To the point
Here's our detailed comparison of the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard and the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card.
Welcome bonus
The welcome bonus offered by each of these credit cards varies according to promotions. However, there are differences to be aware of between the two credit cards.
With the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard, you can earn up to $700 WestJet dollars:
- 300 WestJet dollars on your first eligible purchase
- 300 WestJet dollars when you spend $5,000 in the first three months
- 100 WestJet dollars as a one-time birthday bonus
This is the most generous offer ever made by RBC for this WestJet credit card!
With this welcome offer for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 50,000 Aeroplan points and no annual fee for the first year.
Here’s how:
- 10,000 Aeroplan points after first purchase
- 25,000 Aeroplan points, if you spend $5,000 within 180 days of account opening
- 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $7,500 within 12 months of account opening, paid after 2nd year renewal
Advantage: TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
For the same $5,000 spend, the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card earns the most points value in the first year. Moreover, this card gives you six months to reach this amount instead of three for its competitor.
The 35,000 Aeroplan points have a $700 value, according to Milesopedia’s estimate of the value of points.
While 600 WestJet dollars are worth $600 with the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard.
But the WestJet credit card has an added bonus: the travel companion voucher! This allows you to buy a flight and get the second one for as little as $119. Depending on your destination, you could save an additional $500 on average.
Minimum income
The WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard requires a minimum individual income of $80,000 per year or an annual family income of $150,000.
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card requires a minimum personal income of $60,000 or $100,000 annual household income.
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 WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard has an annual fee of $119.
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card has an annual fee of $139. However, with the current offer, you get an annual fee rebate for the first year†.
Advantage: TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
The annual fee for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card is higher than for the Westjet RBC® World Elite Mastercard. To compensate, you’ll receive a first-year annual fee rebate!
Earning points
The WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard and TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card each offer different levels of points accumulation.
Earning
With the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard, you earn WestJet dollars on the following purchases:
- 1.5% cash back in Westjet dollars on all regular purchases
- 2% cash back in WestJet dollars on flights with WestJet or WestJet Vacations
With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, the maximum points earned are 1.5 Aeroplan points per dollar for purchases:
- Grocery purchases
- Gas purchases
- With Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
1 Aeroplan point per dollar on all other purchases.
Advantage: TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
WestJet dollars and Aeroplan points are two different kinds of points, each with a different value:
- 1 WestJet dollar = $1
- 1 Aeroplan point = $0.02
So, you have to do a bit of math to figure out which earns the most value between the two. Take the following examples:
| $100 at the grocery store or gas station | $100 for a purchase in an “Other” category (hardware, clothing, drugstore, etc.) | Total value | |
| WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard |
1.50 WestJet dollars ($100 x 1,5%) |
1.50 WestJet dollars ($100 x 1,5%) |
$3 |
| TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card |
150 Aeroplan points ($100 x 1.5 points) |
100 Aeroplan points ($100 x 1 point) |
$5 (250 points X $0.02) |
According to Milesopedia, Aeroplan points are more valuable than WestJet dollars.
Redeeming points
As these two credit cards are part of different loyalty programs, the ways in which points are used are also different!
For travel
WestJet dollars earned with the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard are credited to the WestJet Rewards membership account.
The WestJet member can then redeem these WestJet dollars to deduct all or part of the cost:
- A vacation package with WestJet Vacations ;
- The basic fare for a flight with WestJet ;
- A flight with its partners (Air France, Delta Air Lines and Qantas Airways), with whom it has a codeshare agreement.
Each month, Aeroplan points earned on TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card purchases are automatically transferred to the cardholder’s Aeroplan account.
Then, to use your Aeroplan points, book your flight on the Air Canada or Air Canada Vacations website. These Aeroplan points can be used to get a less expensive vacation package or a flight from some 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.
Advantage: TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
Thanks to the flexibility of Aeroplan points, they can be used in many ways such as:
- Flights;
- Merchandise;
- A hotel room or car rental;
- Gift cards;
- Book a vacation package with Air Canada Vacations ;
- AC upgrade or free Wi-Fi on board.
Other benefits
With the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard you can also enjoy several other benefits:
- Complimentary first-checked baggage for you and up to 8 people travelling on the same reservation;
- Companion voucher paid each year, to benefit from a reduced rate (taxes and fees payable) for a guest of:
- $119 for travel in Canada and the United States (except Hawaii)
- $399 for all other WestJet flights
- Redeem your companion voucher for four complimentary admissions to WestJet partner airport lounges;
- Link the RBC card to the Petro-Points program to save 3¢ / litre on gas;
- Earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada ;
- Receive a $500 Status Lift to other WestJet status levels for every $15,000 in net purchases;
- Earn 50 Be Well points / dollar of eligible purchases at Rexall when paying with the card;
- Free Wi-Fi Boingo with Mastercard Travel Pass;
- Free 12-month subscription to DoorDash DashPass, with unlimited free shipping on orders of $15 or more, paid with the card.
With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you’ll get 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 enrolment or renewal fees;
- Access to Visa Infinite Benefits (concierge, luxury hotel collection, vineyard tours, additional travel benefits) ;
- Optional TD Auto Club membership (roadside assistance);
- Various promotions with Aeroplan (Aeroplan points rebates, discounts on flights, credits or Aeroplan points to the account, link your account with Starbucks).
WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard
Both cards are excellent for their wide range of travel benefits, but the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard stands out. Especially for the very advantageous companion voucher to save an average of $500 on a second plane ticket yearly.
For Air Canada travellers, the benefits of Air Canada are to save money and make the annual fee more cost-effective.
Insurance
| Insurance |  |
 |
| Trip Cancellation Insurance | None | Up to $1,500 |
| Trip Interruption Insurance | Up to $5,000 | Up to $5,000 |
| Out of Province/Country Emergency Medical Insurance | No maximum but must be reasonably priced, insured for 15 days | Up to $2,000,000 for 21 days |
| Flight delay insurance | Up to $250 after 4 hours | Up to $500 after 4 hours |
| Delayed Baggage Insurance | Up to $500 after 4 hours |
Up to $1,000 after 6 hours |
| Lost or stolen luggage insurance | Up to $500 | Up to $1,000 |
| Hotel Burglary Insurance | Up to $2,500 | Up to $2,500 |
| 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 |
| Purchase Protection® Plan | Up to $1,000 90 days |
Up to $1,000 90 days |
Advantage: TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card offers equal or more generous coverage than its competitor. What’s more, it requires that only 75% of travel purchases be charged to the card.
Conversely, the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard requires that the trip be fully charged to the card. What’s more, it has no cancellation insurance.
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.
Bottom Line
So? Which card is the winner?
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card offers great flexibility thanks to Aeroplan points and the ability to depart from anywhere in the world:
- First-year annual fee rebate;
- Robust travel insurance;
- The accumulation and highest value of its points;
- Advantageous promotions with Aeroplan ;
- Its lowest minimum income requirements.
While the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard makes a strong case for:
- The opportunity to earn 1.5% cash back in WestJet dollars at Costco
- WestJet’s most recent and valuable welcome offer of 700 WestJet Dollars
- The travel companion voucher allows you to save an average of $500 on a plane ticket for your travel companion.
Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
