Just because you’re a student doesn’t mean you need to settle for a credit card that doesn't give you rewards and benefits.

In fact, student cards are a great way to learn responsible credit habits, and the CIBC Aventura Student Visa is no exception – you’ll get rewards, concierge service, some complimentary insurance coverage, and a nice welcome bonus. It's a rare student credit card that offers all of these benefits.

Earning CIBC Aventura Rewards

A part of the CIBC Aventura program, you'll earn flexible rewards you can use for everything.

Here's what you'll earn on all of your purchases:

• 1 point per $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre
• 1 point per $1 spent on eligible gas, groceries, EV charging, and drugstores, up to $6,000 spent annually
• 1 point per $2 spent on all other purchases

That works out to 4,125 Aventura points per year, based on spending $500 per month.

Redeeming CIBC Aventura points

These rewards never expire and can be used to fly on any airline at any time. Plus, these rewards can be used for more than just travel. Gift cards, merchandise, financial products, and even statement credits – Aventura points are very flexible.

But to get the best value for your points, you'll need to redeem them for flights, using the Aventura flight chart. With smart redemptions, you can get a point value of up to 2.29 cents each. With this card, that means a return of up to 2.29% on your spending.

Here's what the full chart looks like.

But, if you don't use the flight chart, or don’t get great value from it, your rewards value takes a severe drop, resulting in your points being worth 1 cent or less. It's a drastically smaller return for your spending – between 0.5% to 1%.

Here's the summary of all your redemption options.

You can view the full details on the CIBC Rewards program here to help get the most of your hard earned points.

3 benefits to the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students

There are a few more things to like on top of the rewards. Here are 3 other things the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students brings to the table.

1. Free SPC membership

SPC memberships are valuable to students, with plenty of discounts all over the place to help save money.

However, an SPC card costs money, currently $11.99 per year. But when you have a CIBC student credit card, you get a membership included for free.

2. Good welcome bonus

The welcome bonus included will give you a head start on your CIBC Rewards balance.

You'll earn 10,000 points when completing certain actions and making 1 purchase within the first 4 months. Those points are worth up to $229.

3. No annual fee

No student really needs a credit card with an annual fee. Thankfully, there isn't one here. You can earn premium rewards and get a couple of perks with paying anything to keep this card.

2 downsides to the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students

There are 2 things you'll want to consider with the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students, and they have to do with rewards.

1. Poor rewards outside the flight chart

The flight chart included with the Aventura rewards program offers high value. But it's not guaranteed – you can get far less than 2.29 cents per point. And if you don't use it, you're looking at a return of between 0.5% to 1% on all your purchases.

2. May take a while to redeem points for top value

Depending on your monthly spending, it may take a while for you to earn enough points to even use the Aventura Flight Rewards Chart.

For just a short haul flight, you could need upwards of 20,000 points. If you're spending $500 per month on your card, we estimate you'd earn around 4,125 points. It could take years before you're able to even use them for max value.

Comparison to the CIBC Dividend Visa Card for Students

If travel rewards aren't your thing, CIBC offers a cash back credit card for students in the CIBC Dividend Visa Card for Students.

Here's how they stack up.

The only difference in these cards are the rewards. One offers travel rewards and the other cash back.

With the CIBC Dividend Visa Card for Students, you'll be earning cash back instead of travel rewards. You'll get a guaranteed return on all your purchases. And they're also much easier to redeem. You can cash out once you've earned $25 in cash back.

But your potential rewards would be less, as you can extract some incredible value from the Aventura Rewards program.

So which is better is up to you. You can get more rewards designed for travel, or get a card with easier-to-use rewards with guaranteed value.

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For those of you who have (or had) the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students in the past, what do you think of the card?

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FAQ

What does the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students earn for rewards?

The CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students is a CIBC Rewards credit card that earns the following on purchases:

• 1 point per $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre
• 1 point per $1 spent on eligible gas, groceries, EV charging, and drugstores, up to $6,000 spent annually
• 1 point per $2 spent on all other purchases

What benefits does the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students come with?

The CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students offers 1 big benefit. It comes with a free SPC membership every year you have the card. That can save you an $11.99 membership fee.

What is the annual fee of the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students?

The CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students has no annual fee and has easier approval requirements as a student credit card.