American Express Aeroplan

Overview

The American Express Aeroplan is Amex's mid-tier co-branded Aeroplan credit card for Canadians, earning Aeroplan points directly on everyday spending — no transfer step required. Issued by American Express at $120 CAD annually, the card earns 2 Aeroplan points per dollar on purchases made directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, 1.5 Aeroplan points per dollar at Canadian restaurants, cafés, quick service restaurants, and food delivery, and 1 Aeroplan point per dollar on everything else. Aeroplan is Air Canada's loyalty program and one of the most versatile travel currencies in Canada, redeemable on Air Canada, Star Alliance partners, and dozens of other airlines.

Who this card is for

This card fits people who already use Aeroplan and want a mid-fee card that earns directly into that program without the extra step of transferring from Membership Rewards. American Express does not publish a stated minimum personal income requirement for this card, making it broadly accessible subject to normal credit approval. Cardholders who dine out frequently and book occasional Air Canada flights will get the most from the tiered earn structure. If you're more loyal to Air Canada than to general travel, and you want your everyday dining spend contributing to Aeroplan directly, this card makes that happen cleanly.

Key benefits

The 1.5x earn rate on Canadian restaurant and food delivery purchases is the everyday workhorse here. Spend $1,500 CAD per month on dining and delivery and you're generating 2,250 Aeroplan points from food alone — that adds up to 27,000 Aeroplan points per year just from that category, on top of whatever you earn from Air Canada purchases.

For every $20,000 CAD in eligible annual purchases, cardholders earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) toward Aeroplan Elite Status, up to a combined 25,000 SQC per year. This gives everyday spenders a small but real path toward status beyond actual flying.

The card includes preferred Aeroplan pricing — a benefit that can reduce the Aeroplan points required to book certain Air Canada flights compared to standard redemption rates. Welcome bonus offers on this card have included 30,000+ Aeroplan points — check the Amex Canada site for the current promotion.

Potential drawbacks

The 1x base rate on non-dining, non-Air Canada spending is unremarkable. For general everyday purchases, this card is outperformed by higher-earn-rate Amex cards. The card also charges foreign transaction fees, which is a friction point for travellers making purchases in non-CAD currencies. And because this card earns Aeroplan points directly rather than MR points, it lacks the flexibility to redirect to hotel programs or other airline currencies — the Cobalt's MR points are transferable to a wider set of partners.

How it compares

The American Express Aeroplan Reserve earns 3x on Air Canada purchases and 2x on dining at $599 CAD annually — the fee jump is significant, but the Reserve adds Maple Leaf Lounge access and higher earn rates, making it the stronger card for frequent Air Canada travellers. The American Express Cobalt earns 5x on food and drinks in Canada at roughly the same annual cost, with MR points that transfer to Aeroplan 1:1, and is worth considering for anyone who prioritises the food category but doesn't need Air Canada-specific perks.

Bottom line

A sensible option for Aeroplan loyalists who dine out regularly and want their card to earn directly in the Aeroplan program without a transfer step. For pure earn-rate efficiency on food spend, the Cobalt is often ahead — but the Aeroplan card's preferred pricing and SQC earn are relevant for Air Canada regulars.