American Express Canada offers two card for entrepreneurs and frequent travelers:
Let’s analyze the major differences between these credit and chargecard .
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:
With this welcome offer for the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you can earn up to 90,000 Aeroplan points.
Based on our valuation of Aeroplan points (2 cents per point), this welcome bonus corresponds to an approximate value of $1,900.
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.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express requires no minimum income.
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card requires no minimum income.
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.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has an annual fee of $499.
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card has an annual fee of $599.
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.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® AeroplanMD* Business Reserve Card offer different points accumulation rates.
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:
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.
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.
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 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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express you and a guest have free access to many airport lounges around the world:
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you have complimentary access to Air Canada’s Maple Leaf lounges in North America.
You have a complimentary Priority Pass membership. However, you will have to pay for each access.
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).
With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express you benefit from the following advantages:
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you enjoy the following benefits:
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.
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:
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card for example, cardholders were able to take advantage of certain promotional offers:
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.
The insurance offered by both card is exactly the same.
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 :
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card stands out on:
Savings are here: