CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card Review 2025

• Welcome bonus including up to 80,000 Aventura Points in the first year (25,000 points when you spend $3,000 in the first four months, 25,000 points when you spend $6,000 or more in the first four months, and 30,000 points as an anniversary bonus)
• Receive six complimentary visits at 1,200+ lounges globally, plus a $200 annual travel credit, and two Nexus Application Fee rebates
• Earn 3 points per dollar on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre, 2 points per dollar on eligible dining, entertainment, transportation, gas and groceries, and 1.25 points per dollar on all other purchases
• Get up to 10 cents off per litre on gas
• Built-in travel insurance including  out-of-province emergency travel medical insurance, common carrier accident insurance, trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance, flight delay and baggage insurance, auto rental collision and loss damage insurance and hotel burglary insurance
• Mobile device insurance
• Purchase security and extended protection insurance

At first glance, the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card seems like the perfect choice for travellers—but is it?

Let’s start with the positives: It gives new cardholders a hefty welcome bonus of up to 80,000 Aventura Points, which you can put towards your travels. It also offers six visits to lounges in airports across the globe and will cover your Nexus application fee so your journeys can be a little nicer and run a little smoother.

Outside of travel perks, you can earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel through the CIBC Rewards Centre, 2 points per dollar on select dining, entertainment, transportation, gas and grocery purchases and 1.25 points per dollar on all other purchases.

However, other cards offer a comparable amount of points for the same everyday purchases and don’t require an excellent credit score or a $150,000 personal income requirement, nor do they come with a hefty annual fee of $499. That means if you’re not a big traveller, this card may not offer many perks for you.

• Welcome bonus includes up to 80,000 Aventura Points to be redeemed for cash, merchandise and travel
• Comes with a high annual fee of $499 and requires a very good/excellent credit score and a high personal income of $150,00
• Offers high rewards for travel, including three points per dollar plus a welcome bonus, a $200 travel credit and two Nexus application fee rebates but charges FX fees
• Offers travel insurance, including baggage delay, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay and trip cancellation

Earning Rewards

Earning Aventura points is just like earning points with other credit cards: Every time you tap, swipe, insert or enter your card, you’ll rake in Aventura points. You’ll earn three points per dollar on travel purchases through the CIBC Rewards Centre, two points per dollar on dining, entertainment, transportation, gas and grocery purchases and 1.25 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Redeeming Rewards

You can track your points by using the CIBC website or mobile banking app, where you can select the My Card Benefits tab.

Redeeming your accumulated Aventura points is pretty simple, especially since they don’t expire. That means you can save them until you have enough to cover the entirety of a particularly fantastic vacation.

The best way to use your points, meaning the way you’ll get the most value out of every Aventura point, is if you use them to book flights, hotel stays, vacation packages and car rentals.

But you can also redeem points to pay off eligible credit card purchases using the card’s Shopping with Points portal or by selecting an eligible pending transaction and selecting “Redeem with Points.” You can also use your points to pay down your credit card balance with the card’s Payment with Points portal, and you’ll earn $25 per 4,000 points. You also have the option to contribute your points to a financial product (including contributing to your residential mortgage, TFSA, RRSP, and more) to help you meet your savings goals, and you can earn at least $100 per 12,000 points.

Rewards Potential

Based on average Canadian spending, Forbes Advisor estimates cardholders can earn $471.72 per year after subtracting the $499 annual fee.

• Advantageous welcome bonus of up to 80,000 Aventura Points to be redeemed for cash, merchandise and travel
• Earns 3 points per dollar on travel booked through the CIBC Rewards Centre
• Get a $200 travel credit
• Includes six complimentary visits to airport lounges worldwide
• Includes two NEXUS application fee rebates
• Built-in travel insurance, including  baggage delay, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay, trip cancellation and more

Interest Rates

• Purchase Interest Rate†: 20.99%
• Cash Interest Rate†: 22.99%

Fees

• Cash Advance Fee: Within Canada, $5, outside Canada $7.50
• Balance Transfer Fee: Up to 5%
• Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.5%
• Annual Fee: $499
• Any Other Fees: $29 over-limit fee, $40 dishonoured convenience cheque or balance transfer fee

Here’s how the card compares to other Canadian cards targeted at frequent travellers.

CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card vs. CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card

Both of these cards require very good or excellent credit scores, but the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card is more accessible. It comes with a lower annual fee of $139 that’s rebated in the first year (compare that to the Privilege card’s $499 fee that can’t be rebated). It also has a lower personal income requirement of $60,000 (compared to $150,000).

And here’s how the points stack up: With the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite, you’ll earn two points per dollar spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre (compared to three points with the Privilege version) and 1.5 points for every dollar spent at eligible gas stations and EV Charging (compared to two points for every dollar on eligible dining, entertainment, transportation, gas and groceries).

Both cards offer many of the same trip-related insurance benefits, including baggage delay, lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation, rental car insurance, purchase protection, and Global Entry. Both cards also offer complimentary visits to airport lounges worldwide, but with the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite, you get four instead of six.

Which one’s better? That depends on your financial situation and lifestyle. The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite card is a great option for someone who earns less than $150,000 a year and therefore wouldn’t qualify for the Privilege version—and you won’t be missing out on too many perks.

CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card Vs. Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

While these cards share the same APR, they differ in many ways. The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card has a lower annual fee of $120. It also has a more accessible credit score requirement of fair/good and a personal income requirement of $12,000 per year. In your first year, you can earn up to $750 in value with the Amex—compare that to the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card, and you earn about $850 less, or $350 if you factor in its $499 annual fee.

With the Amex, you’ll earn more points when spending on eligible grocery, dining, and entertainment purchases instead of on travel like with the Visa Infinite. Instead of six complimentary visits to airport lounges worldwide, you’ll get a preferred discount on the Priority Pass membership, which will give you access to over 1,200 VIP lounges around the world, but you still have to pay per airport lounge visit.

Now, here’s where the Scotiabank card may come up ahead: It doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees (FX). That means if you shop in a different currency, whether online or in different countries when you travel, you can save a lot by not having to pay FX fees on every purchase. For example, if you spend $1,000 a month in a different currency, you won’t be charged the $25 in FX fees, which can save you $300 in one year.

If you travel mostly outside of Canada or often buy goods from other countries, the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card may be a better pick for you. Not only will you save about $350 on an annual fee, but you’ll also save big by not having to pay foreign exchange fees.

CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card Vs. BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card

These cards have the same APR and substantial annual fee of $499, but that’s where their similarities end. The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card requires a very good/excellent credit score similarly to the very good/excellent required by the CIBC card. In the first year, you can earn up to 120,000 points. Earn 50,000 points after spending $6,000 within the first 3 months, 30,000 points after spending $30,000 within the first 6 months, and 40,000 points after spending $75,000 within the first 12 months of opening the account.

Instead of earning the most points when making travel-related purchases, like with the Aventura card, you’ll earn the most points with BMO’s eclipse Visa on both travel and everyday expenses like groceries, dining in and out, drugstore necessities and gas. The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege will also earn you 25% more points on all purchases when you add an authorized user. Like the CIBC Aventura Infinite Privilege Card, it also offers some travel insurance benefits like lost luggage reimbursement and trip delay.

All in all, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege Card may be a better option for the person who only goes on one or two trips per year, and uses their credit card more for everyday expenses like food and gas. In a relationship? This card will reward you with extra points for adding your partner as an authorized user on the card.

When determining a rating for individual credit cards, the Forbes Advisor Canada editorial team factors in an exhaustive list of data points. With this card, the scoring model used takes into account factors such as but not limited to, rewards rates and categories, fees, the welcome bonus, and other benefits and features. Keep in mind, what may be best for some people might not be right for you. Conduct informed research before deciding which cards will best help you achieve your financial goals.

This card is for people in a higher income bracket who enjoy travelling. Are its benefits worth it? That depends on your needs, desires and spending habits. For example, if you travel a lot, you can fully utilize the six complimentary visits to airport lounges worldwide, the $200 travel credit and the two NEXUS application fee rebates. But if you’re not a frequent flyer, these features will likely go mostly unused—and you’ll still have paid the hefty annual fee.

If you only tend to travel only a few times a year, it may be more beneficial to choose a card that offers more points on everyday expenses like groceries and gas, instead of offering the most points for vacation-related purchases.

The information for the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.