The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card rewards everyday purchases, providing one of the best cash back rates available in Canada for eligible groceries and gas. It also comes with a respectable insurance suite; access to luxurious travel and dining; and a flexible cash back redemption policy. Its shortcomings are relatively few, and overall it’s likely a good fit for any Canadian who can meet its eligibility requirements.
Pros and cons of the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card
Pros
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Very high cash back rates on eligible groceries and gas and electric vehicle charging
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Lucrative welcome offer
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Flexible cash back redemption policy
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Premium Visa Infinite benefits†
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No limit on the total cash back you can earn†
Cons
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Maximum annual spending limits in accelerated cash back
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High-ish annual fee
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Mid-level income requirement
Welcome offer
New cardholders are treated to a rebate of the first year’s $120 annual fee for the primary cardholder and the first year annual fee of up to three supplementary cardholders ($30 each).† The offer is further enhanced with a 10% cash back welcome bonus of up to $250!†
All in all, it’s one of the best best sign-up bonuses currently offered in Canada.
Regular cash back rates
After that, CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card’s main selling point is its high 4% earn rate on eligible gas, EV charging, and grocery purchases†, which are generally some of the biggest expenditures for Canadians (outside of taxes and housing). The gas/EV charging/grocery cash back rates are complemented with a very respectable 2% earn rate for expenditures in eligible transportation, dining, and recurring payments (like subscription services).†
Cardholders technically have no limit on the total amount of cash back that they can earn. That said, be mindful that the 4%† and 2%† rates only apply up to the first of these two annual spending milestones:
- $80K in net annual card purchases (total across all categories, for both primary and additional cardholders)
- or $20K on eligible grocery purchases, gas, EV charging, transportation, dining and recurring payments on your account (for both primary and additional cardholders)
After reaching either of the above limits, your purchases in the accelerated categories will earn 1% cash back until the card’s reset period in December of each year.
Fees and interest rates
The $120 and $30 annual fees for primary and supplementary cards respectively will be rebated for the first year†, appearing as a statement credit within two card statements of your activation. Supplementary cardholders must be added at the time of the card application in order to qualify for their annual fee rebate.† The card allows a maximum of four users: the primary cardholder plus three additional authorized users.
Regular interest rates and fees are standard for a card at this level:
- Purchase Annual Interest Rate: 20.99%†
- Cash Advance Annual Interest Rate: 22.99%† (for non-Quebec residents only)
- Balance Transfer Annual Interest Rate: 22.99%† (for non-Quebec residents only)
- Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%
Redeeming cash back
A former weakness of the The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card was that cardholders did not have the option of redeeming their cash back whenever they wanted to. No longer.
Primary cardholders can now elect to redeem their cash back as a statement credit at any point during the year, provided they’ve accumulated at least $25 in cash back total. This can be redeemed any time through CIBC Online and Mobile Banking®.† Cash back that went unredeemed during the course of the year will be applied as a credit to the primary cardholder’s card balance once annually on the January statement.
Extra perks and features
Insurance benefits
Though it’s a cash back card and not a travel card, the The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card nonetheless comes with the below travel insurance covering the primary cardholder, their spouse and their dependent children.
- Out-of-Province Emergency Travel Medical Insurance†: Those 64 or under are eligible for up to $5M in coverage for 10 days. *Applicable even if you don’t charge the cost of your travel to the card.
- Auto Rental Collision and Loss Damage†: Applies to rental vehicles with an MSRP up to $65K for up to a 48-day rental period
- Common Carrier Accident†: Up to $500,000 coverage for loss of life or limb in plane, ferry or train accidents
It also offers the below purchase insurance:
- Mobile Device Insurance†
- Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance†
Visa Infinite travel and hotel benefits
All Canadians with cards that belong to the Visa Infinite program can take advantage of the following:
- Room upgrades, late checkouts, complimentary breakfast and in-room Wi-Fi at Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel properties (there are over 900 worldwide)†
- Exclusive access to luxury restaurant and winery experiences
- Access to the Visa Infinite Priority Line and Lounge at the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival®, as well as exclusive pre-sale access to TIFF tickets and packages†
- The Visa Infinite Screening Series gives cardholders access to complimentary tickets for select advance screenings and special movie events across the country†
- Complimentary Visa Concierge services to aid in travel and purchase planning†
- Tickets to exclusive sports experiences†
Eligibility requirements and card application
To qualify for this card you must:
- Be a Canadian resident
- Be at least the age of majority in your province
- Have a minimum annual income of $60,000 as an individual or $100,000 in your household†
- Have not declared bankruptcy within the past 7 years
- Have a credit score of >720
After ensuring that you meet those eligibility requirements, the fastest way to get the card is to apply online here. Just be prepared to answer a few basic questions about yourself, your career, your income, etc.
You can also apply by calling CIBC or booking an in-person appointment at your local CIBC branch.
How does it compare?
†Terms and conditions apply, *Terms and Conditions apply
The TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card is not available for residents of Quebec. For Quebec residents, please click here.
The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card is probably the one of the best cash back card in Canada for those that spend a significant amount of money on eligible gas and groceries and electric vehicle charging. But it’s not the only card that rewards for these spending categories, and there are other cards that have more versatile cash back policies or that combine strong cash back rates with other impressive benefits.
Those who avoid annual fees at all costs should check out the no annual fee Tangerine Money-Back Card, which allows cardholders to choose 2-3 spending categories (including gas and grocery) in which they’ll earn 2% cash back; all other purchases outside those categories earn 0.5%. Cash back from the Tangerine Money-Back Card is applied to the card’s balance on a monthly basis.
Another option is the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card. It has slightly lower gas/grocery cash back rates next to the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card (3%† compared to 4% on eligible gas/EV charging/groceries†), but it does offer other benefits worth serious consideration, like Emergency Road Service via a free Deluxe TD Auto Club membership†. Its coverage is among the most comprehensive offered by any credit card, and it’s a valuable feature for those that spend a lot of time on the road, particularly considering that an annual CAA membership with comparable benefits will cost $100+.
†Terms and conditions apply,
Who’s the card for?
The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card is particularly well suited for families and long-distance commuters, given its high cash back rates on eligible gas and groceries and electric vehicle charging. The $120 annual fee is comparable to competing cash back cards with a similar level of benefits. We recommend the card to anyone who spends at least $250 a month on eligible gas and groceries, which will earn enough cash back over the course of a year to make up for the card’s annual fee.
The fees associated with the card can also be easily covered by the rewards you get through other eligible purchases. Because you get 2% on eligible transportation, dining and recurrent payments, and 1% on all other eligible purchases, it's easy to see how the cash back can quickly add up.
If you’re drawn to this card but don’t have a high enough annual income to qualify, you should instead consider the CIBC Dividend Platinum® Visa* Card, which offers 3% on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging and groceries with a much lower minimum annual income requirement of only $15,000†.
Compare other CIBC credit cards
Compare other Visa credit cards
Compare other cash back credit cards
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