Side by Side Credit Cards Comparison

American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve CardVSMarriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

Which one is better?


American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card

American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
693
Fair
743⁎
Good
790⁎
Very Good
833⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

Amex marriott bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
693
Fair
743⁎
Good
790⁎
Very Good
833⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

Welcome Bonus

  • New American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Cardmembers can earn up to 85,000 Aeroplan points
  • Earn 60,000 Aeroplan points after spending $7,500 in purchases on your Card within the first 3 months
  • Plus, earn an additional 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $2,500 in purchases in month 13
  • You could earn up to $4,400 in value within your first 13 months* — combining the Welcome Bonus (up to $1,700), accelerated and everyday spend earn rates (~$1,760), and $1,000 in benefits value. Terms and usage assumptions apply.

Welcome Bonus

  • Earn up to 70,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points 
  • New Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Cardmembers can earn up to 60,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy® Points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
  • Plus, earn 10,000 points after you spend $500 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership

Our Cash Offer

$150 Cash Rebate offer from FinlyWealth

View Offer

Our Cash Offer

N/A

Rewards Breakdown

Rewards breakdown is not available for this card.

Rewards Breakdown

Rewards breakdown is not available for this card.

How to Earn Rewards

  • 3x Aeroplan® points per $1 spent on eligible Air Canada® and Air Canada Vacations® purchases
  • 2x Aeroplan® points per $1 spent on eligible dining & food delivery purchases
  • 1.25x Aeroplan® points per $1 spent on all other purchases

How to Earn Rewards

  • 5 points per $1 on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
  • 2 points per $1 on all other purchases (i.e. dining, groceries, online shopping, etc.)

Insurance Included

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $1,000
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $1,000/person after 6 hours
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    48 days
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $500,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $1,000
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $1,000/person after 4 hours

  • travel accident medical

    Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)

    15 days
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1,500/person, $3,000/trip
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $1,500/person, $6,000/trip

Insurance Included

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    yes
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $500,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500

Extra Benefits

  • star fall

    Status lift

    Complimentary upgrade to Avis® President's Club
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Get a 10% Head Start. Starting in 2027, eligible Basic Cardmembers with Aeroplan EliteTM* 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
  • star fall

    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.
  • bed furniture

    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

  • airplane love

    Companion Voucher

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

    Free first checked bag

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

    Extra points

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

    Nexus Program Rebate

    $100 every 4 years
  • airport waiting room

    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.
  • airport waiting room

    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)
  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - Maple Leaf and AirCanada Cafes

    Unlimited Access for you and one guest
  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - Priority Pass

    Pass only. No Complimentary visits!
  • Amex logo

    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

Extra Benefits

  • star fall

    Status lift

    Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Upgrade to Gold Elite status when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your card
  • bed furniture

    Free Extra Night at Hotels

    Enjoy an Annual Free Night Award after your Card anniversary each year
  • bed furniture

    Free Extra Night at Hotels

    Enjoy 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year to use towards attaining the next level of Elite status with your Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

  • Amex logo

    American Express® Experiences

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%.

Interest Rates

Purchase:

21.99%2

Cash Advance:

21.99%2

2 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%.

Annual Fee

$599⁕

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

Annual Fee

$120

Income Required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

Income Required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

Loyalty Program

Loyalty Program

Point Redemption Options

  • travel - plane

    Travel

    0.825¢ / point

  • flight plane

    Flights

    1.9¢ / point
  • car rental

    Car Rentals

    0.9¢ / point
  • online shop

    Merchandise

    0.75¢ / point
  • gift card

    Gift Cards

    0.72¢ / point

Point Redemption Options

  • travel - plane

    Travel

    0.44¢ / point

  • Most Optimal

    hotel

    Transfer to Hotel Partners

    0.86¢ / point
  • plane

    Transfer to Airline Partners

    0.81¢ / point
  • charity-donation

    Charity

    0.4¢ / point

Is this card worth it?

If you are a frequent Air Canada traveler, having an Aeroplan card for perks like free checked bags and priority service can be very beneficial. Many financial institutions offer Aeroplan cards, but we don't believe the American Express version is the best one. Opting for another option might be better. However, the Amex card does have a very large sign-up bonus, making it a great choice for those specifically seeking that.

Is this card worth it?

The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is a standout for frequent travelers who value luxury and flexibility in their rewards. With access to over 7,000 participating hotels, cardholders can earn generous points on both Marriott Bonvoy bookings and everyday purchases. The card's annual free night award and complimentary Silver Elite status make it even more appealing, offering service upgrades and extra points on eligible stays. For those who frequently stay at Marriott properties and want to maximize their travel perks, this card is a top choice.

Pros

  • Generous rewards rate
  • Free checked bags
  • Preferred flight pricing
  • Unlimited airport lounge access
  • Extensive coverage
  • Instant decision. No credit impact.

Pros

  • High hotel optimization
  • Annual free night certificate
  • Automatic Silver Elite status
  • Generous welcome bonus
  • Instant decision. No credit impact.

Cons

  • Limited acceptance
  • Limited loyalty rewards
  • High annual fee
  • Limited lounge brand access

Cons

  • Low acceptance
  • Relatively weaker insurance

Legal


*Subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply.


The preferred rate for purchases is 21.99% and funds advances is 21.99%. 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%. See the Information box included with the application for the definition of Missed Payment and which rates apply to changes on your account and other details.


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.

*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.