American Express Aeroplan Card

As a mid-range Aeroplan co-branded credit card, the American Express Aeroplan Card typically offers a decent signup bonus with strong earning rates, making this a worthwhile proposition for many points collectors.

The American Express Aeroplan Card currently offers up to 40,000 Aeroplan points as its welcome bonus.

The signup bonus is distributed as follows:

• 30,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $3,000 in the first three months
• 10,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $1,000 in month 13

The card has an annual fee of $120. You're allowed to add supplementary cardholders for $50 apiece; alternatively, you can add a lower-tier Aeroplan No Fee Card for free.

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

• 2 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
• 1.5 Aeroplan point per dollar spent on dining and food delivery
• 1 Aeroplan point per dollar spent on everything else

The Amex Aeroplan Card offers a competitive set of Air Canada travel benefits for its price range. As a cardholder, you'll receive:

• Free first checked bag on Air Canada flights, for the primary and supplementary cardholders, and up to eight companions travelling on the same reservation
• Preferred pricing when redeeming Aeroplan points for Air Canada flights
• The ability to earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) for every $10,000 you spend on the card
• Your Aeroplan points won't expire for as long as you're a cardholder

The Amex Aeroplan Card's insurance proposition is decent, but not outstanding. Some of the provisions that it does cover include:

• Flight delay insurance: Up to $500 (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 $500 (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)
• Hotel burglary insurance: Up to $500 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.

However, the card does not offer emergency medical insurance or trip cancellation & trip interruption insurance, which are a couple of very significant benefits that you'll find on many of the higher-end products out there.

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.