American Express® Aeroplan®* Card vs SimplyCash® Card from American Express
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.
In your first 3 months as a new SimplyCash® Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a bonus 5% cash back on all purchases (up to $2,000 in purchases). That’s on top of your everyday cash back earn rates. That’s up to $100 in bonus cash back.
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
$409
$345
Every year after
$309
Amex Aeroplan® is worth $601 more to you in year one.
It stays ahead after that, by $36 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
$309.2
cash back a year
Welcome bonus
+ $100
first year only
Annual fee
− $0
no annual fee
First-year value
$409.2
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
2%Groceries
$46.44
2%Gas
$39.74
1.25%All other purchases
$223.01
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%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%.
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
- 2% cash back on eligible gas and grocery purchases in Canada (up to $300 cash back annually)
- 1.25% cash back on all other eligible 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.
Cash back: every dollar it earns counts as a dollar, so there's nothing to convert.
Point redemption options
Point redemption options
Most Optimal
Flights
1.9¢ / point
Car Rentals
0.9¢ / point
Travel
0.825¢ / point
Merchandise
0.75¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.72¢ / point
Nothing to redeem: it pays cash back.
Insurance and perks
What both cards include comes first in each list.
Insurance
Insurance
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$500,000
Extended Warranty
1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days, $1,000 per occurrence
Baggage Delay
$500 (Aggregated with Flight Delay).svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
$85K, up to 48 days
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$500Flight Delay
$500 (Aggregated with Baggage Delay)
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Up to $100,000Extended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
90 days or theft up to $1,000 per occurrence
Perks
Perks
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.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.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
Extra points
Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands
Free Extra Night at Hotels
Receive an extra night free for every 3 hotel nights redeemed with Aeroplan points
Amex Experiences™
Access events and special offers curated for Cardmembers with Amex Experiences™
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.
The SimplyCash® Card from American Express stands out for its no annual fee and strong cash-back earning potential, offering up to $100 in statement credits within the first 10 months. What makes it even more appealing are the unique perks, such as early access to concert tickets and extra layers of security for online shopping. These extra benefits, along with the affordability, make it a strong contender for those looking for a reliable cash-back card with no annual fee. It's an excellent choice for everyday spending while still enjoying exclusive Amex advantages.
Pros
Pros
- Expedited status upgrades
- Free first checked bags
- Free extra hotel night
- Instant decision. No credit impact.
- No annual fee
- Attractive cashback rates
- Exclusive Amex perks
- Instant decision. No credit impact.
Cons
Cons
- Limited rewards
- Weaker insurance coverage
- Annual cashback cap
- Limited insurance
- Lower acceptance
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 Platinum
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
vs Amazon Rewards Mastercard
vs Amex Aeroplan Reserve
vs Amex Cobalt
vs Amex Gold
vs Amex Green
vs Amex Marriott Bonvoy
vs Amex Platinum
vs Amex SimplyCash™ Preferred
vs BMO CashBack World Elite
vs CIBC Costco Mastercard
vs MBNA Rewards World Elite
vs Rogers Red
vs Rogers Red World Elite
vs Scotia Amex Gold
vs Scotia Momentum Visa
vs Scotiabank Passport
vs Simplii Financial Visa Card
vs Tangerine Money-Back
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.
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.
