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Review : Austrian Airlines B767 and B777 | Business Class | BKK-VIE-YUL

  • Business
Review : Austrian Airlines B767 and B777 | Business Class | BKK-VIE-YUL

Note7/10

Flight Carrier
Austrian Airlines
Departing Airport
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
Arrival Airport
Montréal-Trudeau International Airport
Flight Number
OS26 et OS73
Duration
10:55 and 8:50
Aircraft
Boeing 777
Cabin Class
Business Class
Cost
87,500 Aeroplan points
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Austrian Airlines Business Class – Booking

A one-way ticket between Bangkok (BKK) and Montreal (YUL) with a stopover in Vienna (VIE) costs 60,000 Aeroplan points in economy class and 87,500 Aeroplan points in business class (pricing between the Pacific and North American zones, in the 7,501 to 11,000 mile range):

Review : Austrian Airlines B767 and B777 | Business Class | BKK-VIE-YUL - bkk-vie-yul-grille-tarif-en

Lufthansa Group airlines (Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian Airlines) tend to release last-minute seats to Star Alliance partners. These seats are then offered at an excellent price in Aeroplan points.

This Austrian Airlines flight was particularly special for me, as it was my very first experience in business class!

Check out our tutorial at the end of this article on how to earn Aeroplan points, whether you’re reading this from Canada, the U.S. or anywhere else in the world.

Austrian Airlines Business Class – Lounge and Boarding

At Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi airport and with your business class ticket, you have a choice of four lounges before departure (or more than a dozen if you have a Priority Pass or DragonPass). Austrian Airlines flights depart from Terminal 1.

Personally, I visited the EVA Air and Turkish Airlines lounges. Both are quite small and not particularly remarkable, but I still preferred the cosy atmosphere and choice of food in the EVA Air lounge.

Review : Austrian Airlines B767 and B777 | Business Class | BKK-VIE-YUL - salon-eva-air-bkk

The boarding gate was crowded in Bangkok, but a designated line for business-class passengers eased the process.

Review : Austrian Airlines B767 and B777 | Business Class | BKK-VIE-YUL - Austrian-J-01

Once in Vienna, if you have a connecting flight, the lounges available are the Austrian Airlines Business Lounges. Depending on your final destination, you’ll find the lounge in either the Schengen zone or the non-Schengen zone.

Review : Austrian Airlines B767 and B777 | Business Class | BKK-VIE-YUL - Austrian-J-15

Austrian Airlines Business Class – Cabin

For the Bangkok-Vienna segment, the aircraft used was a twenty-year-old Boeing 777-200ER. The business class cabin has seven rows, alternating between a 1-2-1 and 2-2-2 arrangement.

For solo travellers, the best seats are A and K in rows 1, 3 and 5: these are the « throne » seats with more personal space.

Review : Austrian Airlines B767 and B777 | Business Class | BKK-VIE-YUL - austrian-cabine-b777

For the shortest segment between Vienna and Montreal, the aircraft used was a Boeing 767-300ER from around the same years. However, the age of the cabin was more noticeable on this aircraft than on the 777.

The small business-class cabin has six rows in a 1-2-1 configuration. This cabin has no throne seat.

Review : Austrian Airlines B767 and B777 | Business Class | BKK-VIE-YUL - austrian-cabine-b767

Austrian Airlines Business Class – Seat

All in all, there’s very little storage space around the seat. It’s difficult to store anything at foot level, so all bags have to go into the upper compartments. There’s only one pocket for magazines and one for a bottle.

The seat adjusts with electronic controls. An auxiliary lamp is located on the side, as well as international plugs for charging devices.

The entertainment screen is a good size, with a decent selection of movies and shows.

Once transformed into a bed, the seat offered a decent length for me, but being of small stature, I imagine that an average-sized person might feel cramped. Leg and foot space is also quite limited. On the other hand, the pillow and blanket were comfortable.

Review : Austrian Airlines B767 and B777 | Business Class | BKK-VIE-YUL - Austrian-J-35

The comfort kit isn’t particularly impressive. In a gray shoe bag, you’ll find earplugs, a mask, socks and lip balm. The package doesn’t inspire luxury, and neither do the headphones provided.

Austrian Airlines Business Class – Service

For this midnight flight from Bangkok, Austrian Airlines offers two types of dinner service. For passengers who want to maximize their rest time, the express formula consists of a cheese plate and a fruit platter, served quickly.

The full menu features a cold starter, a hot entrée, a choice of main course and dessert. Meals are carefully presented, and passengers can accompany their meal with a selection of Austrian or international wines.

Around 90 minutes before landing, a hearty breakfast is served, followed by Austrian Airlines’ famous coffee service.

On the second flight, I unfortunately missed the first service. I had fallen asleep shortly after takeoff, and the cabin crew didn’t want to disturb me. As soon as I woke up, a flight attendant prepared a meal for me, including a sandwich, chips and a small dessert.

For the second course, I enjoyed a salad, a good beef dish and a cheese platter. My meal was accompanied by an excellent Austrian sparkling wine.

On both flights, I found the service courteous and attentive from the cabin crew. The chef on-board makes the experience even more special, and the quality of the food is excellent.

What sets Austrian Airlines apart from other airlines is its menu of specialty coffees, inspired by Viennese tradition. For example, you can order the popular Einspänner, an espresso topped with a mountain of whipped cream.

Bottom Line

The cabins need updating, and the B767-300ER aircraft is particularly old. The lack of Wi-Fi is noticeable for a national carrier, especially as these flights lasted over 11 hours and 8 hours. All in all, I had two excellent flights with Austrian Airlines.

Highlights:

  • Courteous service
  • Delicious menu with a chef on board, plus a wide selection of specialty coffees

Weak points:

  • No Wi-Fi
  • Outdated cabin
  • Limited storage space
  • No « throne » on the 767

If hard product is to match soft product, Austrian Airlines will have to modernize its fleet with aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus 350.

Annual fee
$599
Our valuation
$2,000
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$2,000Total$2,000Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 100,000 points
Apply Now

on TD's website

Terms of the offer

  • Limited Time Offer! Apply by December 1, 2019 to earn up to 60,000 Aeroplan Miles (equivalent to 2 business class short-haul roundtrip flight rewards)¹ as follows:
    • Welcome Bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan Miles when you make your first Purchase with your card¹.
    • + Earn 2x miles on your purchases4,5 made using your Card for a total of up to 30,000 Aeroplan Miles, for first 3 months¹.
    • + Earn 5,000 Aeroplan Miles when you add an Authorized User to your Account by December 1, 2019. Annual Fees for Authorized Users continue to apply¹.
  • Earn Aeroplan Miles with every purchase made on your Card and arrive at your dream destination sooner
  • Enjoy Air Canada®³ and Visa Infinite Privilege benefits4
    • Priority Check-in on Air Canada®³ flights
    • Priority Boarding on Air Canada®³ flights
    • First checked bag free on Air Canada®³ flights
    • Four annual One-Time Guest Passes to the Maple Leaf Lounge (when travelling on flight rewards)
    • 50% discount on companion tickets for eligible Executive Class or Executive First fare (booking classes J & C) on tickets entirely operated by Air Canada®³ & Air Canada Express
    • Global Airport Lounge Access4
    • Visa Infinite Privilege* Airport Benefits4 at Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal-Trudeau International airports
  • An extensive suite of travel insurance
  • Earn 1.5 miles5 for every $1 spent on eligible grocery, gas, drugstore and Air Canada Purchases (excluding Air Canada Vacation packages) made with the Card (capped annually on the first $100,000 across these categories)
  • Earn 1.25 miles6 for every $1 spent on all other purchases made with the Card
  • Earn miles twice7 when you pay with your Card and present your Aeroplan Membership Number at participating partner brands and online retailers via the Aeroplan eStore
  • Your Aeroplan Miles don’t expire as long as you’re a TD Aeroplan Credit Cardholder
  Sponsored advertising. The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) is not responsible for the contents of this site including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on this TD credit card, please click the Apply Now button.

Fees / Rates / Eligibility

 
Type Details
Personal annual income -
Household annual income $200,000
Purchase APR 19.99%
Cash Advance APR 22.99%
Interest Grace Period 21 days on all new purchases
Balance Transfer Rate 22.99%
Foreign Transaction Rate
Annual Fee $399
Authorized User Cards $99
Balance Transfer Fee Promotional Balance Transfer/ Cheque Fee: 3% of the amount of each Balance Transfer or TD Visa Cheque that we may offer to you at a promotional interest rate which is an interest rate that is lower than the regular annual interest rate that applies to Cash Advances on your Account. The Bank may waive or lower this 3% fee at the time the promotional interest rate offer is made to you. You will be advised of the exact fee that applies at the time the offer is made.
Cash Advance Fee 1% of the amount of the transaction (minimum fee of $3.50 up to a maximum fee of $10.00) (in Canada) or $5.00 (outside Canada), plus $3.00 at a PLUS* network ATM. (Fee does not apply to a Balance Transfer or TD Visa Cheque)
Foreign Currency Conversion Fee 2.50%
Over Credit Limit Fee N/A
 

Disclaimer

Annual interest rates, fees and features are current as of June 19, 2017 unless otherwise indicated and subject to change. The Aeroplan Program is a coalition loyalty marketing program owned and operated by Aeroplan Inc. Visit aeroplan.com for complete terms and conditions of the Aeroplan Program. The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its affiliates are not responsible for the Aeroplan Program. 1 Must apply by December 1, 2019. Welcome Bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan Miles will be awarded to the Aeroplan Member account associated with the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege* Card Account (“Account”) only after the first Purchase is made on the Account. Welcome Earn Bonus of 2x in Aeroplan Miles ("Welcome Earn Bonus") applies to new Account in the first 3 months of Account opening ("First 3 Months") to a maximum total collective miles of 30,000 ("Welcome Earn Bonus Cap") on all purchases charged to your ("Account"). During the Welcome Earn Bonus promotional period, 3 Aeroplan Miles are earned for each $1.00 in Purchases of eligible gas, groceries, drugstore, and aircanada.com products and services (excluding Air Canada Vacations packages, car rentals, hotel bookings, and other third party partner products and services that can be purchased through aircanada.com) charged to your Account and 2.5 Aeroplan Miles are earned for each $1.00 for all other Purchases charged to your Account. Any returned items, refunds, rebates or other similar credits on any Purchases made during the First 3 Months will reduce or cancel the Aeroplan Miles earned at the Welcome Earn Bonus on the original Purchase, as applicable. Welcome Earn Bonus Cap: Once the Welcome Earn Bonus Cap is reached, any further Purchases made in the First 3 Months will earn Aeroplan Miles at the regular 1.5 Bonus Aeroplan Miles that applies to each $1.00 in Purchases of eligible gas, groceries, drugstore, and aircanada.com products and services (excluding Air Canada Vacations packages, car rentals, hotel bookings, and other third party partner products and services that can be purchased through aircanada.com) and 1.25 Aeroplan Mile to each $1.00 to all other eligible Purchases. To receive the additional 5,000 Aeroplan Miles for adding an Authorized User to your Account ("Authorized User Bonus"), you must: (a) apply for an Account and add an Authorized User between September 4, 2019, and December 1, 2019; and (b) Authorized User must call and activate their Card by January 31, 2020. You can have a maximum of three (3) Authorized Users on your Account but you will only receive 1 (one) 5,000 Authorized User Bonus Aeroplan Miles offer. Annual Fee for each Authorized User Card added to the Account will apply. The Primary Cardholder is responsible for all charges to the Account, including those made by any Authorized User. Other conditions apply. Offers may be changed, withdrawn or extended at any time and cannot be combined with any other offer unless otherwise specified. Welcome Bonus and 2x miles earned through Welcome Earn Bonus are not eligible for Aeroplan status. Your Account must be in good standing at the time bonus miles are awarded. Please allow 8 weeks after the conditions for each offer are fulfilled for the miles to be credited to your Aeroplan Member account. The number of Aeroplan Miles required for the destination is accurate as of September 4, 2019 and is subject to change at any time by Aeroplan Inc. According to Aeroplan's current reward chart, destinations reflect two short-haul  Fixed Mileage Flight Reward® in Business Class departing from within Canada or the continental US (plus applicable fees and taxes). Fixed Mileage Flight Reward availability is capacity controlled and is subject to availability at time of booking as well as seasonality of demand. Aeroplan Flight Rewards are subject to taxes, landing and departure fees, and other charges and surcharges may apply. Aeroplan Partners, rules and regulations are subject to change without notice. For full details on Aeroplan's current reward chart, please visit aeroplan.com. 2 Primary Cardholder remains liable for all charges to the Account, including those made by an Authorized User. 3 All Air Canada benefits are fulfilled in whole or in part by Air Canada or its designated affiliates or other third parties, and are subject to change at any time. The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its affiliates are not responsible for fulfilling these benefits. For more details about these benefits, please contact Air Canada directly. Air Canada Benefit Eligibility – Priority Travel Services : With the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, Air Canada benefits (the complimentary first checked bag, priority check in and priority boarding) apply whenever the Primary Cardholder travels on a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada Express banner. Flights operated by other airlines are not eligible. To access priority check-in and priority boarding, the Primary Cardholder must include their Aeroplan Number on their reservation at time of booking, or redeem their Aeroplan flight reward (defined as Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards® or Market Fare Flight Rewards®) using miles from their Aeroplan account. To access these benefits, the Primary Cardholder must also ensure that the name on the Air Canada flight booking is identical to the name on the Aeroplan account profile of the traveler. Where zonal boarding is available, the priority boarding status will be recognized by a Zone 2 descriptor for the Primary Cardholder and companions travelling on the same reservation checking-in at the same time, which will be displayed on the Air Canada issued boarding pass. Priority check-in may also be extended to companions travelling on the same reservation checking-in at the same time as the Primary Cardholder. To access priority check-in and priority boarding, the Primary Cardholder may be required to show their TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege* Card to the Air Canada agent. Please allow two (2) weeks from receiving your Card for these Air Canada benefits to be activated. The complimentary first checked bag , up to 23kg (50lb), applies whenever the Primary Cardholder travels on a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada Express banner. Flights operated by other airlines are not eligible. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder must include their Aeroplan Number on their reservation at time of booking, or redeem their Aeroplan flight reward (defined as Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards or Market Fare Flight Rewards) using miles from their Aeroplan account. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder must also ensure that the name on the Air Canada flight booking is identical to the name on the Aeroplan account profile of the traveler. The complimentary first checked bag applies solely to the Primary Cardholder, and service charges for additional/oversized/overweight baggage may apply. Applicable on flights that do not already offer a complimentary first checked bag. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder may be required to show their TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege * Card to the Air Canada agent. Please allow two (2) weeks from receiving your Card for these Air Canada benefits to be activated. The complimentary first checked bag, up to 23kg (50lb), applies whenever the Primary Cardholder travels on a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada Express banner. Flights operated by other airlines are not eligible. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder must include their Aeroplan Number on their reservation at time of booking, or redeem their Aeroplan flight reward (defined as Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards or Market Fare Flight Rewards) using miles from their Aeroplan account. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder must also ensure that the name on the Air Canada flight booking is identical to the name on the Aeroplan account profile of the traveler. The complimentary first checked bag applies solely to the Primary Cardholder, and service charges for additional/oversized/overweight baggage may apply. Applicable on flights that do not already offer a complimentary first checked bag. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder may be required to show their TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card to the Air Canada agent. Please allow two (2) weeks from receiving your Card for these Air Canada benefits to be activated. Air Canada Benefit Eligibility – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge One-Time Guest Access Benefit : With the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, the Primary Cardholder will receive four Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge One-Time Guest Access Benefits once every calendar year (January 1 - December 31). The Primary Cardholder may access an Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, where available, upon presentation of an active TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card with a valid, same-day boarding pass for travel using an Aeroplan Flight Reward, only, on flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada Express banner. To access this benefit, the Primary Cardholder must redeem their Aeroplan Flight Reward (defined as Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards® or Market Fare Flight Rewards®) with miles from their Aeroplan account. Each Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge One-Time Guest Access Benefit applies for a single entry during the calendar year for which it was provided by the Primary Cardholder only and cannot be carried forward to the next calendar year. As of November 2, 2015, Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge One-Time Guest Access Benefits associated with the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card may be used by a traveling companion, pending space availability, provided that the companion is booked on the same reservation as the eligible Primary Cardholder. Only applicable if the companion ticket is also redeemed using miles from the eligible Primary Cardholder’s Aeroplan account. Companion must be accompanied by the eligible Primary Cardholder who is using a One-Time Guest Access Benefit to access the same Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge. The One-Time Guest Access Benefit may be extended to more than one companion at any given time, pending space availability, provided that the conditions above are met and that this does not exceed the maximum annual allotment of One-Time Guest Access Benefits. Additional conditions may apply and are outlined on aircanada.com/tdbenefits. Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge access is subject to availability and all other terms and conditions located here that are subject to change at Air Canada’s sole discretion from time to time. Please allow two (2) weeks from receiving your Card for these Air Canada benefits to be in effect. Air Canada® Benefit Eligibility – 50% Discount on Companion Ticket : Upon the purchase from Air Canada of two (2) eligible Business Class (Flexible) fares for the Primary Cardholder and a companion (booking classes J, C, and D only) on tickets entirely operated by Air Canada or under the Air Canada Express banner, the Primary Cardholder will be eligible for a 50% discount on the companion ticket. Flights operated by other airlines, including Air Canada-marketed codeshare flights are not eligible. The 50% discount only applies on the published fare, and will not apply to any additional taxes, fees, charges or surcharges. This offer is available once every calendar year (January 1 – December 31) to each Primary Cardholder. The Primary Cardholder can only access the 50% discount each year when booking online at aircanada.com using that year’s promotional code. All travel must be completed by December 31 of the following year. Offer also applies to select Premium rouge bookings, where booking classes J, C, or D are available, on flights operated by Air Canada rouge to select destinations in Canada, the United States, or the Caribbean. Should you require assistance completing your 50% discount during your online booking, please contact Air Canada at 1-888-247-2262. Offer is non-transferable, and the companion Business Class ticket must be booked on the same reservation as the eligible Business Class (Flexible) booking by the Primary Cardholder. Please note that promotional codes apply to undiscounted published fares. Some of our previously discounted fares, while not eligible for the promotion, may be lower than the final price of the undiscounted fare to which the promotion applies. 4 You must be an eligible Visa Infinite Privilege cardholder with a valid Visa Infinite Privilege Card to take advantage of the Visa Infinite Privilege benefits and services. Certain benefits and services require enrolment. Offers and benefits are non-transferable and discounts cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Neither Visa nor the Issuer of the card is responsible for any claims or damages arising from use of any benefits or services provided by a third party. Visa reserves the right to modify or cancel offers or benefits at any time and without notice. All offers, benefits and services made available through Visa are subject to complete terms and conditions, including third party suppliers’ terms and conditions (available at www.visainfinite.ca/privilege/terms.jsp). The Visa Infinite Privilege privacy policy (available at www.visainfinite.ca/privilege/privacy.jsp) applies to all benefits and services that require enrolment through, or are otherwise provided by, the Visa Infinite Privilege Concierge or the Visa Infinite Privilege website. The collection, use and disclosure of cardholders’ personal information by third party suppliers of services and benefits to Visa Infinite Privilege cardholders are subject to such third parties’ own privacy policies. 5 1.5 Bonus Aeroplan Miles (“Bonus Rate”) are earned on each $1.00 in Purchases of gas, groceries or drugstore products/services charged to your TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card Account (“Account”). This Bonus Rate is also earned on each $1.00 in Purchases from Air Canada charged to your Account for products and services completed online at aircanada.com, in-person at an Air Canada customer service counter at the airport or aboard an Air Canada flight. Excluded from the Bonus Rate are Air Canada Vacations packages, car rentals, hotel bookings, and other third party partner products and services that can be purchased through aircanada.com. Any returned items, refunds, rebates or other similar credits will reduce or cancel the Aeroplan Miles earned on the original Purchase. To earn this Bonus Rate, Purchases of gas, groceries, drugstore products/services and Air Canada Purchases must be made at merchants classified through the Visa* network with a Merchant Category Code (“MCC”) that identifies them in the “gas”, “grocery”, “drugstore” or “Air Canada” category. Some merchants may sell gas, groceries or drugstore products/services or Air Canada products/services, or have separate merchants located on their premises that also sell gas, groceries or drugstore products/services or Air Canada products/services, but may not be classified with a gas, grocery, drugstore or Air Canada MCC and such Purchases will not earn this Bonus Rate. If you have questions about the MCC that applies to a Purchase, contact TD at 1-800-983-8472. Bonus Rate is only available on the first $100,000 in net annual Purchases of gas, groceries, drugstore products/services and Air Canada Purchases made from January 1 to December 31 each year on your Account. Once the maximum net annual amount has been reached, Purchases of gas, groceries, drugstore products/services or Air Canada Purchases on the Account will not earn the Bonus Rate but will only earn Aeroplan Miles at the standard rate that applies to all other Purchases on the Account. This Bonus Rate offer is in place of, and not in addition to, the standard rate earned on all other Purchases made on your Account. Offer may be changed, withdrawn or extended at any time and cannot be combined with any other offer. 6 1.25 Aeroplan Miles are earned on each $1.00 in Purchases charged to your TD Aeroplan Credit Card Account (“Account”). Credit for returned items, refunds, rebates or other similar credits will reduce or cancel the Aeroplan Miles earned by the amount originally charged to your Account. Fees, Cash Advances (including Balance Transfers, Cash-Like Transactions and TD Visa Cheques), interest charges, optional services, refunds, rebates or other similar credits do not earn Aeroplan Miles. Please see the Aeroplan Terms for Your TD Credit Card section of the Cardholder Agreement for complete details on Aeroplan Miles earned on Purchases (a copy of your Cardholder Agreement is available at http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/tdvisa/agreements ). 7 The Toronto-Dominion Bank is not responsible for any Aeroplan Miles under this “earn miles twice” feature of the Aeroplan Program when the Aeroplan Membership Card is presented. See your Aeroplan Program for full details. Feature may be changed, withdrawn or extended at any time and cannot be combined with any other offer. For full details on hotel accommodation and car rental booked with Aeroplan Travel Services, please visit aeroplan.com. All trade-marks are the property of their respective owners. * Trademark of Visa Int., used under license. TM Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is a trademark of Air Canada, used under license. ® Air Canada, Air Canada Express, Air Canada Rouge and the Air Canada Maple Leaf logo are registered trademarks of Air Canada, used under license. ® Air Canada is a registered trademark of Air Canada, used under license. ® Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards and Market Fare Flight Rewards are registered trademarks of Aimia Canada Inc. Aeroplan® and the Aeroplan logo are registered trademarks of Aeroplan Inc. The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Infinite Privilege* Card, you can earn up to 100,000 Aeroplan points with a tiered welcome offer.

This card also offers premium travel benefits, including:

  • A partial rebate on NEXUS program application fees (up to $100 CAD per eligible cardholder) every 48 months
  • Unlimited access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges, with complimentary access for one guest
  • 6 complimentary visits per year to select international airport lounges through the Visa Airport Companion Program presented by DragonPass International Ltd.
  • First checked bag free for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation when travel begins with an Air Canada flight

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Infinite Privilege* Card, you earn:

  • Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases made direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®)
  • 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases of gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries, travel, public transit and dining
  • 1.25 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases

Annual fee

Primary card$599
Additional card$199

Annual income required

Individual$150,000
Household$200,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xAir Canada flights
  • 1.5xRestaurants
  • 1.5xGroceries
  • 1.5xTravel
  • 1.5xTransit
  • 1.5xGas & EV
  • 1.25xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$2,334
2nd Year Value$461

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$400

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 31 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 31 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $5,000,000 / 4 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $2,500
Flight DelayUp to $1,000
Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+2 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,500 / 2 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

How to Earn Aeroplan Points

Earn Aeroplan Points in Canada

The easiest way to earn Aeroplan Points is to sign up for one of these Aeroplan credit cards. Not only will you earn Aeroplan Points as a welcome bonus, but you’ll also earn Aeroplan Points on all purchases made with your Aeroplan credit card.

Aeroplan’s most popular credit card is the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, whose current welcome offer is as follows:

Featured
Annual fee
$0 $139
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$1,139
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,000Annual fee rebated$139Total$1,139Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 50,000 points
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Apply Now

on TD's website

With this offer for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 50,000 Aeroplan points as well as an Annual Fee rebate for the first year.

  • Earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first Purchase with your new Card
  • Earn 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $3,000 within 90 days of Account opening.
  • Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $12,000 within 12 months of Account opening

This card also allows you to enjoy travel benefits, such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation, as well as a rebate on the NEXUS program application fee (up to $100 CAD per eligible cardholder) every 48 months.

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on:

  • Grocery purchases
  • Gas and electric vehicle charging purchases
  • Purchases made directly with Air Canada® (including Air Canada Vacations®)

You also earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases made with your card.

Annual fee

Primary card$139
Additional card$75

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1.5xGas & EV
  • 1.5xGroceries
  • 1.5xAir Canada flights
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,714
2nd Year Value$425

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $2,000,000 / 4 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Note that you can also earn Aeroplan Points through the American Express Membership Rewards program. You can transfer your American Express Membership Rewards Points into Aeroplan Points at a rate of 1:1. So 10,000 Membership Rewards points = 10,000 Aeroplan points. Many Membership Rewards credit cards are available in Canada.

In my opinion, one of the best American Express Membership Rewards credit cards is the American Express Cobalt® Card. With this credit card, you get 5 points per dollar for grocery purchases, convenience stores and spending at restaurants and bars. And don’t forget the gift card trick, where you can also earn 5 Points per dollar at many stores, including Amazon, SAQ, Ikea, Netflix and more.

Here is the welcome offer currently available for this card:

Annual fee
$191.88
Our valuation
$255
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 15,000 points
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer

The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer we value at $255.

Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.

You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.

You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:

  • 15,000 Aeroplan points
  • 15,000 Avios points
  • 15,000 Flying Blue Miles
  • 18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

If hotel points are what you are after, our ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy and our complete map of Marriott Bonvoy hotels by category show what those points can actually buy.

American Express Cobalt® Card benefits

Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.

  • 5X points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, home food delivery and convenience stores. A spend cap applies.
  • 3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
  • 2X points on eligible gas, public transit and ride sharing purchases in Canada.
  • 1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
  • 1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
  • Points that hold the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 as a statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
  • No minimum income requirement, as with every American Express Canada card.
  • Additional cards at no extra cost: the first and every other supplementary card is $0.
  • The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, 12pm check-in and late check-out when available, and up to $100 USD in hotel credit on amenities charged to the room for a stay of two or more consecutive nights, booked through American Express Travel.
  • Front Of The Line® presale and reserved tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events curated for cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
  • A soft credit check before you apply: you can see whether you will be approved with no impact to your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.

To see how it compares with the rest of the line-up, read our round-up of the best credit cards from American Express in Canada.

The 5X categories and where they apply

The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers four kinds of merchants:

  • Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
  • Restaurants and bars: sit-down meals, takeout and drinks.
  • Home food delivery.
  • Convenience stores: Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven.

The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.

With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category Points per dollar
Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.) 5
Home food delivery 5
Restaurants and bars 5
Convenience stores 5
Streaming services 3
Service station 2
Transport 2
Travel 1
Other 1

That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.

You can also stack these categories with the hundreds of stores that offer 5x points.

American Express Cobalt® Card insurance coverage

The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.

Travel insurance

  • Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
  • Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment of up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when travelling on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and the tickets are charged to your card. Supplementary cardholders and their families are covered too.
  • Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses bought within 48 hours when you are delayed or denied boarding for four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and delayed baggage coverage.
  • Delayed baggage: up to $500 for essential clothing and sundries bought within four days when your outbound luggage is delayed six hours or more. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
  • Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airline tickets are charged to your card. Within that limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including golf bags, at $250 per occurrence.
  • Hotel and motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.

Rental car insurance

Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.

Mobile device insurance

Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.

Purchase protection and extended warranty

Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.

American Express Cobalt® Card fees

  • Card fee: $15.99 per month, which equals $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are billed $191.88 per year.
  • Additional cards: $0.
  • Purchase interest rate: 21.99%.
  • Cash advance interest rate: 21.99%.
  • Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%.
  • Minimum income required: none.

Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.

Annual fee

Primary card$191.88
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xRestaurants
  • 5xGroceries
  • 5xConvenience
  • 3xStreaming
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,828
2nd Year Value$799

Transfer partners

  • AeroplanAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • Etihad GuestAirline
  • Flying BlueAirline
  • Hilton HonorsHotel
  • Marriott BonvoyHotel

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $250,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Earn Aeroplan Points in the United States

If you live in the U.S., you can also earn Aeroplan Points via credit cards.

First, there’s the Chase Aeroplan® World Elite Mastercard®. This credit card allows you to earn Aeroplan points directly through your purchases.

You can then transfer points from various programs to Aeroplan:

  • American Express Membership Rewards points (USA)
  • Bilt Rewards
  • Capital One
  • Chase Ultimate Rewards

Earn Aeroplan Points Elsewhere in the World

If you are not fortunate enough to be able to earn Aeroplan Points through a credit card or partner points program, there are two other ways to earn Aeroplan Points:

Buying Aeroplan points can make sense. In many cases, the cost of this purchase will be equivalent to what you would have paid for an economy flight. Except that you can travel in business or first class!

For example, this flight with Air Mauritius costs:

  • 35,000 Aeroplan points in economy class (or 70,000 round-trip Aeroplan points)
  • 60,000 Aeroplan points in business class (120,000 round-trip Aeroplan points)

By purchasing Aeroplan points during promotional periods (usually with an 85% bonus), you can earn these Aeroplan points for 1.9 cents per point:

  • 665 CAD one-way in economy class
  • 1,140 CAD one-way in business class

Our featured card

Featured
Annual fee
$0 $139
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$1,139
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,000Annual fee rebated$139Total$1,139Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 50,000 points
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Apply Now

on TD's website

With this offer for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 50,000 Aeroplan points as well as an Annual Fee rebate for the first year.

  • Earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first Purchase with your new Card
  • Earn 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $3,000 within 90 days of Account opening.
  • Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $12,000 within 12 months of Account opening

This card also allows you to enjoy travel benefits, such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation, as well as a rebate on the NEXUS program application fee (up to $100 CAD per eligible cardholder) every 48 months.

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on:

  • Grocery purchases
  • Gas and electric vehicle charging purchases
  • Purchases made directly with Air Canada® (including Air Canada Vacations®)

You also earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases made with your card.

Annual fee

Primary card$139
Additional card$75

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1.5xGas & EV
  • 1.5xGroceries
  • 1.5xAir Canada flights
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,714
2nd Year Value$425

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $2,000,000 / 4 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

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Our reviews and rankings are based on an objective assessment. Advertisers do not influence our content. We may receive compensation through some links; our analysis and opinions remain independent.