emergency Medical Term31 days15 days
Emergency Medical over 6510 days4 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$2,500$1,000
Rental Car Theft & DamageYesNo
Hotel Burglary$2,500$1,000
Mobile Phone Insurance$1,500$1,000

We scored it 4.0 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 Score760 – 900
Personal Income$200,000
Household Income$200,000
Fees
Annual Fee$499
Extra Card Fee$0
Card typeVisa

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 Aventura 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 $200,000, while the average card requires $23,896.

This puts it in the top 10% of cards by the income required to qualify.

The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card is a premium travel rewards credit card aimed at individuals who frequently travel, whether for business or leisure.

The card provides generous point earning potential, as well as several useful benefits that will make the travel experience more comfortable and enjoyable.

In this review, we will discuss the earning potential with the card, list four benefits and two drawbacks, and provide other relevant information for potential users.

Earning potential

The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card features an attractive rewards structure that covers various spending categories. Cardholders earn:

  • 3 Aventura points for every $1 spent on travel purchases made through the CIBC Rewards Centre
  • 2 Aventura points for every $1 spent on dining, entertainment, and transportation purchases
  • 1.5 Aventura points for every $1 spent on purchases at grocery and gas stations
  • 1 Aventura point for every $1 spent on all other purchases

Benefits

  1. Extensive Travel Benefits: The first major advantage of this card is the extensive array of travel benefits. Cardholders are eligible for a Priority Pass membership, granting access to over 1,200+ airport lounges worldwide and a Nexus application fee rebate.

    Additionally, the card offers travel medical, trip cancellation, trip interruption, and flight delay insurance.
  2. Welcome Bonus: The second benefit is the generous welcome bonus. New cardholders can earn up to 50,000 Aventura points within the first year, which can be redeemed for flights, hotels, car rentals, or vacation packages.

    This can provide a significant boost towards your travel expenses when you first sign up for the card.
  3. Enhanced Earning Potential: This card offers enhanced earning potential for personal financial management tools, such as CIBC’s Smart Balance Alert and CIBC’s Overdraft Protection Service.

    These services can help you manage your finances more effectively and avoid potential fees or penalties.
  4. Luxury Lifestyle: The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card comes with a variety of luxury lifestyle benefits, such as premium concierge services, exclusive event access, and unique experiences. These perks can make your everyday life and travel more enjoyable and memorable.

Drawbacks

  1. Drawback: The first significant drawback of this card is the high annual fee of $499. While the card offers a plethora of benefits, this fee may be a considerable barrier for some individuals looking to maximize their credit card rewards without a high upfront cost.
  2. Drawbacks: Another drawback is the income requirements for this card. To qualify for the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card, applicants need to have a minimum annual income of $150,000 for individuals or $200,000 for households.

    This requirement can limit the card’s accessibility for some potential users.

Additional information

In conclusion, the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card is well-suited for frequent travelers who can benefit from its high point earning potential, travel benefits, and luxury lifestyle perks. However, potential users should consider if the high annual fee and income requirements are justified, given their spending habits and priorities.

Interested in other credit cards? Canadians that like the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card credit card also like the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for students. If you’re looking for other options you should consider the CIBC Classic Visa Card for Students, and the CIBC Aventura Gold Visa Card.

FAQ

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

  • Travel: Use your points to book flights, hotels, cruises, vacation packages, and car rentals through the CIBC Rewards Centre. You can also use your points to cover taxes and fees for your travel bookings.
  • Merchandise: Redeem your points for a wide selection of merchandise from electronics, home appliances, and fashion accessories to gift cards from popular retailers, available through the CIBC Rewards Catalogue.
  • Financial Services: Use your points to make contributions to a CIBC Investor’s Edge RRSP/TFSA account, pay down your CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege credit card balance, or redeem for CIBC Payment Protector Insurance premiums.
  • CAA Memberships: Redeem your points for a 1-year membership with the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), which includes roadside assistance and other valuable services for car owners.
  • Charitable Donations: Use your points to make a donation to a charity of your choice through the CIBC Rewards Centre.

The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card has a foreign transaction fee of 2.5% on transactions made in a foreign currency, which will be applied in addition to the exchange rate when converting the transaction amount to Canadian dollars.

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

Key benefits

  • Welcome offer: up to 50,000 Aventura Points
  • Earn rate: 2x points on travel, 1.5x points on dining and gas, 1x point on other purchases
  • Annual fee: $499 CAD
  • Additional card fee: $99 CAD per supplementary card
  • Airport Priority: Valet and chauffeur services, Fast Track security lines
  • Lounge access: Priority Pass membership, access to Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges
  • Minimum income requirement: $150,000 (individual) or $200,000 (household)
  • Travel insurance: Emergency medical insurance, trip cancellation or interruption, flight delay, baggage loss, car rental coverage
  • NEXUS application fee credit: up to $100 CAD every 48 months
  • Purchase protection and extended warranty benefits
  • Mobile device insurance: up to $1,000 coverage

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