TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card review 2022

With a plethora of travel-focused credit cards on the market, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite may not be the obvious choice—especially considering how many Aeroplan cards TD currently has on its roster. That said, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card is worth considering. Why? It boasts a flexible redemption program and a partnership with Expedia. Cardholders get access to Expedia For TD online portal to redeem rewards for flights, hotels and car rentals on expediafortd.com. 

If you’re planning a trip, the card’s current welcome offer could be the deciding factor. You can get up to 145,000 TD points (a value of up to $1,000, apply by May 28, 2023). 

Add to that comprehensive insurance coverage and generous earn rates and the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card becomes a solid choice for avid travellers. It’s for these reasons it was also named best travel Visa in 2022.

The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite*

The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite

• Three things you need to know about the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite
• How to redeem your TD Rewards
• What are the best ways to benefit from this card?
• Are there any drawbacks to the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite?

5 things to know about the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite

1. The You earn points under the TD Rewards program

The TD points system is easier to understand than the point system for the bank’s Aeroplan credit cards. Your Point values stay the same no matter where you’re flying, so it’s easy to work out how much they’re worth. Plus, TD Points can be redeemed on any airline, not just Air Canada or Star Alliance Partners. While Aeroplan Miles are valuable, if you prefer simplicity the TD First Class card might be more up your alley.

2. Your points go farther when you book with ExpediaForTD.com

If you already use Expedia to book your travel, this card is a savvy choice. When you book travel online through Expedia For TD, you earn 8 TD points per $1. 

3. The card comes with a generous welcome bonus

You can earn up to 145,000 TD Rewards points (up to $1,000 in value including the first year annual-fee rebate and TD travel credit). You’ll earn 20,000 TD points with your first card purchase, then another 115,000 when you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 180 days of having the card. Earn a birthday bonus of up to 10,000 rewards points (conditions apply). To be eligible for the welcome offer, you must apply for the card before May 28, 2023. Plus, you can receive a $100 TD travel credit on your first eligible travel credit purchase of the year if your account is open, active and in good standing. 

4. You’ll get great travel insurance

The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card comes with up to $2 million of travel medical insurance coverage for the first 21 days of a trip. Trip cancellation, trip interruption, common carrier travel accident insurance, travel assistance services, flight delay insurance, auto rental collision insurance, and delayed and lost baggage insurance round out the card’s benefits. For a premium rewards card, The TD First Class’s insurance is fairly standard, however; so, if you’re looking for more comprehensive credit card insurance, you could consider a card like the National Bank World Elite Mastercard,* which comes with up to $5 million in out-of-province-of-residence medical/hospital insurance for trips up to 60 days (if you’re under 54).

5. You’ll get discounted lounge access

With the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card, you’ll get a 20% discount on a Priority Pass. If you are a regular traveller, this could be a game-changer for you, as you’ll get discounted access to over 1,200 VIP lounges across the globe. That means, you’ll be able to retreat from the busy terminal and enjoy complimentary refreshments, a calming atmosphere and phone, fax and Internet services. Plus, you can use your TD Points toward your membership.

How to redeem your TD Points:

You can redeem your TD Points for travel in two ways. The best—and most valuable—way is through the Expedia For TD online portal, where you can redeem 200 TD points per $1 in travel credit (0.5%) and pay the balance of the cost (if any) using your credit card (you’ll also earn Points on this spend).

Your other redemption choice is the “Book Any Way” option, which lets you book via other travel websites; however, your bookings can cost up to 25% more if you go this route. When using “Book Any Way” you’ll redeem at 250 TD points per $1 (0.4%) applied as a statement credit on your first $1,200 in travel purchases and 200 TD points per $1 (0.5%) for your travel purchases over $1,200. In comparison, with Expedia For TD, you’ll get a better and more consistent return of 0.5% on all your travel spending. 

In both cases, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card allows you to redeem for any seat on any airline. Additionally, you can redeem points for rewards in small increments (minimum 200), so this means you don’t need to build up a large pool of points before you’re able to apply them towards travel. 

Finally, through the TD Rewards site, you can shop for items such as a Vitamix blender, a Dyson vacuum or gift cards. However, you won’t get the same value as you would booking travel. For example, a $50 gift card at Best Buy will cost you 20,000 TD points, whereas you can use the same amount of points for $100 in travel on the Expedia For TD portal.

How to optimize the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card

Ultimately, your best bet is to redeem points for travel from ExpediaForTD.com. Generally, prices on the website are similar to those on the main Expedia website, and you’ll be able to redeem at the rate of 200 points per $1. If you redeem points for travel outside of the TD portal, your points can lose up to 25% in value; however this could be a smarter route if you find a really good deal on another travel portal. 

If you do find a better hotel or flight deal elsewhere, you have the option to price match, but there are some restrictions: you must have booked within the last 24 hours; your travel plans must be at least 48 hours away; and travel dates, and flight and hotel classes must all be the same to submit a claim.

Does TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite have travel insurance?

Are there any drawbacks to the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card?

There is a minimum personal income requirement of $60,000 or a household income of $100,000. However, this is a common requirement for many cards in the same category. 

Other cards offer more incentive to spend in categories like groceries, dining and entertainment. The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card only offers three times the Points earn on travel booked through the Expedia For TD portal (4.5%)—everything else is at the base three TD points per $1 (1.5%) rate. To compare, the Scotiabank Gold American Express has a five-times Points accelerator on restaurants and groceries (5% per dollar).

Finally, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card doesn’t offer airport lounge access—only a 20% discount on a Priority Pass membership—and you’ll be charged foreign transaction fees. So, if you like to use airport lounges, or you often find yourself shopping in a foreign currency, you may want to consider a card that offers those perks. 

Bottom line

TD’s unique partnership with Expedia, accelerated earn rates and incremental points redemption structure make the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card a worthwhile consideration for those who travel frequently. However, the biggest boost in earning points you’ll get with this card is by booking with ExpediaForTD.com. If you don’t want to be locked into booking that way, you may want to explore other travel card options.

This article was first published on March 4, 2020. It was last updated on March 31, 2022.

More on credit cards:

• Canada’s best travel cards 2022
• Canada’s best credit cards for gas
• Canada’s best credit cards for grocery purchases 2022
• Best cash back credit cards