The best Aeroplan credit card in Canada depends on how often you fly Air Canada and how much you would use premium perks such as lounge access. This guide compares the Amex Aeroplan Reserve, the TD and CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite cards, the Amex Aeroplan Card and the Amex Cobalt on fees, earn rates and perks. It is general education, not financial advice.
YieldMaple checked the American Express, TD and CIBC Aeroplan card pages on October 7, 2026: the Amex Aeroplan Reserve fee is $599 and becomes $799 on annual fees charged on or after January 12, 2027, while the Amex Aeroplan Card fee becomes $150 on annual fees charged on or after January 12, 2027.
Related: Best Travel Credit Cards Canada 2026 · Best Cashback Credit Cards · Marriott Bonvoy Amex Review (the hotel-side companion) · Best No-Fee Credit Cards for no-fee options, including the CIBC Aeroplan Visa.
Best Aeroplan credit cards at a glance
| Profile | Card | Annual fee | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent Air Canada flyer | Amex Aeroplan Reserve | $599 | Lounge access + Companion Pass |
| Occasional flyer (TD customer) | TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite | $139 | Visa acceptance + free checked bag |
| Occasional flyer (CIBC customer) | CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite | $139; $50 for each of up to 3 additional cards | Same earn categories as TD |
| Casual Aeroplan earner | Amex Aeroplan Card | $120 | Lower fee, charge card |
| Wants flexible points | Amex Cobalt | $191.88 a year | Points transfer to Aeroplan and other programs |
In plain sentences: the Amex Aeroplan Reserve costs $599 a year and includes lounge access and a Companion Pass. The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite costs $139, and the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite costs $139; $50 for each of up to 3 additional cards. The Amex Aeroplan Card costs $120. The Amex Cobalt costs $15.99 a month ($191.88 a year) outside Quebec; Quebec residents pay $191.88 once a year, and its points transfer to Aeroplan at 1,000 Membership Rewards points = 1,000 Aeroplan points.
How much is an Aeroplan point worth?
American Express values Aeroplan points at $0.02 a point or more on flights (Amex's figure, based on most Aeroplan Cardmembers' flight redemptions from November 8, 2020 to September 1, 2025). That is Amex’s own benchmark from its cardmembers’ flight redemptions; your value depends on the trip you book.
To work out your own value, divide the cash price of a flight by the points it costs. If a flight costs $300 in cash or 20,000 points, each point is worth 1.5 cents. A welcome offer of 50,000 points at Amex’s own benchmark of 2 cents a point would be worth $1,000 in flights, and less if you redeem for gift cards or merchandise. Aeroplan sets its own reward prices, so the same route can cost a different number of points on different dates.
Which Aeroplan card fits which flyer?
1. American Express Aeroplan Reserve — the premium card
- Annual fee: $599; $799 on annual fees charged on or after January 12, 2027
- Earn rate: 3 Aeroplan points per $1 on eligible Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations purchases; 2 Aeroplan points per $1 on eligible dining and food delivery in Canada; 1.25 Aeroplan points per $1 on everything else
- Welcome offer: 60,000 Aeroplan points after $7,500 in purchases in the first 3 months, plus 25,000 more Aeroplan points when you spend $2,500 in month 13
- Lounges: complimentary access to Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés in Canada and the United States, with one guest per eligible Cardmember
Premium benefits (the reason for the fee):
- Maple Leaf Lounge access in Canada and the United States, plus Priority Pass membership, with a usage fee charged for every lounge visit
- Annual Worldwide Companion Pass: one Companion Pass a year after $25,000 in net purchases before your card anniversary; the companion's Air Canada economy base fare is fixed at $99 to $599, plus taxes and fees
- Priority airport services such as priority check-in and boarding on Air Canada
- Free first checked bag: a free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions on the same reservation, when travel starts on an Air Canada flight
- NEXUS credit: up to $100 in statement credits every four years toward a NEXUS application or renewal fee
- Travel medical insurance: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 consecutive days of a trip, if you are under 65
The break-even math, using Amex’s own estimates: Amex values lounge access at up to $590 a year (Amex's estimate, based on up to 5 visits a year with a guest) and the free checked bag at $140 (Amex's estimate for two people on one round trip). Together that is up to $730 a year, against today’s $599 fee and the $799 on annual fees charged on or after January 12, 2027. Those estimates assume five lounge visits with a guest; fewer visits means less value.
The Companion Pass can tip the math for couples. If a companion’s economy base fare to Europe would have been $2,000, the pass fixes it at the $499 Europe base fare, a $1,501 saving before taxes and fees, which the companion still pays. The pass needs $25,000 in net purchases before your card anniversary.
Best for: Air Canada frequent flyers who use lounges, and couples or families who fly together.
Editorial pick
Amex Aeroplan Reserve
2. TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite — the mid-tier Visa
- Annual fee: $139
- Earn rate: 1.5 Aeroplan points per $1 on eligible gas, EV charging, grocery and direct Air Canada purchases
- Welcome offer: up to 50,000 Aeroplan points plus a first-year annual fee rebate
- Income requirement: $60,000 personal or $100,000 household income a year
Why it stands out:
- Visa acceptance, which reaches more merchants than American Express in Canada
- TD bank integration for existing TD customers
- A free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions on the same Air Canada reservation
- Aeroplan points can be shared with family members
Best for: occasional Air Canada flyers, TD banking customers, and anyone who wants Visa acceptance over Amex.
Editorial pick
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
3. CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite — comparable to TD
- Annual fee: $139; $50 for each of up to 3 additional cards
- Earn rate: 1.5 points per $1 directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, and on eligible gas, EV charging and groceries
- Welcome offer: Up to 50,000 Aeroplan points: 10,000 after your first purchase, 15,000 with $6,000 in net purchases in the first 6 monthly statement periods, and a 25,000-point anniversary bonus with $12,000 in the first 12, plus a first-year annual fee rebate
- Income requirement: $60,000 individual or $100,000 household
CIBC or TD? The two cards earn in the same categories at the same rate and charge the same fee. The differences are the welcome-offer structure and which bank you already use. CIBC also issues the no-fee CIBC Aeroplan Visa ($0 fee, 1 point per $1 directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, and on eligible gas, EV charging and groceries) and the premium CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege ($599; $149 for each of up to 9 additional cards).
Best for: CIBC banking customers who want an Aeroplan Visa.
Editorial pick
CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite
4. American Express Aeroplan Card — the entry-level Amex
- Annual fee: $120; $150 on annual fees charged on or after January 12, 2027
- Card type: a charge card with no preset spending limit; the balance must be paid in full each month
- Earn rate: 2 Aeroplan points per $1 directly with Air Canada; 1.5 points per $1 at restaurants, coffee shops, bars and food delivery in Canada; 1 point per $1 on other purchases
- Welcome offer: up to 45,000 Aeroplan points: 35,000 after $7,500 in purchases in the first 6 months, plus 10,000 when you spend $1,000 in month 13
Reserve or Aeroplan Card? The Aeroplan Card keeps the free first checked bag but drops Maple Leaf Lounge access and the Companion Pass, for a fee of $120 instead of $599. As a charge card, the full balance is due every month.
Best for: casual Aeroplan earners who fly Air Canada a few times a year.
Editorial pick
Amex Aeroplan Card
5. American Express Cobalt — the flexible alternative
- Card fee: $15.99 a month ($191.88 a year) outside Quebec; Quebec residents pay $191.88 once a year
- Earn rate: 5 points per $1 at eligible restaurants, coffee shops, bars, stand-alone grocery stores and food delivery in Canada (up to $2,500 in combined net purchases a month, then 1 point per $1); 3 points per $1 on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada; 2 points per $1 on eligible gas, transit and ride share in Canada; 1 point per $1 on everything else
- Transfers to Aeroplan: 1,000 Membership Rewards points = 1,000 Aeroplan points
Why the Cobalt appears on an Aeroplan list: it earns Membership Rewards, which transfer to Aeroplan, Air France KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Avios and Hilton Honors at 1,000:1,000; Marriott Bonvoy at 1,000:1,200; Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and Delta SkyMiles at 1,000:750; ALL Accor at 1,000:500. That means Cobalt holders can:
- Earn at a higher rate on food and groceries than any Aeroplan card here
- Transfer to Aeroplan when an Aeroplan redemption is the best use
- Transfer to a hotel or another airline program when that is better
- Keep the choice open instead of committing to one airline
The catch: the Cobalt has no Air Canada perks, so no free checked bag and no lounge access, and a transfer to a partner program cannot be reversed. The Amex Cobalt review covers the card in full, and the travel credit card guide compares it with other travel cards.
Aeroplan card comparison
| Feature | Annual fee | Aeroplan earn rate | Lounge access | Companion Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Aeroplan Reserve | $599 (better on this row) | 3 Aeroplan points per $1 on eligible Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations purchases | Maple Leaf Lounges (Canada and US) (better on this row) | Yes, after $25,000 in net purchases (better on this row) |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite | $139 | 1.5 Aeroplan points per $1 on eligible gas, EV charging, grocery and direct Air Canada purchases | No | No |
| CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite | $139; $50 for each of up to 3 additional cards | 1.5 points per $1 directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, and on eligible gas, EV charging and groceries | No | No |
| Amex Aeroplan Card | $120 | 2 Aeroplan points per $1 directly with Air Canada; 1.5 points per $1 at restaurants, coffee shops, bars and food delivery in Canada; 1 point per $1 on other purchases | No | No |
| Amex Cobalt (transfers to Aeroplan) | $191.88 a year | Membership Rewards: 5 points per $1 at eligible restaurants, coffee shops, bars, stand-alone grocery stores and food delivery in Canada | No | No |
Sources: americanexpress.com/ca, td.com and cibc.com card pages, checked October 7, 2026. Welcome offers change often; check the issuer's page before applying.
Every fact in the table also appears above: the Reserve costs $599 and earns 3 Aeroplan points per $1 on eligible Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations purchases; the TD and CIBC Visa Infinite cards cost $139 and earn 1.5 points per $1 in the same categories; the Amex Aeroplan Card costs $120; and the Cobalt costs $191.88 a year.
How can you get more value from an Aeroplan card?
The biggest gains come from pairing cards, tracking the Companion Pass threshold and redeeming points for flights rather than merchandise.
Pair an Aeroplan card with the Cobalt
- A TD or CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite for Air Canada bookings, gas and groceries, and the free checked bag
- The Amex Cobalt for restaurants, food delivery and grocery stores, where it earns 5 points per $1 at eligible restaurants, coffee shops, bars, stand-alone grocery stores and food delivery in Canada
- Cobalt points moved to Aeroplan when a flight redemption needs them, at 1,000 Membership Rewards points = 1,000 Aeroplan points
Check welcome-offer eligibility before applying
Amex’s Aeroplan welcome offers exclude current and former cardmembers of the same card, and TD and CIBC set their own conditions. Reading the offer terms before applying tells you whether a second card would earn a bonus at all.
Track spending toward the Companion Pass
The Reserve’s Companion Pass needs $25,000 in net purchases, and the net-purchase count resets to zero on each card anniversary; the pass is deposited 8 to 10 weeks after the anniversary. Returns and credits reduce the count, so the running total in your Amex account is the figure that counts.
Redeem points for flights
Flight redemptions usually return more per point than gift cards or merchandise. Using the method above, a flight costing $300 or 20,000 points returns 1.5 cents a point; compare every redemption against Amex’s benchmark of $0.02 a point or more on flights (Amex's figure, based on most Aeroplan Cardmembers' flight redemptions from November 8, 2020 to September 1, 2025), and count the taxes and surcharges on the award ticket.
What are the common Aeroplan card mistakes?
- Paying for the Reserve without using its perks. The fee is $599 now and rises in 2027; if lounges and the Companion Pass go unused, the $120 Aeroplan Card or a TD or CIBC card keeps the checked-bag benefit for less.
- Falling just short of the Companion Pass threshold. The count resets on each card anniversary, so spending that lands after the anniversary does not help the previous year.
- Holding points indefinitely. Aeroplan sets and can change its reward prices, so points earned today have no guaranteed future value.
- Ignoring welcome-offer terms. Offers change often and each has its own spending window; missing the window means missing the bonus.
- Using an Aeroplan card abroad without checking the foreign transaction fee. None of these Aeroplan product pages advertises a waiver; some cards skip the surcharge: the foreign transaction fee on the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is none: only the exchange rate applies to foreign-currency purchases, and the Wealthsimple credit card charges 0%.
The verdict
The right Aeroplan card depends on how often you fly Air Canada:
- Frequent Air Canada flyers who use lounges: the Amex Aeroplan Reserve at $599 (and $799 on annual fees charged on or after January 12, 2027)
- Occasional flyers who want Visa: the TD or CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite at $139
- Casual earners who pay in full each month: the Amex Aeroplan Card at $120
- Mixed loyalty, not tied to Air Canada: the Amex Cobalt at $191.88 a year with transfers to Aeroplan when useful
For most occasional flyers, the TD or CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite balances cost and perks. For frequent flyers who use the lounges and the Companion Pass, the Aeroplan Reserve can cover its fee. Readers who rarely fly Air Canada usually get more from a cash back or flexible-points card.
Read next
- Best Travel Credit Card Canada — broader travel card landscape
- Best Credit Cards In Canada — full credit card landscape
- Best Cashback Credit Cards Canada — cash back alternatives
- Marriott Bonvoy Amex Review — hotel-loyalty alternative
- MBNA Rewards World Elite Review — high-earn flat-rate alternative