American Express Cobalt® Card vs RBC ION+ Visa: Which one is better?
American Express Cobalt® Card
5
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$1,041.82
American Express Membership Rewards
Welcome Bonus
$315
American Express Membership Rewards
Annual Fee
$155.8
First Year Value
$1,201.02
$886.02 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$418.24
RBC ION Avion
Welcome Bonus
$70
RBC ION Avion
Annual Fee
$48
First Year Value
$440.24
$370.24 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Insurance Included*
Mobile Device Insurance
$1000
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
1 year
Emergency Out of province Medical
15 days
Flight Delay
$500
Baggage Delay
$500
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$500
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500
Travel Accident
$250,000.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Up to 48 days and $85k car MSRP
Insurance Included
Mobile Device Insurance
$1000Purchase Protection
90 daysExtended Warranty
1 year
Extra Benefits*
American Express Experiences
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Travel Credit
Book two or more consecutive nights at participating properties through The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel to receive a $100 credit for amenities or a complimentary room upgrade, if available.
Extra Benefits
Gas Discount
save 3¢/L on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada
Extra points
50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
21.99%1
Cash Advance:
21.99%1
Interest Rates
Purchase:
20.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Annual Fee*
$155.8
Annual Fee
$48
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Welcome Bonus*
Earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in purchases on your Card in the first Year
Welcome Bonus
Get 12,000 Avion points upon approval
Rewards Rate*
- 5x points per $1 spent in Restaurants, Fast Foods, Coffee Shops, Food delivery and Groceries up to 12,500 points monthly
- 3x points per $1 spent on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada
- 2x points per $1 spent in standalone gasoline stations, Amex Travel online, travel services or local commuter transportation in Canada including ride share services
- 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Rewards Rate
- 3 points for every dollar in Grocery, Dining, Food Delivery, Rides, Gas, Electric Vehicle Charging, Streaming, and Digital Gaming & Subscriptions Purchases
- 1 point for everything else
Loyalty Program*
Loyalty Program
Point Redemption Options*
Statement Credits
1¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.765¢ / point
Merchandise
0.63¢ / pointMost Optimal
Transfer to Airline Partners
2.1¢ / pointFixed Point Travel Program
1.66¢ / point
Transfer to Hotel Partners
1.66¢ / point
Amazon.ca
0.7¢ / point
Point Redemption Options
Statement Credits
1¢ / pointGift Cards
0.765¢ / pointMerchandise
0.63¢ / pointMost Optimal
Transfer to WestJet
1¢ / pointTravel
0.6¢ / point
Financial Products
0.83¢ / point
Is this card worth it?
This card was voted the Best Credit Card in Canada by FinlyWealth. The rewards earned on this card for a person with average spending exceed those of other credit cards in Canada by a huge margin! In addition, the card has good benefit coverage, making it the best candidate to become the main credit card for the majority of people.
Is this card worth it?
This card is not by any means one of our favorite cards. For an annual fee it offers almost no notable benefits, with many no annual fee credit cards offering much more. The points earned are fine, but given the inflexibility of ION Avion points, it's very hard to get good value for the points earned, and it's much easier to earn more and do the same with some other credit card reward programs.
Pros
- Generous welcome bonus of up to 15,000 points
- 4+ different ways of redeeming your points for great value
- 10 different types of insurance, including travel
- Often referred to as the Best Credit Card in Canada
Pros
- Insurance coverage is very little for a card with annual fee. There are cards with no annual fee that offer even better benefits.
- Avion reward points are generally not very flexible and not as valuable if not used for WestJet travel; therefore, if that's not your plan, there are many better cards that can be used.
- The annual fee isn't justifiable based on the reward program this card offers.
Cons
- Less acceptance of American Express at different merchants across Canada
- Not all types of travel insurance are covered, especially trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Cons
- Bonus saving of 3 cents per liter on gas at Petro-Canada stations.
- 12,000 avion points welcome bonus.
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American Express Cobalt® Card vs RBC ION+ Visa: When to go for one over the other
Annual Fees and Requirements
Rewards Comparison
Reward Redemption Options
Benefits and Insurance
Network Differences
Conclusion
Legal