I've Had the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite for over 3 Years. Should I Upgrade, Cancel, or Keep It?
Credit cards are easy to sign up for, but much harder to evaluate after the honeymoon period ends. After more than three years with the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, I wanted to take a step back and ask a simple question: is this card still the right fit for how I travel and spend today?
In this review, I’m breaking down how the card has actually performed over time: the points earned, the benefits used, and whether it still deserves a spot in my wallet.
Key takeaways
Keep it — for now.
The card is delivering real value: free bags, earned points, travel insurance. But a strategic review is overdue — especially given my family's Air Canada flying has become inconsistent.
First, the trip that made me reconsider everything
I just booked my family a trip to Barbados. Two adults, two kids, all on points. We didn't pay a cent for the flights.
That moment — watching the confirmation email land in my inbox — was the clearest proof I've had that the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite has been worth it. But here's the thing: as I sit here three plus years in, I'm genuinely not sure if I should keep the card, upgrade it, or start fresh with something else entirely.
The date - flexibility insight that saves 100,000 points
When searching for our flights, shifting our departure by a single day cut the points cost by roughly 100,000 points. That’s the difference between a trip that feels like an exceptional redemption and one that leaves you wondering if you got taken. Aeroplan’s dynamic pricing means the same route can cost dramatically different amounts depending on when you fly. Build in additional flexibility wherever you can.
We redeemed approximately 300,000 Aeroplan points for four round-trip flights. What I wasn’t entirely sure about was whether using all points to book was actually better than using a mix of points and cash. Aeroplan doesn’t make that comparison easy. The answer to this depends on how you value your points, something I’ll come back to below.
How I've actually used this card over 3 years
I put most of my everyday spending on this card and take advantage of the bonus multipliers, including the double points at specific partner retailers. Points have been accumulating steadily, even in years when I wasn't actively thinking about a big redemption.
What you’re earning:
| Spend Category | Earn Rate | Spend per Month | Annual Points |
| Air Canada purchases | 1.5 Aeroplan pts / $1 | $100/mo | 1,800 pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | 1.5 pts / $1 | $900/mo | 16,200 pts |
| Gas | 1.5 pts / $1 | $250/mo | 4,500 pts |
| Dining & restaurants | 1 pt / $1 | $250/mo | 3,000 pts |
| Everything else | 1 pt / $1 | $500/mo | 6,000 pts |
| TOTAL (sample household) | Blended ~1.25 pts/$1 | $2,000/mo | ~31,500 pts/yr |
After three plus years of everyday spending, I had somewhere around 450,000 points sitting unused. That idle balance is one of two things that has me questioning whether I'm in the right program – more on that below.
Best for Aeroplan Points
based on spending $2,200/mo after $139 annual fee
- Earn rewards
1pt – 1.5pts / dollar spent
- Welcome bonus
Earn up to 25,000 points (a $500 value)
- Anniversary bonus
Earn up to 20,000 points (a $400 value)
- Annual fee
$139 $0 first year waived
The benefits audit and what I’ve actually used
Most cardholders evaluate a card’s benefits once, typically when they sign up. Here’s the honest audit of what my three years of real usage looks like for me, and what the card is actually delivering.
| ✓ | Benefit | Est. Annual Value | Your Net Value |
| ☑ | Free first checked bag (Air Canada) | $140–$260/yr* | Depends on AC flying |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | NEXUS application fee rebate ($100) | $100 (one-time) | $0 if unused |
| ☑ | Travel emergency medical insurance | $80–$120/yr | Used passively |
| ☐ | Trip cancellation / interruption coverage | $50–$80/yr | $0 if no claims |
| ☐ | Flight delay & baggage insurance | $30/yr | $0 if no claims |
| ☐ | Rental car collision / loss coverage | $50/yr | $0 if no claims |
| ☐ | Maple Leaf Lounge access (not included) | N/A | Not on this tier |
| = | TOTAL ESTIMATED VALUE USED (based on my usage) |
$220–$380/yr | vs. $139 fee |
* Checked bag calculation: Based on $40/bag each direction on Air Canada. For a family of 4 taking 1 round-trip per year with on average 3 bags, that's $240 in avoided fees. Two trips = $480. Each cardholder's number will depend entirely on how often you fly Air Canada and how many people travel with you.
Two benefits I've used consistently: free checked bags on Air Canada, and the knowledge that travel insurance is in place. Fortunately, I haven't had to make a claim but I also haven't paid separately for travel insurance in three years. Both have real value.
Two benefits I've never touched: the NEXUS rebate and any lounge access (not available on this tier). If your lifestyle includes those perks, the card's value goes higher. If it doesn't, you're leaving money on the table and that gap matters when evaluating the annual fee.
The $139 Annual Fee: Your Breakeven Analysis
| Scenario | Annual Benefits Value | Annual Fee | Net Value |
| Using bags + travel insurance only | $220–$380 | $139 | +$81 – $241 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using bags + insurance + NEXUS (yr 1) | $320–$480 | $139 | +$181 – $341 |
| Using bags only (solo traveller, 2 AC trips) | $140 | $139 | ~Break even |
| Not using bags or NEXUS (no AC flights) | $80–$120 | $139 | -$19 – -$59 (loss) |
'Easy to justify' and 'optimized' aren't the same thing. The fee is clearly justifiable if you fly Air Canada with bags and value travel insurance. The question is whether you're getting the most value possible at that $139 annual fee or whether a different card would serve you better.
The $139 annual fee: easy to justify, but is that enough?
Looking at the numbers above, the annual fee has been easy to justify every year. Between the points earned, the checked bags on Air Canada, and the travel insurance I haven’t had to buy separately, I’ve consistently come out ahead. But “easy to justify” isn’t the same as “best option.”
The question I’m wrestling with now isn’t whether the card has delivered value. It clearly has. The real question is whether it’s still the right card for how I travel today, and whether it will be the right one going forward.
The part that makes me uncertain: I don’t fly Air Canada exclusively
Here's the thing I've been sitting with. I'm a person of convenience when it comes to travel. I book whoever has the best route, timing, or price that week. That means WestJet, Porter, and Air Canada all get my business depending on the trip and the purpose (travel or leisure).
An Aeroplan-tied credit card is built around Air Canada loyalty. The free bags don't apply on WestJet. The status acceleration doesn't help on Porter. When I fly other carriers, I'm essentially holding a card that earns 1x on most spending, which is what a no fee card can offer.
Pull up your last 12 months of flights. What percentage were on Air Canada? If the answer is under 50%, you may be in the wrong loyalty program — and a flexible points card like the Amex Cobalt (which earns Amex MR transferable to multiple airlines) or a flat-rate travel credit card might net you more annual value.
The three decisions: keep, upgrade, or cancel
Keep it if...
- You consistently earn points on everyday spending and redeem them (even occasionally) for high-value travel
- You fly Air Canada at least once or twice a year and actually use the free bags
- The $139 annual fee is covered by perks you genuinely use
- You don't travel frequently enough to need lounge access or elite status benefits
This card is excellent for the moderate-to-heavy spender who travels purposefully but not constantly. If the breakeven table above showed you in positive territory, the math works.
Upgrade to the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege or American Express Platinum Card if…
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite (current) | TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege | American Express The Platinum Card | |
| Annual fee | $139 | $599 | $799 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada earn rate | 1.5 pts / $1 | 2 pts / $1 | 1 pt / $1 (not Aeroplan-specific) |
| Grocery / gas earn rate | 1.5 pts / $1 | 1.5 pts / $1 | 1 pt /$1 (2 pts dining) |
| Lounge access | None | Maple Leaf Club (when flying AC) | 1,400+ lounges via Amex Global Lounge Collection |
| Status qualification | Standard | Accelerated (with spend thresholds) | None (not tied to airline status) |
| NEXUS rebate | $100 (one-time) | $100 (one-time) | None |
| Free bags | First bag, primary + guests | First bag, primary + guests | None |
| Travel insurance | Comprehensive | Comprehensive + higher limits | Comprehensive premium coverage |
| Best for | Occasional–moderate AC flyers | Frequent AC flyers, 6+ trips/yr | Frequent travellers who want premium travel perks without being tied to Air Canada |
The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege card or the American Express The Platinum Card is a meaningful step up, but the additional annual fee only makes sense if your travel habits match. If you're flying twice a year with the family, the Infinite is almost certainly the better card.
The Privilege earns its fee when you're flying Air Canada often enough to use the Maple Leaf Lounge and accumulate status. The Platinum takes a different approach — it’s built around premium travel perks like global lounge access and flexible points rather than deeper airline loyalty.
Cancel or downgrade if...
- Your points are accumulating without any realistic redemption plan
- You mix carriers and don't fly Air Canada even half the time
- You're not using the free bags, insurance, or NEXUS perk
- A flat cash-back card or a flexible points program would better match how you actually travel
Aeroplan points don't disappear when you cancel the credit card – they stay in your Aeroplan account as long as the account is active. But make sure you have a plan to use or transfer them before you walk away. Points without a redemption plan tend to sit unused for years.
The verdict by holder profile
Here's the framework I'd apply — and the one I'm using for my own decision this year:
| If You... | Verdict | Why |
| Fly Air Canada 2–4x/year and check bags | KEEP ✓ | Bag benefit alone covers most or all of the $139 fee |
|---|---|---|
| Have 100k+ points with no plan for them | Make a plan first | Redeem before you cancel. Don't lose the value you've earned |
| Fly mixed carriers (AC, WestJet, Porter) | KEEP but reassess annually | You're capturing partial value; a flexible points card may serve you better long term |
| Spend $2,000+/mo on everyday categories | KEEP — but compare earn rates | At 1.25x blended, you're generating ~$465–680/yr in travel value, but cards with stronger grocery and dining multipliers may earn more depending on your spending mix |
| Fly Air Canada 6+ times/year | UPGRADE to Privilege | Lounge access + status acceleration justifies the fee jump |
| Haven't used any perks in 12+ months | CANCEL or downgrade | You're paying $139 for nothing tangible |
| Want flexibility across carriers + programs | Consider Amex Cobalt or flat travel card | Cobalt earns 5x dining/grocery; Amex MR transfers to multiple airlines |
My verdict - for now
I'm keeping it. But I'm less certain than I was a year ago.
The points accumulation works for how I spend. The free bags are genuinely useful on Air Canada flights. The travel insurance saves me real money every year. And the Barbados redemption reminded me that 300,000 points can become a real family memory, if you're patient and flexible on dates.
But now I have 100,000–150,000 points remaining and sitting idle with no plan. And I fly on whoever's most convenient, not just Air Canada. Those two things together make me wonder if I'm optimizing for Aeroplan or just coasting in a program that made more sense when I was more intentional about it.
The Privilege upgrade is off the table. My travel frequency doesn't justify the $599 fee. But whether the Infinite stays or gets replaced by something more flexible? That's a real question I'm taking into my annual review this year which I will line up just before my card renews.
The card has been good to me. But 'good' and 'best for where I am now' aren't the same thing. After three years, that distinction is worth taking seriously.
If you weren't already a cardholder, would you sign up for this card today knowing what you now know about your travel habits, your point redemption patterns, and your actual use of the benefits? If the answer is no, or even 'probably not,' that's the signal.
What card in your wallet are you currently re-evaluating — and why?
Tell us. It might become the next card we break down.
Find Canada’s best cards suited for you in 60 seconds! View cards and offers you’re likely to qualify for without affecting your credit or needing a SIN.