Best Amex Credit Cards in Canada for 2021

Aside from its high return rates, the Scotiabank Platinum American Express provides an impressive list of purchase and travel insurance benefits that justifies the annual fee. The best credit card for insurance coverage in Canada, it provides peace of mind and comprehensive protection on the road and the longest extended warranty and purchase protection.

• Generous rewards -The Scotiabank Platinum Amex Card has one of the highest rates for a travel credit card. It offers an unmatched 4X points for groceries, gas, restaurants and entertainment purchases and 1x point anywhere else. Points can be used for travel, merchandise and gift cards.
• Travel benefits -Credit cards with annual fee have to justify the cost with lots of benefits. The Scotiabank Platinum Amex gives access to a full-service travel agency with a best price guarantee, Front Line tickets to the hottest events, 24/7 concierge, and 14 free visits to priority pass lounges per year.
• Complete travel insurance coverage -This credit card gives the best travel medical and purchase protection and the longest extended warranty (2 years) among other credit cards.

While geared towards hotel rewards, the Marriott Bonvoy Amex Credit Card is also a great card for travelers with a multitude of redemption options as well as valuable travel and shopping benefits. The free hotel stays are enough to pay for the annual fee. And when combined with the flexible travel points, this credit card is one of the best choices for both hotel and travel benefits.

• Free hotel stays – Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 affiliated hotels. Plus, this credit card gives you a Free Night Award every year after your membership anniversary.
• Loyalty rewards – Earn 6x base points per dollar at Marriott-affiliated properties when you use the card and 11x base points per dollar for being a Marriott member. This gives you 17x points per dollar or more!
• Airline conversion – Points are transferrable to more than 40 airlines.
• Shopping and travel protection – Get protected against travel emergencies and accidents, car rental theft and damage, flight and baggage delay, and hotel or motel burglary.
• No foreign transaction fees – Perfect for online and overseas purchases.
• Upgraded status – Get complimentary Silver Elite Member Status or a fast track to Gold Elite status by spending $30,000 in a calendar year.

The Amex Business Gold Rewards Card is a solid addition your wallet if you are a small-business owner who wants to get rewarded for business or family travel. It offers great returns for business expenses with 4x points on two categories of choice. And if you regularly make FedEx purchases, the limited-time bonus offer alone exceeds the annual fee of the first year.

Why We Like It:

• Better bonus offer For a limited time, this Canadian business Amex card offers up to $500 in statement credit in your 1^st three months on FedEx purchases (worth more than the annual fee of $250).
• Value-added rewards for travelers and cross-border shoppers This rewards card provides up to 4x points per dollar spent on your top two categories, including airfare as well as purchases made in the US for gas, restaurants, shipping, and advertising.
• Lucrative rewards system When maximized, the current reward system will give you approximately 600,000 points a year.
• Rebates on flights Get 25% of your points back (up to 250,000 points annually) when you redeem points to book flights via Amex Travel.
• Protection for travel and purchases It offers a wide range of travel insurance and purchase protection, including automatic extended warranty, purchase protection and return protection for store and online purchases.

If you’re looking for a basic credit card that will earn Air Miles while you spend, look no further! The American Express Air Miles card allows card holders to earn Miles everywhere they spend. Card holders obtain insurance and special offers with this card too, all these benefits come with no added cost to you.

• No Annual Fee. This credit card is one of the few American Express credit cards with no annual fee.
• Earn Air Miles. For every $15 spent, earn 1 Air Mile on purchases made with Air Miles Partners. Earn 1 Air Mile for every $20 spent elsewhere.
• Travel and Shopping Insurance. Card holders benefit from travel accident, buyer’s assurance and purchase protection insurance with this card.
• Entertainment Exclusive Offers. Gain access to special American Express events and experiences with this credit card.

With a generous rewards rate of 5 points per dollar on gas, groceries, restaurants and entertainment, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card will help make your travel plans a reality. Plus, with a flexible points program, you can book you flights on your own schedule.

• Generous sign-up bonus -The Scotiabank Gold American Express® offers a way for new cardholders to quickly stockpile points. It lets you earn 20,000 bonus points in your first year. 
• Flexible redemption options - With the Scotia Rewards Program, you can book your travel with any airline or hotel through its full-service travel agency. You can use your points to cover the whole cost of the trip, including taxes and fees, or combine your points and a charge to your card. Points can also be used to book hotels and rental cars.
• Travel convenience - Added features such as rental car discounts and hotel room upgrades are designed to make travel as convenient and comfortable as possible.
• Additional protection - This Amex credit card provides has one of the most comprehensive travel protection benefits with insurance against flight delays and lost baggage even insurance against burglaries.

If you’re looking for a basic cash back credit card - this could be an ideal option for you! With no annual fee, earn 1.25% cash back, obtain basic insurance and access to American Express special events. This is an ideal credit card for individuals wanting to build credit without making a big commitment to an annual fee.

• No Annual Fee. One of the few American Express cards that comes with no annual fee.
• Awesome Welcome Offer. Cardholders earn 2.5% cash back on all purchases in their first three months of ownership. Earnings cap at $150 - still a lot to earn while you spend!
• Cash Back Rate. Once the welcome offer expires, earn 1.25% on all purchases with no limitations.
• Entertainment Special Access. Gain access to American Express exclusive offers and experiences.
• Basic Insurance Coverage. Travel accident, buyer’s assurance and purchase protection insurance comes with card ownership.

For the avid traveller, this credit card has everything you need, including special travel offers and insurance. The card has an annual fee of $150, but you definitely get your money's worth. Even if you have a period of no travel, you can redeem your points for statement credits or transfer them to another loyalty program for future use. You can also bank them for your next trip!

• Bonus Offer. When you spend $1,500 on this credit card within the first three months of ownership, you’ll obtain 25,000 bonus points.
• Earn While You Spend. For every dollar spent on eligible travel and everyday purchases, earn 2 points. For every dollar spent elsewhere, earn 1 point.
• Travel Perks. Gain access to American Express’ hotel collection and special offers from Hertz car rental with this credit card.
• Travel Insurance. Enjoy your vacation worry free with ample insurance coverage including trip interruption, car rental theft and damage, flight delay and much more.

If you pay all your credit card balance monthly and is good at managing money, it makes perfect sense to get a credit card that rewards you – especially if it means free flights. Delivering the right mix of rewards and a low annual fee, the American Express AIR MILES Platinum Credit Card is a sensible credit card for people with mid to high spending. It gives you a lucrative welcome bonus, a generous rewards and referral program, and a good earn rate for an affordable annual fee.

• Generous welcome bonus – This credit card comes with a 3,000 MILES sign-up bonus that is worth $310 as cash AIR MILES. This is already enough for a short-haul flight.
• Wide variety of rewards – With more than 1000 rewards to choose from, you can redeem everything from travel to movie tickets, electronics, and more.
• Sufficient travel and shopping insurance – You get car rental theft and damage insurance, $100,000 travel accident insurance, purchase protection plan, and buyer’s assurance protection plan.

While geared towards young people, the American Express Cobalt^TM has plenty features and benefits that make it appealing to a wide range of people. It offers 5x more points on eats and drinks from grocery shopping to dining out, and 2x points on travel and transit. Additionally, the ability to transfer points to hotel partners or to the Fixed Points Travel Program makes this the best travel credit card in Canada with a fee. If you spend a lot on food and travel, then this credit card deserves a place in your wallet.

• Generous first-year rewards - You have the ability to earn up to 30,000 bonus points in the first year.
• Redeem anything you want -Reward points can be redeemed for travel, restaurant, movies, and merchandise. Unlike other rewards card, you can use your points for almost anything you want.
• Transferability of points -You can transfer points into the Marriott Bonvoy rewards system which unlocks access to amazing rewards programs like British Airways, Aeroplan, and more than 30 other airline partners. You can also transfer to the Hilton Honors rewards program at 1:1 ratio.
• Monthly fee - Instead of paying for a one-time annual fee, you are charged every month, giving you time to test out the card and cancel it if it's not the right fit for your spending habits.
• Free supplementary card - This usually costs an additional $50 on most rewards card. Get one for an immediate family member and boost your earning potential.

If you are comfortable with shelling out a small fee of $99 per year, then the SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express is one of the best cashback rewards cards. Those who want to maximize their rewards can take advantage of the limited-time 10% cashback rewards. It also offers a comprehensive insurance package that's worth more than $100 in value.

Why We Like It:

• High cashback rewards One of the highest we've seen, the 10% promo cash back is a welcome opportunity for people who have a major purchase coming up. After the four-month promotional period is up, it returns to a still high 2% cash back with no limits. Cash back is applied as a statement credit to your account each September.
• Complete suite of insurance and protection plans This Amex card offers extensive insurance that includes insurance against rental car damage, travel accident, foreign medical, and baggage theft as well as double manufacturer's warranty and insurance against theft or damage for purchases.