Card comparison

Which card is better between Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Aeroplan Card is the better overall pick over IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (60 vs 40) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee.

Effective rate Aeroplan Card
Annual fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Welcome bonus Aeroplan Card
Benefits value Aeroplan Card

Aeroplan Card is the stronger overall pick between Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (60 vs 40) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card split the win across categories, fees, and bonuses. Madeen's snapshot favors checking dining, grocery, and travel rows — not just each card's headline top category — before you pick a primary wallet card.

Choose A if

Choose Aeroplan Card when its strongest categories, bonus, or perks match how you actually spend.

Choose B if

Choose IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card when the fee, welcome bonus, or issuer ecosystem fits better than the headline winner.

Full comparison

How do Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card compare across all spend categories?

Across all five spend categories, Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card trade wins row by row. Aeroplan Card peaks at 4.5% effective; IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card peaks at 1.5%. Aeroplan Card wins the headline effective-rate view in this pair.

Category / metric Aeroplan Card IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card Winner
Dining 3x miles (4.5%) 3x points (1.5%) Aeroplan Card · 3 pts
Grocery 3x miles (4.5%) 3x points (1.5%) Aeroplan Card · 3 pts
Gas 1x miles (1.5%) 3x points (1.5%) Tie
Travel 1x miles (1.5%) 3x points (1.5%) Tie
Other 1x miles (1.5%) 3x points (1.5%) Tie
Welcome bonus ~$1125 estimated ~$450 estimated Aeroplan Card
Est. annual benefits $794/yr $664/yr Aeroplan Card
Annual fee $95 $0 IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Holistic overall 60 pts (cat 28, bonus 14, benefits 14, fee 4) 40 pts (cat 12, bonus 6, benefits 11, fee 11) Aeroplan Card

Chase · Mastercard vs Chase · Mastercard

Madeen take

How to think about this pair

Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card split the win across categories, fees, and bonuses. Madeen's snapshot favors checking dining, grocery, and travel rows — not just each card's headline top category — before you pick a primary wallet card.

Strategy

Use Aeroplan Card when Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x miles. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.. Use IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card when Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet.

Hold both?

Many Chase users can hold both cards if each covers a different spend lane and the combined annual fees still clear your break-even math.

Welcome bonus playbook

If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Aeroplan Card leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.

Madeen analysis

Which card has stronger benefits: Aeroplan Card or IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Madeen estimates $794 annual benefit value on Aeroplan Card versus $664 on IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card. Credits only matter if you will use them.

Aeroplan Card

Total est. value: $794/yr

Credits and perks only help if you will actually use them in a typical year.

  • DoorDash $120/yr
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Fee Credit $120/yr
  • Priority Pass $99/yr
  • Free First Checked Bags $60/yr
  • Elite Status Level up $35/yr

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

Total est. value: $664/yr

Credits and perks only help if you will actually use them in a typical year.

  • DoorDash $120/yr
  • Priority Pass $99/yr
  • Gold Elite Status $35/yr
  • IHG One Rewards Silver Elite status $35/yr
  • Lost Luggage Reimbursement $35/yr
Welcome bonus

Which welcome bonus is stronger for Aeroplan Card or IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Aeroplan Card leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend. Aeroplan Card lists 75k Aeroplan Loyalty Program; IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card.

Caps & conditions

Caps and earn limits

Both Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card carry structured reward caps in the catalog. Compare the category that matters most before assuming the headline multiplier lasts all year.

Aeroplan Card

  • 3x points for each dollar spent on dining at restaurants including takeout and eligible delivery services
  • 3x points for each dollar spent at grocery stores

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

  • Earn 3X total points on dining
  • Earn 3X total points at gas stations
  • Earn 3X total points on select streaming services
Who should pick which

Scenario playbook

Cashback-first user

Pick Aeroplan Card

Aeroplan Card is the better cashback-style pick because it has the cleaner effective-rate and fee blend for this pair.

Travel & points user

Pick Aeroplan Card

Aeroplan Card is the stronger travel-style pick because it combines better reward value with more travel-friendly positioning.

No annual fee priority

Pick IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is easier to keep for no-fee users because it has the lighter annual-fee burden in this pair.

Heavy dining spend

Pick Aeroplan Card

For restaurant and dining-coded spend, the winner is whoever posts the stronger dining effective rate after caps and exclusions — see the category matrix for the current snapshot.

Heavy grocery spend

Pick Aeroplan Card

Supermarket and grocery coding can differ from superstores and delivery, so compare the grocery row before you optimize a weekly shopping basket.

Welcome bonus chaser

Pick Aeroplan Card

If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Aeroplan Card leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.

Fee-sensitive keeper

Pick IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

When you want the card that is easiest to keep year two, annual fee often matters more than a narrow category edge.

Decision guide

Which card is better between Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Aeroplan Card is the better overall pick because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (60 vs 40) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card split the win across categories, fees, and bonuses. Madeen's snapshot favors checking dining, grocery, and travel rows — not just each card's headline top category — before you.

When should you pick Aeroplan Card over IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Choose Aeroplan Card if Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x miles. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.. Best for dining-heavy spend when the $95 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying.

Strengths

  • Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 4.5% effective (3x miles).
  • That dining rate ranks higher than about 100% of cards we track in the category.
  • No foreign transaction fee listed.

Tradeoffs

  • $95 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
  • Aeroplan Loyalty Program value depends on how you redeem, not straight cash back.
Full Aeroplan Card review →

When should you pick IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card over Aeroplan Card?

Choose IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.. Best for dining-heavy spend when you want to avoid an annual fee; confirm issuer terms before applying.

Strengths

  • Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 1.5% effective (3x points).
  • No annual fee in our catalog snapshot.
  • No foreign transaction fee listed.

Tradeoffs

  • Multiple caps, activations, or exclusions may limit headline earn rates.
  • IHG One Rewards value depends on how you redeem, not straight cash back.
Full IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card review →

Common questions about Aeroplan Card vs IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

Which card is better between Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Aeroplan Card is the stronger overall fit because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (60 vs 40) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. The overall winner depends on your spend mix — use the scorecard rows and scenario playbook to see where each card actually wins.

Which card wins on dining: Aeroplan Card or IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Aeroplan Card leads dining at 4.5% effective versus 1.5%.

Which card is better for cashback users: Aeroplan Card or IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Aeroplan Card is the better cashback-style pick between Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card.

Which welcome bonus is stronger between Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Aeroplan Card leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.

Which card has stronger benefits: Aeroplan Card or IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

Aeroplan Card leads on estimated annual benefit value in the Madeen snapshot.

Which card has the lower annual fee: Aeroplan Card or IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has the simpler fee story in this pair ($95 vs $0). Annual fee only wins if you use the rewards and credits that justify it.

Is Aeroplan Card or IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card better for travel spend?

Aeroplan Card is the stronger travel-style pick between Aeroplan Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card in this snapshot.

Can you hold both Chase cards?

Yes, many people can hold both Chase cards when each covers a different spend lane and the combined fees still make sense.

Reviewed by Madeen editorial review
Catalog snapshot 2026-05-01
Updated 2026-06-13
Content tier Standard

Madeen compares cards you add to your wallet using published catalog rules — no bank login required. Issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice. Madeen may earn compensation from apply links. Affiliate disclosure