American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card vs The Platinum Card®
Which one is better? Both cards worked out on the same spending: rewards, welcome bonus, fees and perks, line by line.
Welcome bonus
Each offer as the issuer words it. The numbers below show whether your spending reaches it.
The offer
The offer
- 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.
- Earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points - that’s up to $1,000 towards a weekend away
- New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 70,000 Welcome Bonus points after you charge $10,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
- Plus, earn 30,000 points when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership
What each card is worth
Rewards, the welcome bonus and any Finly rebate in, the annual fee and FX fees out, all on your spending.
Worked out on a typical $2,000 a month of spending. Enter yours to see your own numbers.
$144
First-year value
-$126
-$6
Every year after
-$276
Amex Aeroplan Reserve is worth $270 more to you in year one.
It stays ahead after that, by $270 a year.
How the first year adds up
Annual rewards
$592.8
31,200 points a year
Welcome bonus
+ $0
not reached at this spending
Annual fee
− $599
Finly rebate
paid by FinlyWealth
First-year value
$143.8
Annual rewards
$523.26
27,540 points a year
Welcome bonus
+ $0
not reached at this spending
Annual fee
− $799
Finly rebate
paid by FinlyWealth
First-year value
-$125.74
Where each card earns
A year of your spending at each card's own reward rates, most first.
2xFood and drinks
8,400 pts
$159.6
3xAir Canada
720 pts
$13.68
1.25xAll other purchases
22,080 pts
$419.52
2xFood and drinks
8,400 pts
$159.6
2xTravel
2,400 pts
$45.6
1xAll other purchases
16,740 pts
$318.06
Fees, rates and eligibility
What each card costs to hold and to use abroad, and who it's for.
⁕ 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
Additional cards
Interest rates
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%.
Purchase:
21.99% - 30%2
Cash Advance:
N/A2
2 This Charge Card requires full payment of the Due in Full balance each month, with a 30% interest rate on late payments. The Flexible Payment Option balance has a 21.99% interest rate, which increases to 25.99% after two missed payments and 29.99% after three or more within 12 months. A 21-day interest-free grace period applies to new transactions if the full balance is paid by the due date.
Recommended credit score
Recommended credit score
Income required
Income required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
How each card earns
The earn rates and caps, as each issuer sets them.
- 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
- 2x points per $1 spent on eligible dining & food delivery purchases (restaurant, fast food, coffee shop, food delivery)
- 2x points per $1 spent on eligible travel purchases (flights, hotels, tours and more)
- 1x point per $1 spent for all other purchases
Points and how we value them
Points become dollars at each card's best redemption. Here's the value we used, and every other way to spend them.
Loyalty program
Loyalty program
We count each point at 1.9¢ a point, what it's worth redeemed for Flights, its best value. Every dollar figure above uses that value.
We count each point at 1.9¢ a point, what it's worth redeemed for Transfer to Airline Partners, its best value. Every dollar figure above uses that value.
Point redemption options
Point redemption options
Merchandise
0.75¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.72¢ / pointMost Optimal
Flights
1.9¢ / point
Car Rentals
0.9¢ / point
Travel
0.825¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.91¢ / pointMerchandise
0.63¢ / pointMost Optimal
Transfer to Airline Partners
1.9¢ / pointFixed Point Travel Program
1.16¢ / point
Transfer to Hotel Partners
1.08¢ / point.svg)
Flexible Points Travel Program
1¢ / point
Statement Credits (Cash)
1¢ / point
Amazon.ca
0.7¢ / point
Insurance and perks
What both cards include comes first in each list.
Insurance
Insurance
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000
Baggage Delay
$1,000/person after 6 hours.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
48 days
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$500,000
Extended Warranty
1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1,000
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
15 days
Trip Cancellation
$1,500/person, $3,000/trip
Trip Interruption
$1,500/person, $6,000/tripFlight Delay
$1,000/person after 4 hours
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000Baggage Delay
$1,000Car Rental Damage & Theft
YesCommon Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$500,000Extended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
120 daysHotel Burglary Insurance
$1000Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
15 daysTrip Cancellation
$2,500Trip Interruption
$2,500Flight Delay
$1,000
Perks
Perks
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Status lift
Complimentary upgrade to Avis® President's ClubStatus 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 travelsStatus 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.
Extra points
Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore
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)
Companion Voucher
Annual Worldwide Companion Pass from $99 to a max of $599 After spending $25,000 on your card.svg)
Free first checked bag
First checked bag is free for primary cardholder on Air Canada branded flight and up to 8 guests
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
Airport Lounge - Maple Leaf and AirCanada Cafes
Unlimited Access for you and one guestAirport 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
Status lift
Upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold StatusStatus lift
Upgrade to Marriott BonvoyTM Gold Elite statusExtra points
Earn 2 points on Amex Travel Online purchases and extra points on American Express offersNexus Program Rebate
$100 statement credit every 4 yearsPriority Travel
At Toronto Pearson Airport get Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet and 15% discount at the Express Park and daily park
Trip and legal Assistance
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Concierge Services
American Express® Experiences
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Travel Credit
$200
Dining Credit
$200 at Select RestaurantsAirport Lounge - American Express Global Lounge
Take full advantage of The American Express Global Lounge CollectionTM which unlocks access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience. Terms and Conditions applyComplimentary Hotel Benefits
Enjoy complimentary benefits that offer an average value of $550 USD at over 1,600 extraordinary properties worldwide when you book Fine Hotels + Resorts
Our take
Why we like it
Why we like 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.
If you're a frequent traveler, the Platinum card is an excellent choice. It's highly recommended for its extensive travel benefits, including unlimited lounge access for you and a guest at the American Express Lounge collection, making it the best card for lounge access in Canada. The card also offers unique perks not commonly found with other Canadian cards, such as status upgrades at Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton, dining and travel credits, concierge service, airport benefits, Nexus application reimbursement, and more. These benefits can more than offset the annual fee. However, if you don't travel often or are mainly looking for a card that maximizes rewards, this card may not be the best option for you.
Pros
Pros
- Generous rewards rate
- Free checked bags
- Preferred flight pricing
- Unlimited airport lounge access
- Extensive coverage
- Instant decision. No credit impact.
- Most premium perks
- Dining and travel credits
- Unlimited airport lounge access
- Multiple redemption options
- Comprehensive coverage
- Luxurious metal card
- Instant decision. No credit impact.
Cons
Cons
- Limited acceptance
- Limited loyalty rewards
- High annual fee
- Limited lounge brand access
- High annual fee
- Limited acceptance
- Benefit limitations
More comparisons
Other cards we've put each of these up against.
vs Amex Aeroplan®
vs Amex Cobalt
vs Amex Gold
vs Amex Green
vs Amex Marriott Bonvoy
vs Amex SimplyCash
vs Amex SimplyCash™ Preferred
vs CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite
vs MBNA Rewards World Elite
vs Rogers Red World Elite
vs Scotia Amex Gold
vs Scotia Momentum Visa
vs Scotiabank Passport
vs TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
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.
This Charge Card requires full payment of the Due in Full balance each month, with a 30% interest rate on late payments. The Flexible Payment Option balance has a 21.99% interest rate, which increases to 25.99% after two missed payments and 29.99% after three or more within 12 months. A 21-day interest-free grace period applies to new transactions if the full balance is paid by the due date.
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.
