The American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card is one of the best premium Aeroplan co-branded credit cards. It's a great choice for Air Canada frequent flyers due to its large signup bonus and a blend of premium perks from both Air Canada and American Express.

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Canada’s 7 Best Aeroplan Credit Cards

As American Express's high-end Aeroplan co-branded credit card, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card currently offers up to 85,000 Aeroplan points as its welcome bonus.

The bonus is distributed as follows:

Earn 60,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $7,500 in the first three months
Earn 25,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $2,500 in month 13 as a cardholder

The card has an annual fee of $599. The Aeroplan Reserve Card also allows you to add supplementary cardholders for $199 each; alternatively, you can also add the lower-tier Aeroplan Card for your authorized users for $50 each.

You can refer friends and family from the Aeroplan Reserve Card to any of American Express' co-branded Aeroplan cards, including the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card, American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card, or the lower tier Aeroplan core card, earning a referral bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points each time, up to a maximum of 150,000 Aeroplan points in a calendar year.

At Prince of Travel, our favourite tool to use with minimum spending requirements is Chexy, a Canadian platform that allows you to pay a host of bills – including rent, tuition, utility bills, car lease payments, property taxes, and much more – with a credit card and earn points. There's a 1.75% processing fee for each payment, but when you consider the value of the points you earn from spending and welcome bonuses, it's easy to justify.

In terms of the returns on everyday spending, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card has a unique three-tiered structure, offering cardholders the following:

3 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
2 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on dining and food delivery
1.25 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on everything else

The 3x earn rate on Air Canada makes this the ideal card when purchasing cash fares on Air Canada or any of its codeshare partners, since it offers the highest earning rate amongst any of the Aeroplan co-branded credit cards in Canada.

Plus, the 2x earn rate on dining and food delivery is also the highest among all the Aeroplan-branded cards in Canada.

Meanwhile, earning 1.25 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on all other purchases is equal to the earning rates on TD's and CIBC's Visa Infinite Privilege cards in the same market, and represents a very strong overall return on your everyday purchases. If you put a high volume of spending on this card, the extra 0.25 points per dollar spent are certain to add up over the course of the year (in addition to the 3x and 2x category earning rates).

We value Aeroplan points at 2.1 cents per point, and using this valuation, you're looking at an effective return of 6.33% on Air Canada purchases, 4.2% on dining and food delivery, and 2.63% on everything else, which is excellent.

Aeroplan remains the loyalty program of choice for the majority of Canadians, as well as the staff here at Prince of Travel.

Whether you're looking to fly in economy across the country to visit family or friends, or aiming to redeem your points for high-value international business and First Class redemptions with some of the world's best airlines, Aeroplan can take you there.

You can redeem your Aeroplan points for any seat available for purchase with Air Canada. In other words, if you can pay for it with your credit card, you can book it with Aeroplan points. Just be mindful that Air Canada flights are subject to dynamic pricing, which means that the price fluctuates based on demand.

You can also redeem Aeroplan points for flights with Star Alliance-member airlines, such as All Nippon Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and more, as well as a number of other partner airlines, such as Etihad Airways, Virgin Australia, and more.

Indeed, what makes Aeroplan points so powerful is the sheer number of airlines for which you can redeem your points.

Plus, you can take advantage of adding a stopover on your booking for 5,000 points, pooling points with others through the Family Sharing feature, and building complex itineraries that span the globe.

We've covered everything in our Essential Guide to Aeroplan, so be sure to head there to learn everything there is to know about earning and redeeming Aeroplan points.

The Essential Guide to Aeroplan

The American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card stands out as the airline's high-end credit card offering and not surprisingly comes with extensive Air Canada travel perks, including:

The Head Start benefit (10% of prior year SQC carries over, capped at 12,500 SQC)
An extra year of validity for eUpgrades
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

In 2026, some of the benefits on the card will change as Air Canada moves to a revenue-based format for earning Elite status.

With the introduction of Status Qualifying Credits, you'll earn 1,000 SQC per $5,000 spent (up to 25,000 SQC each year).

Then, in 2027, you'll enjoy the 10% Head Start benefit, which awards 10% of the total SQC collected the previous year as a way to kick start your status (and Milestone Benefits) the next year.

We've outlined these changes in detail in our coverage of the changes, so be sure to head there if you'd like to learn more.

Air Canada Introduces Revenue-Based Points Earning & Elite Status in 2026

In addition to the Air Canada benefits, the card also offers some travel benefits via American Express, such as priority benefits (valet parking, fast track security, etc.) at Toronto Pearson International Airport, complimentary upgrade to Avis President’s Club, and a $100 (CAD) NEXUS credit. The NEXUS credit can help offset the cost of getting a NEXUS card to make your journey across the US border smoother.

Lastly, you can take advantage of specially-tailored Amex Offers for extra value when used at specific dining venues, shops, and more.

Amex Offers: Earn Points or Statement Credits on Select Purchases

As a premium travel credit card, you can be sure that the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card's insurance coverage is top-tier as well. Charge your travel purchases to your card, and you'll automatically enjoy the following coverages:

Emergency medical insurance: Up to $5 million of coverage for the first 15 days of your out-of-province trip, for travellers under age 65.
Trip cancellation: Up to $1,500 of coverage per insured person, to a maximum of $3,000 for all insured persons on the same covered trip.
Trip interruption insurance: Up to $1,500 of coverage per insured person, to a maximum of $6,000 for all insured persons on the same covered trip.
Flight delay insurance: Up to $1,000 (aggregate maximum with Baggage Delay insurance), for food, accommodation and items purchased within 48 hours when your flight is delayed 4+ hours.
Baggage delay insurance: Up to $1,000 (aggregate maximum with Flight Delay insurance), for items purchased within 4 days of arrival when your baggage is delayed 6+ hours. (Note: this is different from lost and stolen baggage insurance, which doesn't cover delays)
Lost or stolen baggage insurance: Up to $1,000 of coverage total for all insured persons.
Hotel burglary insurance: Up to $1,000 coverage for stolen items (excluding cash).
Travel accident insurance: Up to $500,000 of Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance.
Car rental theft and damage insurance: Comprehensive coverage for up to 48 consecutive days for cars with an MSRP of up to $85,000.

Lastly, the card offers Purchase Protection^® Plan and Buyer's Assurance^® Protection Plan, covering most eligible items you’ve purchased with your card up to $1,000 should they be stolen or damaged within 90 days of purchase, as well as an extended one-year warranty period on the manufacturer’s warranty.