Points Pulse for November 2, 2026: TD Aeroplan card gets free roaming data, Amex releases new card, and Rogers increases fees
In this week’s edition of NerdWallet Canada’s Points Pulse:
TD Aeroplan joins the free travel data club
Some TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite cardholders are getting more free data for their next trip. TD is moving eligible accounts to Visa Infinite+, adding a complimentary 10GB GigSky data plan, valid for 15 consecutive days, once a year. That’s in addition to the annual 1GB plan already included. Having the card doesn’t automatically mean you’ve received the upgrade.
TD is joining a growing club. The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* and Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite +*, plus the Wealthsimple Visa Infinite+ already offers the 10GB benefit. If you have one of those cards, check what’s available before buying data for your next trip. We’ll keep you posted on any other cards that add it (we have our hunches as to who’s getting it next).
Eligible TD cardholders also get 365-day access to GigSky Travel Essentials. That means selected app functions can work across multiple trips, including getting directions, booking rides and sending messages. It doesn’t cover everything those apps do: WhatsApp messages are included, but sending photos or making video calls isn’t. General browsing and streaming also need a separate data plan.
Many frequent Air Canada travellers will be happy with this as it removes one thing to think about when taking a well-deserved vacation. To check your benefits, enter your card details in the GigSky app.
Nerdy takeaway: Biggest thing to watch out for is the limit: 15 consecutive days, and only once per year. So if you’re planning to take more than one trip or want to go to Southeast Asia for a whole month to “find yourself”, you’ll need to purchase a new, separate plan. It’s not all bad though, being a Visa Infinite cardholder entitles you to 30% off.
| Card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Apply Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card | APPLY NOW on TD's website | ||||
 APPLY NOW on TD's website | 5.0/5 | $139 First year rebate | 1x-1.5x Points | Up to 50,000 Points | |
| Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite +* Card | APPLY NOW on Scotiabank's website | ||||
 APPLY NOW on Scotiabank's website | 5.0/5 | $150 | 1x-3x Points | Up to 45,000 Points | |
| Wealthsimple Visa Infinite+* Credit Card | APPLY NOW on Wealthsimple's website | ||||
 APPLY NOW on Wealthsimple's website | 4.5/5 | $0 | 2%-5% | 5% Cash Back | |
New Hilton Honors Amex card released
Amex released the new Hilton Honors American Express Card on October 29, giving frequent travellers another option to earn hotel rewards and status. The card packs plenty of value for its $150 annual fee, but only if you frequently stay at hotels in the Hilton family.
The new card offers a welcome bonus of up to 70,000 bonus Hilton Honors points and a free night reward when you sign up by January 11, 2027 and meet minimum spending requirements, including spending in month 13 for the final 10,000 points. You can also earn an annual bonus of 50,000 points by spending a minimum of $12,000 per year.
It also offers 6 Hilton Honors points per dollar spent on Hilton portfolio stays, 4 points per dollar spent on gas, groceries and restaurants, and 2 points per dollar spent on everything else. NerdWallet values Hilton Honors points at a relatively low 0.6 cents each, so your estimated reward rate will range between 1.2% and 3.6% before the annual fee and spending bonuses. Your actual return depends on how you redeem your points.
If you’re interested in status, this card comes with complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status and an upgrade to Diamond status when you spend at least $40,000 on the card in a calendar year. The Gold membership comes with discounted rates, bonus points on hotel stays, daily food and beverage credits or continental breakfast (depending on the brand and region), and complimentary room upgrades (subject to availability) and milestone bonuses for those who stay more than 50 nights per year.
Of course, a travel credit card needs to offer travel insurance. The Hilton Honors American Express card comes with some of the travel insurance you need but not travel emergency medical coverage.
Nerdy takeaway: The included Hilton Honors Gold status is enough to make this card well worth its annual fee — you would otherwise have to stay 25 nights, 15 stays or spend $6,000 USD in a year to achieve it. It may or may not help you reach higher levels of status, however, as the card’s spending-based pathway to Diamond status is an all-or-nothing $40,000 minimum annual spend.
Rewards breakdown
Rewards breakdownPoints for every $1 in eligible Card purchases at participating Hilton brands, plus the Points you already earn as a Hilton Honors Member
Points for every $1 in eligible Card purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants in Canada.
Points for every $1 in all other Card purchases.
NerdWallet's take
NerdWallet's takeThe Hilton Honors American Express Card puts hotel perks within reach even if you only travel a few times a year. Complimentary Gold status can save you money on breakfast at eligible properties, while a 50,000-point annual spending bonus gives you another reason to use the card between trips.
Pros
- Complimentary Gold status includes breakfast or food and beverage credits at eligible properties, plus potential room upgrades.
- Earn 50,000 bonus points after $12,000 in purchases each calendar year.
- Bonus earn rates on groceries, gas and restaurants in Canada.
Cons
- Rewards are most useful for Hilton stays, limiting flexibility.
- $150 annual fee.
- No recurring anniversary free night.
Card details
Card details- Earn up to 70,000 Hilton Honors™ Points and a Free Night Reward
- New Hilton Honors American Express® Cardmembers, can earn 60,000 Points and a Free Night Reward after spending $3,000 on your Card in the first 3 months
- Plus, earn an additional 10,000 Points after you spend $500 on your Card in month 13
- Offer ends January 11, 2027
- Apply with confidence! See if you’ll be approved before you apply – with no impact to your credit score*
- * Instant decisions are only available for Consumer (also known as Personal) Card applications
- Earn 6 Points for every $1 in eligible Card purchases at participating Hilton brands, plus the Points you already earn as a Hilton Honors Member
- Earn 4 Points for every $1 in eligible Card purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants in Canada
- Earn 2 Points for every $1 in all other Card purchases
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status, then get upgraded to Diamond status after you charge $40,000 in net purchases to your Card each year
- Get to your next stay faster with an annual 50,000 Points bonus. Spend $12,000 in a calendar year to unlock the 50,000 Hilton Honors Points bonus
- No annual fee on Additional Cards
- American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment
Rogers bills go up again (are we even surprised?)
Get those pitchforks and torches ready. Rogers recently announced that starting January 17, 2027, paying your Rogers bill by credit card will incur a 1.6% credit card fee, whether it’s through auto-pay or one-time payment. Quebec customers won’t be subject to this because of their consumer protection laws. Rogers also exempts select specialized plans, including Connected for Success, and former Shaw Mobile customers on migrated plans.
To avoid paying it, you can pay by:
Direct debit
Online banking
Cheque
Rogers gift card
Debit card
Rogers isn’t the first to do this — Telus added a 1.5% fee for the same reason back in 2022. It ended up being scrapped less than a year later after customer complaints. Bell doesn’t currently charge any fees for credit card transactions, so it will be interesting to see how Rogers approaches this. If enough customers revolt, they could backtrack on it. Or they could hold their ground long enough and start a domino effect of fees for consumers.
Nerdy takeaway: Don’t switch to debit right away. A cash back credit card that only earns 1% can be swapped out. A card that earns more than 1.6% on recurring bills or overall, like the Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite+, may keep you ahead. Sadly, the margin will be a lot less than before.
Previous issues:
Points Pulse for October 19, 2026: Capital One’s new card, Visa’s fee drops for small businesses, and Porter’s big birthday giveaway
Points Pulse for September 8, 2026: Canadian Tire and Tim Hortons join forces
Points Pulse for August 24, 2026: Big changes to popular cash-back credit cards
Points Pulse for August 10, 2026: Mortgage rewards and hotel deals
Points Pulse for July 27, 2026: Aeroplan and Hyatt team up as WestJet strike risk grows
Points Pulse for July 13, 2026: Haventree enters everyday banking, Aeroplan rewards airport spending
Previous issues:
DIVE EVEN DEEPER
Athena Cocoves
