CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card Review 2025

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Updated: Jan 7, 2025, 11:59am

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If you want to collect Aeroplan points without paying an annual fee, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card could be a good fit for you.

Topping our list of best no annual fee credit cards for travel, this card earns you one Aeroplan point per $1 on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries and Air Canada purchases, and one point per $1.50 on everything else. You’ll also earn twice the points when shopping at over 150 Aeroplan partners and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore, Like Sephora, Indigo and the LCBO.

This card also benefits Air Canada travellers. You’ll get to enjoy better travel experiences with access to premium services at the airport and special upgrades, book flights with fewer points and get some built-in travel insurance coverage.

That said, there are other Aeroplan credit cards with a far wider selection of perks, better earn rates and more comprehensive insurance coverage. However, these cards also have a hefty annual fee. So, it’s up to you to decide whether this card is worthwhile for your spending habits.

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Can earn twice the points at over 150 Aeroplan partners and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore

Cons

  • Earn only one point per dollar spent on gas, EV charging groceries and Air Canada travel
  • Very limited travel insurance for a travel card
  • Potential annual earnings aren’t as high as other cards
CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Card
4.0
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR (Purchases) / Regular APR (Cash Advances)
20.99% / 22.99%
Rewards Type
Aeroplan points


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Highlights

  • Get up to 10,000 Aeroplan Points (a $200 travel value):
    • Earn 2,500 Aeroplan points after making the first purchase
    • Earn 2,500 Aeroplan points after spending $3,000 or more during the first 4 months
    • Earn 5,000 Aeroplan points as an anniversary bonus after spending at least $10,000 in the first year
  • 1 point per dollar spent on gas, EV charging, groceries and Air Canada purchases, including Air Canada Vacations.
  • 1 point per $1.50 spent on all other purchases, including CIBC Global Money Transfer with no transaction fees.
  • Earn double the points when you make purchases at over 150 retail and 170 online eStore Aeroplan partners.
  • Based on average Canadian spending, Forbes Advisor estimates this no-annual-fee card could earn $444 in rewards value per year.
  • Includes one year extended warranty insurance.
  • Includes 90 days purchase protection insurance.
  • $100,000 in common carrier travel accident insurance.
  • Auto rental collision/loss damage insurance.
  • Add extra cardholders at no additional charge.
  • Access to CIBC PaceIt to help you pay for purchases in installments at a lower interest rate.
  • This offer is not available to residents of Quebec
  • Terms apply

Introduction

If you’re looking for a card that can earn you Aeroplan points without a high annual fee, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is a great option.

You’ll earn twice the points at over 150 Aeroplan partners and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore, where you can buy gift cards from your favourite retailers as well as popular gifts and travel. You’ll also earn one point per $1 on eligible charges for gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries and Air Canada vacations, and one point per $1.50 spent on all other charges.

If you’re a frequent traveller, this card also offers common carrier travel accident insurance and rental car insurance and you may be able to book flights with fewer points than usual and also not have to pay additional airline surcharges on flight rewards with Air Canada.  Aeroplan Credit Cardholders can get a fourth night free at a hotel when you book three nights with Aeroplan points, which is a great excuse to extend your vacation by a day.

Now, here’s who the card isn’t for: The person looking to bank a lot of points fast. Since your everyday purchases will only rake in one point per dollar or $1.50, it’ll take you longer to reach your Aeroplan point goals than it may with other Aeroplan cards, particularly with annual fees. This card also leaves a lot to be desired in terms of insurance coverage, so if you’re looking to be covered for things like out-of-province/country emergency medical insurance or flight delay, look for a card with a more comprehensive package.

Quick Facts

  • No annual fee
  • Reasonable requirements including a $15,000 household income minimum and a good/excellent credit score
  • Earn one point per $1 to 1.50 on everyday purchases and twice the points at over 150 Aeroplan partners and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore
  • Have protection when renting a car with auto rental loss and collision/damage insurance

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card Rewards

Earning Rewards

With the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card, you’ll earn one point per $1 spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries and Air Canada purchases (including through Air Canada Vacation) until you reach $40,000 in spend per calendar year. After that, you’ll earn one point per $1.50 spent until your last statement of the year is printed.

You’ll also earn one point per $1.50 spent on all other purchases and twice the points at over 150 Aeroplan partners and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore.

You also have the option to combine points with other Aeroplan members in your household through Aeroplan Family Sharing. That means you can pool your points to redeem them fast.

Redeeming Rewards

Redeeming your Aeroplan points is easy: Visit aircanada.com/aeroplan and log in to your Aeroplan account. You can then use your collected Aeroplan points towards flights, car rentals, hotels, and more—like gift cards to your favourite retailers like Indigo, LCBO and Sephora. You can also enjoy the flexibility of paying with a mix of points and cash.

Rewards Potential

Based on average Canadian spending, you’ll get around $444  worth of Aeroplan points per year, which is a solid rate for a card with no annual fee.

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card Benefits

  • No annual fee
  • Welcome bonus worth $200
  • Get one point per $1 to1.50 spent on everyday purchases and twice the points at over 150 Aeroplan partners and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore
  • Enjoy a premium travel experience with Air Canada, including special services at the airport and upgrades and the opportunity to book flights with fewer points and skip the surcharges
  • Have protection when renting a car with auto rental collision and loss damage insurance, and when shopping with purchase security and extended warranty Insurance
  • Enjoy a fourth night free when you book three hotel nights with Aeroplan points

Fine Print

Interest Rates

  • Regular APR: 20.99%
  • Cash Advance APR: 24.99%
  • Balance Transfer APR: 24.99%

Fees

  • Cash Advance Fee: $5 within Canada, $7.50 outside Canada
  • Balance Transfer Fee: $0
  • Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.5%
  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Any Other Fees: $29 over limit fee, 3% installment plan fee, $10 statement copy fee, up to $42.50 in dishonoured payment fees

How the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card Stacks Up

CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Card Vs. TD Rewards Visa* Card

The CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Card and the TD Rewards Visa* Card are both points cards that are best used for travel-related expenses and don’t come with an annual fee—but their similarities end there. With the TD Rewards Visa* Card, you don’t earn Aeroplan points, only TD Rewards Points. You’ll earn four points per dollar spent when booking travel through Expedia for TD, three points per dollar on groceries and restaurants, two points per dollar on recurring bills and one point per dollar on everything else. That sounds good, especially since the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card only offers one Aeroplan point per $1 to 1.50 spent. However, Aeroplan points and TD Rewards points are not equal. One Aeroplan point is around 2.23 cents, and one TD Rewards point is around 0.25-0.5 cents per point. So no matter how you slice it, the Aeroplan card will earn you more valuable points.

What’s more, the CIBC Aeroplan card offers a welcome bonus worth $200, while the TD one is only worth $50 on Amazon.ca. The only case when the TD Rewards Visa Card could be a better card for you is if you don’t qualify for the CIBC card since the TD card requires a lower credit score of fair/good.

CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Card Vs. CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card

These cards differ in the type of points they offer. With the CIBC Aeroplan Visa card, you earn Aeroplan points, and with the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card, you earn Aventura Points. Aside from that, these cards are similar—they have the same APR, don’t come with an annual fee, have a welcome bonus worth around $200, and require very good/exceptional credit. With the Aventura card, you’ll earn one point per every dollar spent at eligible gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, grocery stores, drug stores, and on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre. You’ll also earn one point per two dollars spent on all other purchases.

That sounds similar to the points you can get with the Aeroplan card, however, Aeroplan points and Aventura points aren’t equal. In fact, their value can differ significantly when redeemed for travel. For example, if a round-trip economy flight within Canada can be redeemed with 15,000 Aeroplan points, the same flight would require 20,000 CIBC Aventura Rewards points.

The conclusion? The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card comes out on top once again.

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card Vs. American Express Green Card

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card and the American Express Green Card are similar in a few ways: neither has an annual fee, and both have a fair welcome bonus of $100 to $200.

With the American Express Green Card, you earn one point per dollar spent on any type of purchase—which is similar to the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card, where you can earn one point per dollar on gas, EV charging and groceries and one point per $1.50 spent on everything else. However, with the AMEX card, you can also earn an additional point per dollar for eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through the American Express Travel website.

Before you assume the AMEX card is coming out on top, let’s remember: Aeroplan points are typically valued higher than AMEX Membership Rewards points, particularly when redeemed for flights with Air Canada. While AMEX points offer more flexibility and can be used with a wider range of airlines, there’s a greater opportunity to earn more rewards annually with the Aeroplan card—specifically, $444 versus $279.

Methodology

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.

Is the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card Right for You?

Overall, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is for the person who wants to collect Aeroplan points without paying a high annual fee. This person should prefer to travel with Air Canada or be open to redeeming points via the Aeroplan eStore and use their credit card most to buy groceries and gas.

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which CIBC card has airport lounge access?

If you’re looking for a CIBC credit card that’ll give you airport lounge access, the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card may be the best pick. It offers premium benefits, including the Visa Airport Companion Program, which gives you access to more than 1,200 airport lounges across the globe.

What are the benefits of an Aeroplan card?

The benefits of an Aeroplan card depend on the card you get.

Common perks include:

  1. Preferred pricing, with the opportunity to book flights with fewer points
  2. Free first checked bag
  3. Ability to earn double the points at select retailers via the Aeroplan eStore
  4. Shared benefits with secondary cardholders and shared points with household
  5. Travel insurance coverage, typically including emergency medical and travel accident

Is Aeroplan only for Air Canada?

When you earn Aeroplan points, you can redeem your points to get a range of products and gift cards at the Aeroplan eStore or to book Air Canada Vacations.

Looking to fly with another airline? While you won’t be able to book the flight with Aeroplan points, you’ll still earn Aeroplan points on the purchase when you use your Aeroplan card.

Related: How I Use Aeroplan Points To Minimize My Trip Costs

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