The new Aeroplan credit cards from TD and CIBC

With the unveiling of the new Aeroplan program – set to officially launch on November 8th – comes new co-branded Aeroplan credit cards.

Based on the changes announced by TD and CIBC, it’s clear the two banks have focussed on beefing up the travel and insurance perks on their new credit cards rather than dramatically overhauling the rewards rates on everyday spending. 

We cover the major upcoming changes to the Aeroplan credit cards from TD and CIBC below, while putting the spotlight on the most popular of them all: the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite.

A few quick notes for current holders of Aeroplan credit cards:

• Aeroplan miles will be renamed Aeroplan points
• You can continue to earn miles on your credit card as usual, and your miles will be converted into points on a 1-to-1 basis on November 8
• Changes to earn rates, perks, and benefits will automatically kick in on November 8 (though, you may receive newly-designed cards in the mail at a later date)
• Any new annual fees will be charged on your next card anniversary (the date you first opened your credit card, as usual) – not November 8.

As of November 8, 2020 all purchases from Air Canada (not just online purchases from AirCanada.com) will earn an accelerated 1.5 points per dollar spent. Drug stores will no longer be considered a bonus category as the earn rate at pharmacies will drop slightly from 1.5 miles per dollar spent to the standard 1 point per dollar.

2. Annual fee

While the slight increase in annual fees may seem like a drawback, take note: you’ll be getting a slew of new perks with the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite starting on November 8 that will deliver far more in value than the incremental jump in fees. Plus, just like before, you can have the annual fee completely rebated for the primary cardholder if you also have a TD All-Inclusive Bank Account.

3. Share first checked-in bag for free on Air Canada

When flying on Air Canada domestically, to the United States, or Mexico, the airline usually imposes a fee of $30 on your first checked-in bag per passenger on each flight. 

Currently, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card will waive the first checked bag fee but only on Air Canada flights you’ve booked using Aeroplan miles. 

As of November 8, you can share free first checked bags^† (a value of $120^† for 2 travellers for each round-trip flight, assuming you take one round-trip Air Canada flight in the first year).

4. Mobile device insurance

In a completely new benefit, TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite cardholders will receive complimentary mobile device insurance. In the event your smartphone gets stolen, lost, or broken due to an accident or some inherent mechanical issue, you can be reimbursed up to $1,000. 

We explain exactly how credit card mobile device insurance works in detail on our blog, but here are some fast facts:

• You won’t have to pay anything upfront to receive mobile device coverage
• Only new devices are covered (refurbished or second-hand devices are mostly excluded)
• You must purchase the device (or pay for the monthly contract) using the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
• Coverage will kick in 30 days after you purchase the device (not instantly)
• Devices will be covered up to a maximum of two years from the purchase date.

Here’s an example of the claim process in the event an $800 device is damaged within eight months of the purchase date.

5. Hotel / motel burglary insurance

Hotel and motel burglary insurance is another completely new benefit that will be offered to TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite cardholders.

If there are signs of forced entry into your hotel or motel room, you can receive up to $2,500 in compensation for your stolen personal belongings. We cover how hotel/motel burglary insurance works in our Education Centre, but you can find some quick notes about coverage below:

• At least 75% of your booking must be paid for on your credit card
• The incident must have occurred during the time of your booking
• Coverage applies for hotels and motels within Canada and the U.S.
• While most personal belongings are covered, some items are excluded like: cash, travel tickets, and travellers cheques.

6. Nexus fee reimbursements

A Nexus membership allows for quicker and smoother border crossings when travelling domestically or between Canada and the U.S., with benefits like dedicated screening lanes, expedited security processing, and separated self-service kiosks. 

A Nexus membership will usually set you back about $50 USD and last about five years. But with the new TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card, you’ll receive up to $125 in reimbursements (once very 48 months) so you won’t have to pay anything out of pocket for a better border crossing experience.

7. Preferred pricing

As part of the new Aeroplan Rewards Chart set to launch on November 8, 2020 Air Canada has introduced what some are calling “dynamic pricing.”

What does that mean exactly? 

Simply put: the number of points required to redeem for an Air Canada flight can fluctuate within a set range. For instance, a flight from Toronto to Vancouver may require anywhere from 12,500 points to 17,500 points. While we’ve yet to hear specifics about how this works exactly, it’s fair to assume you’ll require fewer points (closer to the 12,500 range) during low season or for less popular routes, and more points (closer to the 17,500 point range) during high season when demand for flying is higher.

With the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card (and other Aeroplan credit cards) you’ll get preferred pricing and significantly up your odds of requiring fewer points closer to the lower end of the range. That’s good news because the fewer points you need to redeem for a flight, the more your points will be worth.

8. Elite status boost

In the old Aeroplan program, the only way to achieve elite airline status is by spending money on flights. However, as of November 8, Aeroplan credit card holders can get closer to achieving Aeroplan Elite Status just for making everyday credit card purchases – a benefit not previously available.

Aeroplan Elite Status offers a ton of benefits, with one of the most coveted being Priority Rewards – which are vouchers that let you book eligible select flights using 50% fewer points than normally required (effectively doubling your points values).

We break down everything you need to know about  the new Aeroplan Elite Status here, but you can find some quick highlights below:

• To achieve Aeroplan Elite Status, you’ll need to earn credits known as Status Qualify Miles (SQM) or Status Qualifying Segments (SQS)
• For every $10,000 in everyday purchases you charge to your TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card within a given year, you’ll collect 1,000 SQM and 1 SQS – that’s the equivalent you would earn for spending $1,000 on flight tickets (not including taxes and fees)
• You’ll earn bonus SQM and SQS for every $10,000 you spend annually, so you can get closer to Elite Status the more you use your credit card.

Changes to other TD and CIBC credit cards

CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite

1. Card name

The CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite will undergo a name change and will be called the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card.

2. Rewards

As of November 8, all purchases from Air Canada (not just online purchases from AirCanada.com) will earn an accelerated 1.5 points per dollar spent. Drug stores will no longer be considered a bonus category as the earn rate at pharmacies will drop slightly from 1.5 miles per dollar spent to the standard 1 point per dollar.

3. Annual fee

4. New perks and benefits

• Up to $1,000 in mobile device insurance
• Up to $2,500 in hotel and motel burglary insurance
• First checked bag free on Air Canada for the primary or secondary cardholder and up to 8 travel companions
• Preferred Pricing: cardholders can often book Air Canada flights using fewer points than non-credit card holders
• Elite Status Boost: achieve Aeroplan Status faster by making everyday credit card purchases (not just when spending on flights, like in the old Aeroplan program)

TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Card

1. Rewards

Rewards on Air Canada purchases will increase by 50%, meanwhile drug stores will no longer be a bonus category as the earn rate at pharmacies will drop to the regular 1 point per $1.5 spent (or 0.67 points per $1).

2. Annual fee

3. New perks and benefits

• Up to $1,000 in mobile device insurance
• Up to $2,500 in hotel and motel burglary insurance
• Preferred Pricing: cardholders can often book Air Canada flights using fewer points than non-credit card holders

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege

1. Rewards

Spending on Air Canada, general travel (outside of Air Canada), and dining will all see earning boosts, while drug stores will no longer be a bonus category as cardholders will earn the standard 1.25 points for every dollar spent at pharmacies.

2. Annual fee

3. New perks and benefits

• Up to $1,500 in mobile device insurance
• Up to $2,500 in hotel and motel burglary insurance
• Up to $100 in rebates for Nexus memberships and renewals
• Ability to buy one companion ticket on select flights starting from $99 each year; though you must spend at least $25,000 on the card annually to qualify for this benefit (currently, cardholders only get a 50% discount on a companion ticket on a business class flight once per year)
• First checked bag free on Air Canada for the primary or secondary cardholder and up to 8 travel companions
• Priority check-in and priority boarding on Air Canada flights for the primary or secondary cardholder and up to 8 travel companions
• Complimentary access to Maple Leaf Lounges in North American for either the cardholder or secondary cardholder, and up to one guest (currently, cardholders can only access lounges four times a year only on flights booked on miles)
• Priority baggage handling for the primary or secondary cardholder and up to 8 travel companions
• Preferred Pricing: cardholders can often book Air Canada flights using fewer points than non-credit card holders
• Elite Status Boost: achieve Aeroplan Status faster by making everyday credit card purchases (not just when spending on flights, like in the old Aeroplan program)
• Emergency travel medical insurance will now last for trips up to 31 days for those under the age of 65 years old (currently, coverage is for 22 days)

The card will continue to offer 6 passes to Priority Pass airport lounges every year.

CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite Privilege Card

1. Card name

The CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite Privilege Card will undergo a name change and will be called the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card.

2. Rewards

3. Annual fee

4. New perks and benefits

• Up to $1,500 in mobile device insurance
• Up to $2,500 in hotel and motel burglary insurance
• $50 rebate on Nexus membership renewals every four years
• Ability to buy one companion ticket on select flights starting from just $99 each year; though you must spend at least $25,000 on the card annually to qualify for this benefit 
• First checked bag free on Air Canada for the primary or secondary cardholder and up to 8 travel companions 
• Priority check-in and priority boarding on Air Canada flights for the primary or secondary cardholder and up to 8 travel companions 
• Complimentary access to Maple Leaf Lounges in North American for either the cardholder or secondary cardholder, and up to one guest 
• Priority baggage handling for the primary or secondary cardholder and up to 8 travel companions
• Preferred Pricing: cardholders can often book Air Canada flights using fewer points than non-credit card holders
• Elite Status Boost: achieve Aeroplan Status faster by making everyday credit card purchases (not just when spending on flights, like in the old Aeroplan program)

The card will continue to offer 6 passes to Priority Pass airport lounges every year.

CIBC Aero Platinum Visa Card

1. Card name

The CIBC Aero Platinum Visa Infinite will undergo a name change and will be called the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card.

2. Rewards

The earn rate on gas, groceries, and Air Canada purchases will increase by 50%. 

3. Annual fee

New perks and benefits

• Preferred Pricing: cardholders can often book Air Canada flights using fewer points than non-credit card holders

Also read:

• The best travel credit cards in Canada for 2020
• The best Canadian credit cards for airport lounge access