Head-to-Head: TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card vs. WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard

In this edition of Head-to-Head, we’ll take a look at two of the primary mass-consumer credit cards for Air Canada and WestJet: the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite^* Card and WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard.

Despite the card similarities between the flagship co-branded credit cards of Canada’s two largest airlines, we’ll also look at the important differences to determine which card ultimately comes out on top. 

Card Basics

1. Welcome Bonuses

One of the most compelling factors when deciding between two credit cards is the signup bonus. 

The current offer for the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite^* Card is for up to 50,000 Aeroplan points,^† along with an annual fee rebate for the first year.^† This offer is available until January 4, 2024.

Meanwhile, the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard currently offers a record-high welcome bonus of up to 700 WestJet Dollars (WSD),^† until March 14, 2024.^†

It’s important to keep in mind that WestJet Dollars essentially have a fixed value equal to one dollar (nominal discounts via Member Exclusive fares notwithstanding), while Aeroplan points have a variable value based on your eventual redemption.

Indeed, we value Aeroplan points at 2.1 cents per point (cpp), and WestJet Dollars at $1.02 per WSD.

Using these valuations, we’d peg the total value of the welcome bonuses at $1,050 (CAD) for the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite^* Card, and $714 (CAD) for the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard.

However, these values don’t take into consideration the cards’ annual fees, or any points earned through the minimum spending requirements.

As for the structure of the welcome bonus, both cards have three components to unlock the full allotment.

To earn the full welcome bonus of up to 700 WestJet Dollars on the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard, you’ll need to complete the following:

• Earn 300 WSD upon making your first purchase^†
• Earn 300 WSD upon spending $5,000 in the first three months^†
• Earn 100 WSD as a one-time anniversary bonus^†

Meanwhile, the welcome bonus of up to 50,000 Aeroplan points on the TD Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite^* Card is structured as follows:

• Earn 10,000 Aeroplan points upon first…