American Express offers Canadians more than two dozen credit cards that come with benefits and programs unique to our country. These cards are especially popular with travellers, and no matter what your needs or spending habits are, there's at least one for you. We've compiled the top ten American Express cards on the market, and to get an even clearer picture, check out our credit card comparison tool to find the one that's right for you.
- American Express Cobalt Credit Card
- American Express Gold Rewards Credit Card
- American Express Platinum Credit Card
- The American Express SimplyCash Credit Card
- American Express Essential Credit Card
- American Express Aeroplan Credit Card
- The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card
- American Express Edge Business Card
- Scotiabank American Express Card
- Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
- Frequently asked questions on American Express credit cards
American Express Cobalt Credit Card
- Annual fee: $155.88
- Interest rate on purchase: 20.99%
- Interest rate on cash advances: 21.99%
- 🍴 5x points on eats & drinks
- 💻 3x points on streaming services
- ✈️ 2x points on travel & transit
- 💳 1x points on everything else
Every purchase you make with the American Express
The current promotional offer allows you to earn up to 30,000 Membership Rewards points in your first year. You can earn 2,500 points for every month you charge $500 in purchases to the card. Your points can be used to pay for purchases on your card, for travel reservations, gift cards and merchandise, Amazon.ca purchases or redeemed for other loyalty programs. Each 1,000 points is worth $10.
Through Front of the Line presales, you have exclusive access to concerts, plays and dining out. You can get great seats reserved only for American Express members.
Get special offers throughout the year on blockbuster movie premieres, getaways, in-store and online purchases. Receive benefits at hotels and resorts in over 30 countries. Also enjoy up to $100 USD in lodging credit and a free upgrade.
The American Express
The monthly fee is $12.99 and the annual interest rate is 20.99% on purchases and 21.99% on cash advances. There is no fee for an additional card. You must be a Canadian resident, have reached the age of majority in the province in which you reside and have a Canadian credit history.
Check out our full review of the American Express Cobalt Card for a complete breakdown of features, benefits, rates, and fees.
American Express Gold Rewards Credit Card
- Annual fee: $250
- Interest rate on purchase: 20.99%
- ✈️ 2X points on eligible travel purchases
- 💳 2X points on everyday purchases at eligible gas stations, grocery stores and drugstores in Canada
- 💳 1X points on other purchases
With the American Express Gold Rewards Card, you earn points and receive rewards on every purchase.
You earn two points per dollar spent on travel purchases such as airfare, hotels, car rentals or cruise reservations. You also earn two points on gas, groceries and drugstore purchases.
Everywhere else , you get one point per dollar. You also earn an additional Membership Rewards point on every dollar spent on overnight stays at eligible hotels or car rentals made through American Express travel services.
The current welcome offer allows you to earn 5,000 Membership Rewards points by charging $1,000 in purchases to your card each monthly billing period.
Priority Pass and more
This credit card is perfect for travellers who want to save money. It gives you an annual travel credit of $100. You also have access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with Priority Pass.
At participating hotels and resorts, you get a $100 USD credit. You also get a free upgrade at check-in. The Hertz Gold Plus Reward program gives you a car upgrade and eliminates the fees for an additional driver.
This card gives you exclusive access with Front of the Line. This booking program includes concerts, plays and restaurants. You'll get special offers throughout the year on advance screenings of blockbuster movies, weekend getaways, in-store and online shopping and more.
The American Express Gold Rewards Card comes with several travel insurance benefits. This includes out-of-province/country emergency medical insurance (available to those under 65), flight delay insurance and trip interruption insurance. Purchase-related protections are also included, such as no pre-set spending limits on purchases, purchase protection guarantee and buyer's insurance guarantee.
Like other American Express credit cards, its customer service is available 24/7. Emergency card replacement, fraud protection and online account management are services you can access.
The annual fee is $250 and you can apply for your first additional card for free. In addition, the card is also available in the color rose gold. To apply for this credit card, you must be a Canadian resident, have reached the age of majority in the province where you reside and have a Canadian credit history.
American Express Platinum Credit Card
- Annual fee: $699
- Interest rate on purchase: n/a
- Interest rate on cash advances: n/a
- 🥡 3X points on qualifying dining and delivery purchases
- ✈️ 2X points on eligible travel purchases
- 💳 1X points on other purchases
With an annual fee of $699, the American Express Platinum Credit Card is the most expensive card on this list, but also the most generous. It earns three points for every dollar spent on restaurant, bars, take-out and delivered meals, and two points for every dollar spent on eligible travel purchases, such as airline tickets or hotel stays. On all other purchases, you earn one point per dollar
The current welcome offer allows you to earn a welcome bonus of up to 80,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $7,500 in the first three months.You also earn one additional Membership Rewards point for every dollar you spend on eligible hotel reservations or car rentals with American Express.
With this card, you'll receive many benefits when you travel, starting with access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. You also get a $200 annual travel credit that can be redeemed on the American Express booking platform.
At more than 1,100 hotels worldwide, the Fine Hotels + Resorts program entitles Platinum Cardmembers to late checkout at 4 p.m. and complimentary breakfast for two (average total value of $550 USD for a two-night stay). You gain access to the highest statuses awarded by major hotel loyalty programs around the world (Hilton Honors Gold Status, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status, etc.).
Finally, when you travel through Toronto Pearson International Airport, you receive priority security screening during peak hours, valet parking at no extra charge and a 15% discount on Express Park and Daily Park parking fees. The Platinum Card also provides concierge service for your outings.
American Express Experiences invites you to events such as fashion shows and gourmet dinners. The card comes with insurance that covers out-of-province/country emergency medical expenses (for those under 65) as well as trip cancellation and interruption. Travel accident insurance covers up to $500,000. A variety of insurance policies to protect your purchases are also included.
Like other American Express credit cards, its customer service is available 24/7. Emergency card replacement, fraud protection and online account management are available.
You can apply for an additional Platinum card for $175 per year or a Gold card for $50 per year. To apply for this credit card, you must be a Canadian resident, have reached the age of majority in the province where you reside and have a Canadian credit history. This card also has no pre-set spending limit. Purchases are authorized based on your credit history and personal resources.
The American Express SimplyCash Credit Card
- Annual Interest Rate: 20.99% on purchases, 21.99% on funds advances*
- Annual Fee: No annual fee
- Insurance coverage and 24/7 Customer Service
The American Express SimplyCash credit card allows you to earn cash back on everyday purchases. You can earn 2% cash back on gas. You also get 2% cash back on groceries, up to $300 cash back. On everything else, you get 1.25% back.
You get a welcome offer when you first get the card. For every month you charge $300 in purchases to your card, you get a $10 account credit during the first 10 months. Referring a friend also allows you to earn more rebates: you can earn a cumulative maximum of $700 annually for approved referrals.
If your spending increases, we recommend the SimplyCash Preferred Card. Similar to the SimplyCash Card, this card offers greater cash back on spending. The SimplyCash Preferred Card earns you 4% cash back on gas and groceries up to $1,200. After that, the cash back is 2%. It costs $119.88 per year ($9.99 per month).
The SimplyCash Card and SimplyCash Preferred Card offer various insurance coverages such as $100,000 travel accident insurance and purchase protection coverage. Amex offers and discounts on shopping, dining and travel expenses are another benefits of this card.
Front of the Line exclusives give you access to advance tickets to some of the most sought-after events and exclusive access to many American Express trade shows around the world. Like other American Express credit cards, customer service is available 24/7. Emergency card replacement, fraud protection and online account management are all services you'll have access to.
There is no annual fee for primary and secondary cards. The interest rate on purchases is 20.99% and 21.99% on cash advances. To obtain this card, you must be a Canadian resident, have reached the age of majority in the province in which you reside and have a Canadian credit history.
American Express Essential Credit Card
Annual fees: None
Interest rate: 12.99%
With its low-interest rate, the American Express Essential Credit Card is convenient for those who can't pay off their balance in full each month. It has an annual rate of 12.99% on purchases and cash advances. In addition, the “Plan It” installment plan offers the ability to pay off a portion of your statement balance in monthly installments.
The American Express Essential Card offers a variety of insurance coverages such as $100,000 Travel Accident Insurance, Purchase Security and Purchase Protection.
Amex Front of the Line exclusives give you access to advance tickets to some of the most sought-after events and exclusive access to American Express trade shows around the world.
Like other American Express credit cards, customer service is available 24/7. Emergency card replacement, fraud protection and online account management are all services you'll have access to.
To apply for this credit card, you must be a Canadian resident, have reached the age of majority in the province where you reside and have a Canadian credit history.
American Express Aeroplan Credit Card
- Annual fee: $120
- Interest rate: n/a
- 2 Aeroplan Points per dollar on Air Canada purchases, 1.5 Aeroplan Points per dollar on meals and 1 Aeroplan Point per dollar on everything else
Frequen flyers with Air Canada can earn even more Aeroplan Points with the American Express Aeroplan Credit Card. You earn two Aeroplan Points per dollar on eligible purchases made directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, 1.5 Aeroplan Points per dollar on eligible purchases of meals and food delivery services, and one Aeroplan Point on everything else. You can redeem your Aeroplan Points for flights to over 1,300 destinations or for hotel stays, vacation packages, merchandise and more.
The current welcome offer allows you to earn up to 50,000 Bonus Aeroplan Points. By spending $3,000 in your first six months of membership, you'll earn 35,000 Aeroplan Points. Then you'll earn 2,500 Aeroplan Points for every monthly billing period in which you spend $500 in the first six months of membership, for a total of 15,000 points. This equals $1,100 in points.
The American Express Aeroplan Card offers you travel benefits with Air Canada, such as free checked baggage for you and eight people on the same Air Canada reservation.
If you are a business traveller, we recommend the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card. Similar to the American Express Aeroplan Card, it gives you more frequent flyer program points. You'll earn three Aeroplan Points for every dollar in eligible purchases on Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, two Aeroplan Points for every dollar in eligible accommodation and car rental purchases, and one Aeroplan Point on everything else.
Amex Offers give you discounts on shopping, dining and travel. Amex Front of the Line offers access to pre-sale tickets to in-demand events.
Extensive travel insurance
The American Express Aeroplan Card offers a variety of insurance coverages such as travel breakdown insurance, flight delay insurance, baggage insurance, $500,000 travel accident insurance, hotel burglary insurance, purchase protection insurance and more.
Like other American Express credit cards, customer service is available 24/7. Emergency card replacement, fraud protection and online account management are all available to you.
The annual fee for the American Express Aeroplan Card is $120 and $50 for additional cards. This allows you to share some of your benefits and earn Aeroplan points faster ($0 for each Aeroplan Card that earns points faster).
As this is a charge card, if the balance is not paid in full each month, an annual interest rate of 30% will be charged. To apply for this credit card, you must be a Canadian resident, have reached the age of majority in the province where you reside and have a Canadian credit history.
The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card
- Annual fee: $120
- Interest rate on purchases: 20.99 %
- Interest rate on cash advances: 21.99 %
- 🏨 5X points on purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
- 💳 2X points on all other purchases
With the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card, you earn five Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar on qualifying purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy locations and two points per dollar spent on all other purchases.
The current promotional offer allows you to earn a welcome bonus of 65,000 points by putting $3,000 in purchases on your card in the first three months of membership. Receive an Annual Free Night Award for up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide every year after your first anniversary.
These points earn you free nights at over 7,000 hotels worldwide, and can also be transferred to one of the frequent flyer programs of a wide range of airlines.
The Marriott Bonvoy card entitles you to free Marriott Bonvoy Silver elite status and 15 elite night credits each year. You'll then upgrade to Gold Elite status after registering 10 nights or spending $30,000 on your card during the year.
You can earn additional Marriott Bonvoy points by referring a friend, up to 150,000 points per calendar year. You'll also receive 15,000 bonus points by transferring 60,000 points to a frequent flyer program.
This card has a $120 annual fee and an annual interest rate of 20.99% on purchases and 21.99% on cash advances. There is no fee for an additional Marriott Bonvoy card. You must be a Canadian resident, have reached the age of majority in the province in which you reside and have a Canadian credit history.
American Express Edge Business Card
- Annual fee: $99
- Interest rate on purchases: 20.99%
- Interest rate on cash advances: 21.99%
The American Express Edge Business Card is ideal for entrepreneurs who want to earn rewards on their spending. It gives three times the points on eligible essential business purchases, such as office supplies, electronics, transportation, gas, food and beverage, up to a maximum of 75,000 points per year. For all other purchases, you earn one point per dollar spent.
The current promotional offer allows you to earn a welcome bonus of 45,000 points by charging $5,000 in purchases to your card within the first three months of enrollment. In addition, you earn 1,000 Membership Rewards points for spending $3,000 on your card per month, for a total of 12,000 points each year. Finally, you earn 10 points per dollar spent on eligible business, restaurant, bar and bistro purchases for six months, up to a total of 10,000 points. This means you can earn a total of 67,000 points.
With the American Express Edge Corporate Card, you can redeem your points in a variety of ways, including travel, dining out, entertainment, in-store merchandise and gift cards.
Management tools
The card offers a number of benefits designed specifically for businesses, such as expense and business management tools, car rental insurance, flexible payment options and a tax-deductible annual fee of $99.
The American Express Edge Corporate Card also offers comprehensive protection including employee fraud insurance, rental car theft and damage insurance, a purchase guarantee and purchase protection.
Like other American Express credit cards, customer service is available 24/7. Emergency card replacement, fraud protection and online account management are all services you'll have access to.
Amex Offers give you discounts on shopping, dining and trave. Plus, the Amex Front of the Line program gives you access to exclusive presale tickets to some of the most sought-after events.
This card has a $99 annual fee. It has an annual interest rate of 19.99% on purchases and 21.99% on cash advances. You can apply for up to 99 additional cards for your employees at no charge. To apply for this credit card, you must be a Canadian resident, have reached the age of majority in the province where you reside and have a Canadian credit history.
Scotiabank American Express Card
- 3 Scene+ points per dollar spent at participating grocery stores
- 2 Scene+ points per dollar spent on food, entertainment, gas, public transit and streaming services
With the Scotiabank American Express card, you can earn Scene+ points. You can earn three Scene+ points per dollar spent at participating grocery stores, such as Sobeys and Safeway. At other grocery stores, you earn two Scene+ points per dollar. You also earn two Scene+ points per dollar at restaurants, bars, take-out and delivery, on entertainment products, gas, public transit and streaming services. All other purchases earn one Scene+ point per dollar spent.
Your Scene+ points can be redeemed at participating grocery stores, on travel and entertainment purchases, at participating restaurants, for merchandise and gift cards, or for a credit to your Scotia Debit or Credit account.
There is no annual fee and the interest rate is 19.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances. The minimum credit limit is $1,000.
Travel Insurance
Four travel coverages come with this card: Travel Medical Insurance, Trip Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance and Travel Accident Insurance. Purchase Protection Insurance is also available with this card, including Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance and Price Protection.
Finally, as with other Scotiabank credit cards, you'll also enjoy discounts of up to 25% at participating AVIS and Budget car rental agencies around the world.
Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
- Annual fee: $120
- Interest rate on purchase: 20.99%
- Interest rate on cash advances: 22.99%
- 6 Scene+ points per dollar at partipating grocery stores
- 5 Scene+ points per dollar on food and entertainment
- 3 Scene+ points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card rewards you on everyday purchases. You earn 6 Scene+ points per dollar spent at participating grocery stores, 5 Scene+ points on food (restaurants, delivered meals, other grocery stores, etc.) and entertainment products, and 3 Scene+ points on gas, public transit and streaming services. On other purchases, you earn one Scene+ point per dollar spent.
This card is also one of the only cards that does not charge a currency exchange fee.
The current promotional offer allows you to receive up to 40,000 Scene+ points. To earn the first 20,000 points, you must make at least $1,000 in qualifying purchases within 3 months of opening your account. Then you're eligible for an additional 20,000 points if you make at least $7,500 in spending in the first year. This offer expires on October 30, 2023.
The interest rate on this card is 19.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances. A fee of $29 per year applies for any additional cards. The minimum credit limit for this card is $5,000.
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers exclusive benefits. American Express Offers” provide discounts and offers for shopping, dining and travel. The Amex Front of the Line service allows you to purchase advance tickets to some of the most popular events and American Express Invites allows you to enjoy exclusive events. With this card, you also have access to airport lounges around the world.
The Card also comes with a variety of insurance benefits, including Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance, Travel Medical Insurance, Flight Delay Insurance, Baggage Delay/Loss of Baggage Insurance, Travel Accident Insurance, Collision/Loss Damage Insurance, Hotel/Motel Theft Insurance and Extended Protection Insurance.
Frequently asked questions on American Express credit cards
Depending on your budget, some American Express cards are great for saving on travel. The American Express Aeroplan Credit Card allows you to earn Aeroplan points and redeem them easily, and comes with a full range of travel insurance. If you have a larger budget, the American Express Gold Rewards Card and Platinum Card offer great travel point earning rates, as well as many other rewards, such as travel credits and access to exclusive services like airport lounges. If you always stay at a Marriott Bonvoy hotel, the American Express Marriott Bonvoy card is made specifically to earn points at these properties.
It depends on your needs. If you're looking to earn points for travel, a card like the Aeroplan card or the American Express Platinum card is a good choice. If you're looking for cash back, the American Express EasyRebate card may be right for you. To help you choose, you can use a comparison tool to help you narrow down which card is right for you.
Students should choose an American Express card with low or no fees that will save them money on everyday purchases. The Scotiabank American Express card or the SimplyCash card are good choices.
Find the best credit card for your needs by answering a few questions.
About The Author: Sophie Albo
Sophie is the content specialist at Hardbacon. She is currently in her 3rd year of a bachelor's degree in marketing at Concordia University. Her passion for Fintech and was revealed during the 2016 Cooperathon where she received special award.
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