Card comparison
Which card is better between Aeroplan Card and IHG Rewards Select?
Aeroplan Card is the better overall pick over IHG Rewards Select because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (85 vs 15) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee.
Effective rate Aeroplan Card
Annual fee IHG Rewards Select
Welcome bonus Aeroplan Card
Benefits value Aeroplan Card
Aeroplan Card is the stronger overall pick between Aeroplan Card and IHG Rewards Select because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (85 vs 15) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. Aeroplan Card (4.5% top effective rate) vs IHG Rewards Select (1%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
Choose A if
Choose Aeroplan Card when its strongest categories, bonus, or perks match how you actually spend.
Choose B if
Choose IHG Rewards Select when the fee, welcome bonus, or issuer ecosystem fits better than the headline winner.
Full comparison
How do Aeroplan Card and IHG Rewards Select compare across all spend categories?
Across all five spend categories, Aeroplan Card and IHG Rewards Select trade wins row by row. Aeroplan Card peaks at 4.5% effective; IHG Rewards Select peaks at 1%. Aeroplan Card wins the headline effective-rate view in this pair.
| Category / metric | Aeroplan Card | IHG Rewards Select | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining | 3x miles (4.5%) | 2x points (1%) | Aeroplan Card · 3.5 pts |
| Grocery | 3x miles (4.5%) | 2x points (1%) | Aeroplan Card · 3.5 pts |
| Gas | 1x miles (1.5%) | 2x points (1%) | Aeroplan Card · 0.5 pts |
| Travel | 1x miles (1.5%) | 1x points (0.5%) | Aeroplan Card · 1 pts |
| Other | 1x miles (1.5%) | 1x points (0.5%) | Aeroplan Card · 1 pts |
| Welcome bonus | ~$1125 estimated | — | Aeroplan Card |
| Est. annual benefits | $23425/yr | $0/yr | Aeroplan Card |
| Annual fee | $95 | $49 | IHG Rewards Select |
| Holistic overall | 85 pts (cat 34, bonus 20, benefits 25, fee 6) | 15 pts (cat 6, bonus 0, benefits 0, fee 9) | Aeroplan Card |
Madeen take
How to think about this pair
Aeroplan Card (4.5% top effective rate) vs IHG Rewards Select (1%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
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 Rewards Select when Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2x points.. Aeroplan Card is weaker when Compare it against simpler no-fee cards if.
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 Rewards Select 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 Rewards Select?
Madeen estimates $23425 annual benefit value on Aeroplan Card versus $0 on IHG Rewards Select. Credits only matter if you will use them.
Aeroplan Card
Total est. value: $23,425/yr
Credits and perks only help if you will actually use them in a typical year.
- Purchase Protection $10,000/yr
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance $5,000/yr
- DoorDash $3,600/yr
- Lyft $1,440/yr
- Up to $120 in Instacart credits $1,440/yr
IHG Rewards Select
Total est. value: $0/yr
Credits and perks only help if you will actually use them in a typical year.
Welcome bonus
Which welcome bonus is stronger for Aeroplan Card or IHG Rewards Select?
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Aeroplan Card leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, IHG Rewards Select 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 Rewards Select lists —.
Aeroplan Card
75k Aeroplan Loyalty Program
IHG Rewards Select
—
Caps & conditions
Caps and earn limits
Both Aeroplan Card and IHG Rewards Select 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 Rewards Select
- 2X at restaurants
- 2X at gas stations
- 2X at grocery stores
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 Aeroplan Card
Aeroplan 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 Rewards Select is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.
Fee-sensitive keeper
Pick IHG Rewards Select
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 Rewards Select?
Aeroplan Card is the better overall pick because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (85 vs 15) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. Aeroplan Card (4.5% top effective rate) vs IHG Rewards Select (1%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
When should you pick Aeroplan Card over IHG Rewards Select?
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.
When should you pick IHG Rewards Select over Aeroplan Card?
Choose IHG Rewards Select if Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 2x points.. Best for dining-heavy spend when the $49 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying.
Strengths
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 1% effective (2x points).
- No foreign transaction fee listed.
Tradeoffs
- $49 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
- Multiple caps, activations, or exclusions may limit headline earn rates.
Common questions about Aeroplan Card vs IHG Rewards Select
Which card is better between Aeroplan Card and IHG Rewards Select?
Aeroplan Card is the stronger overall fit because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (85 vs 15) 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 Rewards Select?
Aeroplan Card leads dining at 4.5% effective versus 1%.
Which card is better for cashback users: Aeroplan Card or IHG Rewards Select?
Aeroplan Card is the better cashback-style pick between Aeroplan Card and IHG Rewards Select.
Which welcome bonus is stronger between Aeroplan Card and IHG Rewards Select?
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Aeroplan Card leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, IHG Rewards Select 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 Rewards Select?
Aeroplan Card leads on estimated annual benefit value in the Madeen snapshot.
Which card has the lower annual fee: Aeroplan Card or IHG Rewards Select?
IHG Rewards Select has the simpler fee story in this pair ($95 vs $49). Annual fee only wins if you use the rewards and credits that justify it.
Is Aeroplan Card or IHG Rewards Select better for travel spend?
Aeroplan Card is the stronger travel-style pick between Aeroplan Card and IHG Rewards Select 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.
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Reviewed by Madeen editorial review
Catalog snapshot 2026-05-01
Updated 2026-06-25
Content tier Standard
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