Head-to-Head: TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card vs BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard

We’ll now look at the main differences between these credit cards in terms of:

• Welcome Bonus
• Minimum Income
• Earning Points
• Using Points
• Annual Fee
• Insurance

Welcome Bonus

The welcome bonus offered by each of these credit cards varies depending on the promotions. However, there are differences to be aware of between the two credit cards.

With this welcome offer for the TD^MD Aeroplan^MD Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 40,000 Aeroplan points, with no fee in the first year.

Here’s how:

• 10,000 Aeroplan points after first purchase
• 15,000 Aeroplan points, if you spend $3,000 within 90 days of account opening
• 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $12,000 within 12 months of account opening

Based on our valuation of Aeroplan points (2 cents per point), this welcome bonus corresponds to an approximate value of $800.

When you sign up for the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, you can earn up to 70,000 VIP points, plus a few extra gifts:

• 20,000 points after $5,000 in purchases within the first 110 days of account opening;
• 20,000 points after $9,000 in purchases within the first 180 days of account opening;
• 30,000 points after $18,000 in purchases within the first 365 days of account opening;
• A round-trip companion pass (second ticket free, excluding taxes and fees, on a Porter flight);
• $1,000 in eligible spending for your VIPorter status;
• No fees for the first year.

Based on our valuation of VIPorter points (1.5 cents per point), this welcome bonus corresponds to an approximate total value of $1,249.

Advantage: BMO VIPorter World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*

In terms of overall value, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard continues to maintain a higher welcome offer.

However, the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card allows you to earn a significant portion of the welcome bonus with a more accessible initial spending threshold of $3,000 within the first 90 days of account opening, while also offering an annual fee rebate for the first year.

However, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard has an additional perk: the companion pass. This allows you to purchase one airline ticket and get the second one free (you only have to pay taxes and other fees). Depending on your destination, you could save several hundred more dollars.

Minimum Income

The TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card requires a minimum personal income of $60,000 or $100,000 in annual household income.

The BMO VIPorter World Elite^®* Mastercard^®* requires a minimum individual income of $80,000 per year or an annual family income of $150,000.

Advantage: TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card

The TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card is less demanding in terms of minimum income than its competitor.

Annual Fee

The TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card has an annual fee of $139, but it’s waived for the first year thanks to its current welcome offer.

The BMO VIPorter World Elite^®* Mastercard^®* has an annual fee of $199, but it’s waived for the first year thanks to its current welcome offer.

TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card

The annual fee for the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card is lower than the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard.

In any case, thanks to current promotions that waive the annual fees for the first year, you have the choice between two free cards.

Earning Points

The BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard and the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card each offer different levels of point accumulation.

Accumulation Levels

With TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card, the maximum points accumulated are 1.5 Aeroplan points per dollar for purchases:

• Grocery purchases
• Gas purchases
• With Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations

1 Aeroplan points per dollar on all other purchases.

We value an Aeroplan point at 2 cents.

With the BMO VIPorter World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*, you earn VIPorter points on the following purchases:

• 3 VIPorter points for every dollar spent on purchases with Porter
• 2 VIPorter points for every dollar spent:
• • Gas and transport
  • At the grocery store and restaurant
  • Hotel stays
  • 1 VIPorter point for every dollar spent on everything else.

We value a VIPorter point at 1.5 cents.

Advantage : TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card

VIPorter points and Aeroplan points are two different kinds of points, each with a different value:

• 1 VIPorter point = $0.015
• 1 point Aeroplan = $0.020

So we have to do a little math to figure out which of the two accumulates the most value, depending on our consumption habits.

Redeeming Points

These two credit cards accumulate points for different airline programs, but the principle remains the same when it comes to use.

For Travel

Each month, the Aeroplan points accumulated through the purchases of the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card are automatically credited to the cardholder’s Aeroplan cardholder’s account.

Then, to use Aeroplan points, you need to book your flight on the Air Canada or Air Canada Vacations website. These Aeroplan points allow you to get a cheaper vacation package or an airline ticket with around fifty partners, members of the Star Alliance network, such as:

• United Airlines, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific;
• Egyptair, Emirates, Etihad, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines;
• Swiss, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines, etc.

Each month, VIPorter points earned with the BMO VIPorter World Elite^®* Mastercard^®* are credited to the VIPorter member account, a few days after the monthly statement is issued.

Then, the VIPorter member can spend their VIPorter points to purchase an airline ticket on Porter flights, but also with two other partners:

• Air Transat
• Alaska Airlines

Advantage: TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card

Thanks to the flexibility of the Aeroplan points, they can be used in a variety of ways, such as :

• Flights;
• Merchandise;
• A hotel room or car rental;
• Gift cards;
• Book an All-inclusive vacation package with Air Canada Vacations ;
• AC upgrade or free Wi-Fi on board.

Moreover, the approximately fifty Star Alliance partners allow for travel all over the world. This is not the case with Porter, where the territory is more limited.

Other Benefits

With the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card you’ll enjoy the following benefits:

• Complimentary first-checked baggage for you and up to 8 people travelling on the same reservation;
• Earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and 1 Status Qualifying Segment for every $10,000 in net purchases;
• $100 Statement credit every 4 years for NEXUS program enrollment or renewal fees;
• Access to Visa Infinite Privileges (concierge, luxury hotel collection, vineyard tours, additional travel privileges) ;
• Optional TD Auto Club membership (roadside assistance);
• Various promotions with Aeroplan (Aeroplan points rebate, discounts on flights, credits or Aeroplan points to your account, linking your account with Starbucks).

With the BMO VIPorter World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*, you can also take advantage of several other benefits:

• Automatically receive the elevated status of Avid Traveller within the VIPorter Horizon program
• One round-trip companion pass per year with a minimum purchase
• A second round-trip companion pass, thanks to the welcome offer.
• Benefits that apply to a maximum of eight companions traveling on the same reservation:
• • First checked bag free
  • Free carry-on baggage on all Porter flight fares
  • Complimentary seat selection in PorterClassic.
  • Priority security screening.
  • Priority rebooking on another flight in case of a delay
  • Exclusive check-in.
  • Early boarding
  • No expiration of VIPorter points.
  • Earn $1 in eligible spending towards a higher Avid Traveller status for every $25 spent
  • 7 cents off a liter of gasoline at Shell
  • Free Mastercard Travel Pass membership provided by DragonPass
  • Up to 20% discount on car rentals with National, Alamo and up to 5% with Enterprise
  • Up to 7% discount on hotel and property bookings with Booking.com.

Advantage: BMO VIPorter World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*

Both cards offer a wide range of benefits for travellers, but the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard stands out. Its main advantage is the annual companion voucher, which provides savings on a second flight ticket each year.

However, it’s unfortunate that a minimum of $50,000 in annual spending is required to take advantage of it, which is a considerable sum compared to other credit cards with companion vouchers.

In return, the BMO VIPorter World Elite^®* Mastercard^®* is virtually the only credit card in Canada that gives you high status with an airline, effortlessly.

Insurance

Insurance
Trip Cancellation Insurance	Up to $1,500 per person	Up to $1,500 per person
Trip Interruption Insurance	Up to $5,000 per trip	Up to $5,000 per trip
Out-of-Province/Country Emergency Medical Insurance	Up to $2,000,000 for 21 days	Up to $5,000,000 for 21 days
Flight delay insurance	Up to $500 after 4 hours	Up to $500 after 4 hours
Delayed Baggage Insurance	Up to $1,000 per person after 6 hours	Up to $500 per person after 6 hours
Lost or stolen luggage insurance	Up to $1,000	Up to $500 per person
Hotel Burglary Insurance	Up to $2,500	Up to $1,000
Car Rental Theft and Damage Insurance	Up to $65,000	Up to $65,000
Travel Accident Insurance	$500,000	$500,000
Purchase Protection Plan	1 additional year	1 additional year
Buyer’s Assurance Protection Plan	90 days	90 days
Mobile Device Insurance	Up to $1,000	–

Advantage: Tie

The two cards are very similar in terms of insurance.

The TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card offers some more generous coverage compared to its competitor, in addition to providing mobile device insurance. Additionally, it requires that at least 75% of travel purchases be charged to the card or paid with Aeroplan points.

In contrast, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard requires that the cost of the travel expense be charged to the card the majority of the time (except for cancellation and interruption insurance, which requires only a portion). However, its insurance coverage for medical expenses in the best!

If you want a credit card that covers your travels, even when a small portion of the expenses has been charged, I recommend this article: The best credit cards for travel insurance with rewards points.

Conclusion

So? Which card is the winner?

For its great flexibility with Aeroplan points and the ability to depart from anywhere in the world, the TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card stands out thanks to :

• Robust travel insurance;
• The accumulation and higher value of its points;
• Its advantageous promotions with Aeroplan;
• The flexibility of Aeroplan points, which allows you to travel on Air Canada and its network of around fifty partners worldwide (including SWISS, United, Lufthansa, Emirates, Austrian Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, etc.);
• Its lower minimum income requirements.

While the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard has a lot going for it:

• The companion pass that allows for a free second flight ticket for a travel companion each year;
• Its excellent welcome offer, including points and an additional travel companion pass thanks to the welcome promotion;
• The possibility of being used at Costco;
• Easy access to VIPorter Venture status.
• The only option to redeem points for free flight tickets to various destinations on Air Transat;
• Its discounts on fuel at Shell, car rentals, and hotels;
• Have a charming raccoon mascot on your credit card;
• Complimentary checked baggage, carry-on baggage, and seat selection.

To learn more about the VIPorter Grand Voyageur elite status, consult our complete guide here.

Frequently Asked Questions about the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card vs BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard

Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about this card.