SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express

SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express

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American Express® Aeroplan®* Card

American Express® Aeroplan®* Card

Apply Now

SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Card: Which one is better?


SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express

SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express

4.7


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

American Express® Aeroplan®* Card

American Express® Aeroplan®* Card

3.3


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$534.23


First Year Bonus

$200


Annual Fee

$119.88


First Year Value

$614.35

$414.35 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$517

Air Canada Aeroplan®


First Year Bonus

$630

Air Canada Aeroplan®


Annual Fee

$120


First Year Value

$1,027

$397 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Insurance Included*

  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    $85K up to 48 days
  • heart lock

    Travel Accident

    $100,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $500
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,000
  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Out of province Medical

    $5M/insured Person

Insurance Included*

  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500 (Aggregated with Flight Delay)
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    $85K, up to 48 days
  • heart lock

    Travel Accident

    $500,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days, $1,000 per occurrence
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500 (Aggregated with Baggage Delay)

Extra Benefits*

  • Amex logo

    Amex Experiences™

    Access events and special offers curated for Cardmembers with Amex Experiences™

Extra Benefits*

  • Amex logo

    Amex Experiences™

    Amex Experiences™: From music and movies, to specially curated dining and online shopping opportunities, stay connected with all that we have to offer from the comfort of your own home

  • star fall

    Status lift

    Reach Aeroplan Elite™ Status sooner by earning Status Qualifying Miles and Status Qualifying Segments with purchases made on your account
  • luggage

    Free first checked bag

    Enjoy your first checked bag free (up to 23kg/50lb) for up to 9 people travelling on the same reservation on Air Canada®* flights
  • reward cup

    Extra points

    Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands
  • bed furniture

    Free Extra Night at Hotels

    Receive an extra night free for every 3 hotel nights redeemed with Aeroplan points

Interest Rates*

Purchase:

21.99%1

Cash Advance:

21.99%1

Interest Rates*

Purchase:

30% Annual2

Cash Advance:

30% Annual2

Annual Fee*

$119.88

Annual Fee*

$120

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 a bonus 10% cash back on all purchases for your first 3 months (up to $2,000 in purchases). Plus, earn a $50 statement credit when you make a purchase in month 13. This could add up to $250 in bonus value in your first 13 months.

Welcome Bonus*

Earn 30,000 Aeroplan® points after spending $3,000 in purchases on your Card within the first 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 Aeroplan® points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in month 13.

Rewards Rate*

  • 4% cash back on eligible gas station purchases in Canada
  • 4% cash back on eligible grocery purchases in Canada (up to $1,200 cash back annually)
  • 2% cash back on all other eligible purchases

Rewards Rate*

  • 2x Aeroplan® points on eligible purchases made directly with Air Canada®* and Air Canada vacations®*
  • 1.5x Aeroplan® points on eligible Dining and Food Delivery purchases in Canada
  • 1x Aeroplan® point on everything else

Loyalty Program*

N/A

Loyalty Program*

Point Redemption Options*

Not Applicable

Point Redemption Options*

  • Most Optimal

    flight plane

    Aeroplan® Flights

    2.1¢ / point
  • car rental

    Car Rentals

    0.9¢ / point
  • travel - plane

    Travel

    0.825¢ / point
  • online shop

    Merchandise

    0.75¢ / point
  • gift card

    Gift Cards

    0.72¢ / point

Is this card worth it?

The Simply Cash Preferred is one of the best cashback credit cards in Canada. The base cashback rate of 2% is great for all purchases, but the 4% on groceries and gas, which are two of the highest expenses for most people is the cherry on top of their great cashback program.

Is this card worth it?

This card comes with the free checked bag benefit, which can save hundreds on a single trip for you and your family, more than making up for the annual fee of the card. In addition, the card helps you reach the next Aeroplan Status faster with spending on the card. However, if you don't have a specific use for these two benefits, there are many better cards in terms of benefits and rewards.

Pros

  • Highest cashback rate on groceries and gas in Canada
  • Great base cashback rate for all purchases
  • 10 different insurance types included

Pros

  • Free checked bag benefit: Every checked bag might cost you $60 - $100 per person on a round trip. The amount you can save in a year if you travel a few times or travel with a few companions can easily be much higher than the annual fee of the card.
    If you are interested in a higher Aeroplan Status, the card helps you get there faster.

Cons

  • Cash back is only paid out to you once a year
  • American Express has a lower merchant acceptance compared to Visa or Mastercard

Cons

  • The main reward category is only for Air Canada purchases. Unless you are a frequent Air Canada traveler, this reward category is not useful to most people.
  • The only other rewards category offered is for food, and it doesn't offer that high of a reward rate either.
  • In terms of insurance benefits, the types and coverage amounts provided are lower compared to other cards with a similar annual fee.

Legal


*American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment. Check here for full details and current product information.
1 If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 28.99%.
2 As a Charge Card, the balance must always be paid in full each month. 30% annual interest rate applies to balances not paid in full. Payments must be received and processed by the date of the next monthly statement to avoid interest charges.

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