2026 Head-to-Head Audit • Canada Market

American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada)
vs
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite

Q: Should I choose American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada) or TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite?

Choose American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada) if you prioritize Spending $1,000/month on groceries and dining earns 60,000 Aeroplan points/year—worth ~$1,200 CAD in flights against a $155.88 annual cost. Choose TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite if you prioritize Unmatched value for Air Canada and Star Alliance travelers.

Q: What is the biggest catch with American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada) vs TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite?

For American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada), the main trade-off is: Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, and Costco Canada do not accept American Express (use at Metro, Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Whole Foods, and Farm Boy). For TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, watch out for: Foreign transaction fee of 2.5%.

Skip the marketing fluff. Below is the side-by-side breakdown of fees, yield/rewards math, fine-print restrictions, and the exact household profile each product is built for.

Choose American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada) If...

Unanimously ranked the #1 credit card in Canada: 5x Membership Rewards points on groceries, restaurants, and food delivery—transferable 1:1 to Air Canada Aeroplan.

Spending $1,000/month on groceries and dining earns 60,000 Aeroplan points/year—worth ~$1,200 CAD in flights against a $155.88 annual cost
No $60,000/$100,000 minimum income barrier (unlike Visa Infinite or World Elite Mastercards)

Primary Catch: Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, and Costco Canada do not accept American Express (use at Metro, Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Whole Foods, and Farm Boy)

Choose TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite If...

The premier credit card for Air Canada frequent flyers and Star Alliance redemptions.

Unmatched value for Air Canada and Star Alliance travelers
Checked bag benefit alone saves $140+ roundtrip per couple

Primary Catch: Foreign transaction fee of 2.5%

Metric / Feature	American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada) American Express Bank of Canada ★ 4.9 / 5.0	TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite TD Canada Trust ★ 4.9 / 5.0
Verified 2026 Financials & Terms
Annual / Platform Fee	$12.99 CAD / month ($155.88/year)	$139 CAD (Frequently Rebated 1st Year)
Regular APR / Rates	21.99% Purchases / 21.99% Cash Advances	20.99% Purchases / 22.99% Cash
Welcome Bonus / Match	15,000 Points (1,250 pts/mo with $750 monthly spend)	Up to 50,000 Aeroplan Points
Foreign Transaction Fee	2.5%	2.5%
Credit / Eligibility	Good (680+ Equifax/TransUnion • No Minimum Income)	$60,000 Personal / $100,000 Household
Core Features & Ecosystem Perks
Included Benefits	5x Membership Rewards Points on Canadian Groceries, Dining & Food Delivery (Up to $2,500/mo) 1:1 Point Transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Avios & 1:1.2 to Marriott Bonvoy 3x Points on Canadian Streaming Subscriptions + 2x on Gas, Transit & Travel Billed Monthly ($12.99/mo) Instead of a Lump-Sum Annual Fee + $0 Minimum Personal Income Requirement Comprehensive Out-of-Province Emergency Medical, Flight Delay & Mobile Device Insurance ($1,000)	Free 1st Checked Bag on Air Canada (Up to 8 Companions) Preferred Aeroplan Flight Reward Pricing 1.5x Points on Groceries, Gas & Air Canada Bookings NEXUS Application Fee Rebate Every 48 Months Annual Fee Rebate with TD All-Inclusive Banking Plan
Editorial Pros & Cons
Where It Wins (Pros)	Spending $1,000/month on groceries and dining earns 60,000 Aeroplan points/year—worth ~$1,200 CAD in flights against a $155.88 annual cost No $60,000/$100,000 minimum income barrier (unlike Visa Infinite or World Elite Mastercards) 1:1 transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan unlock business-class award flights across Star Alliance	Unmatched value for Air Canada and Star Alliance travelers Checked bag benefit alone saves $140+ roundtrip per couple Generous welcome bonus points redeemable for aspirational flights Annual fee can be waived with a qualifying TD checking account
Fine-Print Drawbacks (Cons)	Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, and Costco Canada do not accept American Express (use at Metro, Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Whole Foods, and Farm Boy) 5x grocery/dining multiplier only applies to merchants located inside Canada (earns 1x abroad + 2.5% FX fee)	Foreign transaction fee of 2.5% Maximum value requires booking flights through the Aeroplan ecosystem $60,000 personal income threshold

Fee & Foreign Spend Cost Audit

Annual Holding Cost & Overseas Trip Impact

Annual Fee Comparison

American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada): $12.99 CAD / month ($155.88/year) vs TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite: $139 CAD (Frequently Rebated 1st Year)

Always subtract the annual fee from your projected annual rewards before evaluating headline multipliers.

$3,000 International Vacation FX Surcharge

American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada): $75 fee (2.5%) • TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite: $75 fee (2.5%)

A 3% foreign transaction fee wipes out 3% in rewards on every international hotel, restaurant, or flight billed in foreign currency.

In-Depth Breakdown: American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada) vs TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite

1. How American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada) Works

The American Express Cobalt® Card is widely considered the single highest-earning rewards card in Canadian history. It awards 5x Membership Rewards® points per $1 CAD spent on eligible restaurants, bars, cafes, food delivery apps (Uber Eats, SkipTheDishes, DoorDash), and grocery stores in Canada (up to $2,500/month, or $30,000/year), plus 3x points on streaming, 2x on travel/gas/transit, and 1x on everything else. Because Amex Canada points transfer 1:1 to Air Canada Aeroplan and British Airways Avios (where 1 Aeroplan point is worth ~2.0¢ CAD), 5x on groceries and dining equals an astonishing ~10% effective travel return.

2. How TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Works

Co-branded with Air Canada, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite is the gold standard for Canadian travelers. Cardholders receive a free first checked bag on Air Canada flights for themselves and up to 8 companions, preferred Aeroplan reward pricing, comprehensive travel insurance, and NEXUS fee rebates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I choose American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada) or TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite?

Choose American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada) if you prioritize Spending $1,000/month on groceries and dining earns 60,000 Aeroplan points/year—worth ~$1,200 CAD in flights against a $155.88 annual cost. Choose TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite if you want Unmatched value for Air Canada and Star Alliance travelers.

What is the biggest catch with American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada) vs TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite?

With American Express Cobalt® Card (Canada), the main limitation to keep in mind is: Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, and Costco Canada do not accept American Express (use at Metro, Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Whole Foods, and Farm Boy). With TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, the primary trade-off is: Foreign transaction fee of 2.5%.