Amex Cobalt vs TD Aeroplan — last verified: August 2026. Credit card fees, earn rates, and welcome offers change often, so treat specific numbers as a snapshot and always confirm current details directly with the issuer before applying.
These two cards represent two very different philosophies. One is built to earn flexible points fast on everyday spending like groceries and dining. The other is built around Air Canada — miles, free bags, and travel perks. Which one wins depends entirely on how you actually want to use the rewards.
Short answer: The Amex Cobalt earns points faster on everyday spending, especially food, and its Membership Rewards points are flexible and transferable, at a higher annual cost. The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite earns a narrower airline currency but adds real travel perks such as a free checked bag, and requires $60,000 individual or $100,000 household income, while the Cobalt has no stated minimum. In a typical spending example the Cobalt produced more raw point value.Key points from this guide · last reviewed Sep 11, 2026
The Quick Comparison
| Amex Cobalt | TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $191.88 (billed $15.99/month) | $139 (first year rebated) |
| Top earn rate | 5x points on eats & drinks | 1.5x Aeroplan points |
| Top-rate categories | Groceries, restaurants, bars, food delivery (up to $2,500/month) | Groceries, gas & EV charging, Air Canada, Hyatt hotels |
| Other elevated rates | 3x streaming, 2x transit/rideshare/gas | — |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Currency earned | Membership Rewards points (transferable) | Aeroplan points (airline-specific) |
| Minimum income | None stated | $60,000 individual / $100,000 household |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Big travel perk | Hotel credit + upgrades via Amex Travel | Free first checked bag (you + up to 8 companions) |
In simple terms: Amex Cobalt earns points fast and flexibly on food and everyday spending; TD Aeroplan earns a currency that’s really only valuable if you fly Air Canada.
American Express Cobalt: The Details
- Fee: $15.99/month ($191.88/year) — unusual for a Canadian credit card, since most charge one annual lump sum instead of a monthly fee.
- 5x points on eligible “eats and drinks” — groceries, restaurants, bars, and food delivery — up to $2,500 in monthly spending (1x after that).
- 3x points on eligible streaming subscriptions.
- 2x points on transit, rideshares, and gas.
- 1x point on everything else.
- No minimum income requirement — unusual among premium-style cards.
- Welcome bonus: 1,250 Membership Rewards points per billing period with $750 in spending, up to 15,000 points over your first 12 months.
- Perks: up to $100 USD hotel credit and possible upgrades on 2+ night stays booked through Amex Travel, travel medical coverage (15 days), mobile device insurance, and purchase protection.
Good to know: Membership Rewards points are flexible — you can transfer them to Aeroplan, Marriott Bonvoy, and other partners, or redeem them for a fixed value toward travel purchases. That flexibility is a big part of the card’s appeal.
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite: The Details
- Fee: $139 for the primary cardholder (rebated in year one), $75 for a secondary cardholder.
- 1.5x Aeroplan points on gas, EV charging, groceries, Air Canada purchases, and participating Hyatt hotel stays.
- 1x point on everything else.
- Welcome bonus: up to 50,000 Aeroplan points (10,000 after your first purchase, 15,000 after spending $3,000 in 90 days, and a 25,000-point anniversary bonus after spending $12,000 within 12 months of account opening) — TD advertises this as up to $1,550 in combined welcome value.
- Perks: a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same Air Canada reservation, a NEXUS application fee rebate (up to $100 every 48 months), $2 million in travel emergency medical coverage (21 days, under age 65), trip cancellation/interruption coverage, rental car insurance, and an Avis Preferred Plus upgrade.
Good to know: Aeroplan points earned here aren’t flexible the way Membership Rewards points are — they’re really only valuable if you plan to redeem them with Aeroplan, mainly for Air Canada (or Star Alliance partner) flights.
Amex Cobalt vs TD Aeroplan: A Simple Real-World Example
Let’s say someone spends:
- $400/month on groceries and $200/month on dining ($4,800 + $2,400/year)
- $100/month on streaming ($1,200/year)
- $150/month on gas ($1,800/year)
- $500/month on everything else ($6,000/year)
Amex Cobalt: all food-related spending ($7,200) qualifies for 5x = 36,000 points. Streaming ($1,200) at 3x = 3,600 points. Gas ($1,800) at 2x = 3,600 points. Everything else ($6,000) at 1x = 6,000 points. Total: about 49,200 Membership Rewards points.
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite: only groceries ($4,800) get the 1.5x rate = 7,200 points; dining doesn’t qualify, so it earns 1x = 2,400 points. Streaming at 1x = 1,200 points. Gas at 1.5x = 2,700 points. Everything else at 1x = 6,000 points. Total: about 19,500 Aeroplan points.
Using a rough, conservative estimate of 1 cent per Membership Rewards point and about 1.5 cents per Aeroplan point (Aeroplan can be worth more on premium flight redemptions, but 1.5 cents is a reasonable everyday average):
- Amex Cobalt: 49,200 × $0.01 ≈ $492 in value, minus the $191.88 fee = about $300 net.
- TD Aeroplan: 19,500 × $0.015 ≈ $292 in value, minus the $139 fee = about $153 net.
What this means for you: in this example, Amex Cobalt comes out ahead in raw point value — but this comparison leaves out the free checked bags, which can easily be worth $100+ per year for a couple who checks bags on Air Canada flights, and it assumes a specific spending mix. Change the numbers — say, less dining out and more direct Air Canada spending — and the gap narrows.
Quick Tip: these two rewards currencies aren’t really interchangeable. Ask yourself honestly: do you want flexible points you can point at almost anything, or do you specifically want to build up Aeroplan miles for Air Canada flights? That answer matters more than the raw math.
Amex Cobalt vs TD Aeroplan: Which Card Should You Choose?
- Choose Amex Cobalt if: you spend a lot on groceries and dining out, want flexible points that aren’t tied to one airline, and don’t mind a monthly billing fee.
- Choose TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite if: you fly Air Canada regularly, value the free checked bag and travel perks, and want points that go directly toward flights without needing to transfer them anywhere.
- Keep in mind: Amex isn’t accepted everywhere in Canada the way Visa is — if you travel or shop somewhere that doesn’t take Amex, that’s a real practical consideration beyond the rewards math.
Key Takeaways
- Amex Cobalt earns points faster on everyday spending (especially food) and offers flexible, transferable points — at a higher annual cost.
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite earns a narrower, airline-specific currency, but pairs it with real travel perks like a free checked bag.
- In a typical spending example, Amex Cobalt produced more raw point value — but Aeroplan’s travel perks add value the math alone doesn’t capture.
- Amex Cobalt has no stated minimum income requirement, while TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite requires $60,000 individual / $100,000 household income.
- The better card depends less on the numbers and more on how you actually want to redeem your rewards.
The Bottom Line: this isn’t really a “which card earns more” question — it’s a “what do you want your rewards to do for you” question. Amex Cobalt rewards everyday spending with flexibility; TD Aeroplan rewards loyalty to one airline with real travel perks attached.
Frequently Asked Questions About Amex Cobalt vs TD Aeroplan
Which card earns more points: Amex Cobalt or TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite? It depends on your spending, but Amex Cobalt’s 5x rate on groceries, dining, and food delivery typically out-earns TD Aeroplan’s 1.5x rate on a wider range of everyday spending. TD Aeroplan only matches or beats Cobalt if a large share of your spending goes directly to Air Canada or Hyatt.
Is there a minimum income requirement for Amex Cobalt? No — American Express doesn’t state a minimum income requirement for the Cobalt Card, unlike TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, which requires $60,000 individual or $100,000 household income.
Can I transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to Aeroplan? Yes — Membership Rewards points earned on the Amex Cobalt card can be transferred to Aeroplan (and other partners like Marriott Bonvoy), which is part of what makes them more flexible than points earned directly in Aeroplan’s own program.
Does TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite include free checked bags? Yes — cardholders and up to 8 travel companions on the same Air Canada reservation get a first checked bag free, a perk that can be worth $100 or more per round trip for a family or group that checks bags regularly.
Want to keep learning? Browse more beginner-friendly personal finance guides on MoneyMint, including our guide to what a TFSA is.
This article is for general educational purposes and isn’t financial advice. Credit card terms, rates, and welcome offers change frequently — always confirm current details directly with American Express or TD before applying.