In Canada, two institutions issue American Express (AMEX) credit cards:
These American Express credit cards are ideal for travellers and those who want to earn lots of reward points.
Here is a table summarizing the different offers. For more details, read on or click on the name of a card.
With this welcome offer for the American Express®* Aeroplan® Reserve Card, you can earn up to 85,000 Aeroplan points. Here’s how:
With this Amex Aeroplan Card, you earn 3X the points on purchases made directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations. And 2x the points on Dining and Food Delivery purchases in Canada. Everywhere else, you will earn 1.25X the points.
With this Amex Aeroplan Premium Card, you receive many Air Canada travel benefits, such as access to Maple Leaf Lounges in North America for you and one guest, priority check-in, priority boarding and priority baggage handling. It’s the best Amex Aeroplan Card for frequent Air Canada flyers.
With this American Express Aeroplan Card, enjoy your first checked bag free (up to 23kg/50lb) for up to 9 people travelling on the same reservation on Air Canada®* flights.
Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card only requires a $12,000 minimum income, making it accessible to as many people as possible.
For a limited time, you can earn up to 45,000 Scene+ points in the first year, representing a $450 travel value (including Airbnb). Plus, there is an annual fee rebate for the first year!
With the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card, you earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
Also, you earn 5 points per dollar for:
And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.
You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). You can also use your points as cash back rewards with Scene+.
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card also offers no foreign currency transaction fees, excellent travel and purchase insurance, concierge service and exclusive American Express benefits (Front of the Line Program).
The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.
The welcome bonus is distributed monthly for the first 12 months. You’ll earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for every $750 in purchases charged to your card during the month (whether in the 1X, 2X, 3X or 5X category). That’s up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points.
You can easily use these points as statement credits for everyday or travel purchases. The value is the same for both: 1,000 points = $10.
Or you can transfer them into Aeroplan points, Avios (British Airways/Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors.
For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to:
With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you can earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
This is a 1 to 5% return on all these purchases.
For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or restaurants and/or food delivery, you’ll earn $50 cash back per month, or $600 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases!
And if you decide to transfer your points to other programs like Aeroplan, you could get even more value!
In addition, this card provides excellent insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, flight delay, $250,000 travel accident, hotel or motel burglary, Mobile Device Insurance, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection Insurance.
The Platinum Cardᴹᴰ is the best high-end card in Canada for travelers.
With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points:
With this card, you get:
You can use your Membership Rewards points in many ways:
With this card, you also have advantages for your travels:
Finally, the Platinum Cardᴹᴰ stands out for the many insurances it offers: rental car theft and damage, $500,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out of province or country), lost or stolen luggage, flight delay and misdirected luggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.
Earn up to 60,000 Membership Rewards points with this welcome offer for the American Express® Gold Rewards Card. That’s a $600 value for travel or any purchase on the Card.
You can also transfer your points to airline partners such as Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways / Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, and hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).
With this Card, you get many benefits like:
You earn 2 points per dollar for travel purchases, and at:
And 1 point per dollar everywhere else.
Do you want a cash back credit card with no annual fee that earns travel points? Here is an option for you: the American Express® Green Card.
By signing up for the American Express® Green Card, you can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards Welcome Bonus Points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. This is a $100 value for travel or any purchase on the Card.
You can also transfer your points to airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue, etc.) and hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).
For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of obtaining..:
That’s a nice welcome bonus for a credit card with no annual fee.
You’ll also have access to online promotional offers to earn points or rebates on your purchases with this no annual fee credit card.
The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best credit card for free hotel nights.
With this welcome offer, you can earn 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points by spending $1,500 in the first 3 months after joining.
It’s a Card we recommend keeping because each year at renewal, you get an Annual Free Night Award (for up to 35,000 points at hotels worldwide) and 15 Elite Night Credits per year, counting towards your Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
With this Card, you earn 5 points per dollar on all purchases at Marriott Bonvoy properties and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.
Finally, this Card comes with comprehensive insurance: baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, $500,000 travel accident, flight delay, hotel or motel burglary, rental car theft and damage, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection.
With this welcome offer for the Aeroplan®* American Express® Card, you can earn up to 50,000 Aeroplan points.
Here’s how:
With this Card, you earn 2X the points on purchases made directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations.
And 1.5x the points on Dining and Food Delivery purchases in Canada. Anywhere else, you will earn 1X the points.
Enjoy your first checked bag free (up to 23kg/50lb) for up to 9 people travelling on the same reservation on Air Canada®* flights.
The SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express is the only credit card in Canada to earn 2% cash back on all purchases. In addition, you get :
With this welcome offer, you can earn 10% cash back on all purchases (up to $2,000) for the first 3 months (this equal to $200). Plus, receive a $50 statement credit after making a purchase in the 13th month.
The SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express Card is especially popular with those who have significant purchases to make: home improvement, furniture or appliance purchases since it offers 2% cash back at all stores.
This Card is stands out by the many insurances it offers : rental car theft and damage, $100,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out-of-province or out-of-country), lost or stolen baggage, flight delay and misdirected baggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.
For a limited time, when you apply for the Scotiabank®* Platinum American Express® Card, you can earn up to 60,000 points. That’s a $600 value for travel purchases including Airbnb.
With the Scotiabank®* Platinum American Express® Card, you earn 2 points per dollar on all purchases. You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). And you can also use them for other rewards in the Scene+ program, such as cash back rewards.
Plus, with this card, you will not pay 2.5% foreign transaction fees on any foreign currency purchases, and you get ten complimentary visits to airport VIP lounges with the Priority Pass and Premium Plaza networks.
And you get excellent insurance for your travels or purchases, concierge service, and exclusive American Express Offers (American Express Invites Program).
The Scotiabank American Express® Card is one of the best no-annual-fee credit cards in Canada.
For a limited time, you can earn up to 5,000 points in the first three months, representing a $50 value for travel (including Airbnb).
With the Scotiabank American Express® Card, you earn 3 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
Also, you get 2 points per dollar for:
And 1 point per dollar of purchase for all other purchases.
These points can be used for any travel purchase (air tickets, hotels, all-inclusives and even Airbnb) or with Scene+ partners for cash back.
Earn up to 120,000 points with this welcome offer for the Business Platinum Cardᴹᴰ from American Express :
120,000 points have a minimum value of $1,200 for a statement credit and much more if you transfer your points to a partner.
With this Card, you earn 1.25 Membership Rewards points per dollar on all purchases. What’s more, you’ll enjoy a host of travel and business benefits:
With this Card you can maximize your cash flow with up to 55 interest free days. It is a card that is particularly appreciated by contractors when making large purchases in home improvement stores, for example.
Finally, the Business Platinum Cardᴹᴰ from American Express stands out for the many insurances it offers: rental car theft and damage, $500,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out of province or country), lost or stolen luggage, flight delay and misdirected luggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.
With this welcome offer for the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you can earn up to 90,000 Aeroplan points.
With this Card, you earn 3X the points on purchases made directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations. And 2X the points on hotels and car rentals. Everywhere else, you will earn 1.25X the points.
With this Card, you receive many Air Canada travel benefits, such as access to Maple Leaf Lounges in North America for you and one guest, priority check-in, priority boarding and priority baggage handling.
Earn up to 40,000 Membership Rewards points with this limited-time welcome offer for the American Express Gold Rewards Card for small businesses:
With this Card, you earn 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar on your purchases.
You can then use your points in many ways:
Alternatively, 40,000 Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for $400 worth of travel or any other Card purchase.
Also, as a cardmember, you get many advantages such as up to 55 interest-free days to maximize your cash flow.
Finally, you are covered with reliable insurance for your travels and purchases.
Here are some frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about American Express credit cards in Canada.
There are more than 30 credit cards in the American Express network in Canada. Here is our selection of the best American Express cards in Canada:
Here are the best American Express Business Cards in Canada: