Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Card: Which one is better?


Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card

Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card

3.6

More Details

RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

American Express® Aeroplan®* Card

American Express® Aeroplan®* Card

3.3

More Details

RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$274.73


Welcome Bonus

$100


Annual Fee

$0


First Year Value

$374.73

$274.73 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending and assuming you have a Tangerine Savings account. Calculate your rewards.

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$506.17

Air Canada Aeroplan


Welcome Bonus

$630

Air Canada Aeroplan


Annual Fee

$120


First Year Value

$1,016.17

$386.17 in years after

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

Insurance Included

  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Up to a year

Insurance Included*

  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Up to a year

  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500 (Aggregated with Baggage Delay)
  • baggage on roller

    Baggage Delay

    $500 (Aggregated with Flight Delay)
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $500
  • heart lock

    Travel Accident

    $500K
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    $85K, up to 48 days

Extra Benefits

N/A

Extra Benefits*

  • baggage

    Free first checked bag

    You and up to 8 companions every time you fly with Air Canada
  • star fall

    Status lift

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

    Free Extra Night at Hotels

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

    American Express Experiences

  • reward cup

    Extra points

    Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands

Interest Rates

Purchase:

19.95%

Cash Advance:

19.95%

Interest Rates*

Purchase:

30% Annual2

Cash Advance:

30% Annual2

Annual Fee

$0

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

In the first 2 months, get a bonus 10% cash back up to $100

Welcome Bonus*

Earn 30,000 Aeroplan points after spending $3,000 on your Card within the first 3 months. Additional 20,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $1,000 in month 13.

Rewards Rate

  • 2% on the choice of two categories chosen from the 10 offered by Tangerine
  • 0.5% cashback on all other credit card purchases.

Rewards Rate*

  • 2 points on Aircanada and AirCanada Vacations
  • 1.5 points on Dining
  • 1 Point on everything else

Loyalty Program

N/A

Loyalty Program*

Point Redemption Options

Not Applicable

Point Redemption Options*

  • Most Optimal

    plane

    Transfer to Airline Partners

    2.1¢ / point
  • baggage on roller

    Travel

    0.825¢ / point
  • gift card

    Gift Cards

    0.74¢ / point

Is this card worth it?

While we think Tangerine isn't the best single credit card to own, it's still a valuable card to have in your arsenal for maximizing your rewards. It offers one of the highest cashback rates for pharmacy and recurring bill payments, areas where your other credit cards might not provide significant rewards. This card only requires a Fair credit score, making it an excellent choice for people who don't have a high credit score yet.

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

  • Allows you to change the categories, and you get a 2% reward depending on how your spending is changing every 90 days.
  • 2% cashback on recurring Transactions and pharmacy purchases. One of the highest cashback rates on these categories among credit cards in Canada. 
  • Has cashback on Furniture and Home Improvement categories. Two categories that are not covered by any other card in Canada.
  • Easy credit score requirements needed for this card.
  • Overall, it is a good no-annual-fee cashback credit card, especially if you have a Tangerine Savings account.

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

  • Insurance coverage is the most basic.
  • Very low cashback rate on the other categories not selected.

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 for full details and current product information.
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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