If you are shopping at the top of Canada's premium travel card market, two names come up: the American Express Platinum Card and the Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege tier, sold by both TD and CIBC. They sit at similar price points and chase similar travellers, but they reward very different behaviour. One is a flexible-points charge card built around lounges and travel credits; the other is a co-brand card built around Air Canada and Aeroplan.
This guide compares annual fees, welcome bonuses, lounge access, earn rates, travel credits, insurance, and who each card suits. Nothing here is financial advice, and premium card terms change often. Always confirm current details on the official Amex, TD, CIBC, and Air Canada pages before you apply.
The cards at a glance
- American Express Platinum Card — a Membership Rewards charge card with no preset spending limit. In our dataset the annual fee is $799 (plus $250 for each additional Platinum card).
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege — Air Canada co-brand, $599 annual fee.
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege — the other Air Canada co-brand, also $599 annual fee ($149 for each additional card).
Both Aeroplan cards list a minimum income of $150,000 personal or $200,000 household. The Amex Platinum is a charge card with no stated income minimum in our data, but approval still depends on your credit file.
Annual fees
The Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege cards are cheaper to hold at $599 versus the Platinum's $799. The fee gap is real, but it is small relative to the benefits each card carries, so the better question is which benefit set you will actually use. A $799 card that gives you $400 in credits you spend anyway is cheaper in practice than a $599 card whose perks sit unused.
Welcome bonuses
Welcome offers are the most volatile part of any premium card, so treat the figures below as the offers captured in our dataset and verify the live promotion before applying.
- Amex Platinum: up to 130,000 Membership Rewards points in our data (90,000 after $10,000 in spend in the first 3 months, plus 40,000 more after reaching $45,000 in total spend in the first 12 months). The high tier requires heavy spending.
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege: up to 85,000 Aeroplan points (20,000 on first purchase, 35,000 after $12,000 in 180 days, and a 30,000 anniversary bonus after $24,000 in 12 months).
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege: the welcome offer was not captured in our dataset at the time of writing, so check the CIBC official page and our live offers.
Comparing point totals across programs is not apples to apples. Membership Rewards and Aeroplan points carry different values, so use our points valuations to normalize them before deciding which bonus is bigger in dollar terms.
Lounge access
This is where the two cards diverge most.
- Amex Platinum carries access to American Express Centurion Lounges plus a Priority Pass membership. The catch for Canadians: there are no Centurion Lounges in Canada, so that benefit applies when you travel internationally. Amex has also announced lounge access changes taking effect in 2027, so confirm the current rules before you rely on it.
- Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege (TD and CIBC) carries Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge access and a Visa Airport Companion membership (DragonPass), with a set number of complimentary visits per year. If you fly Air Canada out of Canadian airports often, Maple Leaf Lounge access is the more useful domestic perk.
The honest summary: the Platinum's lounge value shines when you travel abroad and want broad network coverage; the Aeroplan Privilege cards win for the frequent Air Canada flyer at home. For a fuller breakdown see our guide on airport lounge access credit cards in Canada.
Earn rates
- Amex Platinum: 2X Membership Rewards on dining and food delivery in Canada, 2X on travel, 1X on everything else.
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege: 2X Aeroplan on Air Canada purchases, 1.5X on dining, food delivery, and recurring bills, 1.25X on everything else.
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege: 2X Aeroplan on Air Canada, 1.5X on gas, EV charging, groceries, travel, and dining, 1.25X on all other purchases.
The CIBC card has the broadest 1.5X category list (it adds gas and groceries), which makes it the stronger everyday earner of the two Aeroplan cards. The Platinum earns a flexible currency you can move to Aeroplan and other partners, which is worth more if you value optionality over a single program.
Travel credits and other perks
Premium cards lean on annual credits to justify their fees. The Amex Platinum has historically bundled travel and dining credits along with hotel status and concierge service, while the Aeroplan Privilege cards lean on Air Canada specific perks like priority check-in, baggage benefits, and the annual Worldwide Companion Pass after a spend threshold. The companion pass alone can offset a large share of the $599 fee if you travel with a partner on Air Canada. Specific credit amounts were not fully captured in our dataset, so confirm each card's current credits on its official page.
Insurance
Our dataset lists travel insurance coverage on the Amex Platinum, and travel insurance plus purchase security and extended protection on the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege. The TD card's insurance details were not captured in our data at the time of writing. Premium cards in this tier generally carry comprehensive coverage, but the exact limits and trip eligibility differ, so read each card's certificate of insurance before relying on a specific benefit.
Which should you choose
- You want flexible points and travel abroad often: the Amex Platinum is the pick. Membership Rewards transfer to Aeroplan and other programs, and the Centurion plus Priority Pass combination is strong internationally.
- You fly Air Canada out of Canada regularly: an Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege card wins on Maple Leaf Lounge access, the companion pass, and direct Aeroplan earning, all at a lower $599 fee.
- You want the best everyday earn among the Aeroplan cards: the CIBC version edges out TD with 1.5X on gas and groceries on top of dining.
- You value the largest welcome bonus and can hit the spend: compare the offers in dollar terms using our points valuations, since the Platinum's high tier needs heavy spending to unlock fully.
Still deciding whether a card at this price makes sense at all? Read are premium credit cards worth it in 2026. To compare across the field, see our best premium cards, best travel rewards cards, and best Aeroplan cards rankings, and check the current welcome offers before you apply. Always confirm fees, earn rates, lounge terms, and welcome bonuses on the issuer's official page.
Frequently asked
Which has the better lounge access, Amex Platinum or Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege?
They cover different networks. The Amex Platinum gives access to American Express Centurion Lounges (none are in Canada, so the benefit applies when you travel abroad) plus a Priority Pass membership. The Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege cards give Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge access and a Visa Airport Companion (DragonPass) membership. If you fly Air Canada out of Canadian airports a lot, the Maple Leaf Lounge access is more useful domestically. Confirm current lounge terms on each official page, as Amex has announced changes taking effect in 2027.
What is the annual fee for each card?
In our dataset the American Express Platinum Card has a $799 annual fee, and both the TD and CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege cards have a $599 annual fee. Additional cards carry their own fees. Always confirm the current fee on the issuer's official page before you apply.
Do the Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege cards have an income requirement?
Yes. Both the TD and CIBC versions list a minimum personal income of $150,000 or household income of $200,000 in our dataset. The Amex Platinum is a charge card with no stated minimum income in our data, but approval still depends on your credit profile. Confirm eligibility on the official page.
Can I earn Aeroplan points with the Amex Platinum?
Not directly. The Amex Platinum earns Membership Rewards points, which you can transfer to Aeroplan and several other airline and hotel programs. The Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege cards earn Aeroplan points directly. If you want flexibility across programs, Membership Rewards is more transferable; if you are committed to Aeroplan and Air Canada, earning Aeroplan directly is simpler.
Is the Worldwide Companion Pass worth it?
The Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege cards offer an annual Worldwide Companion Pass after meeting a spend threshold, letting you bring a companion on a paid Air Canada itinerary for a set base price plus taxes and fees. If you reliably travel with a partner on Air Canada, it can offset much of the annual fee. The value depends on your routes and how often you use it, so model it against your own travel before counting on it.
Sources
Every figure in this guide traces to a primary source. Confirm details on the official page before you apply. Nothing here is financial advice.
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