Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard® 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
Up to $150
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.
$394
First-year value
$1,010
$244
Every year after
$345
Amex Aeroplan® is worth $616 more to you in year one.
It stays ahead after that, by $101 a year.
How the first year adds up
Amazon Rewards Mastercard
Amazon Prime member?
Eligible customers unlock boosted rewards on this card
Annual rewards
$243.95
cash back a year
Welcome bonus
+ $150
first year only
Annual fee
− $0
no annual fee
First-year value
$393.95
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.
1.5%AmazonCA, WholeFoods
$11.84
1%All other purchases
$232.11
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:
21.74%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
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.
- 2.5% cashback on Amazon.ca, Whole Foods and foreign currency transactions IF a prime member
- Only 1.5% on Amazon.ca and Whole foods and 1% on foreign currency transactions IF not a prime member
- 1% cashback on everything else
- 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
Cash back: every dollar it earns counts as a dollar, so there's nothing to convert.
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
Nothing to redeem: it pays cash back.
Most Optimal
Flights
1.9¢ / point
Car Rentals
0.9¢ / point
Travel
0.825¢ / point
Merchandise
0.75¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.72¢ / point
Insurance and perks
What both cards include comes first in each list.
Insurance
Insurance
Extended Warranty
Up to a year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
90 days, $1,000 per occurrence
Baggage Delay
$500 (Aggregated with Flight Delay).svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
$85K, up to 48 days
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$500,000
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$500Flight Delay
$500 (Aggregated with Baggage Delay)
Perks
Perks
Car Rental Discount
10% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car
Trip and legal Assistance
Yes
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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™
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
Our take
Why we like it
Why we like it
If you are a Prime member and want to maximize your cashback on your Amazon purchases, then this card is the best option for that specific purchase category. However, for other purchases, many other cards offer better benefits and rewards.
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 Prime optimization
- Foreign currency cashback
- Expedited status upgrades
- Free first checked bags
- Free extra hotel night
- Instant decision. No credit impact.
Cons
Cons
- Low non-Amazon optimization
- Limited benefits
- Limited rewards
- Weaker insurance coverage
More comparisons
Other cards we've put each of these up against.
vs Amex Aeroplan Reserve
vs Amex Cobalt
vs Amex Gold
vs Amex Green
vs Amex Marriott Bonvoy
vs Amex Platinum
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.
