American Express Canada offers two cards for frequent travellers:
Let’s analyze the major differences between these credit and charge cards.
The welcome bonus offered by each of these cards varies according to promotions.
Here is how the current offer is structured:
With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 140,000 Membership Rewards points.
Here’s how:
With this welcome offer for the American Express®* Aeroplan® Reserve Card, you can earn up to 85,000 Aeroplan points.
Based on our valuation of Aeroplan points (2 cents per point), this welcome bonus corresponds to an approximate value of $1,700.
The American Express Platinum Card® is much more lucrative than the American Express® AeroplanMD* Reserve Card offer.
The American Express Platinum Card® requires no minimum income.
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card requires no minimum income.
Like the vast majority of American Express Cards, these two cards require no minimum income, unlike other high-end cards such as Visa Infinite Privilege Cards requiring $200,000 household income.
If you want travel benefits but don’t have a very high income, either of these cards may be right for you.
The American Express Platinum Card® has an annual fee of $799.
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card has an annual fee of $599.
On paper, the annual fee for the American Express Platinum Card® is $200 higher than the American Express® AeroplanMD* Reserve Card.
However, as you will see below, the American Express Platinum Card® comes with a annual travel credit of $200 as well as a $200 annual credit for certain restaurants, virtually reducing the net cost of the membership to $399.
The American Express Platinum Card® and American Express® AeroplanMD* Reserve Card each offer 3 levels of point accumulation.
With the American Express Platinum Card®you can earn 3 points per dollar spent:
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card you can earn 3 points per dollar for:
Here we could have declared a draw. However, the fact that the AeroplanMD* American ExpressMD Prestige Card restricts this category to Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations means that you’ll probably earn more points with the American Express Platinum Card® during the year for other trips booked via the American Express platform.
Unless, of course, you spend a lot of money with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations (but by choosing the American Express Platinum Card® you’ll still earn 2 points per dollar, the same level offered by Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege credit cards)!
With the American Express Platinum Card®you can earn 2 points per dollar spent:
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card, you can earn 2 points per dollar spent on purchases at:
Travel purchases (flights, hotels, Airbnb, cruises, car rentals, etc.) are generally higher than restaurant expenses. As a result, you will earn more points with the American Express Platinum Card® than with the American Express® AeroplanMD* Reserve Card.
Again, you should analyze your annual expenses to determine which card to choose based on your personal situation.
With the American Express Platinum Card® you can earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card you can earn 1.25 points per dollar spent on all other purchases.
0.25 points that make a difference for those who make a lot of purchases outside of the bonus categories. The American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card will therefore be more advantageous here.
We would like American Express to offer 1.25 points for the American Express Platinum Card® as it does for the AeroplanMD* American ExpressMD Prestige Card (and the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card. Business Platinum Card® from American Express).
If you’d like to earn Aeroplan 25K status through your spending (to benefit from eUpgrades credits, for example), your best bet is to get the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card. Points earned through your Card purchases will count towards your Elite status. This is not the case for point transfers made to Aeroplan from the American Express Platinum Card®.
Both cards are made for travellers.
However, their loyalty programs are completely different:
This means that the ways you can redeem your points are different.
With the American Express Platinum Card®À la carte Travel card, you can apply Membership Rewards points to travel purchases charged to the card (plane tickets, hotels, Airbnb, car rentals, etc.).
The redeeming rate is 1,000 points = $10.
You can also use the American Express fixed rate chart for specific flights.
The redeeming rate is 1,000 points = $20.
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card you can use your points to purchase flights with Air Canada, Star Alliance and partner airlines.
Here, you will need to refer to the Aeroplan Flight Rewards Chart.
1,000 points could be worth as little as $5 for economy travel as well as $40 for business or first class travel (or for specific flights).
You can also use your Aeroplan points for hotel bookings, car rentals and vacation packages. Generally, you will be able to earn a value of 1,000 points = $10.
The American Express Platinum Card® has one undeniable advantage: flexibility. With the AeroplanMD* American ExpressMD Prestige Card, you must use your points through the Aeroplan program.
Whereas with the American Express Platinum Card® you can book your trip wherever you like.
With the American Express Platinum Card®, you can apply Membership Rewards points to everyday purchases charged to the card.
You need to redeem a minimum of 1,000 points (i.e., a minimum of $10).
No options are available for everyday purchases with the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card (other than purchasing gift cards with Aeroplan points).
With the American Express Platinum Card®, whether you want to use your points for travel or everyday purchases, you’ll get the same value: 1,000 points = $10.
Whereas with the AeroplanMD* American Express® Reserve Card, you don’t have this option.
With the American Express Platinum Card®, you can transfer your points to other rewards programs:
With the AeroplanMD* American ExpressMD Prestige Card, you cannot transfer your points to other programs.
Once Aeroplan points are in your Aeroplan account, you have no way out: you must use them within the Aeroplan program.
Not only can you transfer your Aeroplan points to Aeroplan, but you can also transfer them to other programs (or use them for travel or cash back, as described above). American Express Platinum Card®À la carte Travel points to Aeroplan, but you can also transfer them to other programs (or use them for travel or cash back, as described above).
This is a flexibility not offered by the American Express® AeroplanMD* Reserve Card.
With the American Express Platinum Card® you and a guest have free access to many airport lounges around the world:
With the American ExpressMD AeroplanMD* Reserve Card, you have free access to Air Canada’s Maple Leaf lounges in North America.
You have a free subscription to Priority Pass. However, you will have to pay for each access.
If you’re a regular international traveler, there’s no question about it: the American Express Platinum Card® will open the doors to many lounges around the world for you and a guest (and even up to two children , depending on the lounge), as well as in Canada in the Plaza Premium lounges, the National Bank lounge or the WestJet Elevation Lounge.
On the other hand, if you’re traveling exclusively within Canada or even the U.S. on Air Canada, the AeroplanMD* American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card may be the card for you: you’ll enjoy free access to all Maple Leaf lounges in North America (as well as the Air Canada Café lounge in Toronto).
With the American Express Platinum Card®, you enjoy the following benefits:
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card, you receive the following benefits:
The American Express Platinum Card® is designed for all frequent flyers, whether they travel with Air Canada or other airlines. But also to those who stay at Marriott or Hilton hotels, luxury hotels belonging to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program.
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card is aimed primarily at Air Canada’s frequent flyers. You will then benefit from many advantages with the airline. But that’s where it ends.
As with every aspect of these cards, the answer will be up to you depending on your personal situation. But if you’re not a frequent Air Canada traveller, we recommend that you purchase the American Express Platinum Card®.
With the American Express Platinum Card® holders were able to take advantage of certain promotional offers:
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card, for example, cardholders were able to take advantage of certain promotional offers:
The American Express Platinum Card® is the Premium Card from American Express: it’s usually on this Card that the offers will be the most generous.
However, the American Express® AeroplanMD* Reserve Card hasn’t fallen short since its inception (November 2020), with many interesting offers. To date, these have proven to be somewhat less lucrative, or “closed” with Air Canada.
The insurance cover offered by the two cards is almost identical.
However, the American Express Platinum Card® has better coverage forTrip Cancellation and Purchase Protection.
So? Which Card is the winner?
It’s hard to declare an official winner. In fact, it will be up to each person to make up their own mind according to their needs.
The American Express Platinum Card® stands out thanks to:
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card stands out on:
Savings are here:
