Aeroplan is one of the most popular loyalty programs in Canada. It is the main rewards program for Air Canada and also features one of the largest partner networks in Canada for other earning opportunities. But of course, as with any loyalty program, the most reliable way to rack up Aeroplan Miles is through rewards from your credit card. But Aeroplan-branded cards aren't the only way to earn Aeroplan Miles - both American Express Membership Rewards points and Marriott Bonvoy points can be transferred to Aeroplan Miles. To understand all the earning opportunities for Aeroplan Miles, check out our Aeroplan guide.
Today we are going to be looking at the best credit cards for earning Aeroplan miles for Canadians. We will base our criteria for the best Aeroplan credit card on four categories: Aeroplan earn rate, sign-up bonus, travel insurance, and travel perks.
Best Aeroplan Card for Most Canadians
Best Aeroplan Card with No Minimum Income Requirement
Best Aeroplan Card for Students
Best Aeroplan Card for Most Canadians
After careful analysis, we consider the CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite Card to be the best Aeroplan credit card in Canada. It features an impressive earn rate that made it one of the best cards for earning Aeroplan Miles. Based on our average monthly spending amounts, a cardholder will earn 55,400 Aeroplan Miles in their first year of having the card (we value that at over an $1100 value!), and 20,400 Aeroplan Miles annual from the second year on.
It features the best suite of insurance benefits out of any Aeroplan card we compared, and it includes a very complete travel insurance package that should always have you covered. Since this card is Aeroplan-branded, its insurance policies will cover you even when you book travel using Aeroplan Miles. Additionally, it comes with perks when you redeem Aeroplan flights, including free first checked bag, priority boarding and an annual lounge pass.
CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite Card Annual Fee: $120 (first year rebated) (Requires $60,000 Minimum Annual Personal Income) |
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|---|---|
| Sign-up Bonus | 20,000 Aeroplan Miles after your first purchases15,000 Aeroplan Miles upon Spending $10,000 in your first year This sign-up bonus is worth a $700 value |
| Rewards | - 1.5 Miles for every $1 spent on gas, grocery, drugstore and aircanada.com purchases - 1 Mile for every $1 spent on everything else |
| Insurance Coverage | See all insurance benefits |
| Other Perks | - One annual pass to an Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge when flying on an Aeroplan Reward Flight - Priority check-in, boarding and free first checked bag on Aeroplan Flight Rewards operated by Air Canada |
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Best Aeroplan Card with No Minimum Income Requirement
Although the Visa Infinite Aeroplan branded cards are our top picks, they exclude those who earn less than $60,000 but still may want to earn Aeroplan Miles. For them, we recommend the American Express Gold Rewards Card. Although this card is not directly an Aeroplan-branded card, Membership Rewards points can be directly transferred at a 1:1 ratio to Aeroplan Miles.
This card has an even higher Aeroplan Mile earn rate than the CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite Card. Excluding the sign-up bonus, this card earns 25,800 Aeroplan Miles a year (we value that at a $516 value!) based on our average monthly spending amounts. What's the catch? Well, the travel insurance on this card is missing a few things we like to see (notably Trip Cancellation Insurance) and some insurance policies may not cover you if you book travel using Aeroplan Miles. Finally, it loses out on some perks when flying on an Aeroplan Reward Flight (such as priority boarding) that the Aeroplan-branded credit card receives.
The American Express Gold Rewards Card Annual Fee: $150 |
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| Sign-up Bonus | 25,000 Amex Membership Rewards upon Spending $1,500 in your first 3 months of card membership This sign-up bonus is worth a $500 value |
| Rewards | - Earn 5 points for every $1 in Card purchases on SkipTheDishes and UberEats until August 31, 2020 - Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases at gas stations, grocery store, drugstores in Canada- Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on everything else |
| Insurance Coverage | See all insurance benefits |
| Other Perks | - The Hotel Collection from American Express - Rental Car Status with Hertz |
Best Aeroplan Card for Students
Students often have a difficult time finding a good credit card for their needs. They often fail to meet income requirements, or they don't spend enough to make the annual fees worthwhile. Luckily, the CIBC Aero Platinum Visa Card for Students is an Aeroplan-branded card made available for students. It features an earn rate of 1 Aeroplan Mile for every $1.50 in purchases made on the card, and even comes with a welcome bonus of 5,000 Aeroplan Miles. All of this can be had for a low annual fee of $39. We also recommend students check out our article on the Best No Annual Fee Credit Card for other great options that they may qualify for.
CIBC Aero Platinum Visa Card for Students Annual Fee: $39 |
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|---|---|
| Sign-up Bonus | 5,000 Aeroplan Miles welcome bonusThis sign-up bonus is worth a $100 value |
| Rewards | - 1 Mile for every $1.50 spent on everything |
| Insurance Coverage | See all insurance benefits |
| Other Perks | - Free SPC Membership |
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