Earn rates
The Privilege earns at three rates. Air Canada purchases earn 2x Aeroplan points. Gas stations, EV charging, grocery stores, restaurants, travel, and transit earn 1.5x. All other purchases earn 1.25x. The broad 1.5x tier covers most daily spending categories, and the 1.25x base ensures every dollar earns meaningfully above the Visa Infinite’s flat 1x.
| Spending category | Earn rate | Points per $100 spent |
|---|---|---|
| Air Canada purchases | 2x Aeroplan | 200 pts |
| Gas and EV charging | 1.5x Aeroplan | 150 pts |
| Grocery stores | 1.5x Aeroplan | 150 pts |
| Dining and restaurants | 1.5x Aeroplan | 150 pts |
| Travel and transit | 1.5x Aeroplan | 150 pts |
| Everything else | 1.25x Aeroplan | 125 pts |
1 Aeroplan point ≈ 1.5¢ in travel at typical fixed-chart redemptions, and more on premium-cabin partner awards. Actual value varies by route and partner.
Bonus earn rates apply to a combined maximum of $100,000 in eligible category spending per year. Spending above that cap earns at the base 1.25x rate. Verify current earn caps directly with CIBC.
Key benefits
Maple Leaf Lounge access
The lounge benefit on the Privilege is unlimited North American Maple Leaf Lounge access with one complimentary guest per visit — otherwise reserved for Aeroplan 35K status holders and business class travellers. The card also includes Visa Airport Companion visits, which covers international airports where Air Canada does not operate a Maple Leaf Lounge. Verify current guest policy and the number of included Visa Airport Companion visits directly with CIBC, as terms are subject to change.
Annual companion pass
Cardholders who spend $25,000 in a calendar year receive a round-trip Air Canada companion ticket starting from $99 plus taxes and fees. The pass applies to economy fares on Air Canada–operated flights. At typical domestic tax levels, the companion pays $199 to $399 total for a return trip. The pass is issued once per year when the spend threshold is met. Verify current pass terms with CIBC.
Smart Plus fee offset
CIBC Smart Plus chequing account holders receive up to $139 toward the Privilege’s $599 annual fee. This brings the effective annual fee to approximately $460 for qualifying customers. Unlike the Visa Infinite, where the $139 Smart Plus credit covers the full annual fee, the Privilege’s higher fee is only partially offset. The Smart Plus account carries a $29.95 monthly fee, waived when you maintain a $4,000 minimum daily balance. Verify current Smart Plus waiver terms at cibc.com.
Travel insurance on the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege scores 96 of 100 on the figures its certificate publishes, joint 4th of the 59 Canadian cards compared. Emergency medical is capped at $5,000,000 for trips up to 31 days. At 65 the longest covered trip falls from 31 days to 10.
| Emergency medical | $5,000,000 · age 0–64: 31 days; age 65+: 10 days · 90-day stability window |
|---|---|
| Trip cancellation | $2,500 per person · $10,000 per account |
| Trip interruption | $5,000 per person · $25,000 per account |
| Flight or trip delay | $500 per person · after 4 hours · $1,000 per trip |
| Baggage delay | $500 per person · after 6 hours |
| Rental car collision or damage | Pays first · rentals to 48 days · vehicles to $100,000 |
You must charge 75% of the trip cost to the card for the coverage to apply. A booking made with points still qualifies. You have 90 days from the incident to report a claim. Dependent children are covered to age 21.
Every figure from the certificate, with its own wording
| Emergency medical | limit: $5,000,000 (per insured person, per trip; certificate amended and restated effective July 1, 2025) age 0–64: 31 days; age 65+: 10 days pre existing stability days: 90 days (180 days if age 65 or over on the departure date) |
|---|---|
| Trip cancellation | per person: $2,500 (per insured person, per trip) per account: $10,000 (per trip for all insured persons combined) covered reasons: Your medical condition or admission to a hospital or medical facility following an emergency. (first of 27 covered reasons set out in the certificate chart; enumeration truncated at 40 words) |
| Trip interruption | per person: $5,000 (per insured person, per trip; shared with Trip Delay) per account: $25,000 (per trip for all insured persons combined) |
| Flight or trip delay | per person: $500 (sub-limits of $100 for ground transportation expenses and $100 for entertainment expenses, each for all insured persons combined) trigger hours: 4 hours (certificate prints the figure in words (four hours); the issuer product summary prints the numeral) per trip cap: $1,000 (aggregate per occurrence for all insured persons combined) |
| Baggage delay | per person: $500 (aggregate of $1,000 per occurrence for all insured persons combined; replacement items must be purchased within four days of the delay) trigger hours: 6 hours (certificate prints the figure in words (six hours); the issuer product summary prints the numeral) |
| Lost, stolen or damaged baggage | per person: $1,000 (aggregate of $2,500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined; covers checked and carry-on baggage in the custody of a common carrier) |
| Travel accident | limit: $500,000 (maximum payable from one accident regardless of the number of losses; scheduled amounts of $375,000, $250,000 and $125,000 apply to specified losses) common carrier only: Yes (also covers a taxi, bus, train or airport limousine travelling directly to or from a terminal immediately before or after a common carrier trip, and time in the terminal) covers 24h: No (coverage runs from boarding or arriving at the terminal until alighting or departing the terminal) |
| Hotel or motel burglary | $2,500 (per burglary occurrence for all insured persons combined; any portion of the accommodation cost must be paid with the card or card reward points) |
| Emergency travel assistance | offered: Yes (provided by Global Excel Management Inc. for travel medical and trip cancellation coverages; the Insurer handles Common Carrier Accident, Flight Delay, Baggage and Hotel Burglary) hotline url: cibc.client.insure (printed without a scheme; assistance is reached by telephone at 1 855 845-0999 or collect at 905 412-1102) |
| Rental car collision or damage | is primary: Yes (except for losses waived or assumed by the rental agency or its insurer, and where local government insurance legislation states otherwise; no deductible) limit basis: the actual cash value of the rental car and valid rental agency loss of use charges vehicle value cap: $100,000 (MSRP in the vehicle model year, excluding all taxes, at the place the rental agreement is signed or the car is picked up) max rental days: 48 days (consecutive days; a full calendar day between rentals is required to break the 48 consecutive day cycle) excluded classes: Vans, cargo vans or mini cargo vans (other than mini-vans), Trucks, pick-up trucks or any vehicle that can be spontaneously reconfigured into a pick-up truck, Limousines, Off-road vehicles, Motorcycles, mopeds or motor bikes (enumeration truncated at 40 words; the certificate also excludes trailers, campers, recreational vehicles, vehicles towing trailers, mini-buses, buses, handmade or limited-production vehicles, antique vehicles and tax-free cars) |
| Purchase protection | days: 180 days (from the date of purchase, without registration, when at least a portion of the purchase price is charged to the card) |
| Extended warranty | cap: $60,000 (maximum total liability per cardholder across all CIBC cards held, shared with Purchase Security) |
| Mobile device | limit: $1,500 (per occurrence and per insured person; a maximum of four claims in any 24 consecutive month period across all CIBC cards providing this coverage) requires full charge: Yes (or the purchase price financed with the card through a provider's payment plan, with all bill payments charged to the card; coverage begins on the 181st day after purchase) eligible events: lost, stolen or accidentally damaged (anywhere in the world; excludes accessories, laptop computers, batteries, and devices that are used, refurbished, purchased for resale or purchased by or for a business) |
Figures above are from the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card Certificates of Insurance, effective 2025-07-01, underwritten by Belair Insurance Company Inc.. Checked against the certificate for 13 coverage types. Terms change without notice; verify with the issuer before relying on any figure.
Income requirement
The Visa Infinite Privilege requires a personal income of $150,000 or a household income of $200,000. If you do not meet the income requirement, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite at $139 is the next tier down.
What the earn math looks like
A cardholder spending $2,500 per month across typical categories:
| Category | Monthly spend | Rate | Monthly points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | $600 | 1.5x | 900 pts |
| Gas | $200 | 1.5x | 300 pts |
| Dining | $300 | 1.5x | 450 pts |
| All other spending | $1,400 | 1.25x | 1,750 pts |
| Total | $2,500 | 3,400 pts / mo |
40,800 Aeroplan points per year at this spend mix. At a conservative 1.5 cents per point, approximately $612 in Aeroplan value annually. The Visa Infinite earns 34,800 points at the same spend, a difference of 6,000 points worth roughly $90 per year. Lounge access and the companion pass are the primary fee justifiers; the earn differential alone does not close the gap over the Visa Infinite.
Good fit if
- You fly Air Canada regularly and do not hold Aeroplan 35K status — unlimited lounge access with a guest is otherwise reserved for status holders
- You regularly travel with a partner and will use the annual companion pass when the $25,000 spend threshold is met
- You bank at CIBC and the Smart Plus offset reduces your effective fee to ~$460
Not sure this is the card for how you travel? Book a free conversation, or see membership plans for ongoing help.
Less useful if
- You hold Aeroplan 35K status or higher — you already receive Maple Leaf Lounge access as a status benefit
- You travel solo most of the time and will not realistically use the companion pass
- You need a Nexus credit — the TD Privilege offers up to four $100 Nexus credits per 48-month period across cardholders on the account
See it in action
ANA's The Room is the most private business class suite flying, direct to Tokyo on Aeroplan's partner chart.
See the math →