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:
Let’s analyze the major differences between these credit and chargecard .
Welcome bonus
The welcome bonus offered by each of these cards varies according to the promotions.
Here is how the current offer is structured:
With this welcome offer for the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you can earn 90,000 Membership Rewards points.
Here’s how:
- 90,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $10,000 within the first 3 months
With this welcome offer for the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you can earn up to 85,000 Aeroplan points.
Here’s how:
- 25,000 Aeroplan points after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months
- Plus, earn 5,000 Aeroplan points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $2,000 in purchases on your Card for the first twelve months of Cardmembership. That could add up to 60,000 Aeroplan points.
Advantage: Business Platinum Card
Suppose you think you can spend $10,000 in 3 months. In that case, you will quickly get the total welcome bonus of the Business Platinum Card® from American Express: 90,000 Membership Rewards points or the equivalent of 90,000 Aeroplan points.
The structure of the American ExpressMD Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card requires 12 months of spending. Here, you’ll earn up to 85,000 Aeroplan points in the first 12 months.
Minimum income
The Business Platinum Card from American Express requires no minimum income.
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card card requires no 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 fee
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has an annual fee of $499.
The American ExpressMD Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card has an annual fee of $599.
Advantage : Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
The annual fee for the Business Platinum Card® from American Express is $100 less than the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card.
If the Air Canada benefits offered by the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card do not hold your attention, then you would be better off applying for the Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
Earning points
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card offer different rates of point accumulation.
Maximum earning level
With theBusinessPlatinum 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 has its highest rate of accumulation at Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations. If you do a lot of spending with these companies, this will benefit you.
Travel spending at 2 points per dollar (hotels, Airbnb, car rentals, etc.) also gives a big advantage to the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card. So, you will earn more points with it than with the Business Platinum Card® from American Express (1.25 points per dollar).
Also, the match is square for base earning, as you will earn just as many points with the Business Platinum Card® from American Express throughout the year, as their earning rate is similar.
On the other hand, remember that with the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you will be able to use your points in various ways. In contrast, points earned with the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card will have to be used through Aeroplan as a mandatory requirement.
Redeeming points
Both cards are made for travellers.
However, their loyalty programs are completely different:
- American Express Membership Rewards points for the Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- Aeroplan for the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card
This means that the ways you can redeem your points are different.
For travel
With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, 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:
- Transfer points to airline partners (Aeroplan, Air France Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club, Delta Skymiles, etc.)
Transfer points to hotel programs (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 clear 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 anywhere 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.
While with theAmerican Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you do not have this option.
Transfers to other programs
With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you can transfer your points to other rewards programs:
- Aeroplan
- Air France KLM Flying Blue
- British Airways Executive Club
- Delta Skymiles
- Asia Miles
- Etihad Guest
- Alitalia Millemiglia
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Hilton Honors
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 to Aeroplan the points from the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, but you also have the option of transferring them to other programs (or using them for travel or cash back as seen above).
This is a flexibility that the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card.
The Benefits
Access to airport lounges
With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you and a guest can gain free access to many airport lounges around the world :
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you can access Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge in North America at no charge.
You have a complimentary Priority Pass membership. However, you will have to pay for each access.
Advantage: Business Platinum Card
If you regularly travel internationally, it’s simple: the Business Platinum Card® from American Express will open the doors to many lounge 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 are travelling exclusively within Canada or the United States on Air Canada, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card is the preferred card. 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 receive the following benefits:
- 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 receive 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 for all frequent flyers, whether they travel on Air Canada or many 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 primarily aimed 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 are not a frequent Air Canada traveller, we recommend getting the Business Platinum Card® from American Express instead.
Promotional offers
With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, cardmembers were able to take advantage of some 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, Cardmembers were able to take advantage of certain promotional offers, for example:
- $100 credit for $100 restaurant purchase
- $150 credit for groceries
- $10 credit for purchases at Amazon
- Various events Shop Small
- Numerous online offers each month through promotional offers
Advantage: Business Platinum Card
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is usually on this Card that the offers will be the most generous.
However, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card has been around recently (November 2020) with some great offers. So far, these have proven to be somewhat less lucrative.
Insurance
| Insurance |  |
 |
| 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 |
| Lost or stolen luggage insurance | Up to $1,000 | Up to $1,000 |
| Hotel Burglary Insurance | Up to $1,000 | Up to $1,000 |
| Car Rental Theft and Damage Insurance | Up to $85,000 | Up to $85,000 |
| Travel accident insurance | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| Purchase Protection® Plan | 1 additional year | 1 additional year |
| Purchase Protection® Plan | 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 to have flexibility, you would be better off applying for the Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express stands out because of:
- flexible points
- the diversity of airline and hotel partners
- a wide choice of airport lounge
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card stands out on:
- many advantages 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
- his annual companion pass after $25,000 in purchases
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