American Express Cobalt® Card vs American Express® Aeroplan®* 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
Earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in purchases on your amex cobalt credit card in the first Year. That's up to 15,000 Membership Rewards® points.
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.
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.
$1,147
First-year value
$1,010
$787
Every year after
$345
Amex Cobalt is worth $137 more to you in year one.
It stays ahead after that, by $442 a year.
How the first year adds up
Annual rewards
$979.03
51,528 points a year
Welcome bonus
+ $285
first year only
Annual fee
− $191.88
Finly rebate
paid by FinlyWealth
First-year value
$1,147.15
Annual rewards
$465.12
24,480 points a year
Welcome bonus
+ $665
first year only
Annual fee
− $120
First-year value
$1,010.12
Where each card earns
A year of your spending at each card's own reward rates, most first.
5xFood, drinks and groceries in Canada
32,604 pts
$619.48
2xGas, transit & ride share in Canada
4,692 pts
$89.15
3xStreaming subscriptions in Canada
1,440 pts
$27.36
1xAll other purchases
12,792 pts
$243.05
1.5xFood and drinks
6,300 pts
$119.7
2xAir Canada
480 pts
$9.12
1xAll other purchases
17,700 pts
$336.3
Fees, rates and eligibility
What each card costs to hold and to use abroad, and who it's for.
Annual fee
⁕ 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.
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:
30% Annual2
Cash Advance:
30% Annual2
2 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.
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.
- 5x points per $1 spent on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery (up to 12,500 points per month)
- 3x points per $1 spent on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada
- 2x points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transit & ride share in Canada
- 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 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
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 Transfer to Airline Partners, 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 Flights, its best value. Every dollar figure above uses that value.
Point redemption options
Point redemption options
Gift Cards
0.91¢ / point
Merchandise
0.63¢ / pointMost Optimal
Transfer to Airline Partners
1.9¢ / point
Fixed 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
Merchandise
0.75¢ / pointGift Cards
0.72¢ / pointMost Optimal
Flights
1.9¢ / point
Car Rentals
0.9¢ / pointTravel
0.825¢ / point
Insurance and perks
What both cards include comes first in each list.
Insurance
Insurance
Baggage Delay
$500.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
yes
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$250,000
Extended Warranty
1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$500Flight Delay
$500
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500
Mobile Device Insurance
$1,000
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
15 days, up to $5M (if under age 65)
Baggage Delay
$500 (Aggregated with Flight Delay)Car Rental Damage & Theft
$85K, up to 48 daysCommon Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$500,000Extended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
90 days, $1,000 per occurrenceHotel Burglary Insurance
$500Flight Delay
$500 (Aggregated with Baggage Delay)
Perks
Perks
Amex Experiences™
Access Front Of The Line® Amex Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts and theatre performances and special offers and events curated for Cardmembers with Amex Experiences™
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
Our take
Why we like it
Why we like it
This card was voted one of the Best Credit Card in Canada by FinlyWealth. The rewards earned on this card for a person with average spending exceed those of other credit cards in Canada by a huge margin! In addition, this card has a good benefits coverage, a flexible amex cobalt bonus points redemption program (1:1 transfer to Aeroplan® or Avios), making it the best candidate to become the main credit card for the majority of people.
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.
Pros
Pros
- Impressive optimization
- 1:1 Aeroplan point transfer
- Generous welcome bonus
- Flexible high value redemptions
- Comprehensive coverage
- Highly ranked
- Instant decision. No credit impact.
- Expedited status upgrades
- Free first checked bags
- Free extra hotel night
- Instant decision. No credit impact.
Cons
Cons
- Limited acceptance
- Lacks valuable coverage categories
- Limited rewards
- Weaker insurance coverage
American Express Cobalt® Card vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Card: When to go for one over the other
Annual Fees and Requirements
The American Express Cobalt Card has a slightly higher annual fee compared to the American Express Aeroplan Card. However, neither card imposes specific income requirements, making them accessible to a broad range of users. The annual fee differences may be offset depending on how often you utilize the rewards categories.
Rewards Comparison
The American Express Cobalt Card focuses heavily on food-related categories, offering high rewards on dining, groceries, and streaming services. The Aeroplan Card, meanwhile, centers its rewards on Air Canada purchases and dining. Both offer substantial signup bonuses, but the Cobalt Card provides better ongoing rewards for everyday spending beyond travel.
Reward Redemption Options
One of the key advantages of the Cobalt Card is the ability to transfer points to airline partners, including Aeroplan, which enhances its flexibility and makes it a superior choice even compared to the Aeroplan Card. In addition, the Cobalt offers other redemption options such as cash back, travel, and gift cards. The Aeroplan Card primarily focuses on Aeroplan-related travel redemptions, limiting its versatility.
Benefits and Insurance
Both cards provide solid insurance coverage, including travel and purchase protection. However, the Aeroplan Card offers a unique benefit of free checked bags on Air Canada flights, which can save frequent flyers significant amounts. In contrast, the Cobalt Card’s benefits are better suited to everyday use, but it doesn’t match the travel perks of the Aeroplan Card.
Conclusion
The American Express Cobalt Card is best for those who want maximum flexibility and strong rewards across multiple categories, including the option to transfer points to Aeroplan and other airline partners. This makes it a better choice for most users. On the other hand, the Aeroplan Card is ideal for frequent Air Canada travelers who can take advantage of specific travel benefits like the free checked bag perk.
More comparisons
Other cards we've put each of these up against.
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vs MBNA Rewards World Elite
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vs Scotiabank Passport
vs Tangerine Money-Back
vs TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
Legal
*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.
*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.
