Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of Air Canada Aeroplan hub · American Express Membership Rewards (US) hub
New to American Express Aeroplan Credit Cards? Start here: cards and transfers
PROGRAMME PROFILE
American Express Aeroplan Credit Cards
American Express Aeroplan Credit Cards are Aeroplan co-brand consumer credit cards from American Express Canada, including the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card, which is published as earning 3 Aeroplan points per $1 spent directly with Air Canada, 2 points per $1 on eligible dining in Canada and 1.25 points per $1 on other purchases. [2]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- American Express Canada lists two consumer Aeroplan cards, the American Express Aeroplan Card and the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card, and publishes detailed earn and welcome-offer terms for the Reserve Card. [2]
- The Reserve Card earns 3 Aeroplan points per $1 on purchases made directly with Air Canada, 2 per $1 on eligible dining in Canada and 1.25 per $1 on other net purchases. [2]
- Interest charges, annual fees, other fees and cash equivalent transactions are not purchases and do not earn Aeroplan points. [2]
- The published welcome offer applies to applications received between 4 June 2026 and 28 July 2026 and is limited to new Reserve Cardmembers. [2]
How do you earn Aeroplan points with an American Express Aeroplan card?
American Express Canada sets out three earn rates for the Aeroplan Reserve Card, applied to net purchases once returns and credits are taken off. [2]
| Where you spend | Aeroplan points per $1 |
|---|---|
| Purchases made directly with Air Canada, including Air Canada Vacations packages bought directly from Air Canada [2] | 3 |
| Restaurant, quick service restaurant, coffee shop and drinking establishments in Canada, plus food delivery in Canada as a primary business, excluding groceries [2] | 2 |
| Other net purchases, including where the merchant code is not in an eligible category or the category is otherwise not identified [2] | 1.25 |
Air Canada purchases earn the top rate only when Air Canada is the merchant. [2] Tickets bought through another website or through a travel agent, including American Express Travel Services, Air Canada gift cards, Air Canada Maple Leaf Club memberships, and Air Canada bookings made through another merchant such as a hotel or car rental company on aircanada.com are excluded from that rate. [2] The 1.25-point rate also applies when a purchase is made through a third-party payment account or service, a card reader attached to a mobile phone, or an online retailer that sells other merchants' goods. [2] Points are earned by the Basic Cardmember on purchases less credits and adjustments, provided the account is in good standing. [2]
What does the Aeroplan Reserve welcome bonus require?
American Express Canada advertises a welcome bonus of up to 85,000 Aeroplan points on the Aeroplan Reserve Card, split between an initial award and a second award in the thirteenth month of Cardmembership. [2]
| Award | Spend required |
|---|---|
| 60,000 Aeroplan points [2] | At least $7,500 in net purchases posted to the account on or before the three-month anniversary date [2] |
| An additional 25,000 Aeroplan points in month 13 [2] | At least $2,500 in net purchases charged in month 13 of Cardmembership and posted to the account [2] |
On timing, American Express gives the example of a cardmember who completes 12 months of Cardmembership on 31 March 2025: at least $2,500 in net purchases must be made on or after 1 April 2025 and posted no later than 30 April 2025. [2] Bonus points may take up to eight weeks from the date they were earned to appear in the Aeroplan account. [2]
The offers are open only to new American Express Aeroplan Reserve Cardmembers. [2] Current or former Reserve Cardmembers may still be approved but are not eligible for the offers, and a cardmember who has previously received welcome bonus points or other incentive Aeroplan points on an Aeroplan card account of the same card category type from another issuer may also be excluded, as set out in the Aeroplan programme's general terms and conditions. [2] An eligible application must be received between 4 June 2026 and 28 July 2026; American Express may accept later applications, but those applications are not eligible for these offers and instead receive the offers available at that time. [2] Offers are subject to change at any time and the account must be in good standing. [2]
Returns are deducted at the earn rate in effect when the return is processed, so the number of points removed can differ from the number originally earned, and points may also be deducted if returns mean the required spend threshold is not reached. [2]
Which travel and lounge benefits does the Aeroplan Reserve Card include?
American Express Canada describes the Reserve Card as providing unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access in North America, subject to lounge availability; its value illustration assumes five visits a year by the Basic Cardmember and a guest. [2] Priority Pass membership is listed at $99 US a year, about $136 Canadian at the exchange rate as of 3 September 2025. [2] The same illustration includes first checked bags for two people on a round-trip in the first year, valued at $140, with a 15% discount on parking at Toronto Pearson International Airport, complimentary valet service there and a discount on car care at the airport. [2]
American Express estimates the combined value of the welcome bonus, earn potential and card benefits at up to $4,400 or more in Canadian dollars, excluding the card's annual fee, and describes those figures as estimations for illustrative purposes only, with the flight value based on the majority of current Aeroplan cardmembers receiving at least $0.02 per point when redeeming for a flight as of 1 September 2025. [2]
NEXUS credit. Reserve Cardmembers can receive up to $100 Canadian in statement credits every four years for NEXUS application or renewal fees charged to an eligible card. [2] The $100 limit is cumulative per account per four-year period whether the fee is charged to the Basic or a Supplementary Card, and no further credits are issued once the maximum has been reached in that period, even if the original application is rejected. [2] For cardmembers as of 1 September 2021 the first four-year period ran from 1 September 2021 to 31 August 2025, while for cardmembers who joined after that date it runs from the initial card anniversary date to the day before the fourth card anniversary. [2] The credit can take up to eight weeks to post after the qualifying NEXUS transaction, and the account must be active and not in default when the credit is issued. [2] The NEXUS programme itself is run independently by the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and American Express states it has no control over that programme. [2]
What insurance and eligibility rules does American Express Canada describe?
American Express Canada lists travel insurance coverage among the benefits of its credit cards and states that the range of benefits varies from card to card. [2] All insurance coverage is subject to the terms and conditions of the respective master policies, with limitations, exclusions and restrictions, and cardmembers are told to read their Certificates of Insurance; Quebec residents are directed to the Insurance Summary and Fact Sheet. [2] The Purchase Protection Plan is underwritten by Belair Insurance Company Inc. [2] Under the Fraud Protection Guarantee, a cardmember is not held responsible for fraudulent charges as long as reasonable care has been taken to protect account details and PIN. [2]
To apply for an American Express card in Canada, an applicant must be a Canadian resident with a Canadian credit file and must be of the age of majority in their province or territory. [2] Some cards carry additional criteria, and applicants may be asked for employment, income and bank account information. [2]
What are the limits of these card terms?
- The earn rates, welcome offer and NEXUS credit described here are the terms American Express Canada publishes for the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card. [2]
- Aeroplan points have no cash value but are redeemable under the Aeroplan programme for flights and other rewards, and the retail value obtained varies with the reward issued. [2] Points may be redeemed only in accordance with the Aeroplan programme's General Terms & Conditions. [2]
- Purchases exclude interest charges, annual fees, other fees and cash equivalent transactions, and no points are earned on them. [2]
- This profile covers Aeroplan co-brand cards issued by American Express Canada; Aeroplan cards from other issuers are separate products with their own published terms, and flexible Membership Rewards cards and the transfer of Membership Rewards points to airline programmes sit outside it.
Frequently asked questions
How many Aeroplan points does the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card earn on Air Canada purchases?
3 points per $1 on eligible purchases made directly with Air Canada, including Air Canada Vacations packages bought directly from Air Canada, falling to 1.25 points per $1 when Air Canada is not the merchant. [2]
What do I need to spend to earn the Aeroplan Reserve welcome bonus?
At least $7,500 in net purchases posted by the three-month anniversary date for 60,000 Aeroplan points, then at least $2,500 in net purchases in month 13 of Cardmembership for a further 25,000 points. [2]
Does the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card include airport lounge access?
American Express Canada lists unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access in North America, subject to availability, and Priority Pass membership at $99 US a year. [2]
Can existing American Express Aeroplan Reserve Cardmembers get the welcome offer?
No. The offers are only for new Reserve Cardmembers; current or former cardmembers may be approved for the card but are not eligible for the bonus, and applications must be received between 4 June 2026 and 28 July 2026. [2]
What is the NEXUS statement credit on the Aeroplan Reserve Card?
Up to $100 Canadian in statement credits every four years for NEXUS application or renewal fees charged to an eligible card, capped cumulatively per account in each four-year period. [2]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. It covers Aeroplan co-brand cards issued by American Express Canada; Aeroplan cards issued by Toronto-Dominion Bank and CIBC, the Air Canada Aeroplan programme terms themselves, and American Express Membership Rewards cards and their transfer partners are not covered.
- American Express Canada credit cards, checked 18 October 2026
American Express Aeroplan Credit Cards on Flyerfolio
Every page about American Express Aeroplan Credit Cards, grouped by what you want to do.
Start here 1
Earning 1
Tools 3
- Transfer ratio calculatorConvert points to partner miles at a ratio you enter or a sourced ratio with its official link and check date, with optional bonus and minimum block.
- Points value calculator
- Award vs cash calculatorCompare paying with points and paying cash using your own point value, including points the cash booking earns, and see the break-even value.