TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card: Complete Canadian Review (2026)

All figures are in CAD unless noted. Rates and benefits are based on TD’s published terms as of May 2026, including the April 30, 2025 rate changes. Always verify current terms with TD before applying.

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1. Summary

The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card is TD’s top-tier personal travel card, designed for high-income Canadians ($150,000 personal / $200,000 household) who fly Air Canada regularly and want premium airport access. At $599/year it earns up to 2 pts/$1 on Air Canada and 1.5 pts/$1 across gas, groceries, dining, and transit, and delivers unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access, Air Canada priority services, and $5M per-person travel medical insurance. It is not a card for foreign-currency spending (2.5% FX fee) or for those seeking annual statement credits to offset the fee.

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2. Fees & Costs

First-year value context: TD estimates up to $3,000 in first-year value (85,000 welcome bonus points + NEXUS rebate + lounge access + free bags). At NerdWallet Canada’s 1.60¢/point valuation: ~$2,682 gross, ~$2,083 net after the $599 fee if all benefits are fully used. — TD product page

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3. Earn Rate

Annual bonus-category cap: The 1.5x and 2x rates apply until total bonus-category spend reaches $100,000/year (measured January statement to January). After the cap, all purchases earn at the 1.25x base rate. No rotating quarterly categories.

Currency context: This card earns Aeroplan points — the same currency redeemable directly on Air Canada and Star Alliance flights. Unlike Membership Rewards (Amex Platinum), Aeroplan points cannot be transferred to non-airline programs, but they require no transfer step to reach Air Canada redemptions. The 150+ Aeroplan partner brands and 200+ eStore retailers allow points to stack on top of the card earn rate.

Notable gap vs Amex Reserve: The TD card’s 1.5x on gas, groceries, and transit directly outperforms the Amex Reserve’s 1.25x base on those same categories. If Canadian everyday spend is a major part of your monthly charge volume, TD returns meaningfully more Aeroplan points per dollar on the purchases most Canadians make every week. Where the Amex Reserve wins is on direct Air Canada purchases — 3x vs TD’s 2x.

Redemption options: Redeem Aeroplan points for Air Canada and Star Alliance flights (Flight Rewards), car rentals and hotels, merchandise via the Aeroplan store, or transfer to select partner programs. Flight Rewards at saver-level rates deliver the highest per-point value.

Point value: NerdWallet Canada estimates Aeroplan at approximately 1.60¢/point on average (1.29¢ economy class, 1.80¢ business class on Air Canada). Prince of Travel values premium Aeroplan redemptions at up to 2.1¢/point. Saver-level business class redemptions to Europe or Asia typically yield the highest value for Canadian cardholders.

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4. Welcome Offer & Ongoing Bonuses

• Previous TD Aeroplan cardholders (any tier) are ineligible for the welcome bonus.
• Quebec residents are excluded from this welcome offer.
• Companion pass (ongoing): $99 base fare + taxes/fees round-trip after $25,000 annual net spend.
• SQC acceleration (ongoing): Up to 25,000 SQC/year from card spend toward Aeroplan Elite Status.
• Referral program: Not available for this card — not published by TD.

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5. Statement Credits

This card has no recurring annual statement credits to offset the fee. The only available credit is:

No travel credit, dining credit, streaming credit, hotel credit, or grocery credit exists on this card. The value case is built entirely on direct use of travel perks. — TD product page

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6. Travel & Lifestyle Benefits

Air Canada Benefits

• Free first checked bag: Primary cardholder + up to 8 travel companions on same reservation, on Air Canada-operated flights
• Priority Check-In, Priority Boarding (Zone 2), Priority Baggage Handling, Priority Standby, Priority Upgrades — all for primary + up to 8 companions on same reservation; AC-operated flights only; does not extend to Star Alliance partner metal
• Aeroplan Elite Status acceleration: 1,000 SQC per $5,000 in eligible net purchases, up to 25,000 SQC/year; starting 2027, eligible status holders receive 10% Head Start toward next year’s qualification
• eUpgrade credits: Status holders get 24 months (vs 12) to use newly issued eUpgrade credits
• Annual Companion Pass: $99 base fare + taxes/fees after $25,000 annual spend

SQC note: SQM replaced by SQC effective January 1, 2026. 25,000 SQC from card spend alone can reach Aeroplan 35K status when combined with flight SQC.

Lounge Access

Maple Leaf Lounges (Air Canada, North America):

• Primary + additional cardholders: unlimited visits independently
• Each cardholder may bring 1 complimentary guest per visit
• Requires same-day Air Canada or Star Alliance departing ticket
• North America only — no Maple Leaf Lounge benefit at international non-North-American airports

Visa Airport Companion Program (DragonPass), 1,200+ worldwide:

• 6 complimentary visits/year per cardholder (primary and supplementary independently)
• Enroll via Visa Airport Companion app or visaairportcompanion.ca

Visa Infinite Privilege Airport Benefits at Toronto Billy Bishop, Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal-Trudeau:

• Priority security lanes; priority taxi/limo (Vancouver); dedicated premium parking (Vancouver, Ottawa); up to 20% off parking (Ottawa, Vancouver, Montreal-Trudeau)

Hotel & Car Benefits

• Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection: 7 exclusive benefits at 900+ properties; 8th benefit at 200+ properties (Privilege-exclusive)
• Visa RSVP Rewards Diamond Status: 60+ Sandman, Sandman Signature, and Sutton Place Hotels in Canada — enrollment required
• Avis President’s Club: Two-car-class upgrades, expedited service; 10%+ off at Avis/Budget in Canada/US, 5%+ internationally; enrollment via Aeroplan form required

Other Perks & Lifestyle Benefits

• Troon Rewards Platinum Status: 20% off green fees, merchandise, and lessons at 150+ Troon golf courses; 25+ private clubs at $99 USD/round
• Visa Infinite Dining Series: Curated gourmet events
• Visa Infinite Screening Series: Advance film screenings; TIFF presale and priority access
• Visa Infinite Wine Country Program: 95+ wineries in BC, Ontario, Sonoma Valley — discounts, tastings, tours
• Aeroplan Family Sharing: Pool points with up to 8 family members
• Points never expire while primary cardholder account is open and in good standing

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7. Insurance Coverage

Where this coverage is exceptional: At $5,000,000 per insured person for under-65 travellers, for trips up to 31 days, the TD card has the strongest travel medical combination of any card in this review series — matching the Amex cards on dollar limit but covering 31 days vs the Amex Platinum’s per-trip coverage and Wealthsimple’s 14 days. The $25,000 combined trip interruption maximum is also the highest here, and the $2,500 per insured for lost baggage significantly exceeds what Wealthsimple or Scotiabank Passport offer.

Where it falls short: The 65+ medical coverage — just 4 days — is the card’s most meaningful insurance limitation. Travellers 65 or older who need more than a long weekend of coverage require a top-up policy for every trip. No other premium card covers 65+ travellers well: Amex cards also cut off at 65 and Wealthsimple’s limit is the same. If the primary cardholder is approaching or past 65, verify this before relying on this card for full-trip coverage.

No price protection. Unlike some older premium cards, there is no price protection benefit here. If a flight drops in price after booking, you have no card-level recourse.

Top-up medical available through TD Insurance: td.com Full certificate: TD Benefit Coverages Guide (PDF)

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8. Network & Acceptance

• Network: Visa Infinite Privilege (highest Visa tier in Canada)
• Domestic acceptance: Broad — accepted wherever Visa is accepted in Canada
• International acceptance: Strong globally; no meaningful gaps for mainstream travel routes
• Apple Pay / Google Pay / Samsung Pay: All supported via Visa Token Service
• Chip & PIN: Yes
• Visa Secure (3D Secure v2): Online purchase authentication
• Backup card recommended: Yes — a no-FX card (e.g., Scotiabank Passport or Wealthsimple) is recommended for all foreign-currency purchases given the 2.5% fee

The network advantage over Amex: This is the most practically important network comparison in the premium Canadian card tier. The TD card is Visa Infinite Privilege — accepted at virtually every merchant in Canada and internationally. The Amex Aeroplan Reserve and Amex Platinum are American Express, which has meaningful acceptance gaps at independent restaurants, small retailers, transit systems, and across much of Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. For travellers who want one card to work everywhere without thinking about it, the TD card’s Visa network is a genuine advantage the Amex cards cannot match.

The 2.5% FX cost is still a real number. Strong Visa acceptance globally does not mean this card is cost-efficient for foreign-currency spend. On $15,000 of international purchases in a year, the 2.5% fee costs $375 — more than half the annual fee. A Scotiabank Passport or Wealthsimple card in your wallet for international spend is not optional; it is arithmetic.

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9. Application & Underwriting

Income threshold is the defining eligibility gate. At $150,000 personal, this card disqualifies the majority of Canadian households. The Amex Aeroplan Reserve ($599/year) has no published minimum income requirement — making it the more accessible of the two top-tier Aeroplan cards for those who can tolerate Amex acceptance gaps. The Scotiabank Passport requires $60,000 personal and the Home Trust Preferred requires $15,000. If you are close to the threshold, contact TD before applying to avoid a hard pull.

CIBC equivalent. The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card offers near-identical benefits at an equivalent fee. If your primary banking relationship is with CIBC rather than TD, that card deserves a direct side-by-side comparison — the choice between them is largely a banking relationship decision, not a materially different travel benefits decision.

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11. Statement & Payment

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12. Customer Service

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13. Security & Risk

• Regulatory framework: TD Bank Group operates under federal Canadian bank oversight (OSFI supervision, FCAC consumer protection framework). Standard chartered bank regulatory framework applies.
• PCI DSS: Standard compliance as a major Canadian bank and Visa issuer
• Fraud protection: Visa Zero Liability policy — no liability for unauthorized transactions reported promptly
• Tokenization: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay via Visa Token Service; card number not transmitted at point of sale
• 3D Secure: Visa Secure v2 for online authentication
• T&C change history: Notable changes effective April 30, 2025 — purchase APR raised 20.99% → 21.99%; returned payment fee reduced $48 → $10; cash advance structure revised. Aeroplan SQM replaced by SQC effective January 1, 2026. These are material changes that affected cardholder economics.
• Devaluation risk: Aeroplan is an Air Canada subsidiary; program terms and redemption charts are subject to change. Aeroplan has historically made periodic devaluations to redemption rates.
• Forced arbitration: No US-style forced arbitration clause; disputes handled under Canadian consumer protection framework (FCAC)

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14. Hidden Gotchas / Fine Print

1. 2.5% foreign transaction fee. On $20,000 of international spend per year, that is $500 in fees — more than enough to justify a separate no-FX card.
2. 65+ travel medical is only 4 days. The most important insurance limitation on the card.
3. Companion pass requires $25,000 in spend. Taxes and surcharges are not included in the $99 base fare and can be substantial on long-haul routes.
4. $100,000 annual cap on bonus-category earn. After $100K in gas, groceries, dining, travel, transit, and EV charging, all spend earns at the 1.25x base rate.
5. Maple Leaf Lounge access requires a same-day Air Canada or Star Alliance ticket. You cannot use the lounge if flying another carrier — even on a day you depart from the same terminal.
6. Maple Leaf Lounges are North America only. For international departures outside North America, you rely on 6 DragonPass visits/year per cardholder.
7. Priority airport services apply to Air Canada-operated flights only. No benefit on Star Alliance partner metal.
8. Welcome bonus requires no prior TD Aeroplan card. Downgrading or product-switching from a higher tier does not reset eligibility.
9. Anniversary bonus (30,000 pts) is a one-time offer, not annual. After Year 1, there is no recurring anniversary bonus.
10. NEXUS credit is every 48 months, not annually. Plan accordingly.

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15. Who It Is For — and Who It Is Not

Best for: A Canadian earning $150,000+ personally (or $200,000+ household) who flies Air Canada at least 4–6 times per year from a Maple Leaf Lounge airport. The ideal cardholder values the lounge, regularly uses the companion pass, travels with family or colleagues who benefit from priority services and free bags, and wants best-in-class travel medical insurance ($5M, 31 days). The card delivers genuine premium value to committed Air Canada flyers who spend $25,000+/year to unlock the companion pass.

Not for: Travellers whose primary airline is not Air Canada; anyone spending heavily in foreign currencies (2.5% FX is a real cost); travellers 65+ who need full-trip medical coverage without a top-up policy; anyone who wants annual statement credits to offset the fee. If flexibility across airlines or hotel brands matters more than Air Canada perks, the Amex Platinum or Scotiabank Passport offer better structures.

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16. Quick Comparison Context

Decision logic: Choose the TD card if Air Canada flying is your primary travel activity, you meet the income threshold, and you want Visa network reliability abroad. Choose the Amex Reserve if you prioritise the higher 3x Air Canada earn rate and Centurion Lounge access — but only if you can carry a Visa backup everywhere. Choose the Amex Platinum if you fly multiple airlines and value hotel status and statement credit offsets over Air Canada-specific perks. Choose the Scotiabank Passport if fee sensitivity or foreign-currency spending is a bigger priority than Air Canada lounge access.

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17. Sources