Aeroplan® Credit Card vs Discover it® Student Cash Back
Side-by-side comparison
| Aeroplan® Credit Card | Discover it® Student Cash Back | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 75,000 points | Cashback Match in year 1 |
| Dining | 3x | 1x |
| Groceries | 3x | 1x |
| Gas | 1x | 1x |
| Travel | 3x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $508 | $292 |
| Points type | Locked to Air Canada Aeroplan | Cash back only |
| Network | Mastercard | Discover |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Aeroplan® Credit Card earns about $508 a year in rewards and the Discover it® Student Cash Back about $292, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Aeroplan® Credit Card charges $95, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The Discover it® Student Cash Back has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Aeroplan® Credit Card delivers more total value, about $121 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and dining. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Aeroplan® Credit Card currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Aeroplan® Credit Card if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, travel.