American Express® Aeroplan®* 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®* Cardmembers can earn up to 45,000 Aeroplan points:
- Earn 35,000 Aeroplan points after spending $7,500 in purchases on your Card within the first 6 months.
- Plus, earn an additional 10,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in month 13
- You could earn up to $1,550 in value within your first 13 months. When you combine the Welcome Bonus offer of up to $900 in value, your earn potential in accelerated and everyday spend earn rate categories with approximately $515 in value, and the $140 in value you get from exceptional benefits, you can earn up to $1,550 or more in value within your first 13 months. 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.
$1,010
First-year value
-$126
$345
Every year after
-$276
Amex Aeroplan® is worth $1,136 more to you in year one.
It stays ahead after that, by $621 a year.
How the first year adds up
Annual rewards
$465.12
24,480 points a year
Welcome bonus
+ $665
first year only
Annual fee
− $120
First-year value
$1,010.12
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.
1.5xFood and drinks
6,300 pts
$119.7
2xAir Canada
480 pts
$9.12
1xAll other purchases
17,700 pts
$336.3
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®* Card annual fee will increase to $150. Annual fees charged on or after this date will reflect the new fee. The Additional Aeroplan®* Card annual fee will increase to $59. The Additional Aeroplan®* No Fee Card will be renamed to the Additional Aeroplan®* Companion Card and the annual fee will increase to $25. Learn more about new benefits.
Annual fee
Additional cards
Interest rates
Interest rates
Purchase:
30% Annual1
Cash Advance:
30% Annual1
1 As a Charge Card, the balance must always be paid in full each month. 30% annual interest rate applies to balances not paid in full. Payments must be received and processed by the date of the next monthly statement to avoid interest charges.
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.
- Earn 2X the points on eligible purchases made directly with Air Canada®* and Air Canada vacations®*
- Earn 1.5X the points on eligible Dining and Food Delivery purchases in Canada
- Earn 1X the points on everything else
- 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
Baggage Delay
$500 (Aggregated with Flight Delay).svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
$85K, up to 48 days
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$500,000
Extended Warranty
1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days, $1,000 per occurrence
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$500Flight Delay
$500 (Aggregated with Baggage Delay)
Baggage Delay
$1,000Car Rental Damage & Theft
YesCommon Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$500,000Extended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
120 daysHotel Burglary Insurance
$1000Flight Delay
$1,000
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
15 days
Trip Cancellation
$2,500
Trip Interruption
$2,500
Perks
Perks
.svg)
Status lift
Get 1,000 Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) for every $20,000 in eligible net purchases charged to your Card, up to 25,000 SQC
Extra points
Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands.svg)
Free first checked bag
Enjoy your first checked bag free (up to 23kg/50lb) for up to 9 people travelling on the same reservation on Air Canada®* flights
Free Extra Night at Hotels
Receive an extra night free for every 3 hotel nights redeemed with Aeroplan points
Amex Experiences™
From music and movies, to specially curated dining and online shopping opportunities, stay connected with all that we have to offer from the comfort of your own home
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 offers
Trip and legal Assistance
.svg)
Concierge Services
American Express® Experiences
.svg)
Travel Credit
$200
Dining Credit
$200 at Select Restaurants
Nexus Program Rebate
$100 statement credit every 4 years
Airport 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
Priority Travel
At Toronto Pearson Airport get Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet and 15% discount at the Express Park and daily park
Our take
Why we like it
Why we like it
This card comes with the free checked bag benefit, which can save hundreds on a single trip for you and your family, more than making up for the annual fee of the card. In addition, the card helps you reach the next Aeroplan Status faster with spending on the card. However, if you don't have a specific use for these two benefits, there are many better cards in terms of benefits and rewards.
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
- Expedited status upgrades
- Free first checked bags
- Free extra hotel night
- 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 rewards
- Weaker insurance coverage
- High annual fee
- Limited acceptance
- Benefit limitations
More comparisons
Other cards we've put each of these up against.
vs Amazon Rewards Mastercard
vs Amex Aeroplan Reserve
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 Tangerine Money-Back
vs TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
Legal
*Terms and conditions apply.
As a Charge Card, the balance must always be paid in full each month. 30% annual interest rate applies to balances not paid in full. Payments must be received and processed by the date of the next monthly statement to avoid interest charges.
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.
