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Amex Cobalt vs TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite: Which Is Better? (2026)

Updated

Quick Comparison

Feature Amex Cobalt TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
Annual fee $191.88 ($15.99/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)

Card terms confirmed as of August 2026. Annual fees are set by American Express and TD and rarely change, but should be verified on Amex’s credit cards page and TD’s credit cards page before applying.

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)

Welcome bonus amounts and structures change frequently for both cards — always confirm the current offer directly on Amex’s or TD’s website before applying.

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 $191.88 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