The American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card is one of the premium credit cards partnered with Air Canada’s loyalty program. It’s a great choice for its large signup bonus, and a blend of premium perks from both Aeroplan and American Express.

Bonuses & Fees

As American Express’s high-end Aeroplan co-branded credit card, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card currently offers 75,000 Aeroplan points as its best signup bonus.

The bonus is distributed as follows:

• 45,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $3,000 in the first three months
• 5,000 Aeroplan points for each of the first six months in which you spend $1,000, up to a total of 30,000 Aeroplan points

The card has an annual fee of $599, which is offset by a $100 statement credit, upon spending $3,000 in the first three months months, bringing the net annual fee to $499 for the first year.

This puts the Amex Aeroplan Reserve’s signup bonus well above than American Express’s other high-end products, such as the Platinum Card, and on par with the Business Platinum Card which is widely considered one of the best signup bonuses in all of Canada!

While the annual fee of $599 is relatively high, the $100 statement credit brings it down to $499, and needless to say, the welcome offer of 65,000–75,000 Aeroplan points makes this one an easy pill to swallow. The card’s additional travel benefits (such as unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access) can go a long way towards justifying that fee as well.

This Amex Aeroplan Reserve also allows you to add supplementary cardholders for $199 apiece; alternatively, you can also add the lower-tier Aeroplan Card for your authorized users for $50 apiece.

Note that there’s also an alternate offer on this card, which allows you to earn 40,000 Aeroplan points and an Air Canada Buddy Pass: 

• 10,000 Aeroplan points, a $100 statement credit, and an Air Canada Buddy Pass upon spending $3,000 in the first three months
• 5,000 Aeroplan points for each of the first six months in which you spend $1,000, up to a total of 30,000 Aeroplan points

This offer is available only if you apply over the phone; however, unless you highly value the Air Canada Buddy Pass (essentially a buy-one-get-one voucher for paid Air Canada economy class flights within North America), then we believe the first offer is much stronger for the purposes of maximizing Aeroplan points.

Earning Rewards

In terms of the returns on everyday spending, the American Express Aeroplan 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 dining and food delivery
• 1.25 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on everything else

Whether or not you find value in the earning rates will depend on your spending patterns and how well they fit with the bonus categories.

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

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.

Perks & Benefits

As Air Canada’s premium travel credit card, the American Express Aeroplan 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 50,000 SQMs and 20 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

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.

Insurance Coverage

As a high-end product, the American Express Aeroplan 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.

It’s important to note that these benefits would also apply on Aeroplan reward tickets, as long as you charge the taxes and fees of your booking to your American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card.

Additionally, the card also offers Purchase Security and Extended Warranty Protection, covering most eligible items you’ve purchased with your card should they be stolen or damaged within 90 days of purchase, as well as an extended one-year warranty period compared to the manufacturer’s warranty.