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Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard® vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card: Which one is better?
Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard®
3.1
American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card
4.1
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$251.84
First Year Bonus Value
$150
Annual Fee
$0
First Year Value
$401.84
$251.84 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending and assuming you are an Amazon Prime member as the primary account holder. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$659.8
Air Canada Aeroplan®
First Year Bonus Value
$0
Air Canada Aeroplan®
Annual Fee
$599
First Year Value
$60.8
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
Up to a year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Insurance Included*
Extended Warranty
1 yearsPurchase Protection
90 days
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1K
Baggage Delay
$1K/person after 6 hours.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
$85K Up to 48 consecutive rental days
Travel Accident
$500,000
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1000
Emergency Out of province Medical
$5M/insured up to 15 days
Trip Cancellation
$1.5K/person, $3K/trip
Trip Interruption
$1.5K/person, $6K/tripFlight Delay
$1,000/person after 4 hours
Extra Benefits
Car Rental Discount
10% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car
Trip and legal Assistance
Yes
Extra Benefits*
Companion Voucher
Annual Worldwide Companion Pass from $99 to a max of $599 After spending $25,000 on your card.svg)
Status lift
Reach Aeroplan Elite™ Status sooner by earning 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and one (1) Status Qualifying Segment for every $5,000 of net purchasesStatus lift
Complimentary upgrade to Avis® President's ClubStatus lift
Primary Cardholders who also hold Aeroplan Elite Status can roll over up to 200,000 Status Qualifying Miles (SQM) beyond the status level for which they’ve qualified, from the prior qualification year to qualify for status the next year.Status lift
Primary Cardholders who also hold Aeroplan Elite Status will benefit from an extra 12 months to use eUpgrade credits, for a total of 24 months from issuance..svg)
Free first checked bag
First checked bag is free for primary cardholder on WestJet flight and up to 8 guests
Extra points
Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore
Free Extra Night at Hotels
Cardmembers can now get an extra night free for every 3 hotel nights redeemed with Aeroplan points. Enjoy even more at over 300,000 hotel properties worldwide
Nexus Program Rebate
$100 every 4 years
Priority Travel
At Toronto Pearson airport get benefits such as Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet, premium parking spots, priorioty taxi and limo lane and discount for parking and car care.Priority Travel
Get Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding and Priority Baggage Handling, Priority Airport Standby & Priority Airport Upgrades for you, your authorized users and up to 8 companions on the same flight (Only AirCanada)
Airport Lounge - Maple Leaf and AirCanada Cafes
Unlimited Access for you and one guestAirport Lounge - Priority Pass
Pass only. No Complimentary visits!
Amex Experiences™
Amex Experiences™ opens doors for you to access a number of special events, including special dining experiences, VIP parties, advance film screenings and more
Interest Rates
Purchase:
19.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
21.99%2
Cash Advance:
21.99%2
Annual Fee
$0
Annual Fee*
$599
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
Get 5% back at Amazon.ca, Whole Foods Market stores in Canada, grocery stores and restaurants for up to 6 months. Up to $150 cashback on top of the normal cashback earned.
Welcome Bonus*
60,000 Aeroplan® points after spending over $7,500 on your Card within the first 3 months as a new American Express® Aeroplan® Reserve Cardmember, plus 25,000 Aeroplan® points when you spend $2,500 in month 13. Current or former Cardmembers with this Card are not eligible for these offers. Other terms apply.
Rewards Rate
- 2.5% cashback on Amazon.ca, Whole Foods and foreign currency transactions IF a prime member
- Only 1.5% on Amazon.ca and Whole foods and 1% on foreign currency transactions IF not a prime member
- 1% cashback on everything else
Rewards Rate*
- 3x Aeroplan® points per $1 spent on eligible Air Canada® and Air Canada Vacations® purchases
- 2x Aeroplan® points per $1 spent on eligible dining & food delivery purchases
- 1.25x Aeroplan® points per $1 spent on all other purchases
Loyalty Program
N/A
Loyalty Program*
Point Redemption Options
Not Applicable
Point Redemption Options*
Most Optimal
Aeroplan® Flights
2.1¢ / pointCar Rentals
0.9¢ / point
Travel
0.825¢ / point
Merchandise
0.75¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.72¢ / point
Is this card worth it?
If you are a Prime member and want to maximize your cashback on your Amazon purchases, then this card is the best option for that specific purchase category. However, for other purchases, many other cards offer better benefits and rewards.
Is this card worth it?
If you are a frequent Air Canada traveler, having an Aeroplan card for perks like free checked bags and priority service can be very beneficial. Many financial institutions offer Aeroplan cards, but I don't believe the American Express version is the best one. Opting for another option might be better. However, the Amex card does have a very large sign-up bonus, making it a great choice for those specifically seeking that.
Pros
- If you are a Prime member, the 2.5% cashback offered on Amazon purchases is unbeatable in terms of rewards compared to other credit cards.
- The 2.5% cashback on all foreign currency transactions helps to offset the extra 2.5% fee.
Pros
- Generous rewards rate with up to 3 Aeroplan points per $1 spent on purchases, particularly beneficial for frequent flyers.
- Enjoy free checked bags when flying with Air Canada, reducing travel costs.
- Access to preferred pricing on Aeroplan flight awards, maximizing the value of your points.
- Unlimited access to Maple Leaf lounges when flying with Air Canada, providing a more comfortable travel experience.
- Extensive insurance coverage, including 11 types of insurance, offering peace of mind during your travels.
Cons
- It offers very little on non-Amazon and non-Whole Foods purchases, with many other well-rounded credit cards out there that offer much more.
- Very limited benefits.
Cons
- As an American Express card, it may have limited acceptance compared to other credit cards, potentially limiting its use in some places.
- The most valuable rewards are generally tied to Air Canada flights, which may not appeal to travelers who fly with other airlines.
- The card comes with a high annual fee of $599, which may be a consideration for budget-conscious users.
- The unlimited lounge access is limited to Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafe lounges which don't have a great worldwide coverage.
vs American Express Cobalt® Card
vs Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®
vs Simplii Financial™ Cash Back Visa* Card
vs American Express® Green Card
vs PC World Elite Mastercard
vs SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express
vs Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
vs CIBC Costco Mastercard
vs Scotia Momentum® Visa* Card
vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Card
vs SimplyCash® Card from American Express
vs American Express Cobalt® Card
vs Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card
vs Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card
vs Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®
vs American Express Gold Rewards Card®
vs MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®
vs CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
vs Scotia Momentum® Visa* Card
vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Card
vs SimplyCash® Card from American Express
vs American Express Platinum Card®
Legal
**Terms and conditions apply.
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%.
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.
2 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%.