The American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card is one of the best premium co-branded Aeroplan credit cards. 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, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card currently offers up to 85,000 Aeroplan points as its welcome bonus when you apply with a referral link.
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
You can refer friends and family from the Aeroplan Reserve Card to any of American Express' co-branded Aeroplan cards, including the Aeroplan Reserve Card, 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.
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.
Earning Rewards
In terms of the returns on everyday spending, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card has a 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
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.
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 6,000 Aeroplan points one-way on short-haul flights within North America that are under 500 miles.
If you're looking for a premium experience, a one-way flight from Vancouver to Tokyo in business class can be booked for 55,000 Aeroplan points. If you're travelling from the East Coast, a transatlantic flight to most parts of Western Europe can be booked for 60,000 Aeroplan points.
Keep in mind that these flights can sometimes be booked for even less, thanks to Air Canada’s preferred pricing if you hold Elite Status or a credit card.
Perks & Benefits
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:
- Priority boarding, priority check-in, and a free first checked bag and first carry-on 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 premium travel credit card, you can be sure that the 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.