The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card generally offers one of the highest signup bonus of all Aeroplan co-branded credit cards, with an annual fee and spending requirements to match. However, for those who can reach the monthly spend requirement, it’s a great choice for its large signup bonus, and a blend of premium perks from both Air Canada and American Express.
Bonuses & Fees
As American Express's high-end Aeroplan co-branded credit card for small business owners, the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card currently offers 95,000 Aeroplan points as part of its welcome offer via a referral link.
The bonus is distributed as follows:
- Earn 70,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $10,500 in the first three months
- Earn 25,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $3,500 in month 13
The card has an annual fee of $599, and you can add supplementary cardholders for $199 apiece; alternatively, you can also add a lower-tier Aeroplan Business Reserve No Fee card for free.
Earning Rewards
In terms of the returns on everyday spending, the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card has a very unique structure, offering cardholders:
- 3 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
- 2 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on hotels and car rentals
- 1.25 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on everything else
Redeeming Rewards
Aeroplan remains the program of choice for the vast majority of Canadians aiming to redeem their points for high-value international business and First Class redemptions. Redeeming Aeroplan points follows the Aeroplan Flight Reward Chart, and can cost as little as 55,000 points one-way from Vancouver to Tokyo in business class. From the East Coast, 60,000 Aeroplan points (or often fewer, thanks to Air Canada’s preferred pricing if you hold Elite Status or a credit card) would unlock a transatlantic flight to most parts of Western Europe. Closer to home: short-haul flights within North America that are under 500 miles only cost 6,000 Aeroplan points one-way.
Perks & Benefits
As Air Canada's premium small business travel credit card, the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card leans in heavily on the Air Canada travel benefits:
- Priority boarding, priority check-in, and a free first checked bag on all Air Canada flights, for the primary and supplementary cardholders
- Complimentary visits to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges within North America, for the primary and supplementary cardholders
- Preferred pricing when redeeming Aeroplan points for Air Canada flights
- The ability to earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles (SQM) and 1 Status Qualifying Segment (SQS) for every $5,000 you spend on the card
- The ability to rollover up to 200,000 SQMs and 50 eUpgrades per year
- The ability to earn an Annual Worldwide Companion Pass after spending $25,000 on the card per year
- Your Aeroplan points won't expire for as long as you're a cardholder
Insurance Coverage
As a high-end product, the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card excels in the insurance department. Some examples of its strong coverage include:
- Emergency medical insurance: Up to $5 million of coverage for the first 15 days of your out-of-province trip, for travellers aged under 65.
- Delayed and lost baggage insurance: For delayed baggage, up to $1,000 of coverage per insured person if delayed more than 4 hours. For lost or stolen baggage, up to $1,000 of coverage total.
- Flight delay insurance: Up to $1,000 in coverage if your flight/trip is delayed more than 4 hours
- Trip cancellation / trip interruption insurance: for Trip Cancellation, up to $1,500 of coverage per insured person, with a maximum of $3,000 for all insured persons, and for Trip Interruption, up to $1,500 of coverage per insured person, with a maximum of $6,000 for all insured persons on the same covered trip.
- Auto rental collision/loss damage insurance: Comprehensive coverage for up to 48 consecutive days for cars with an MSRP of up to $85,000, which can help you save on the insurance fees that the car rental company would otherwise charge.