Full Details: New Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Cards

Do they not have a U.S. credit card?

The most important part - what are the signup bonuses?

@Daniel

TD used to offer an Aeroplan credit card for US customers but they no longer do. You can actually still find the landing page for that card if you Google it but you can't actually apply for it.

@Kate, I think there is a typo in your article?

"TD and CIBC cards will start at a base earning rate of 1 Aeroplan point per $1.50 CAD..."

The base earning rate should be 1 Aeroplan point per $1.00 CAD spend, no?

@ Joe -- Nope, that's correct (based on what we know). There are three tiers of cards, and the base cards earns 1 point per $1.50CAD spend on non-bonused spend. We probably wouldn't recommend using it for everyday 😉

I always have so much trouble just trying to search for flights on Aeroplan. I always get this messaged after I hit 'search': "Your requested itinerary cannot be booked at this time, please try again. If the problem persists, please call the aeroplan.com website support centre at 1-866-689-8080"

This has been going on for months. Does anyone know if there's a workaround for this?

Umm, yeah, nah, I won't take TD or CIBC's top tier cards before or after the product refresh. Moved to Canada two years ago from the States and the thing that boggles my mind is how top tier CA cards with $399 annual fee don't even have FX fee waived... Even mid-tier cards in the states mostly don't charge foreign transaction fee these days but Scotia's passport infinity card is the only one in Canada that doesn't charge FX fee. Also, even the top tier cards only comes with the 6 passes/yr Priority Pass... I mean that is literally ONE round trip a year for a family of 3. Then there's how base level Aeroplan card earns 1pt for 1.5 CAD... I get loonies are weak these days but still, how is earning fraction of a point even a thing? The "sweet spot" (if you can call it that) in Canada is basically the mid-tier cards from TD, where a premium checking account would waive the annual fee. Combine that with a CA Amex Gold that I global transferred over, I am more or less set with purchases in Canada. International spending & flight/dining still goes on my US Citi Prestige for that 5X.

“ At the premium level (TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege and CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite Privilege), this base spend will have a 1.25x multiplier under the new system, where the present cards pay out at 1 point per dollar.”

This is not correct. The present Visa Infinite Privilege cards have a 1.25x multiplier on all spending, and a 1.5x multiplier on gas, grocery, drugstore and Air Canada purchases. Let’s not be presenting things as an improvement when, given Air Canada’s history, we will be lucky if we can hold the line on benefits.

And that's how I walk away from Aeroplan and American Express and sign up for a Walmart no fee credit card! I'll keep my Alaska credit card for now, but without being able to use Cathay Pacific anymore, I'll be kissing it goodbye soon as well. Good bye Aeroplan, it was good while it lasted.

There’s a lot of interesting detail on the TD website regarding features of the new cards. Also interesting to note the annual fee of the top tier card is increasing to $599, plus $199 for additional cardholders. So while the new features are very intriguing, that’s a whopping fee, especially with the outrageous fx fees on top!

The CBC story mentions the end of some surcharges for points redemptions: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/aeroplan-air-canada-1.5681776

Something else that caught me eye is that only 38% of "elite travelers" (However they define that) have an airline credit card. Huh?

Currently my CIBC Aerogold card is 1 mile per $1, 1.5 mile at grocery and drug stores.

Your article indicates that this will be reduced to 1 point per $1.50. It Aerogold really that stupid?

Probably, you say,

At this rate nothing in the "new Aeroplan" is an improvement given that reducing YQ on AC flights while at the same time boosting the rewards by 30 40% for AC flights does nothing. Will stay with partners until the points are gone.

Wow, Canadians really get screwed twice - First, exorbitant airfares. Then, a credit card scene that is a complete ripoff.... Paying CAD600 for that garbage premium card category seems unreal. Almost like paying someone to punch you in the face...

that companion pass is the most useless thing ive ever heard.
599 + taxes, fees and surcharges for an ECON ticket to asia?!?

for that money you could BUY 2 Rt tickets.

Reference to "fuel surcharges" in the description of the companion benefit is incorrect. There are no carrier-imposed surcharges on any Aeroplan redemptions beginning today.

Are these virtually non-existing sign up bonuses meant to be funny?

What is a Visa Infinite Privilege? I’ve only heard of Visa Infinite (e.g., CSR, Ritz Carlton, CNB Crystal).

The updated credit cards and offers are abysmal. I can really only see a small subset of travelers even considering these cards as reasonable, or providing genuine value.

They seem to be sorely out of touch.