Quick Comparison
| Feature |
Amex Cobalt |
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite |
| Annual fee |
$155.88 ($12.99/month) |
$139 |
| Best for |
Food spenders |
Air Canada flyers |
| Top earn rate |
5x on food & groceries |
1.5x on everything |
| Points currency |
Amex MR points |
Aeroplan miles (direct) |
| Transfer to Aeroplan |
Yes (1:1) |
N/A (direct earning) |
| Card type |
Amex |
Visa |
| Acceptance |
Lower (Amex) |
Higher (Visa) |
Earning Rates
Amex Cobalt
| Category |
Points per $1 |
| Food & Groceries |
5x |
| Streaming services |
5x |
| Travel |
3x |
| Transit (Uber, Lyft, gas) |
2x |
| Everything else |
1x |
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
| Category |
Miles per $1 |
| Air Canada purchases |
1.5x |
| Starbucks, grocery |
1.5x |
| Gas, hotel, car rental |
1.5x |
| Everything else |
1x |
Winner by Category
| Spending Category |
Better Card |
| Restaurants |
Amex Cobalt (5x vs 1x) |
| Groceries |
Amex Cobalt (5x vs 1.5x) |
| Travel (general) |
Amex Cobalt (3x vs 1x) |
| Air Canada bookings |
TD Aeroplan |
| Gas |
Amex Cobalt (2x vs 1.5x) |
| Everything else |
TD Aeroplan (1x vs 1x — tie or Aeroplan status perks) |
Earning Example: $2,500/month Spending
Spending Pattern
| Category |
Monthly Spend |
| Groceries |
$600 |
| Restaurants |
$400 |
| Gas/Transit |
$300 |
| Travel/Hotels |
$200 |
| Everything else |
$1,000 |
| Total |
$2,500 |
Points Earned
| Card |
Calculation |
Annual Points |
| Amex Cobalt |
(600×5)+(400×5)+(300×2)+(200×3)+(1000×1)×12 |
86,400 points |
| TD Aeroplan |
(600×1.5)+(400×1)+(300×1.5)+(200×1)+(1000×1)×12 |
32,400 miles |
Amex Cobalt earns 2.7x more points on this spending pattern.
Redemption Value
Aeroplan Redemptions
| Redemption |
Value per Point |
| Air Canada flights (economy) |
1.5-2.0¢ |
| Partner flights (economy) |
1.5-2.5¢ |
| Business/First class |
2.0-4.0¢+ |
| Pointly (merchandise) |
~0.7¢ |
Amex Cobalt Redemptions
| Redemption |
Value per Point |
| Transfer to Aeroplan |
1.5-2.5¢+ |
| Transfer to other partners |
1.0-2.0¢ |
| Fixed Points Travel |
1.0¢ |
| Statement credits |
0.7-1.0¢ |
Winner: Tie (Both can access Aeroplan seats)
Since Cobalt transfers 1:1 to Aeroplan, both cards can achieve the same Aeroplan redemption value.
Welcome Bonuses
Amex Cobalt
| Bonus Structure |
Points |
| Typical offer |
2,500/month × 12 months |
| Minimum spend |
$500/month |
| Total bonus |
30,000 points |
| Bonus timeline |
Spread over 12 months |
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
| Bonus Structure |
Miles |
| Typical offer |
10,000-60,000 miles |
| Minimum spend |
$1,000-7,500 in 3 months |
| Total bonus |
Up to 60,000 miles |
| Bonus timeline |
Received in first few months |
Winner: TD Aeroplan (larger and faster bonus when offers are strong)
Included Benefits
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
| Benefit |
Details |
| First checked bag free |
On Air Canada |
| Priority boarding |
Zone 4 on Air Canada |
| Nexus application rebate |
$50 |
| Travel insurance |
Trip cancellation, emergency medical |
| Rental car insurance |
Collision/loss |
| Mobile device insurance |
$600/claim |
| Preferred pricing |
Aeroplan flight rewards |
Amex Cobalt
| Benefit |
Details |
| Purchase protection |
90 days |
| Extended warranty |
1 year |
| No travel insurance |
(Must buy separately) |
| Monthly bonus offers |
Special earn promotions |
| Cobalt perks |
Limited-time offers on experiences |
Winner: TD Aeroplan (stronger travel insurance and Air Canada perks)
Card Acceptance
| Network |
Acceptance Rate in Canada |
| Visa (TD) |
~99% of merchants |
| Amex (Cobalt) |
~85-90% of merchants |
Costco, some small businesses, and some online retailers don’t accept Amex.
Winner: TD Aeroplan (Visa accepted more widely)
Aeroplan Status Benefits
TD with Aeroplan
| Feature |
Details |
| Status qualification |
Earn SQM & SQD on Air Canada |
| Status boost |
None directly from card |
| eUpgrades |
Earned through flying |
Amex Cobalt
| Feature |
Details |
| Status qualification |
None |
| Status boost |
None |
| eUpgrades |
None |
Winner: TD Aeroplan if you’re working toward Aeroplan elite status.
Which Card Should You Choose?
Choose Amex Cobalt If:
| Situation |
Why |
| High food spending |
5x on restaurants and groceries |
| Want flexibility |
Transfer to multiple partners |
| Lower annual fee priority |
$155.88 vs $139 (similar though) |
| Okay with Amex acceptance |
85-90% works for you |
Choose TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite If:
| Situation |
Why |
| Fly Air Canada often |
Free bag, priority boarding |
| Want travel insurance |
Included with card |
| Need wide acceptance |
Visa accepted everywhere |
| Prefer simpler earning |
Flat 1.5x on key categories |
| Building Aeroplan status |
Direct status integration |
Best of Both Worlds
| Strategy |
Implementation |
| Use both |
Cobalt for food (5x), TD Aeroplan for Air Canada/travel |
| Transfer Cobalt to Aeroplan |
Combine programs for big redemptions |
| Total annual fees |
~$295 for both cards |