Head-to-Head: AMEX Business Platinum Card vs AMEX Aeroplan Business Reserve Card

Updated Oct 29, 2024
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Business Platinum Card vs American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
To the point Here's our comparison between the American Express Business Platinum Card and the Aeroplan Business Reserve Card, two cards for small businesses.

American Express Canada offers two card for entrepreneurs and frequent travelers:

Welcome bonus

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 for Business Platinum Card® from American Expressyou can earn up to 150,000 Membership Rewards points.

Here’s how:

  • 110,000 Membership Rewards points after charging $15,000 in net purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of membership
  • 40,000 points when you make a purchase between 14 and 17 months of Cardmembership

With this welcome offer for the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you can earn up to 90,000 Aeroplan points.

Here’s how:

  • 65,000 Aeroplan points after charging $10,500 to your Card in the first 3 months
  • 25,000 additional Aeroplan points by spending $3,500 in the 13th month

Based on our valuation of Aeroplan points (2 cents per point), this welcome bonus corresponds to an approximate value of $1,900.

Advantage: Business Platinum Card

If you think you can spend $15,000 in 3 months, you’ll get a lot more points with the Business Platinum Card® from American Express welcome bonus.

Minimum Income

Draw

Like the vast majority of American Express card , these two card have no minimum income requirement.

If you want travel benefits but don’t have a lot of sales, either of these card may be right for you.

Annual Fees

Advantage : Aeroplan Business Reserve Card

The annual fee for the Business Platinum Card® from American Express are $100 less than the American Express® AeroplanMD* Business Reserve Card ExpressMD.

If the Air Canada advantages offered by the American Express® AeroplanMD* Business Reserve Card don’t grab your attention, then you’d be better off signing up for the Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

Earning Points

Maximum earning level

With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express you can earn 1.25 points per dollar on all your purchases.

With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you get different levels:

  • 3 points per dollar for purchases with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
  • 2 points per dollar on eligible lodging, car rental and Rocky Mountaineer purchases
  • 1.25 points per $1 on all other purchases
Advantage : Aeroplan Business Reserve Card

The American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card offers its highest accumulation rate for Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations. If you do a lot of spending with these companies, this will benefit you.

Travel expenses at 2 points per dollar (hotels, Airbnb, car rentals, etc.) also give the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card a big advantage. So you’ll get more points with it than with the 1.25 points of the Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

What’s more, it’s a draw for basic accumulation, as you’ll get just as many points with the Business Platinum Card® from American Express throughout the year, as their accumulation rate is similar.

However, remember that with the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll be able to use your points in a variety of ways, whereas points earned with the American Express® AeroplanMD* Business Reserve Card must be used via Aeroplan.

Aeroplan 25K Elite Status

If you wish to obtain Aeroplan 25K status through your spending (to benefit from eUpgrades credits, for example), the best option is to purchase the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card. Points earned through your Card purchases will count towards your Elite status. This is not the case for point transfers to Aeroplan from the Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

Redeeming Points

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.

For Travel

With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express À la carte Travel card, you can apply Membership Rewards points to all travel purchases charged to the card. The redeeming rate is 1,000 points = $10.

So, with his welcome offer, this would represent a $1,000 credit to the account.

But you can also use your Membership Rewards points in a number of ways, such as:

  • Points transfer with airline partners (Aeroplan, Air France Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club, Delta Skymiles, etc.)
    Points transfer with hotel partners (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy)

With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you can use your points for 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.

Advantage: Business Platinum Card

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has one undeniable advantage: flexibility. With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you must use your points only through the Aeroplan program.

Whereas with the Business Platinum Card® from American Express you can book your trip wherever you want and do whatever you want with your points.

For Everyday Shopping

With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express you can apply your Membership Rewards points to everyday purchases charged to the card.

The redeeming rate is 1,000 points = $10.

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®* Business Reserve Card. However, there is an option to purchase card with Aeroplan points.

Advantage: Business Platinum Card

With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express,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 American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you don’t have this option.

Transfers to Other Programs

With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express you can transfer your points to other rewards programs:

With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card you cannot transfer your points to other programs.

Once Aeroplan Points are in your Aeroplan account, there is no way out: you must use them only within the Aeroplan program.

Advantage: Business Platinum Card

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). Business Platinum Card® from American Expresspoints to Aeroplan, you can also transfer them to other programs (or use them for travel or cash back, as described above).

This is a flexibility that the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card does not have.

Advantage: Business Platinum Card

If you’re a regular international traveler, it’s easy: the Business Platinum Card® from American Express will open the doors of numerous lounges around the world for you and one guest (or even up to two children , depending on the lounge), as well as in Canada in the Plaza Premium lounges, the Air France KLM lounge, the National Bank lounge or the WestJet Elevation Lounge.

However, if you travel exclusively within Canada or the United States on Air Canada, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card is the Card of choice. In fact, you will have free access to all Maple Leaf loungein North America (as well as the Air Canada Café in Toronto).

Other Benefits

With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express you benefit from the following advantages:

  • $200 Annual Travel Credit
  • Annual mobile credit of up to $120
  • $100 NEXUS credit
  • Special Benefits at Toronto Pearson International Airport
  • Access to over 1,300 airport lounge (including American Express Centurion)
  • Complimentary access to Priority Pass lounges for the cardmember and one guest
  • Marriott Bonvoy Elite Gold Status
  • Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star Status
  • Fine Hotels Resorts Program
  • The Hotel Collection from American Express
  • Luxury airport transfer service
  • Stainless steel card

With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you enjoy the following benefits:

  • Annual Companion Pass (after $25,000 in purchases)
  • Pearson Priority Security Control
  • Access to Maple Leaf lounge in North America
  • Paid access to Priority Pass lounge
  • Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf Class of Service
  • Air Canada benefits: priority check-in, priority boarding and priority baggage handling
  • Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 companions
  • Earn Aeroplan Status Qualifying Miles with your purchases
  • Carryover of unallocated Aeroplan Elite Status Qualifying Miles and unused eRating credits to the following year
  • Metal credit card
Advantage: Business Platinum Card

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express 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.

For its part, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business 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 Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

Promotional offers

With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express the new “E-commerce” campaign, cardholders were able to benefit from a number of promotional offers. For example, in the last year, I got $710 in credit:

  • $20 credit during Shop Small events
  • $450 credit for Google Ads
  • $240 credit for Quickbooks
  • Numerous online offers each month through promotional offers

With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card for example, cardholders were able to take advantage of certain promotional offers:

Advantage: Business Platinum Card

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is the Premium Corporate Card from American Express: it’s usually on this card that the most generous offers are made.

However, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card has been around recently (November 2020) with some interesting offers. So far, these have proven to be somewhat less lucrative.

Insurance

Insurance Business Platinum Card<sup>®</sup> from American Express Amex Prestige Enterprise
Trip Cancellation Insurance up to $1,500 Up to $1,500
Trip interruption insurance up to $1,500 up to $1,500
Out-of-Province/Country Emergency Medical Insurance Up to $5,000,000
15 days
Up to $5,000,000
15 days
Flight delay insurance Up to $1,000
after 4 hours
Up to $1,000
after 4 hours
Misdirected Baggage Insurance Up to $1,000
after 6 hours
Up to $1,000
after 6 hours
Baggage loss or theft insurance up to $1,000 up to $1,000
Hotel burglary insurance up to $1,000 up to $1,000
Rental car theft and damage insurance up to $85,000 up to $85,000
Travel accident insurance 500 000 $ 500 000 $
Purchase Protection 1 additional year 1 additional year
Purchase Guarantee Up to $1,000
90 days
Up to $1,000
90 days
Advantage: Draw

The insurance offered by both card is exactly the same.

Bottom Line

So? Which Card is the winner?

If you travel a lot with Air Canada, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card is perfect for you.

If you prefer flexibility, you’d be better off taking out the Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is distinguished by :

  • To its highly profitable welcome offer
  • Flexible points
  • A wide range of airline and hotel partners
  • A wide choice of airport lounges

The American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card stands out on:

  • many benefits with Air Canada
  • an unbeatable 3 points per dollar accrual rate for Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
  • access to Maple Leaf lounges in North America
  • its annual companion pass after $25,000 in purchases
Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
Jean-Maximilien Voisine

Jean-Maximilien Voisine

Jean-Maximilien Voisine
Jean-Maximilien, President and Founder of Milesopedia, is a recognized expert in rewards programs, credit cards, and travel in Canada and France. Approaching forty and a father of two, he has travelled to over 100 countries, half of them with his children and his wife, Audrey. Specializing in top loyalty programs like Aeroplan, American Express Membership Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy, he guides travellers to maximize their benefits across North America and Europe.
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