TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege loses a key benefit - HHonors Diamond status removed

Back on January 2nd we posted the details of the new TD Aeroplan cards that have been front and center in the news since last summer. The high end premium version called the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege was noted as being a great card with some drawbacks such as a high annual fee and a high income requirement. One of the key benefits we noted (that was somewhat hidden on TD's website) was a benefit extended from being an "Infinite Privilege" card and that was instant Diamond Elite status with Hilton HHonors. In fact we know of quite a few people who simply applied for the card for this benefit alone and unfortunately it has been pulled from the Infinite Privilege branding! Ultimately this is not TD's doing but Visa in general as all Infinite Privilege cards would be entitled to the benefits even though TD's is the first and only one of its kind in Canada.

We here at Rewards Canada heard inklings of this news last week but even up until Monday of this week the Visa Infinite Privilege website still listed the HHonors Diamond Status as a benefit. However an email from one of our loyal followers this morning confirmed the removal of the Diamond status benefit with a letter from Visa:

Since our reader got the card primarily for this benefit he called up TD and this is what transpired:

"I then called TD and had a spirited debate with a TD bank telephone agent who escalated the call to her manager who had to be brought up to date by me that Hilton has indeed pulled out of the VISA PRIVILEGES portion offered on this Premium $399 card. Feeling misled and basically considering this change a breach of contract, I threatened to close my TD Visa Infinite Privilege card basically on the same day I activated it. Escalating to Hilton Diamond status is what I consider possibly the best feature of this card, but now with it being dropped, they offered to refund my card fee. .... They did concede that negotiations are supposedly underway to add another global hotel chain to the VISA INFINITE PRIVILEGES offered on this product."  (Bolding is Rewards Canada's)

This is the first we have heard of someone having the fee waived on the TD Visa Infinite Privilege!

Granted its not a waiver on signing up for the card as some people have been trying to get but have been unsuccessful. If you applied for this card with the Hilton Diamond status as one of your decision factors you should definitely be calling TD and asking for the same treatment! We know benefits of cards come and go but in many cases cardholders are given ample notice (ie. 30 days) but in this case it has been less than two weeks and the benefit was pulled without any notice at all!

We can also let you know that the Visa Infinite page has now been updated as it no longer lists the Diamond status.