CIBC Aventura Gold Visa Card review

How the Aventura Gold earns points

The Aventura Gold has three earn rates. Travel earns 2 Aventura points per dollar; gas, drugstore and grocery purchases earn 1.5 points; and everything else earns 1 point. Because groceries and gas sit in the middle tier, the card earns above its base rate on much of a household’s regular spending.

As an example, a household that spends $500 a month on groceries, $200 on gas and $50 at the drugstore earns 1,125 points a month, or 13,500 points a year. Add $3,000 a year of travel at 2 points and $700 a month of other spending at 1 point, and the total comes to 27,900 points a year.

The welcome offer

A welcome offer may be available to new cardholders, and the annual fee is rebated in the first year. The current listing doesn’t detail a points total or any spending requirement, so check CIBC’s website for the current terms before you apply.

With the fee rebated, year one is the easiest year to come out ahead, since every point you earn arrives without an annual cost to offset.

Travel perks

The card includes airport lounge access and a NEXUS rebate. The NEXUS rebate is handy if you cross the Canada–US border often, and lounge access adds comfort on travel days.

Check CIBC’s terms for how lounge access works, including which lounges are included and whether visits are free, before you count it as part of the card’s value. Redemption options for Aventura points are also set by CIBC, so review them to see how they fit your travel plans.

Fees, interest and the fine print

The annual fee is $139, rebated in the first year. In the example budget above, you’d earn 27,900 points a year, so from year two it’s worth checking that the points you earn and the perks you use justify the fee.

Looked at another way, the $750 a month of grocery, gas and drugstore spending in the example earns 4,500 more points a year at 1.5x than it would at the 1x base rate.

Foreign currency purchases carry a 2.5% fee, about $25 for every $1,000 spent abroad. Purchases are charged 20.99% interest and cash advances 22.99%. Paying your full balance by the due date avoids purchase interest.

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

The Aventura Gold fits people who spend steadily on groceries, gas and drugstore items, travel a few times a year, and will use lounge access or a NEXUS card.

If you spend a lot abroad, the foreign transaction fee eats into your rewards. And if you don’t travel much, a no-fee card avoids paying for travel perks you won’t use.

How it compares

The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite has the same $139 annual fee and earns up to 2x on travel booked through the CIBC Rewards Centre, with a welcome offer of up to 35,000 Aventura points. Compare the two side by side, as the current welcome offers may decide which is the better deal for you.

If you want Aventura points without a fee, the CIBC Aventura Visa Card has no annual fee and offers up to 12,500 Aventura points. Its top earn rate is 1 point per dollar on gas and EV charging, so it earns less, but costs nothing to hold.

Before you apply

The recommended credit score is 720 or higher, and CIBC makes the final decision based on your full credit profile. Earn rates, perks and the welcome offer can change, so confirm the current terms on CIBC’s website before you apply.