To the point
Here is the new offer for the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, the Best Small Business Card with travel rewards.
Welcome offer
Earn 90,000 points with this welcome offer if you charge $10,000 in purchases to your Business Platinum Card® from American Express within the first three months of enrollment.
You can use your Membership Rewards points in many ways:
- Transfer points to airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue, Delta Skymiles, etc.)
- Transfer points to hotel programs (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy)
- Redeem points for statement credits to offset any eligible purchase charged to your Card (1,000 points = $10)
- And more!
With this Card, you earn 1.25 Membership Rewards points per dollar on all purchases. In addition, you have travel benefits:
- Complimentary and unlimited access for you and an additional traveller to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide.
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- Gold Hilton Honors Status
- Access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program
With this Card you can maximize your cash flow with up to 55 interest free days.
Finally, the Business Platinum Card® from American Express comes with premium insurance: Car Rental Theft and Damage, $500,000 Travel Accident, Emergency medical insurance (outside the province or country), Lost or Stolen Baggage, Flight delay insurance and misdirected baggage, Hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection® Plan, Buyer’s Assurance® Protection Plan.
Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.
Membership Rewards Value
90,000 Membership Rewards points are worth $900 if used towards any purchase on your card. That’s a value of 1 cent per point.
But in our opinion, the value can be much greater by transferring your points to partner loyalty programs like Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue or Marriott Bonvoy!
In my case, I convert my Membership Rewards points into Aeroplan points to book:
- in business class: here, the return I get is at least 4 cents per point (so a value of $3,600 for 90,000 points).
- for multi-destination flights in North America, I often withdraw at least 2 to 3 cents per point (so a value of $1,800 to $2,700 for 90,000 points).
Or I use my Membership Rewards points through the American Express fixed point travel program for specific North American destinations: the return is 2 cents per point (so a value of $1,800 for 90,000 points).
Everyday life benefits
A single earning rate for all purchases
With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you earn 1.25 Membership Rewards points per dollar on all your purchases.
Membership Rewards points can be transferred to:
- Airline programs such as Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Delta Skymiles or Flying Blue
- Hotel programs such as Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors.
A metal card
As a high-end card, the Platinum Card is a metal card!
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the only cards in Canada to be made of metal, which establishes the premium edge of the Business Platinum Card® from American Express versus the competition.
And this Card is really beautiful with only your name on the front: all the other information is on the back (but your wallet will weigh a little more)!
Benefits for your travels
Access to Airport Lounges
Business Platinum Cardmembers have access to the American Express Worldwide Lounge Collection.
Here are the conditions of access for each type of lounge:
| Lounge | Details |
| Priority Pass | Complimentary and unlimited access for the Cardmember AND a guest 1300 airport lounges worldwide |
| Executive Lounges by Swissport | Complimentary access for the Cardmember and his spouse 2 children under the age of 21 by presenting the Platinum Card Ex: National Bank Lounge in Montreal, Aspire in Amsterdam, Gatwick… |
| V.I.P. International Airport Lounge Jean-Lesage from Quebec City |
Complimentary access for the Cardmember and a travel companion 2 children under the age of 18 by presenting the Platinum Card |
| Plaza Premium Lounges | Complimentary access for the Cardmember and his spouse by presenting the Platinum Card Ex: Plaza Premium lounges in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg |
| Delta Sky Club | Complimentary access for the cardmember upon presentation of the Platinum card and a Delta Airlines boarding pass |
| Airspace Lounges | Complimentary access for the Cardmember and his spouse 2 children under the age of 21 or 2 travel companions by presenting the Platinum Card San Diego and Cleveland Airports |
| Escape Lounges | Complimentary access for the cardmember & 2 travel companions by presenting the Platinum Card Oakland Airports, Minneapolis… |
| The Centurion Lounge | Complimentary access for the cardmember & 2 travel companions by presenting the Platinum Card Miami, Las Vegas, La Guardia, San Francisco, Hong Kong… |
| International American Express Lounges American Express |
Complimentary access for the Cardmember |
For example, you can get complimentary access to the Air France Lounge or the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport.
Status in hotel programs
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express also offers Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy, which entitles you to several benefits:
| Program | Status | Key benefits |
 |
Elite Gold | Room upgrade 2 p.m Late departure 10 points for every eligible U.S. dollar and 25% more points than base members Premium Internet access |
The Fine Hotels and Resorts program
Business Platinum Cardmembers have access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program, which provides a variety of valuable benefits at high-end hotels such as:
- Complimentary Breakfast
- Room upgrade
- 4 p.m.guaranteed Late departure
- $100 hotel property credit
High-end travel insurance
Travel insurance from the Business Platinum Card® from American Express is particularly advantageous with very high levels of reimbursement, whether for flight delays, baggage delays, foreign assistance, high-end car rentals…
Here is a summary of insurance coverages (this information is informational. Refer to the brochure provided with your Business Platinum Card® from American Express).
| Insurance | Coverage |
| Emergency Medical Insurance Out of Province/Country |
Can provide coverage of up to a maximum of $5,000,000 for eligible emergency medical expenses incurred by an insured person under age 65 while travelling outside your Canadian province or territory of residence for the first 15 consecutive days of a covered trip. |
| Trip Cancellation Insurance | You can be reimbursed for the non-refundable and non-transferable portion of your travel arrangements when charged to your Card before your departure date should you cancel your trip for a covered reason.maximum of $5,000 for all insured persons), if you have to cancel a trip due to an eligible situation. |
| Trip Interruption Insurance | When you fully charge your travel arrangements to your Card, this insurance can cover the non-refundable and non-transferable unused portion of your travel arrangements purchased before your departure date, should your trip be interrupted or delayed for a covered reason.You can be covered for up to $2,500 per insured person, per trip, up to a maximum of $6,000 for all insured persons combined. |
| Flight Delay Insurance | Fully charge your airline ticket to your Card and receive up to $1,000 (maximum in combination with Baggage Misplacement Insurance) for any necessary and reasonable charges incurred within 48 hours at a hotel, motel or restaurant if your flight is delayed or you are denied boarding for more than four hours without providing alternative transportation. |
| Baggage Delay Insurance | When you fully charge your airline ticket to your Card, you can receive up to $1,000 (maximum in combination with Flight Delay Insurance) for any necessary and reasonable routine purchases of clothing and sundries deemed essential that you make within four days, if your luggage is not not returned within six hours of arrival at your departure flight destination. |
| Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance | You can be covered for loss or damage to your checked-in or carry-on baggage and personal effects while in transit for up to $1,000 per trip for all insureds. |
| Car Rental Theft and Damage Insurance | Save when you travel with flight and damage insurance for rental cars included with your Platinum card. You can be covered for theft, loss and damage of your rental car with an MSRP of up to $85,000 for rentals of 48 days or less. To take advantage of this protection, simply decline the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or similar option offered by the car rental agency and fully charge your rental to your Platinum Card. This insurance is available at no extra cost and you do not have to pay the insurance charged by the car rental company (usually costing between $16 and $23 per day). |
| Hotel Burglary Insurance | You can receive up to $1,000 in coverage against the loss of most personal items (excluding cash) if your accommodation is burglarized when you fully charge your accommodations to your Card. |
| $500,000 Travel Accident Insurance | You can be covered up to $500,000 of Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance when you fully charge your common carrier (plane, train, ship or bus) tickets to your Card. Additional cardmember, their spouse and dependent children under the age of 23 are also covered. |
| Purchase Protection® Plan | You can be insured for eligible items charged to your Card for 120 days from the date of purchase in the event of accidental physical damage or theft for up to $1,000 per occurrence (for all purchased items combined). No registration required. You can be reimbursed for eligible events not covered by any other insurance. |
| Purchase Protection® Plan | Your coverage can automatically extend the manufacturer’s original warranty up to one additional year when you fully charge eligible items to your Card. This protection applies to card items around the world, if the manufacturer’s warranty is valid in Canada and the United States and does not exceed five years. Jewelry, motor vehicles and parts are not covered. Before you have an item repaired, you must get permission. Replacement and repair costs for each eligible item may not exceed $10,000, up to a maximum of $25,000 per Cardmember, per year, for all claims. |
A Membership Rewards Card
Redeeming points to book flights with American Express
American Express has two charts:
- Flexible points: here you use your points at a value of 1,000 Membership Rewards points = $10
- Fixed Points: the fare will be depend on the destination
And this is how we will be able to get the most value out of our Membership Rewards points!
Up to 1,000 Membership Rewards points = $20. That’s 90,000 points = $1,800!
Using points against any expense
Another way to use Membership Rewards points is by applying them to your purchases. The rate is 1,000 Membership Rewards points = $10.
That’s 90,000 Membership Rewards points = $900!
Membership Rewards Transfer Partners
Here are all the transfer partners for American Express Membership Rewards program:
| Partners | Conversion rate |
 |
90,000 Membership Rewards points = 90,000 Aeroplan points |
 |
90,000 Membership Rewards points = 67,500 miles |
 |
90,000 Membership Rewards points = 67,500 miles |
 |
90,000 Membership Rewards points = 90,000 Avios points |
 |
90,000 Membership Rewards points = 67,500 miles |
 |
90,000 Membership Rewards points = 67,500 miles |
 |
90,000 Membership Rewards points = 90,000 Hilton Honors points |
|
90,000 Membership Rewards points = 108,000 Marriott Bonvoy points |
Bottom Line
It’s a Card I’ve had as an entrepreneur since early 2019. I get complimentary and unlimited access, for me and another person traveling with me, to airport lounges:
- Priority Pass
- Plaza Premium Lounges
- The Centurion Lounge
- Delta Sky Club (when travelling with Delta Airlines)
And it’s on this card I spend most of my out-of-categories expenses: 1.25 Membership Rewards points per dollar, points that I then transfer to the Aeroplan or Flying Blue programs!
Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
