TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* CardTD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* CardUp to 160,000 TD Rewards Points + annual fee rebate for the first year†

When Is the Best Time to Buy a Plane Ticket With Points?

When Is the Best Time to Buy a Plane Ticket With Points?
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The best time to buy a plane ticket with points is when it becomes available on the booking calendar.

To get the most coveted reward tickets, you need to be lucky, flexible or a master the in and outs of the system!

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Date of Availability by Airline

Knowing the best time to book is crucial, especially for people who:

  • travel during periods of high demand (spring break, summer vacation, construction holiday, holiday season, etc.),
  • travel in groups or with family,
  • target business or first-class products.

The Best Price for a Plane Ticket With Points

For certain programs like Aeroplan, all available seats can be purchased with points for Air Canada flights, and the price will be dynamic. The best time to book is the same as for tickets paid in cash, therefore depending on market fluctuations.

However, this does not apply to other partner airlines that can be booked with Aeroplan points. As far as partners are concerned, prices are fixed. These are the best points-based fares you can find with Aeroplan for most routes, especially if you’re travelling in business class. Each carrier releases a limited number of « award tickets » while all of their available seats are available for cash.

So for a group wishing to go to Munich for the Oktoberfest, for example, you’ll have to keep a close eye on when award tickets go on sale!

So, I advise you to book early to take advantage of these low prices and especially if the travel periods are popular.

However, this does not apply to other partner airlines that can be booked with Aeroplan points.

Each carrier releases a limited number of « award tickets » while all of their available seats are available for cash.

So for a group wishing to go to Munich for the Oktoberfest, for example, you’ll have to keep a close eye on when award tickets go on sale!

Featured
Annual fee
$0 $139

No annual fee the first year

Our valuation
$1,139

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,000Annual fee rebated$139Total$1,139Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.

Welcome offer
Up to 50,000 points

+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate

Apply Now

on TD's website

With this offer for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 50,000 Aeroplan points as well as an Annual Fee rebate for the first year.

  • Earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first Purchase with your new Card
  • Earn 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $3,000 within 90 days of Account opening.
  • Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $12,000 within 12 months of Account opening

This card also allows you to enjoy travel benefits, such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation, as well as a rebate on the NEXUS program application fee (up to $100 CAD per eligible cardholder) every 48 months.

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on:

  • Grocery purchases
  • Gas and electric vehicle charging purchases
  • Purchases made directly with Air Canada® (including Air Canada Vacations®)

You also earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases made with your card.

Annual fee

Primary card$139
Additional card$75

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1.5xGas & EV
  • 1.5xGroceries
  • 1.5xAir Canada flights
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,714
2nd Year Value$425

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $2,000,000 / 4 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

The Number of Days to Remember

Each carrier plans its calendar release between 300 and 365 days in advance.

It is therefore very important to know when the airline unblocks its calendar: this is the best time to book because you have access to all available award tickets.

Loyalty programRlease
Aegean Airlines362 days
Aer Lingus AerClub330 days
Aeroflot Bonus361 days
Aerolineas Argentinas Plus330 days
Aeromexico Club Premier330 days
Air Canada Aeroplan355 days
Air China Phoenix Miles355 days
Air France/KLM Flying Blue359 days
Air India Flying Returns331 days
Air New Zealand Airpoints350 days
Air Tahiti Nui Club Tiare331 days
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan330 days
Alitalia MilleMiglia331 days
American Airlines AAdvantage331 days
ANA Mileage Club355 days
Asiana Airlines Asiana Club361 days
Austrian Airlines Miles & More355 days
Avianca Lifemiles360 days
British Airways Executive Club355 days
Brussels Airlines Miles & More360 Days
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles360 days
China Airlines Dynasty Flyer Program355 days
China Eastern Miles365 days
China Southern Sky Pearl Club365 days
Copa Airlines Connect Miles330 days
Croatia Airlines Miles & More355 days
Czech Airlines OK Plus361 days
Delta SkyMiles331 days
EgyptAir Plus355 days
El Al Matmid362 days
Emirates Skywards328 days
Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles328 days
Etihad Guest330 days
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands360 days
Fiji Airways Tabua Club352 days
Finnair Plus331 days
Garuda Miles331 days
Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club362 days
Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Miles330 days
Iberia Plus330 days
Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank330 days
Kenya Airways Flying Flue336 days
Korean Air SkyPass361 days
LATAM Pass330 days
LOT Polish Miles & More355 days
Lufthansa Miles & More360 days
Malaysia Airlines Enrich360 days
Qantas Frequent Flyer353 days
Qatar Airways Privilege Club361 days
Royal Air Maroc Safar Flyer360 days
Royal Jordanian Royal Club361 days
SAS EuroBonus330 days
Shenzhen Airlines PhoenixMiles361 days
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer355 days
South African Voyager335 days
SriLankan Airlines FlySmiles361 days
SWISS Miles & More339 days (Economy) and 300 days (Premium)
TAP Portugal Miles & Go360 days
THAI Airways Royal Orchid Plus340 days
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles356 days
United MileagePlus337 days
Vietnam Airlines Lotus Miles330 days
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club331 days
Virgin Australia Velocity330 days
Xiamen Air Egret Miles361 days

How to Calculate the Best Time to Buy an Award Ticket?

To determine the best time to book an award ticket, this day calculator is an excellent tool to use. Simply enter the start date, then subtract the number of days corresponding to the program used.

Also, consider the time difference when you want to book with a program from another country than your own. Finally, the premium seats are not necessarily released at midnight.

The Best Time to Find a Flight With Air Canada

Air Canada’s dynamic pricing for Aeroplan award tickets adjusts the cost in points according to demand and the price of tickets paid in cash. The higher the demand for a flight, the more points are required, making peak periods or popular destinations often expensive.

However, lower-cost opportunities exist by booking early (as soon as the calendar opens, around 355 days in advance), by being flexible on dates and itineraries (such as choosing mid-week flights or flights with stopovers) or by watching for last-minute price cuts when Air Canada realizes that the flight isn’t selling so well after all.

What to Do if You Miss the Release

Tickets that can be booked with points are limited on Star Alliance partners. Over time, however, changes and cancellations will make some seats vacant again.

So if you have missed the moment, you will need to use a tool such as Expert Flyer to track fluctuations in availability. Award search engines such as Roame, AwardFares, Point.me and Seats.areo can also help.

Companies that sometimes release last minute award tickets are:

  • ANA
  • Austrian
  • Cathay Pacific
  • Emirates
  • Etihad
  • Japan Airlines
  • Lufthansa
  • SWISS
  • United

Special Features for Some Programs

You are constantly refreshing your browser on the famous date, but the desired flight does not show up?

Some airlines do not allow the purchase of certain award tickets through partner loyalty programs, or make them available only at the last minute.

For example, First Class (and even Business Class) award tickets on Singapore Airlines are only available to members of the KrisFlyer program. On the other hand, Economy Class flights can be found on Aeroplan.

Secondly, the Air France « La Première » seat is only open to Flying Blue elite members. Therefore, you need to have Flying Blue points and status!

The best time to book these programs is also when the award tickets go on sale.

The transfer partners will be essential to take off on the wings of some airlines with a glass of Champagne.

Finally, there are carriers, such as Lufthansa, that release First Class award tickets in the two weeks before the flight for partners. Yet their frequent flyer program members can get their hands on these coveted seats long before Aeroplan members can.

Tips for Booking Early

Understand How to Use Two Calendars

In order to find the best time to book a points ticket, you often have to play with two calendars:

  • that of the company operating the flight
  • that of the company with which you plan on using the points

Although Aeroplan‘s calendar opens 355 days in advance, you’ll have to wait before you can book a flight on Etihad Airways, since it’s schedule is only available 330 days before departure.

Annual fee
$599
Our valuation
$1,700

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,700Total$1,700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.

Welcome offer
Up to 85,000 points
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class="checkmarks"]This metal credit card is the Best Premium Aeroplan Credit Card in Canada. For a limited time, you can earn up to 150,000 Aeroplan points as a welcome bonus (an estimated $2,550 value). With this Card you can earn:
  • 3 points per dollar on purchases made with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
  • 2 points per dollar for dining and food delivery purchases
  • 1.25 points per dollar on all other purchases.
Also, as a Cardmember, you get many benefits such as:
  • Unlimited access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges in North America
  • The first checked bag free for you and up to 8 companions
  • An Annual Worldwide Companion Pass
  • Exclusive benefits with Air Canada (Priority check-in, Priority Boarding and Priority Standby List)
  • The ability to earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and 1 Statuts Qualifying Segment for every $5,000 in purchases charged to your Card.
Finally, you are covered with reliable insurance for your travels and purchases.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

With this welcome offer for American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card, you can earn up to 85,000 Aeroplan points. Here’s how:

  • Earn 60,000 points after you spend $7,500 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
  • Plus, earn an additional 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $2,500 in the 13th month

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.

Annual fee

Primary card$599
Additional card$199

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 3xAir Canada flights
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 1.25xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,938
2nd Year Value$430

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$400

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $1,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $1,000
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Taking Advantage of the Best Time to Book an Airline Ticket With Two Calendars

In my guide to Qatar Airways Qsuite, I detailed the multiple programs one can use to book this seat with points. The programs mentioned in the article are:

Loyalty programRlease
Alaska Mileage Plan330 days
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles360 days
American Airlines AAdvantage331 days
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank330 days
British Airways Avios355 days
Qatar Airways Privilege Club361 days

The best time to book the Qsuite is when the Qatar Airways calendar is released, which is 361 days in advance. Especially if your group would like to sit together in the four-person compartment.

Qatar Airways Privilege Club : Ultimate Guide - voyage en groupe 2

By using Asia Miles points (360 days) versus Alaska Mileage Plan points (330 days), you get a 30-day head start on those coveted seats.

In addition to the best time to book a plane ticket, you should also consider the type of points you can earn, the number of points required for your destination and the price of taxes to be paid.

Annual fee
$799
Our valuation
$1,700

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,700Total$1,700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.

Welcome offer
Up to 100,000 points
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

Terms of the offer

  • Unlock special experiences with the newly designed metal Platinum Card
  • New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 25,000 Welcome Bonus Membership Rewards® points when you charge $2,000 in purchases to your Card in the first three months of Cardmembership
  • Earn 3 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining in Canada, 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel, and 1 point for every $1 in all other Card purchases
  • You will have access to a $200 CAD Annual Travel Credit to use towards any single travel booking of $200 or more charged to your Platinum Card and made on www.americanexpress.ca/travel or through Platinum Card® Travel Service
  • Take full advantage of the American Express Global Lounge Collection™ which unlocks access to over 1200 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience
  • Enjoy complimentary benefits that offer an average value of $550 USD at over 1,000 extraordinary properties worldwide when you book Fine Hotels & Resorts.
  • Platinum Cardmembers can enjoy access to special events and unique opportunities
  • Enjoy premium benefits at the Toronto Pearson Airport including security bypass, complimentary valet car service and discount car care and parking
  • You will also have access to many leading hotel and car rental companies’ loyalty programs. Our partners include Marriott International, Hilton Hotels and Resorts®, Radisson Hotel Group Hotels and Resorts, Hertz® and Avis®
  • 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. For full details, current product information and Terms and Conditions, click the Apply now link. Conditions Apply

The Platinum Card® is the best premium card in Canada for travellers.

With this welcome offer, you can earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points:

  • 70,000 points after charging $10,000 to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
  • 30,000 points when you make a purchase between the 15th and 17th month after your Cardmembership begins

With this Card, you get:

  • 2 points per $1 on eligible dining and delivery purchases in Canada
  • 2 points per dollar on eligible travel purchases charged to the Card
  • 1 point per $1 on all other purchases charged to the Card

You can use your Membership Rewards® points in many ways:

  • Transfer points to airline partners: Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways / Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Delta SkyMiles, etc.
  • Transfer points to hotel partners, including Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
  • Redeem points for statement credits to offset any travel purchase charged to your Card (1,000 points = $10)
  • Redeem points for statement credits towards other purchases (1,000 points = $10)
  • And more!

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards® points to a partner loyalty program, you could earn up to:

  • 100,000 Aeroplan points
  • 100,000 Avios
  • 100,000 Flying Blue Miles
  • 120,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With this card, you also have advantages for your travels:

  • $200 Annual Travel Credit
  • An annual meal credit of $200
  • A $100 statement credit for NEXUS membership
  • Complimentary access for you and one additional guest to more than 1,550 airport lounges in over 140 countries
  • Hilton Honors Gold status
  • Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
  • Access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program

Last but not least, The Platinum Card® offers a wide range of insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, $500,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out-of-province or out-of-country), lost or stolen baggage, flight delays and misdirected baggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Annual fee

Primary card$799
Additional card$250

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xTravel
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,482
2nd Year Value$470

Transfer partners

  • AeroplanAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • Etihad GuestAirline
  • Flying BlueAirline
  • Hilton HonorsHotel
  • Marriott BonvoyHotel

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$400
Travel creditsIncluded

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $1,000
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Best Flight Comparator Tools to Find the Best Plane Ticket Prices

Finding availability for award tickets can be complex, but thanks to powerful comparison tools, you can save an enormous amount of time. These tools also allow you to compare a multitude of flights across different points programs, so you can choose the one that’s best for you.

Roame is my tool of choice for maximizing the use of my points. Its user-friendly platform offers a real-time search, allowing you to quickly view flight availability with points across multiple loyalty programs. Roame stands out for its speed and customizable filters, which are essential for unearthing coveted award tickets, especially for high-season or business-class travel.

AwardFares is another invaluable tool, its overview simplifying the evaluation of availability over a period of time. Seats.aero is ideal for those looking for last-minute award seats or opportunities on specific routes. ExpertFlyer is also a powerful tool for monitoring flight loads. In fact, ExpertFlyer allows you to determine whether it’s worth waiting after a flight or not, since you can see whether the flight is already full or whether there are still seats available.

These platforms make the process of finding premium tickets easier and more efficient, even in circumstances of high demand.

Bottom Line

In the field of travel hacking, being able to book award tickets for the flights you want is very important. Since these seats are as limited as VIP show tickets, you need to know the best time to book.

Annual fee
$191.88
Our valuation
$255

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.

Welcome offer
Up to 15,000 points
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer

The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer we value at $255.

Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.

You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.

You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:

  • 15,000 Aeroplan points
  • 15,000 Avios points
  • 15,000 Flying Blue Miles
  • 18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

If hotel points are what you are after, our ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy and our complete map of Marriott Bonvoy hotels by category show what those points can actually buy.

American Express Cobalt® Card benefits

Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.

  • 5X points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, home food delivery and convenience stores. A spend cap applies.
  • 3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
  • 2X points on eligible gas, public transit and ride sharing purchases in Canada.
  • 1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
  • 1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
  • Points that hold the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 as a statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
  • No minimum income requirement, as with every American Express Canada card.
  • Additional cards at no extra cost: the first and every other supplementary card is $0.
  • The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, 12pm check-in and late check-out when available, and up to $100 USD in hotel credit on amenities charged to the room for a stay of two or more consecutive nights, booked through American Express Travel.
  • Front Of The Line® presale and reserved tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events curated for cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
  • A soft credit check before you apply: you can see whether you will be approved with no impact to your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.

To see how it compares with the rest of the line-up, read our round-up of the best credit cards from American Express in Canada.

The 5X categories and where they apply

The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers four kinds of merchants:

  • Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
  • Restaurants and bars: sit-down meals, takeout and drinks.
  • Home food delivery.
  • Convenience stores: Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven.

The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.

With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category Points per dollar
Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.) 5
Home food delivery 5
Restaurants and bars 5
Convenience stores 5
Streaming services 3
Service station 2
Transport 2
Travel 1
Other 1

That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.

You can also stack these categories with the hundreds of stores that offer 5x points.

American Express Cobalt® Card insurance coverage

The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.

Travel insurance

  • Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
  • Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment of up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when travelling on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and the tickets are charged to your card. Supplementary cardholders and their families are covered too.
  • Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses bought within 48 hours when you are delayed or denied boarding for four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and delayed baggage coverage.
  • Delayed baggage: up to $500 for essential clothing and sundries bought within four days when your outbound luggage is delayed six hours or more. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
  • Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airline tickets are charged to your card. Within that limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including golf bags, at $250 per occurrence.
  • Hotel and motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.

Rental car insurance

Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.

Mobile device insurance

Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.

Purchase protection and extended warranty

Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.

American Express Cobalt® Card fees

  • Card fee: $15.99 per month, which equals $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are billed $191.88 per year.
  • Additional cards: $0.
  • Purchase interest rate: 21.99%.
  • Cash advance interest rate: 21.99%.
  • Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%.
  • Minimum income required: none.

Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.

Annual fee

Primary card$191.88
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xRestaurants
  • 5xGroceries
  • 5xConvenience
  • 3xStreaming
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,828
2nd Year Value$799

Transfer partners

  • AeroplanAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • Etihad GuestAirline
  • Flying BlueAirline
  • Hilton HonorsHotel
  • Marriott BonvoyHotel

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $250,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

When to buy a plane ticket in 2025?

In 2025, the best time to book a flight with points is usually as soon as airlines open their booking calendar, often between 300 and 365 days in advance. Booking early, especially for popular destinations or during high-demand periods such as school vacations, can give you access to a wider choice of award tickets.

When is the best day to buy a plane ticket?

Although there is no specific day to guarantee the best price, some analyses suggest that the middle of the week, especially Tuesday and Wednesday, are often ideal for bargains, as airlines tend to launch and adjust their promotions at these times.

When are plane tickets cheaper?

Times of year to avoid are generally school vacations, public holidays and the summer months, as fares are often higher due to increased demand. On the other hand, travelling during off-peak seasons, such as between the beginning of the year and spring or autumn, can offer more affordable fares. However, these exact periods may vary according to the destination.

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Our reviews and rankings are based on an objective assessment. Advertisers do not influence our content. We may receive compensation through some links; our analysis and opinions remain independent.