How to use CIBC Aventura points to reduce travel costs

Updated October 31, 2024

What are the various ways to use CIBC Aventura points to reduce travel costs? Is the Aventura program worth it? How does it work? What’s an Aventura point worth? 

Here is my review as it relates to funding travel.

 

What is the CIBC Aventura program?

CIBC Rewards is the in-house propriety program of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). The reward currency is commonly referred to as Aventura points.

Effective October 1, 2024, CIBC’s in-house travel portal switched to CIBC by Expedia. 

 

How are Aventura points earned?

Aventura points are earned through credit card **sign-up bonuses and everyday spending. Depending on the credit card, bonus points can be earned on promotions, bookings at the CIBC by Expedia, and spending in accelerated earning categories such as groceries, gas, and dining. CIBC has ten Aventura-branded credit cards:

• CIBC Aventura Visa Card
• CIBC Aventura Gold Visa Card
• CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
• CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card
• CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students
• CIBC U.S. Dollar Aventura Gold Visa Card
• CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Business
• CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Business Plus
• *CIBC Aventura World Elite MasterCard
• *CIBC Aventura World MasterCard

*CIBC MasterCards are no longer available to new applicants.

** When applying for a CIBC Aventura credit card, look for special offers of sign-up bonuses that exceed those listed at the CIBC site. These include Milesopedia, Red Flag Deals, Great Canadian Rebates, Credit Card Genius, and Rewards Canada.

Aventura points don’t expire if an Aventura-earning credit card account is in good standing. The primary cardholder can pool points by moving them from one Aventura-earning credit card account to another.

 

Can Aventura points be converted to another program?

Contrary to what you might read on the internet or be told by a seller at an airport kiosk, Aventura points cannot be converted to Aeroplan (except in special circumstances). They were before CIBC co-branded Aeroplan cards were transferred to TD in 2014, when the ability to convert Aventura points to Aeroplan was discontinued. However, grandparenting protection remains in place for cardholders of three select cards held since before October 1, 2013:

• CIBC Aventura World Elite MasterCard
• CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
• CIBC Aventura Gold Visa Card

Aventura points earned since then can be converted, if they have been moved to the card held before 2014. Conversion is at the rate of 1:1 and points can only be converted in increments of 10,000.

 

How can Aventura points be used?

Aventura points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, donations, merchandise, experiences, credit card statement credits, or contributions to various CIBC financial products.

 

What’s an Aventura point worth?

As with most reward programs, travel purchases usually return the best value. On most travel redemptions, Aventura points are capable of a value anywhere between 1 and 2.2 CPP (cents per point). Most travel redeemed through CIBC by Expedia returns a value of 1 CPP. When booking ‘Flight Rewards’ using CIBC’s Aventura Flight Rewards Chart, some redemptions offer a return of up to 2.2 CPP in value.

Credit Card Genius has calculated the value of Aventura points when redeemed for purposes other than travel. For example, charitable donations are valued at 1 CPP, CIBC financial products and statement credits at 0.83 CPP, gift cards at 0.71 CPP, and merchandise at an average of 0.71 CPP.

Occasional promotions on gift cards can return a redemption value of 1 CPP.

 

How to use CIBC Aventura points to reduce travel costs

There are four ways to redeem Aventura points for travel.

1. Flexible Travel Reward

‘Flexible Travel’ is an option using the Aventura Flight Rewards Chart. It provides CIBC Aventura cardholders with the ability to pay for flights with any combination of: 

• Aventura points;
• Aventura points and your CIBC Aventura Credit Card; or
• Just your CIBC Aventura Credit Card.

Unless there’s a promotion in effect, this option returns a value of one cent per point, considered the baseline value for most proprietary reward programs’ travel purchases.

Redeeming a Flexible Travel Reward involves using the Aventura Flight Rewards Chart and selecting the ‘Flexible travel’ button.

2. Flight Rewards

Redeeming ‘Flight Rewards’ involves using the Aventura Flight Rewards Chart and selecting the ‘Flight Rewards’ button.

It’s for round-trip flights in various cabin classes, from basic economy to first class. Each group of regionally based destinations displays a sliding scale of points required for flights with a maximum base ticket price. The base ticket price is exclusive of taxes and other charges.

A value greater than one cent per point is possible with these redemptions the closer the cost of a flight is to the maximum ticket price listed on the chart. For example, the Canada and US (Long-Haul) travel region category shows a maximum ticket price of $800. Paying 35,000 points for a ticket with a base fare of $800 returns a value of 2.2 cents per point.

For the same St. John’s to Houston example mentioned above, a return flight in economy costs 35,000 Aventura points plus $209.39 in taxes and fees using the Flight Rewards option. Taxes and fees can be paid in any combination of points (at a value of one cent per point) and cash (charged to a credit card). After deducting the taxes and fees, the remaining $710 ($919 minus $209.39) returns a value of 2.0 cents per point ($710 divided by 35,000).

By choosing the Flight Rewards option and paying in points, the total cost is 55,939 Aventura points (35,000 on the base fare and 20,939 in taxes and fees). Instead of costing 91,939 points using the Flexible travel option, choosing the Flight Rewards option results in a saving of 36,000 Aventura points.

3. CIBC by Expedia

As an Online Travel Agency, CIBC by Expedia offers access to flights, accommodation, tours, packages, and rental cars.

It’s been a month since CIBC moved to CIBC by Expedia and I’m yet to use the service to book or redeem travel. From what I can see, it operates in much the same way as Expedia for TD.

What remains to be seen is if CIBC will introduce an accelerated earning rate for CIBC by Expedia bookings using an Aventura-earning credit card. Otherwise, CIBC faces tough competition from the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card with its 4% return on Expedia for TD bookings.

4. Shopping with Points

‘Shopping with Points’ involves booking through vendors other than CIBC by Expedia. Until a 2022 promotion, the rate of 8,000 points on each $50 purchase worked out to an abysmal value of 0.625 cents per point. The promotion doubled the value of 8,000 points to $100, or 1.25 cents per point. After several extensions, the promotional redemption rate ended in October 2024 with a reduction to one cent per point to mirror the redemption rate at CIBC by Expedia.

Redeeming points for travel purchases using the Shopping with Points option involves the following steps:

(i) Book and pay with your Aventura-earning credit card

Make a travel purchase such as a flight, vacation package, cruise, hotel stay, or car rental at a vendor of your choice using a credit card earning Aventura points. The charge must be in Canadian dollars. I made the mistake of making a direct booking at Palmers Lodge, a London hostel, that never appeared on my account as eligible for redemption. When I booked Edinburgh and York accommodation at Expedia dot ca (before October 1, 2024), both appeared almost immediately as redeemable with points.

(ii) Log into CIBC Online Banking and your credit card account   

Log into CIBC Online Banking (or mobile banking) and search for the transaction under ‘Pending’ in your transaction history. Chances are the charge will appear as soon as the booking has been confirmed. However, it could take a few days to post, so keep checking back.

(iii) Redeem with points while the transaction is pending

Click on ‘Redeem with Points’ (the link to redeem with points needs to be active on the transaction). If the redemption is successful, confirmation will immediately appear within the credit card account.

The credit will be posted to the respective credit card account within two business days.

This redemption option is only available while the purchase is still pending. The Shopping with Points Terms and Conditions state that it’s non-refundable, non-exchangeable, and non-transferable. Therefore, making a refundable booking with the vendor is always preferable.

  

What’s to like about the CIBC Aventura program

• Depending on the credit card, CIBC offers travel perks such as lounge access through the Visa Airport Companion Program membership and passes, NEXUS fee rebates, and an attractive Mobile Device Insurance benefit.

 

 

For more information on the NEXUS program, see Is a NEXUS card worth it? and How to apply for a NEXUS card.

 

• There are regular first-year-free promotions where the annual fee is waived for the first year. Many come with improved sign-up bonuses. In addition, it pays to check rebate and affiliate sites such as Great Canadian Rebates for elevated sign-up bonuses when applying through their portal.   
• It’s possible to hold more than one credit card of the same type (e.g., more than one Aventura Visa Infinite) at the same time. CIBC can be quite generous with approvals.
• CIBC is more likely than other banks to waive the annual fee on request. It may also be possible to obtain a prorated annual fee refund when cancelling or product switching a credit card.
• There’s a no-fee card in the Aventura family (CIBC Aventura Visa Card). Applying for, or product switching to the no-fee card, can help preserve a relationship with CIBC. It can also serve a useful purpose by protecting existing Aventura points in an account between applications for other cards. However, partial redemptions (part points, part cash) offer the means to use all Aventura points with no orphan points remaining in an account.
• Aventura points can be transferred from one account to another in the Aventura family. This applies to accounts held by the same cardholder. The process is efficient and instantaneous. For holders of the CIBC Visa Infinite Privilege card, it can be done online. For cardholders of other cards, contact the CIBC Rewards Centre to execute the transfer. Unlike TD Rewards, where a minimum of 10,000 points can be transferred, any number of points can be moved from one account to another.
• Moving to CIBC by Expedia is a positive step. Online bookings at the CIBC Travel Rewards Centre were limited, and I found hotel prices to be seriously inflated.
• I appreciate the option to book travel with any vendor and immediately redeem points against the purchase.
• While not exclusive to Aventura-branded credit cards, I appreciate the ability to add a card to Apply Pay (or Google Pay) within minutes of approval. Not having to wait for the arrival of the physical credit card by mail means it’s available for immediate use. This is handy when working on a significant Minimum Spend Requirement.

 

Shortcomings of the CIBC Aventura program

• The Aventura Flight Rewards Chart applies to return flights. One-way flights can only be redeemed as a ‘Flexible Travel Reward’ at a value of one cent per point.
• Other than redeeming points while a charge is pending, there’s no post-purchase option to redeem points against existing reservations or previous travel purchases.
• Several Aventura-earning credit cards had accelerated earning rates for booking travel through the CIBC Travel Rewards Centre. These don’t seem to have migrated to bookings at CIBC by Expedia. The CIBC site listing their various credit cards still refer to accelerated rates at the CIBC Travel Rewards Centre that no longer exists. As previously mentioned, the Aventura program faces tough completion from the TD Rewards program and the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card with its 4% return on Expedia for TD bookings. With its $100 travel credit on certain bookings and its 4% return, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card remains my credit card of choice at Expedia.

 

 

For more information on the TD Rewards program, see How to use TD Rewards points to reduce travel costs.

 

Conclusion

The inability to convert Aventura points to other programs makes them less valuable than reward currencies such as AMEX Membership Rewards and RBC Avion Rewards, which can be converted to reward programs where it’s possible to extract much greater value.

However, Aventura points can be a beneficial reward currency in a diversified miles-and-points portfolio. When viewed as a secondary program along with, for example, TD Rewards and Scene+, they can reduce travel costs by funding miscellaneous travel expenses. These include train and ferry tickets, boutique hotel stays, flights with regional airlines, tours, and various travel experiences.

 

Might you be interested in my other miles-and-points posts?

• How to use Scene+ points to reduce travel costs
• How to use TD Rewards points to reduce travel costs
• When a no-FOREX-fee credit card isn’t the best travel choice
• 9 Effective says of meeting Minimum Spend Requirements 
• Polaris review of United Airlines’ lounge and in-flight experience
• Does the BMO Air Miles World Elite MasterCard deserve a place in your wallet?

 

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