With borders opening up again and the summer upon us, there's truly never been a better time to get a great new Aeroplan credit card. Fortunately, on August 4th, American Express released some value-packed offers, making the decision an easy one.
My Recommendation: To maximize your value, get either the Aeroplan Card (40,000 Aeroplan points plus a bonus Buddy Pass, $120 annual fee) or the Aeroplan Reserve Card (90,000 Aeroplan points plus a bonus Buddy Pass, $599 annual fee), both of which offer $800+ in additional value after subtracting the annual fee.
On August 4, 2021, American Express made major updates to these 7 cards:
- Marriott Bonvoy™ Business American Express Card
- American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
- Platinum Card
- American Express Air Miles Reserve Card
- Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express Card
- American Express Aeroplan Card
- American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
And trust me when I say that some of the offers are very compelling.
Rather than overwhelm you with information on all 7 cards, though, I’m going to focus on just the two cards that I find most valuable: the American Express Aeroplan Card and the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card.
If you’re interested in traveling at any point in the next 2-3 years, this is the post for you.
The American Express Aeroplan Card
The Aeroplan Card comes with a welcome bonus of up to 40,000 Aeroplan points. That's enough for multiple trips within North America, or a one-way trip almost anywhere in the world (see examples below).
If you prefer to think of the value from a cash perspective, I value Aeroplan points at 2.5 cents apiece after the recent Aeroplan overhaul. This means that the welcome bonus on the Aeroplan Card alone is worth $1,000, giving you a 8x return on the $120 annual fee.
On top of the welcome bonus, the Aeroplan Card also comes with a Buddy Pass, which you earn after spending $1,500 in the first three months of Cardmembership. With the Buddy Pass, you can bring a friend anywhere Air Canada flies in North America. On the second ticket, you only pay the taxes and third-party charges.
If you’re looking to earn even more from your card, you can spring for the Aeroplan Reserve Card, with which you can earn up to 90,000 Aeroplan points. Let’s dig into the differences between the Aeroplan Card and the Aeroplan Reserve Card to see what stands out.
Aeroplan Card vs. Aeroplan Reserve Card
When you look at the two cards side-by-side, the main differences between the two are that the Reserve Card offers travel benefits like lounge access (both with Priority Pass and Maple Leaf Lounges) and priority check-in/boarding, while the Aeroplan Card does not. Of course, the additional 50,000 Aeroplan points is the bigger difference, and it makes the Aeroplan Reserve Card an excellent value on its own.
Here’s how the two cards stack up:
| American Express Aeroplan®* Card | American Express Aeroplan Reserve®* Card | |
| Welcome Bonus | Earn up to 40,000 Aeroplan®* Points 10,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $1,500 in the first 3 months Buddy Pass when you spend $1,500 in the first 3 months 2,500 Aeroplan points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $500 in purchases on your Card for the first 12 months (maximum 30,000) | Earn up to 90,000 Aeroplan®* Points 30,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months Buddy Pass when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months 5,000 Aeroplan points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $1,000 in purchases on your Card for the first 12 months (maximum 60,000) |
| Points Earned Per $1 Spent With Air Canada®* and Air Canada Vacations®* | 2 | 3 |
| Points Earned Per $1 Spent On Eligible Dining & Food Delivery In Canada | 1.5 | 2 |
| Points Earned Per $1 Spent On All Other Card Purchases | 1 | 1.25 |
| Free First Checked Bag For Up To 9 Air Canada Passengers | ✔ | ✔ |
| Comprehensive Travel Insurance | ✔ | ✔ |
| Worldwide Priority Pass Lounge Access | ✔ | |
| Maple Leaf Lounge Access Within North America | ✔ | |
| Priority Check-In, Boarding, & Baggage Handling On Air Canada Flights | ✔ | |
| Aeroplan Elite Status Benefits | ✔ | |
| Aeroplan Points Value At 2.5 Cents Apiece | $1,000 | $2,250 |
| Annual Fee | $120 | $599 |
| Profit On Aeroplan Points | $880 | $1,650 |
| Application Link | APPLY NOW | APPLY NOW |
My Recommendation
- If you don’t mind paying a $599 annual fee to get $2,000+ in Aeroplan points (plus lounge access and a bunch of other benefits), the Aeroplan Reserve Card is the card for you.
- If you prefer a lower annual fee for $1,500 worth of Aeroplan points, go with the standard Aeroplan Card.
These offers are too good to pass up, so make sure you capitalize on them before they disappear. Do yourself a favor and apply today.
