How to earn over $1,200 in value from the right travel credit card

Like many other rewards cards, the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card lets you earn points that you can redeem for travel or merchandise, accelerating the power of your everyday spending. Between this and its perks, benefits and bonuses, you can earn $1,250 in value in your first year of card use. (And more if you take into account the rewards from using the card.) Let’s take a closer look.

Welcome offer

New credit card holders often get access to a valuable welcome promotion that includes both rebates and bonus points. Here’s the generous offer you’ll get with the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite card:

Annual fee

• As a new cardholder, you’ll get a rebate for the first year’s annual fee for yourself ($139) and $50 each for up to three additional users. (Annual interest rate: 20.99% for purchases, 22.99% for cash advances.)

Bonus Aventura points

• You can earn up to 40,000 bonus Aventura points, equal to $850 in travel. Here’s how: When you make your first purchase, you’ll receive 20,000 Aventura points. You can earn an additional 20,000 points when you spend $3,000 or more during your first four monthly statement periods. (Values can vary, depending on how points are redeemed. Conditions apply.)

How to rack up Aventura Rewards points, too

When you use your CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite card, you’ll earn 2 points per $1 on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre. This includes hotels, flights, cruises, packages and even car rentals. Purchases at eligible gas stations, grocery stores, EV charging and drugstores earn 1.5 points per $1, and there’s a base rate of 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

Let’s take a look at how many points you could earn in one year with your regular spending, assuming the numbers below (for illustration purposes only).

Based on these numbers, you’d earn a total of 23,700 Aventura points annually—worth about $400 in travel value. And that’s just on your regular, everyday spending, excluding the promotional points of the first-year welcome bonus.

Airport Companion Program

Your CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite includes a complimentary Visa Airport Companion Program membership with four free airport lounge visits annually. With the Visa Companion Program you have access to more than 1,200 lounges globally—take advantage of perks such as free food and drinks, showers and, possibly, napping areas and spa access. This perk has a value of $190.

NEXUS membership

CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite gets you a NEXUS application fee rebate, worth $50, every four years. NEXUS members can zip through security and customs in their own dedicated lane.

Travel insurance

When you pay for your trip with your CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite card, you can be covered for a variety of travel-related circumstances such as trip cancellation and interruption, flight and baggage delays, common carrier accidents, hotel burglaries and car rental collision/loss damage.

Your card also includes out-of-province emergency travel medical insurance, which can cover you for up to $5 million for 15 consecutive days (for those under age 65) or three consecutive days (for those age 65 or over), even if you don’t pay for your trip using your card.

As you can see, there are many aspects to consider when choosing a new credit card—but for those who take the time, the features and benefits can be highly rewarding.

About Keph Senett

Keph Senett writes about personal finance through a community-building lens. She seeks to make clear and actionable knowledge available to everyone.