American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card

RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

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Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve vs RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

Both business cards worked out on the same spending: rewards, welcome bonus, fees and perks, line by line.

American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card

4.7

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Our review Rewards calculator

RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

2.9

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Our review Rewards calculator

Worked out on a typical small business spending $4,000 a month. Enter yours to see your own numbers.

$1,674

First-year value

$422

$439

Every year after

$302

Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve is worth $1,252 more to your business in year one.

It stays ahead after that, by $137 a year.

How the first year adds up

Rewards and the welcome bonus in, the annual fee, FX fees and employee cards out, at your spending.

$1,217.75

in Aeroplan points a year

Annual rewards

$481.8

cash back a year

+ $1,235

first year only

Welcome bonus

+ $120.45

first year only

− $599

Annual fee

− $0

no annual fee

− $180

2.5% on $600/mo

FX fees

− $180

2.5% on $600/mo

$1,673.75

First-year value

$422.25

Where each card earns

A year of your spending on each card, category by category, biggest spend first.

Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve earns more on 17 of your 17 categories.

$299.14

at 1.25x

All Other Business Expenses

$12,600 a year

$126

at 1%

$146.15

at 1.25x

US Dollar Purchases

$6,150 a year

$61.5

at 1%

$114

at 1.25x

Recurring Bills & Subscriptions

$4,800 a year

$48

at 1%

$85.5

at 1.25x

Gas & EV Charging

$3,600 a year

$36

at 1%

$85.5

at 1.25x

Dining & Restaurants

$3,600 a year

$36

at 1%

$71.14

at 1.25x

Office Supplies

$3,000 a year

$30

at 1%

$57

at 1.25x

Phone, Internet & Cable

$2,400 a year

$24

at 1%

$68.4

at 2x

Hotels

$1,800 a year

$18

at 1%

$42.64

at 1.25x

Shipping & Courier

$1,800 a year

$18

at 1%

$42.64

at 1.25x

Accounting & Bookkeeping

$1,800 a year

$18

at 1%

$29.18

at 1.25x

Other Foreign Currencies (EUR, GBP, etc.)

$1,230 a year

$12.3

at 1%

$28.5

at 1.25x

Electronics & Software

$1,200 a year

$12

at 1%

$68.4

at 3x

Air Canada

$1,200 a year

$12

at 1%

$28.5

at 1.25x

Transportation

$1,200 a year

$12

at 1%

$14.14

at 1.25x

Other Airlines

$600 a year

at 1%

$22.8

at 2x

Car Rental

$600 a year

at 1%

$14.14

at 1.25x

Other Travel

$600 a year

at 1%

$1,217.75

Rewards in a year

$481.8

Welcome bonus

Each offer as the issuer words it, then which milestones your spending reaches.

Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

Earn up to 90,000 Welcome Bonus Aeroplan^®* points
Earn 65,000 Aeroplan^®* points after spending $10,500 on your Card within the first 3 months as a new American Express^® Aeroplan^®* Business Reserve Cardmember.
Plus, earn 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $3,500 in month 13.
You can earn up to $5,600 in value within your first 13 months. When you combine the Welcome Bonus offer of up to $1,800 in value, your earn potential in accelerated and everyday spend earn rate categories with approximately $2,825 in value, and the $1,000 in value you get from exceptional benefits, you can earn up to $5,600 or more in value within your first 13 months. Terms and usage assumptions apply.

RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

Earn 2% cash back on purchases^* made on your card in the first three months.

Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

Worth $1,235 at your spending

65,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $10,500 in the first 3 months

65,000 pts

25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $3,500 in month 13 (card year 2)

25,000 pts

RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

Worth $120.45 at your spending

Intro rate for the first 3 months

$120.45

Fees, rates and eligibility

What each card costs to hold and to use abroad, and who it's for.

$599

⁕ Notice: As of Jan 12, 2027, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card annual fee will increase to $799. Annual fees charged on or after this date will reflect the new fee. The Employee Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card annual fee will increase to $249. The Employee Aeroplan®* Business Reserve No Fee Card will be renamed to the Employee Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Expense Card and the annual fee will increase to $25. Learn more about new benefits.

Annual fee

Employee cards

$0, max. of 1 additional card

2.5%

Foreign transaction fee

2.5%

Aeroplan

Rewards

Cash back

American Express

Network

Mastercard

Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

Interest rates

Purchase:

21.99%¹

Cash Advance:

21.99%¹

¹ If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.

Recommended credit score

300

Poor

693

Fair

743⁎

Good

790⁎

Very Good

833⁎

Excellent

⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

Interest rates

Purchase:

19.99%

Cash Advance:

22.99%

Balance Transfer:

22.99%

Recommended credit score

300

Poor

560

Fair

660⁎

Good

725⁎

Very Good

760⁎

Excellent

⁎Estimates based on Equifax scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

How each card earns

The earn rates and caps, as each issuer sets them.

Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

3x Aeroplan^® points per $1 spent on eligible Air Canada^® and Air Canada Vacations^® purchases
2x Aeroplan^® points per $1 spent on eligible hotel and car rental purchases in Canada
1.25x Aeroplan^® points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases

RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

Earn 2% cash back on purchases^* made on your card in the first three months.
Earn 1% cash back on purchases^* made on your card after three months.
Once your cash back balance reaches $25 or more, you can have the full amount credited to your account at any time. Otherwise the cash back rewards will automatically be credited to your account every January.
Get $0 delivery fees for 3 months from DoorDash⁶

Insurance and perks

What both cards include comes first in each list.

Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

Insurance

Extended Warranty

1 years

Purchase Protection

90 days

Lost or Stolen Baggage

$1,000

Baggage Delay

$1,000/person after 6 hours

Car Rental Damage & Theft

$85K MSRP up to 48 consecutive rental days

Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

$500,000

Hotel Burglary Insurance

$1000

Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)

$5M/insured up to 15 days

Trip Cancellation

$1,500/person, $3K/trip

Trip Interruption

$1,500/person, $6K/trip

Flight Delay

$1,000/person after 4 hours

Perks

Companion Voucher

Annual Worldwide Companion Pass from $99 to a max of $599 After spending $25,000 on your card

Status lift

Complimentary upgrade to Avis® President's Club

Status lift

Get 1,000 Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) for every $5,000 in eligible net purchases charged to your Card, up to 25,000 SQC

Status lift

Get a 10% Head Start. Starting in 2027, eligible Basic Cardmembers with Aeroplan Elite™* Status will receive a 10% head start toward qualification, based on Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) accumulated the year before. Roll over any unallocated unused eUpgrade Credits to the following year to enjoy during your travels.

Status lift

Primary Cardholders who also hold Aeroplan Elite Status will benefit from an extra 12 months to use eUpgrade credits, for a total of 24 months from issuance.

Free first checked bag

First checked bag is free for primary cardholder on Air Canada branded flight and up to 8 guests

Extra points

Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore

Free Extra Night at Hotels

Cardmembers can now get an extra night free for every 3 hotel nights redeemed with Aeroplan points. Enjoy even more at over 300,000 hotel properties worldwide

Nexus Program Rebate

$100 every 4 years

Priority Travel

At Toronto Pearson airport get benefits such as Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet, premium parking spots, priorioty taxi and limo lane and discount for parking and car care.

Priority Travel

Get Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding and Priority Baggage Handling, Priority Airport Standby & Priority Airport Upgrades for you, your authorized users and up to 8 companions on the same flight (Only AirCanada)

Airport Lounge - Maple Leaf and AirCanada Cafes

Unlimited Access for you and one guest

Airport Lounge - Priority Pass

Pass only. No Complimentary visits!

Amex Experiences™

Amex Experiences™ opens doors for you to access a number of special events, including special dining experiences, VIP parties, advance film screenings and more

RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

Insurance

Extended Warranty

Up to a year

Purchase Protection

90 days

Perks

No extra perks.

Our take

Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

The most aggressive Aeroplan earning card you can get for a business: 3x on Air Canada, 2x on hotels and car rentals, and 1.25x on everything else. The $599 annual fee is steep, but the perks are hard to match — unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access, Priority Pass membership, free checked bags, and an Annual Worldwide Companion Pass that alone can be worth hundreds. If your business spends heavily on Air Canada flights and travel, this card can return serious value. But be honest about your travel volume — at this fee, light travelers will lose money. This is a card you need to actively use to justify.

Premium earning rates
Comprehensive coverage
Unlimited airport lounge access
Priority Pass membership
Annual companion pass
Free first checked bags
NEXUS program rebate
Priority travel perks

High annual fee
Benefit limitations and conditions
Less valuable for non-travellers

RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

Flat 1% cash back on everything, no annual fee, no categories to optimize. It’s about as simple as a business rewards card gets. You won’t maximize value here — 1% is below what category-specific cards offer — but you also won’t pay a cent in fees or waste time tracking bonus spending. The 2% promotional rate for the first three months adds a small upfront sweetener. This card works best for sole proprietors or small businesses that just want to earn something on every purchase without any complexity. If your spending is high enough to justify a fee card, look elsewhere.

No annual fee
Simple cashback program
Interest-free grace period
DashPass subscription
Contactless payments
Credit card lock feature
Zero liability protection

No bonus cashback categories
limited additional cards
No travel perks
Foreign transaction fees
Annual cashback caps
No airport lounge access
Basic insurance coverage

More business card comparisons

Each card against every other business card we review.

Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

Legal

Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

*Terms and conditions apply.

If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. 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.

RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

^*Annual cash back cap : $650

⁶To receive a complimentary DashPass subscription for $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more at eligible restaurants when you pay with your Eligible RBC Credit Card, you must subscribe to DashPass by adding an Eligible RBC Credit Card, accept the DoorDash terms and conditions, and activate your benefit by clicking “Activate Free DashPass” before September 30, 2025 (“Offer Period”). If you are an existing DashPass subscriber and have already added an Eligible RBC Credit Card to your account you must activate your benefit by clicking “Activate Free DashPass” during the Offer Period. If you have been charged for DashPass you will receive a refund to the method of original payment, in the amount of the monthly subscription fee for the month you activate your complimentary subscription. For all clients, by clicking on “Activate Free DashPass” you agree to the DoorDash terms and conditions which can be found at https://help.doordash.com/consumers/s/terms-and-conditions .

Eligible RBC Credit cardholders include primary cardholders, co-applicants, authorized users, primary business cardholders and secondary business cardholders on an Eligible RBC Credit Card account.

The DashPass monthly subscription fee will be waived (“Complimentary DashPass Subscription”) and you will receive either a 3 month or 12 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription based on the Eligible RBC Credit Card you use to subscribe to DashPass.

DashPass subscriptions purchased through third parties, including third-party payment accounts, or online or mobile digital wallets (like Apply Pay and Google Pay) are not eligible for the Complimentary DashPass Subscription.

Eligible RBC Credit Cards: Your Eligible RBC Credit Card may only be used with one DoorDash account to receive a Complimentary DashPass Subscription. Once you have received a Complimentary DashPass Subscription you cannot use the same eligible RBC Credit Card to obtain a Complimentary DashPass Subscription with another DoorDash account.

You are only eligible for one 12 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription and one 3 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription during the Offer Period. The Complimentary DashPass Subscription commences on the date you subscribe to receive the Complimentary DashPass Subscription. For example, if you subscribe to a 12 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription in on the last day of your second month of a 3 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription you will receive a total of 14 months of Complimentary DashPass Subscription. In order to validate your credit card as an Eligible RBC Credit Card, Royal Bank may need to administer a $0.50 charge to validate your card enrollment. This charge will be reversed in 3 to 5 days once your account has been validated.

12 Month Complimentary DashPass Subscription is available for the following Eligible RBC Credit Cards:

As an RBC Avion Visa Platinum, RBC Avion Visa Infinite , RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege for Private Banking, WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard, RBC Rewards Visa Preferred, RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard, RBC Cathay Pacific Visa Platinum, RBC British Airways Visa Infinite, RBC Avion Visa Business, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business cardholder.

You are eligible for a Complimentary DashPass Subscription for 12 months from the date you subscribe to receive the Complimentary DashPass Subscription. You will be auto-enrolled into full-price membership at the then-current rate after the end of the 12 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription. Your RBC credit card account must be open and not in default to maintain the benefits of DashPass.

3 Month Complimentary DashPass Subscription is available for the following Eligible RBC Credit Cards:

As an RBC Rewards+ Visa, Signature RBC Rewards Visa, RBC Visa Platinum, RBC Visa Cash Back, RBC Cash Back Mastercard, RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option, RBC Visa Classic, RBC Student Visa Classic, RBC Visa Classic II Student, RBC Visa Gold, RBC U.S. Dollar Visa Gold, RBC Rewards Visa Gold, RBC RateAdvantage Visa, WestJet RBC Mastercard, RBC Visa Business, RBC Visa Business Gold, RBC Visa CreditLine for Small Business, or RBC Business Cash Back Mastercard.

You are eligible for a Complimentary DashPass Subscription for 3 months from the date you subscribed to the Complimentary DashPass Subscription. You will be auto-enrolled into full-price membership at the then-current rate after the end of the 3 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription. Your RBC credit card account must be open and not in default to maintain the benefits of DashPass.

DoorDash not Royal Bank of Canada, is responsible for (i) services and products provided through DoorDash; (ii) DashPass, including the DashPass Benefits, the administration of DashPass and (iii) the DoorDash terms and conditions. The Complimentary DashPass Subscription offer may be amended or withdrawn at any time. To learn more about DashPass, visit www.doordash.com/dashpass (opens to external site). For full DashPass for RBC Program Terms and Conditions, visit rbcroyalbank.com/credit-cards/documentation/pdf/full-doordash-tcs-en.pdf.