Earn rates
The Visa Infinite earns at two rates. Air Canada purchases, gas stations, EV charging, and grocery stores earn 1.5x Aeroplan points, up to a combined $80,000 per year in those categories. All other purchases earn 1x. At Air Canada specifically, the card earn stacks on top of the Aeroplan miles you earn from the flight itself, so the card rate is additive to the flight credit.
| Spending category | Earn rate | Points per $100 spent |
|---|---|---|
| Air Canada purchases | 1.5x Aeroplan | 150 pts |
| Gas and EV charging | 1.5x Aeroplan | 150 pts |
| Grocery stores | 1.5x Aeroplan | 150 pts |
| Everything else | 1x Aeroplan | 100 pts |
The 1.5x rate applies to a combined maximum of $80,000 per year across all eligible categories. Spending above that cap earns at the base 1x rate.
Key benefits
The Smart Plus fee waiver
CIBC Smart Plus is CIBC’s premium chequing account. The monthly fee is $29.95, but it is waived entirely when you maintain a minimum daily balance of $4,000 in the account. Account holders receive up to $139 toward the Aeroplan Visa Infinite annual fee — covering it completely.
The Smart Plus waiver makes the most sense if you already bank at CIBC and carry or can maintain a $4,000 balance. If you don’t bank at CIBC, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite is a stronger comparable: the $100 Nexus credit per cardholder offsets much of that card’s $139 fee without requiring a banking relationship change. See the TD vs. CIBC comparison for a full breakdown.
Free checked bag
The free checked bag benefit applies when you book Air Canada flights with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite. The primary cardholder and up to eight companions on the same booking each receive one free checked bag on Air Canada–operated flights. On a return trip for two people, the savings are approximately $120 to $180 depending on the route, which on its own approaches the annual fee.
Aeroplan status acceleration
The card earns 1,000 Status Qualifying Credits per $20,000 spent, up to a maximum of 25,000 SQC per year — the same rate as the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite. That 25,000 SQC annual cap applies across all Aeroplan co-branded cards combined, regardless of issuer. For most cardholders the contribution is modest but meaningful for members within reach of a tier threshold.
Travel insurance
Coverage types and limits:
- Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 (31 days; age limits apply)
- Trip cancellation: up to $1,500 per person
- Trip interruption: up to $3,000 per person
- Flight / trip delay: up to $500 per person (4+ hour delay)
- Baggage delay: up to $500 per person
- Lost baggage: up to $500 per person
- Rental car collision / damage: up to 48 days
- Common carrier accident: up to $500,000
- Hotel / motel burglary: up to $2,500
- Mobile device: coverage for loss, theft, and accidental damage
Coverage limits and eligibility conditions apply. Always review the certificate of insurance before travel and verify current limits directly with CIBC.
Income requirement
The Visa Infinite requires a personal income of $60,000 or a household income of $100,000. If you do not meet the income threshold, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Platinum is the entry-level alternative, though with a weaker earn rate on non-bonus categories.
What the earn math looks like
A cardholder spending $2,500 per month, split across typical categories:
| Category | Monthly spend | Rate | Monthly points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | $600 | 1.5x | 900 pts |
| Gas | $200 | 1.5x | 300 pts |
| All other spending | $1,700 | 1x | 1,700 pts |
| Total | $2,500 | 2,900 pts / mo |
34,800 Aeroplan points per year from everyday spending at this mix. At a conservative 1.5 cents per point, that is approximately $522 in Aeroplan value annually. For CIBC Smart Plus account holders who qualify for the fee waiver, the card’s net annual cost is $0, making the earn-to-fee ratio exceptional.
Good fit if
- You already bank at CIBC and maintain or can maintain a $4,000 Smart Plus balance
- You want strong Aeroplan earn on gas and groceries without a net annual fee
- You fly Air Canada regularly and want free checked bag coverage for travel companions
Less useful if
- You bank at TD and frequently cross into the U.S. — the TD Infinite’s $100 Nexus credit is a more direct offset and requires no banking change
- You want the highest earn rates across all categories, including dining and transit — the Infinite Privilege adds 1.5x on those categories
- You rarely use gas and grocery as primary spend buckets and would benefit more from a transferable-points card