Greatest Aeroplan bank cards in Canada for 2023

Aeroplan is Canada’s largest airline loyalty program—and one in all its most profitable. Owned by Air Canada, Aeroplan provides a ton of flexibility in comparison with different airline loyalty applications. You possibly can earn and redeem Aeroplan factors with greater than 50 associate airways and even switch factors to different applications. Whether you’re in search of a no-fee card to get you began incomes Aeroplan factors or a full-service journey card with all of the bells and whistles, there’s an Aeroplan bank card for you.

Abstract: Our picks for one of the best Aeroplan bank cards

Greatest co-branded Aeroplan bank card

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite card and the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite are nearly equivalent. Each playing cards price $139 yearly, and each rebate that charge the primary yr. And so they have the identical earn fee, too. With every card, you earn you 1.5 Aeroplan factors for each $1 spent on groceries, fuel and purchases at aircanada.com, in addition to 1 level per $1 spent in every single place else. Should you already financial institution with TD or CIBC, this can be a straightforward alternative. Should you don’t, we imagine the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite is marginally higher.

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite*

What units the TD card aside from the CIBC card is its spectacular welcome bonus—new cardholders can earn as much as 35,000 Aeroplan factors. Situations apply. Account should be authorized by January 3, 2024.

With the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, you’ll get your first bag checked without spending a dime for you and as much as eight journey companions on the identical reservation. This comes out to about $30 in financial savings per traveller when flying financial system inside Canada or to the U.S. A Nexus software charge rebate each 48 months will prevent as much as $100.

• Annual charge: $139 (annual charge rebate—situations apply to qualify)
• Rates of interest: 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances
• Earn fee: 1.5 factors for each $1 spent on groceries, fuel, and on purchases at aircanada.com; different eligible purchases earn 1 level per $1 spent
• Further perks: Complete journey insurance coverage, together with as much as $2 million in journey medical for the primary 21 days of your journey; first checked bag free for you and as much as eight different travellers on the identical reservation; cellular system insurance coverage. 
• Welcome bonus: You possibly can earn as much as 35,000 Aeroplan factors. Situations apply. Account should be authorized by January 3, 2024. Plus, as an anniversary bonus, earn 15,000 Aeroplan factors while you spend a minimum of $7,500 inside 12 months of opening the account.
• Annual revenue requirement: $60,000 private annual revenue or $100,000 family annual revenue.

Greatest Aeroplan card for fast-tracking factors

American Categorical Cobalt Card*

This Amex earns you 5 Membership Rewards (MR) factors for each $1 spent on eating out, groceries and meals supply. It additionally earns 3 factors per $1 spent on streaming, 2 factors per $1 spent on transit and 1 level per $1 on journey booked via their journey portal, and on all different spending. So, what does this must do with Aeroplan factors? Nicely, you’ll be able to switch your MR factors to Aeroplan (and different loyalty applications) at 1:1 ratio. Which means this card has an earn fee that surpasses most of the Aeroplan branded playing cards. What’s extra, you’ll additionally get entry to Amex perks like journey insurance coverage and leisure service (American Categorical Invitations). That paired with its spectacular welcome provide means this can be a positively a card to contemplate including to your pockets.

• Annual charge: $156
• Rates of interest: 20.99% on purchases, 21.99% on money advances
• Earn fee: 5 factors per $1 spent on eating out and groceries (most spend applies); 3 factors per $1 on streaming companies; 2 factors per $1 spent on transit, fuel and rideshare; 1 level per $1 spent on lodge and automotive leases booked via the American Categorical Journey On-line portal and 1 level per $1 on all different purchases
• Further advantages: Journey insurance coverage; American Categorical Invitations
• Welcome provide: earn 1,250 factors for every month you spend $750, as much as a most of 15,000 factors.
• Annual revenue requirement: $12,000
• Observe: The earn fee on eating out and groceries will apply as much as a most of $2,500 month-to-month

Greatest Aeroplan bank card for travellers

American Categorical Aeroplan Card*

In contrast to the nearly equivalent TD and CIBC playing cards, the American Categorical Aeroplan card takes the idea and tweaks it. The primary notable distinction is the annual charge which is the extra typical $120 with extra playing cards costing $50. The factors construction can be a slight departure, providing 2 Aeroplan factors per $1 on purchases at Air Canada, 1.5 factors per $1 on eating and meals supply purchases, and 1 level per $1 spent on the rest. 

New American Categorical Aeroplan cardholders get the identical Aeroplan perks, corresponding to a free checked bag and most popular pricing. The cardboard has journey insurance coverage, together with $500,000 in journey accident, flight and baggage delay, and misplaced or stolen baggage, plus lodge housebreaking, automotive rental theft and harm.

Maybe most notably, the American Categorical Aeroplan card is a cost card, so whilst you received’t be restricted by a credit score restrict, you’ll have to repay the stability in full each month. 

• Annual charge: $120
• Rates of interest: n/a
• Welcome bonus: Earn 3,000 Aeroplan factors for every month-to-month billing interval by which you spend $1,000 in web purchases in your Card for the primary 10 months of Cardmembership.
• Rewards earn fee: 2 Aeroplan factors per $1 on purchases at Air Canada Holidays, 1.5 factors per $1 on eating and meals supply purchases and 1 level per $1 spent in every single place else
• Further perks: Journey insurance coverage together with journey accident, flight delay and delayed or misplaced baggage protection. 

Observe: The American Categorical Aeroplan card is a cost card, so that you’re required to repay the stability in full with this card each month.

Greatest Aeroplan bank card for luxurious perks

American Categorical The Platinum Card

Whereas not an officially-branded Aeroplan card, this premium Amex card lets you switch your Membership Rewards factors to Aeroplan— at one-to-one fee. It additionally comes with entry to Precedence Go and Centurion Lounge, alongside a beneficiant $200 annual journey credit score (basically lowering the worth of your annual charge to $599), lodge upgrades and a sizeable factors sign-up bonus. The Platinum Card is a cost card, which suggests you’ll have to repay the stability in full each month. Whereas it’s sometimes good apply to try this, the Aeroplan Visa playing cards on this checklist don’t require you to love Amex does. Whereas its earn fee is spectacular, it does include a hefty $799 annual charge, so do the maths on how a lot you propose to spend on it, earlier than you apply.

• Annual charge: $799
• Rates of interest: n/a
• Welcome bonus: You possibly can earn as much as 100,000 rewards factors ($1,000 worth). Situations apply.
• Rewards earn fee: 2 factors per $1 on eating and meals supply; 2 factors per $1 spent on journey; 1 level per $1 on all the things else
• Further perks: Entrance of the Line entry for live shows and different ticketed occasions; Precedence Go and Centurion Lounge entry; $200 annual journey credit score; lodge membership upgrades; complete American Categorical journey insurance coverage and buy safety plan

Observe: It is a cost card, so that you’re required to repay your stability in full with this card each month.

Greatest no-fee Aeroplan bank card

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card

The enchantment of CIBC’s Aeroplan Visa Card is its $0 annual charge. It’s an effective way to step into the Aeroplan recreation and begin racking up rewards via your bank card spending. The welcome bonus begins issues off with 10,000 Aeroplan factors while you make your first buy with the cardboard (situations apply, and the provide shouldn’t be accessible to residents of Quebec). Not surprisingly for a no-fee card, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card doesn’t provide you with entry to the free checked baggage or complete insurance coverage perks the opposite co-branded Aeroplan bank cards lined earlier have. Nonetheless, cardholders do get most popular pricing to allow them to typically guide flights utilizing fewer factors. The included insurance coverage is lean with solely frequent service accident protection, automotive rental collision and loss harm safety and buy safety. The earn fee is 1 level per $1 on fuel, groceries and at Air Canada; and 1 level per each $1.50 charged on the cardboard. You possibly can double your earnings by giving your Aeroplan quantity at greater than 150 associate areas. 

• Annual charge: $0
• Rates of interest: 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances (21.99% in Quebec)
• Rewards earn fee: 1 level per $1 on fuel, groceries and Air Canada; and 1 level per each $1.50 charged on the cardboard for all the things else
• Further perks: Earn extra factors when presenting an Aeroplan quantity or membership card at taking part retailers; frequent service accident protection, automotive rental collision and loss harm safety and buy safety insurance coverage
• Annual revenue requirement: Family revenue of $15,000

What number of Aeroplan factors do you want for a flight?

Based on the brand new Aeroplan redemption chart, what number of factors it is advisable redeem to guide a flight relies on the space between your metropolis of departure and arrival, and which of the 4 “journey zones” you’re flying between.

At a minimal, you’ll want a minimum of 6,000 factors to redeem a one-way ticket inside the North America journey zone to any vacation spot inside 500 miles of your departure (or 12,000 factors for a round-trip). That features journeys like Toronto to Ottawa, or Vancouver to Calgary.

The variety of factors you want for redemption will increase as you go additional out of your departure metropolis or enter a brand new journey zone. For instance, you’d want a minimum of 70,000 Aeroplan factors for a spherical journey to the Atlantic Zone journey zone inside 4,000 miles of your metropolis of departure.

Aeroplan has a useful factors predictor software to estimate what number of factors it is advisable redeem for a flight.

How a lot are Aeroplan factors price?

Sadly, Aeroplan factors don’t have a set worth. You should utilize the factors predictor software to see the way it can range. That mentioned, you may get higher worth relying on the vacation spot.

This method can:

1 Aeroplan level = (worth of ticket – Aeroplan charges) ÷ factors wanted to redeem

Usually, if the results of this equation is greater than 1.2 to 1.5 cents per Aeroplan mile, you’re taking a look at a stable deal. For instance, if you happen to had been to fly round-trip from Calgary to Halifax in January 2021, you’d want round 25,000 Aeroplan factors, and also you’d must pay the taxes and costs. Because the whole worth of a ticket is at the moment round $770 and Aeroplan costs $80 in taxes and costs, on this situation, the worth of 1 level could be 2.76 cents, primarily based on the above equation: ($770 – $80) ÷ 25,000. That’s in keeping with Google Flights as of this text’s publication date.

Enterprise class flights are additionally recognized to supply higher worth as their retail worth is way larger, however you’ll have to rack up extra factors to redeem for these rewards.

What’s Aeroplan’s stopover coverage?

Aeroplan has launched a brand new stopover coverage that may assist each informal and seasoned travellers stretch the worth of their factors.

When travelling nearly anyplace (excluding Canada or the U.S.), you’ll be able to add a cease over on every one-way flight for an incremental 5,000 factors. By leveraging this stopover coverage, you’ll be able to strategically add stops in your routes, see extra locations, and maximize the worth of your factors.

Easy methods to earn Aeroplan factors sooner

Aeroplan has many retail and model companions, providing the power to earn twice. As soon as with the bank card, and one other along with your membership card. So tip is to scan your Aeroplan playing cards for factors in addition to for charging on the register. Plus, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of Aeroplan’s on-line retailer to make purchases and earn extra bonus factors from widespread on-line retailers like Amazon.

Redeeming via Air Canada versus Star Alliance member airways

New Aeroplan factors may be redeemed for flights on Air Canada or any of the roughly two dozen Star Alliance member airways, similar to earlier than. Nonetheless, Aeroplan has launched a number of modifications on the subject of its redemption guidelines.

When redeeming on Air Canada, Aeroplan has launched “dynamic pricing,” which successfully means the variety of factors you want for a flight can range inside a spread. As an illustration, a round-trip financial system flight from Calgary to Halifax with Air Canada can require anyplace between 25,000 and 35,000 factors. Chances are you’ll want extra factors inside this vary if you happen to’re travelling to a well-liked vacation spot or throughout a high-demand journey season.

When redeeming on Star Alliance member airways, which embrace United and Lufthansa, dynamic pricing isn’t a part of the image. As an illustration, the identical round-trip flight from Calgary to Halifax all the time requires 25,000 factors at any time limit. The one caveat is you’ll must pay an additional $39 reserving charge per traveller when flying on a Star Alliance airline versus utilizing Air Canada itself. 

When reserving journey, you’ll need to evaluate between Air Canada and the opposite Star Alliance airways to see which one provides one of the best return in your factors. The reply will rely in your specific journey reserving.

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