CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card review

Dec 16, 2024

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Overall rating

First year value

$355

Get this card if you:

  • want to earn Aventura points with no annual fee
  • value travel perks, including comprehensive travel insurance
  • value a great welcome offer

Scores by category

No Annual Fee 3.7

Rewards 3.1

Travel 2.9

Welcome Bonus 1.4

Highlights

$355

First year value

up to 10k pts

Welcome bonus

Interest Rates

20.99%

Purchase APR

non-Quebec residents†

22.99%

Balance transfer APR

22.99%

Cash advance APR

Eligibility

Good

Recommended credit score

$15,000

Required annual household income

Quick overview of the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card

Are you looking for a travel credit card with no annual fee with some handy perks and easy to earn rewards? The CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card offers new cardholders the opportunity to earn up to 10k pts. No annual fee makes this even sweeter, then add some travel benefits, and the ability to earn rewards on all purchases, and you have yourself a pretty decent travel credit card.

Who's it for?

The CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card is ideal for passionate travelers as it allows you to earn rewards for every purchase and later redeem those rewards for travel and more. Cardholders can also easily earn points through everyday spending. Once you have enough points, you can redeem them for a variety of products including travel.

Travel points aren’t the only thing you earn, you’ll also enjoy a $0  annual fee for the primary cardholder, as well as up to three additional cards.

Pros and cons of the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card

Pros

Pros

  • Easy to earn welcome bonus

  • Points can be earned on all purchases

  • Use Aventura Points to cover full airfare including taxes and fees

  • Can book with any airline with no blackout periods and points don’t expire†

Cons

Cons

  • Lower earn rate than some other travel cards on the market

Main benefits and features

The CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card allows cardholders to quickly earn Aventura Points so they can travel faster and farther, with no limitations on airlines you can use your points to book with or blackout periods.

Welcome offer

Get up to 10,000 Aventura Points (up to $100 in travel value)†

  • Welcome bonus details

    +

    Get up to 10,000 Aventura Points (up to $100 in travel value)†

    • 2,500 Aventura Points when you complete all five of these activities within 60 days of your CIBC Aventura® Visa* card account approval.†

      1. Share your email address with CIBC.

      2. Sign up for eStatements for your new Aventura Visa* card.

      3. Add an authorized user on your new Aventura Visa* card.

      4. Hold any eligible CIBC Chequing Account.

      5. Add your Aventura Visa card with Apple Pay® or Samsung Pay or Google Pay™.

    • 7,500 Aventura Points after you make your first purchase within the first 4 monthly statement periods.†

How to earn rewards with the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card

The welcome bonus is a great perk, but CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card cardholders can easily earn points on a daily basis based on the following structure:

  • 1 point on travel through the CIBC Rewards Centre†
  • 1 point on gas, EV charging, groceries and drug stores†
  • 1 point for every $2 spent on all other purchases†

All you have to do is shop with your card and, for those who are wondering, no your points won’t expire† as long as you are a cardholder. Each point is worth about $0.0116, however the value changes based on how you choose to redeem each point.

How to redeem rewards with the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card

When it comes time to redeem your rewards, you can do so easily online. Rewards can be redeemed in a number of different ways:

  • Travel: flights, hotels, car rentals and more†
  • Shopping: redeem for merchandise or gift cards through the CIBC Rewards online catalog†
  • Points that pay the bills: your points can be used to pay down your credit card balance or credit card purchases moments after you make them.†

As a general rule of thumb, your points go the furthest when redeemed for travel, especially since with this card you can fly on any airline with no consideration for blackout periods.

To redeem for travel or merchandise, you’ll have to log into your CIBC Rewards account or call the CIBC Rewards Centre. If you want to use your points towards a flight through the Aventura® Airline Rewards Chart, you will need to have at least 80% of the required points. You can use your points to fly with any airline with no blackout periods. Also, it’s worth mentioning that your points can be used to cover taxes and fees on flight tickets which is not common with most travel credit cards

Aventura points for flights

Destination Aventura points needed Max ticket price
Canada and U.S. (short haul) Within a province, territory or U.S. state or to an adjoining province or territory or US state. 10,000 - 20,000 $400
Canada and U.S. (long haul) From and to any location in Canada or the U.S. 25,000 - 35,000 $800
Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, Central America, Caribbean 40,000 - 60,000 $1,000
From Canada or U.S. to select destinations in Europe 50,000 - 70,000 $1,300
From Canada or U.S. to select destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific, Middle East or South America 75,000 - 125,000 $2,000

If you would prefer to redeem your points towards your statement balance you can do this through your CIBC online banking account. Just click ‘payment with points’.

CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card insurance coverage

  • Out-of-province emergency travel medical insurance†: Those 64 or under are eligible for up to $5 million in coverage.
  • Common carrier accident†: Up to $100,000 coverage for loss of life or limb in a passenger vehicle/plane/ferry.
  • Purchase security and extended protection insurance†: Items you charge to the card are protected from loss, damages and theft for up to 90 days. And any item that comes with a manufacturer's warranty automatically gets an additional 1 year of warranty.
  • Auto rental collision and loss damage insurance†: This policy covers rental vehicles with an MSRP up to $65,000 for up to a 48-day rental period.

Additional perks and features

On top of the main benefits listed above, this card also comes with a few additional perks, including the following:

  • 90-day purchase security protection in case your new purchase gets stolen or breaks†
  • Auto Rental Collision and Loss Damage Insurance†
  • $100,000 Common Carrier Accident Insurance†
  • Extended Protection Insurance†
  • Aventura Travel Assistant, which tailors travel bookings to your needs, with no booking fees†

Rates and fees

Cardholders will pay a relatively standard 20.99%† purchase annual interest rate, 22.99%† ( only) cash advance annual interest rate, and a 22.99 %† ( only) balance transfer annual interest rate.

CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card for Students

3.7

up to 10k pts

Welcome Bonus

$355

First Year Value

$305

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Get up to 10,000 Aventura Points (up to $100 in travel value)†

CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card for Students

Being a student doesn't mean you have to pick a credit card that doesn't offer any rewards or benefits. In fact, student cards can help you develop responsible credit habits, and the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card for Students is a perfect example. With this card, you'll enjoy rewards, concierge service, complimentary insurance coverage and a generous welcome bonus.

The CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card for Students comes with no minimum annual income requirement and a $1,000 minimum credit limit. And get ready for perks galore - you can take advantage of even more student benefits with a free SPC+ membership.

CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card compared

Let's see how the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card compares to its competitors.

up to $1,300

Welcome Bonus

$436

First Year Value

$0

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Earn up to $1,300 in value† including up to 40,000 Aeroplan points† and no Annual Fee for the first year†. Conditions Apply.

Learn More Apply Now On TD's Secure Site

CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card vs. TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

If you frequently fly with Air Canada and are looking for a great travel rewards credit card, you can consider the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card. This card helps you earn enhanced 1.5 Aeroplan points† on eligible gas, grocery and direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®)†. You earn 1 Aeroplan point on all other purchases†. You also get great comprehensive insurance benefits, including travel interruption, baggage protection, mobile device coverage, and more. These benefits are in addition to other great perks, such as the free 1st checked bag for up to 8 guests on the same itinerary, Visa Infinite privileges and NEXUS security fast pass credits.

However, while the CIBC Aventura offers similar insurance benefits with no annual fee, the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, which has an annual fee of $139 (20.99% purchase interest; 22.99% cash advance interest), offers an annual fee rebate for the first year†.

To receive the first-year annual fee rebate, you must activate your Card and make your first Purchase on the Account within the first 3 months after Account opening and you must add your Additional Cardholders while this offer is in effect.

Ultimately, the choice between the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card and the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card depends on individual preferences, spending habits and travel priorities.

This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For Quebec residents, please click here.  

The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) is not responsible for the contents of this site including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on any TD product, please click the Apply Now button. Sponsored Content.

†Terms and conditions apply.

$249

First Year Value

$0

Annual Value

Learn More Apply Now On CIBC's Secure Site

CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card vs. CIBC Dividend® Visa Card

If you are looking for versatile spending rewards like cash back, you can check out the CIBC Dividend Visa Card. This card is a no-fee cash back credit card that rewards you with 2% cash back on eligible grocery purchases and 1% cash back on eligible gas, EV charging, transportation, dining, and recurring payments. Additionally, you earn 0.5% cash back on all other eligible purchases. 

When it comes to comprehensive insurance benefits, this card falls short when compared to the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card as it only offers you extended protection insurance, purchase security and common carrier accident insurance.

earn 10,000 pts

Welcome Bonus

$460

First Year Value

$360

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: 10,000 Membership Rewards® points* when you spend $1,000 on your Card within the first 3 months as a new Cardmember.*

Learn More Apply Now On American Express' Secure Site

CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card vs. American Express® Green Card

The Amex Green Card is an excellent no annual fee rewards card with a highly flexible rewards redemption program. This card allows you to earn 1x point for each $1 spent on eligible everyday purchases and an additional point for hotel and car rental bookings through the Amex travel portal. You can use your Membership Rewards points to get instant statement credit, gift cards, or convert your points to great travel loyalty programs like Flying Blue and Aeroplan, enabling you to secure fantastic travel deals. The American Express® Green Card also has no income requirements, making it easy to qualify for if you have low income.

On the other hand, the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card offers superior travel insurance benefits, making it an excellent choice for frequent travelers. This card also boasts a higher acceptance rate at stores compared to an Amex card.

Credit card CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card American Express® Green Card
Annual fee No annual fee No annual fee
Welcome offer Earn up to 10,000 Aventura Points† for no annual fee. 10,000 Membership Rewards® points* when you spend $1,000 on your Card within the first 3 months as a new Cardmember.*
Benefits Earn 1 point on gas, EV charging, groceries and drug stores†;
Earn 1 point for every $2 spent on all other purchases†
Earn 1x point for each $1 spent on eligible everyday purchases and an additional point for hotel and car rental bookings through the Amex travel portal
Insurance coverage Out of province medical coverage, Mobile device insurance, Trip delay/interruption insurance, Common carrier accident insurance, Auto rental collision/loss insurance, Baggage delay/loss insurance, Trip cancellation insurance, Hotel burglary insurance, Extended warranty, Purchase protection Extended warranty, Purchase protection
Read our review You are reading it! Amex Green Credit Card review
Apply today Apply Now Apply Now

Contact American Express for the most up-to-date referral bonus figures.

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card eligibility requirements

In order to apply for this credit card, you need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Be a Canadian resident
  • Have reached the age of majority in your province
  • Have a Good credit score 
  • Have a minimum household annual income of $15,000

Is it worth it?

The CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card is a decent travel card, especially considering that it is free. You can earn points on all purchases, the welcome bonus is easy to obtain, and there are a couple of handy perks and benefits. We also appreciate that this credit card allows travellers to use their rewards towards paying for taxes and fees as well, not just the actual flight itself.

The point earn rates are a little low in comparison to a couple of other travel credit cards on the market and the fact that the amount of points required to redeem for flights through the Aventura Flight Rewards Chart is not a fixed amount can make things a bit confusing when trying to figure out how to get the most for your points.

Although the welcome offer might not be as high as other cards on the market, there is no spending minimum making it extremely accessible for cardholders. This card’s flexible points redemption means you can decide how you want the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card to work for you. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or an avid online shopper, this card is a great companion for your wallet.

†Terms and Conditions Apply. This offer is not available in Quebec.

This is a digital-exclusive offer.†

To be eligible for this offer:

1) this offer must have been directly communicated to you from CIBC or from a partner/affiliate; and

2) you must apply for the eligible card through the link provided in the CIBC or partner/affiliate communication to you.†

This offer is reserved for you. Please do not forward it to anyone else.

CIBC may approve your application, but you are not eligible to receive this Offer if you have opened, transferred or cancelled another Aventura card within the last 12 months.†

Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by our advertising partners.

Résidents du Québec : Pour en savoir plus sur ce produit CIBC, suivez ce lien

Hannah Logan Freelance Contributor

Hannah Logan is a Canadian freelancer writer and blogger who specializes in personal finance and travel. You can follow her adventures on her travel blog EatSleepBreatheTravel.com or find her on Instagram @hannahlogan21.

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†Terms and Conditions apply.