Best American Express Credit Cards in Canada for 2024

While geared towards young people, the American Express Cobalt^® Card  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 15,000 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.

The American Express Cobalt^® Card started out as a credit card designed for millennials and young professionals. Today, it’s one of the most flexible and versatile credit cards out there. In fact, it’s now commonly used by people from all walks of life because of the lucrative benefits. 

One reason the American Express Cobalt^® Card is so popular is because of the quick rewards that come with it. Points can be earned on everyday purchases which is what makes the earnings accumulate so rapidly. On food and drinks, such as grocery, restaurant, food delivery, bar and cafe purchases, cardholders earn five points per dollar spent. 

On transit and travel, cardholders earn two points per dollar spent. These rewards are not limited to vacation only, cardholders will earn points when they spend on public transit, taxis and Ubers too. All other purchases earn one point per dollar spent. As you can see, no matter what your lifestyle is, you’ll quickly rack up points! 

Points can be redeemed to cover the cost of flights and accommodation with 1,000 points being equivalent to $10. Flights don’t have any blackout dates and you can choose any airline you’d like. In addition, the points can be used to cover fees and taxes. If you don’t have an upcoming trip, you can also spend your points on events through Ticketmaster at a rate of 2,000 points to $20. As you probably noticed, the rate of return is the same when you spend on travel and events which is fantastic! For less bang for your buck, you can also use your points for gift cards or merchandise purchases. 

Cardholders benefit from travel insurance as well. The insurance covers things like travel accidents, car rental insurance, medical emergencies, flight interruption or delay among others. Last but not least, cardholders gain access to American Express Invites which are limited offer, exclusive events. 

All of these benefits sound amazing but there’s a cost for all the wonderful benefits. There’s a monthly fee of $12.99, which works out to be $155.88 per year. The monthly payment makes it easy for most to manage. Also, you need to make between $60,000 and $80,000 per year and have decent credit. The only disadvantage is the cap rate on the bonus points is 30,000. Another downside to this bonus is the points can’t be redeemed in a lump sum. This means there is a delay between when you earn the points and when you can redeem them. 

That being said, the American Express Cobalt^® Card is still an excellent option for those who travel a lot and make lots of eligible purchases.

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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.

The SimplyCash Preferred credit card allows you to earn while you spend. There are no categories or limitations - wherever you spend, you’ll earn cash back with no earning caps. While the credit card does come with an annual fee of $99, you’ll benefit from numerous perks in addition to cash back.

The American Express SimplyCash Preferred Card offers cardholders an incredible range of benefits that include high cashback rates and a referral bonus. American Express offers exceptional customer service to its cardholders, with customer care professionals that are available to answer questions and deal with card problems, such as lost or stolen cards, 24 hours a day.

• Fantastic Welcome Offer. Earn up to $400 in Statement Credits
• Cash Back Rate. Earn 2% cash back on all purchases.
• Up to $1,500 cashback annually for approved referrals
• No Limit on Earnings. After the welcome offer expires, there are no limitations on earnings with the 2% rate. 
• Travel and Shopping Insurance. Travel abroad and shop around with peace of mind. Insurance coverage includes travel accident, car rental theft and damage, buyers assurance protection and much more.
• Entertainment Benefits. Access special event offers from American Express, such as theatre, music, fine dining, fashion and shopping.

• Cashback is earned on every purchase made with your card
• There are no limits on the amount of cashback you can receive
• Travel insurance limits are generous
• Early access to concerts and other events

• Amex isn't accepted as widely as Visa and Mastercard

The American Express SimplyCash Preferred Card is an excellent option for those who are looking for a generous cashback program. Individuals who travel frequently for business or pleasure can also benefit from this card's included travel insurance, which covers accidents, medical expenses, and even lost baggage. Although this card comes with great benefits, it's important for potential users to consider the downfalls, which is the fact that some retailers across Canada don't accept American Express cards.It is always good to have a Visa or Mastercard credit card as a backup.

If you’re looking for a straightforward cash back credit card - this could be an ideal option for you! With no annual fee, earn 1.25% cash back, obtain insurance coverage and access to American Express special events. This is an ideal credit card for individuals wanting to earn cash back 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.  In your first 10 months as a new SimplyCash® Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a $10 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $300 in purchases on your Card.
• 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.
• Insurance Coverage. Travel accident, buyer’s assurance and purchase protection insurance comes with card ownership.

The American Express SimplyCash® Card features no annual fees and offers cardholders a flat, unlimited cashback rate. Just as with the SimplyCash® Preferred Card, American Express offers its members the opportunity to receive a generous bonus for referrals. Its customer care professionals are available around-the-clock to address cardholder concerns and fraud protection is included with every card.

• Earn up to $100 in Statement Credits
• Up to $750 cashback annually for approved referrals
• Purchase Protection Plan covers all purchases made with the card
• Front of the Line ticket access for concerts, dining, film, and other experiences with American Express Invites
• Built-in fraud protection and emergency card replacements
• $100,000 travel accident insurance that includes a Buyer's Assurance Protection Plan

Pros

• No annual fees
• Cashback is unlimited
• Purchase Protection Plan protects you from shopping with bad merchants
• Early access to concerts and other events

Cons

• Amex isn't accepted as widely as Visa and Mastercard
• Travel benefits are reduced when compared with the SimplyCash Preferred Card

The Takeaway

The SimplyCash® Card from American Express is among the best choices for individuals who are looking for a cashback card that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Because cashback earnings aren't limited with this card and the interest rate is reasonable, this card makes a great choice for everyday use. Those who travel frequently and require comprehensive insurance may want to consider upgrading to the SimplyCash Preferred Card, as the SimplyCash card's travel insurance benefits are limited by comparison.

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:

• Welcome bonus - Earn a welcome bonus of 110,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first three months of Cardmembership. Plus earn 10,000 bonus points, when you charge $20,000 in net purchases to your Card account each calendar quarter. That’s a total of up to 40,000 points every year. That’s up to $1,100 in statement credits that can be reinvested in your business.
• 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.

The American Express Business Gold Rewards card is designed for small business owners who have a little extra money in their pocket and are dedicated to credit cards as a main part of day to day spending. The annual fee on this credit card is $199, but you’ll definitely get your money’s worth. To start, you’ll earn 70,000 membership rewards points after you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of membership. That’s a good way to kick start your earnings!

Below is the latest welcome bonus:

Earn up to 110,000 points: Earn a welcome bonus of 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first three months of Cardmembership. Plus earn 10,000 bonus points, when you charge $20,000 in net purchases to your Card account each calendar quarter. That’s a total of up to 40,000 points every year. That’s up to $1,100 in statement credits that can be reinvested in your business.

After the welcoming bonus, you can earn four times the membership rewards points on two category selections of your choice. This offer is applicable on the first $150,000 spent on these two categories each year. The categories you can choose from include airfare, US dollar purchases on advertising through media, US dollar technology purchases, US dollar gas purchases, US dollar purchases at restaurants and US dollar purchases on shipping. As you can tell, this card is ideal for business owners who work with US vendors frequently. Unfortunately, after that $150,000 threshold is met, you can no longer earn four times the points. All other purchases earn one point per dollar spent. Points can be used to purchase anything through American Express, but some purchases will have more value than others.

While you’re spending, AMEX offers a flexible payment option to help you manage your cash flow. Essentially, this means you can carry the credit balance from month to month with no additional repercussions aside from interest. For purchases over $100 you can use the pay over time option. For purchases under $100, you must pay the balance in full when it’s due. If you still have some cash flow issues, you can access AMEX’s Working Capital Terms program. This program allows you to obtain additional financing beyond your spending limit on the Business Gold card.

Another notable benefit of this credit card is that it has no foreign transaction fees. As mentioned, this credit card is ideal for business owners who work with a lot of US vendors because you’ll earn more points. While you’re earning those points, you won’t be hit with foreign transaction fees which is a huge plus.

The drawbacks of this credit card include possible lack of spending opportunities within your business and lack of premium travel perks. The point of a credit card with rewards is to get something more out of it than simply a form of payment. If your business doesn’t work with US vendors or doesn’t require lots of travel to the US, you’ll probably want a different credit card. Also, there aren’t many travel perks despite the points earnings on airfare. If you want you and your employees to travel in style, this credit card isn't recommended.

All in all, this credit card is an excellent choice for small business owners who do a lot of work in the US. Even though the annual fee is high, the earnings on US purchases and the lack of foreign transaction fees is totally worth it. Apply for yours today!

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.

• Welcome bonus- New Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Cardmembers earn 50,000 Welcome Bonus points after you charge $1,500 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
• Earn 5 points for every dollar in eligible Card purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
• 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.Earn 5 points for every dollar in eligible Card purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®

As the credit card’s name implies, spending on this card allows you to collect points towards the Marriott Bonvoy Rewards Program. This loyalty program allows you to redeem points on Marriott, Delta, Renaissance, Sheraton and Westin hotels, to name a few. Points can be used towards the base cost, taxes and fees. In addition, there are no restrictions or blackout dates, you can book whichever dates you want. Last, but definitely not least, this is the only Canadian credit card that earns Marriott Bonvoy points!

If you don’t want to use your points for a hotel room, you can transfer your points to an airline loyalty program. There are tons of participating airline programs, including Aeroplan. Receive a 15,000 point bonus from the Marriott Bonvoy^TM program when you transfer 60,000 points to a frequent flyer program. There are several other uses for the points you earn using this credit card, but the hotels and flights are where you’ll get the best value. Given how many options there are, you likely won’t be redeeming your points elsewhere!

Card holders earn five points for every dollar spent at a Marriott property and two points for every dollar spent elsewhere. You’ll also earn 50,000 Welcome Bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points after you charge $1,500 in net purchases to your Card in your first three months of Cardmembership.

Finally, card holders receive fifteen Elite Night credits every calendar year, Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status when you spend $30,000 on your credit card in a year, guaranteed in-room internet and basic travel insurance. All of these benefits come with a $120 annual fee.

Unlike most AMEX credit cards, this one is not a charge card. That means that the credit card’s balance can revolve from month to month without additional repercussions. If you don’t pay your full credit card balance every month, not having a charge card is ideal. In addition, there are no income requirements aside from paying the annual fee. On the contrary, the only pitfall is that American Express isn’t as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard. This can be challenging when travelling or even using your credit card on a day to day basis.

Overall, the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card is one of Canada’s finest credit cards. The versatility of the credit card allows you to use your points towards hotels and flights which truly is the best of both worlds. If you’re an avid traveler, this may be the credit card of your dreams!

This card is the most exclusive credit card in the market however it comes with a $799 annual fee which is one the highest for a Canadian credit cards. The Platinum Card® is perfect for those who are looking for a luxury credit card with outstanding benefits, rewards, insurances, and platinum experiences. The annual fee is high however a frequent traveler will enjoy every single benefit on this card.

Platinum Card's rewards earn rate:

• Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining and food delivery in Canada
• Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel
• Earn 1 point for every $1 in all other Card purchases

 
Pros

• Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points - that’s $1,000 towards a weekend away

No credit limit: There is no preset credit limit with this credit card

Premium airport lounge access: Complimentary access to over 1,300 airport lounges across 130 countries.

Premium insurance: The Platinum Card® offers different types of insurance like below:

• $500,000 Travel Accident
• Travel Emergency Assistance
• Trip Cancellation /Trip Interruption
• Car Rental Theft/Damage
• Lost or Stolen Baggage
• Flight Delay
• Baggage Delay

Cons

High annual fees: The Platinum Card has an annual fee of $799. Each additional card is $175.

As the name of this credit card implies, this card is designed for the unique, modern needs of business owners. Card holders earn three times the points for purchases made on essential business expenditures, such as office supplies, electronics, food, drinks, transportation and gas. For all other purchases, regular points are earned. As you can see, this card ensures that business owners easily earn points where ever it is they spend.

When you get this credit card, AMEX will greet you with 67,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 or more on the credit card within the first three months of card membership. 

All of these perks are fantastic and the cost is a reasonable $99 per year. Additional cards come with no annual fee which means that your coworkers can obtain a card free of charge while contributing to your points balance and paying for necessary business expenses. Card holders also benefit from being able to pay off their balance at any time, insurance, Front of the Line access and custom business tools. After you've earned a healthy points balance, you can redeem them for travel, dining, entertainment, retail and merchandise purchases, among many others.

The only disadvantage to this credit card is that it is not as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard. However, this usually is not a huge disadvantage to most businesses since they typically have more than one credit card available for use on top of other payment methods.?

All in all, the American Express Business Edge credit card is an excellent choice for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Points can be earned and redeemed on a wide array of things which gives you the best of both worlds. Finally, this credit card is an optimal choice if your business is new to credit cards and you don?t want to make a big commitment just yet!

• Welcome bonus-New Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Cardmembers, earn 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy™ points after you charge $1,500 in purchases to your Card in your first three months of Cardmembership.
• Earn 5 points for every dollar in eligible Card purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
• 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.
• Business coverage- Employee card misuse protection
• 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.Earn 5 points for every dollar in eligible Card purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®

As the name implies, the rewards from this credit card come from the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. Card holders earn six points per dollar when they spend at Marriott hotels and four points per dollar when they spend at restaurants, gas stations, telephone services and shipping in the United States. All other purchases earn two points per dollar spent. As you can tell, Marriott Bonvoy card holders tend to incur a lot of travel expenses, especially in the US.

Card holders have the opportunity to earn a Welcome Bonus of 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points after you charge $1,500 in purchases to your Card in your first three months of Cardmembership.

Other perks of this credit card include a free night at one of Marriott’s hotels every year, another free hotel stay when $60,000 or more is spent on the card in a year and automatic silver elite status with a fast track opportunity to gold status. All of these benefits come with a modest annual fee of $150.

Points can be redeemed on any Marriott hotels. The fact that you can only redeem points with one hotel chain might seem limiting, but it definitely is not! Marriott has a gigantic selection of hotels that you to choose from, no matter what the nature of your trip is, you’ll find something you like. Some hotels cost more points than others, but if you want a more luxurious trip, it’s worth the splurge. During your stay at the hotel, the automatic silver elite status will give you a late checkout option, 10% bonus points based on what you spend and free wi-fi.

Last but not least, this credit card also isn’t a charge card which means you can carry the outstanding balance from month to month without serious repercussions.

Overall, the Marriott Bonvoy Business card is a fantastic choice if you’re looking to earn and redeem points towards hotel costs within your business. The points earning opportunities and other benefits are superb, particularly when you consider the relatively low annual fee of $150.

American Express Green^® Card

• Welcome bonus: Earn 10,000 Bonus Membership Rewards® points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in your first three months of Cardmembership
• Cardholders earn one Membership Reward point for every $1 spent with the card
• Points can be redeemed toward eligible card purchases, such as groceries, dining out, and streaming services
• Front of the Line ticket access for concerts, dining, film, and other experiences with American Express Invites

The American Express Green® Card is a points card that comes with a variety of benefits. Members receive points on every purchase and can redeem them for bill credits, gift cards, travel purchases, and eligible purchases on Amazon.ca. The card also includes special access to concerts, dining, and other experiences. As with all American Express cards, the Green® Card comes with 24/7 access to customer care, fraud protection, and emergency card replacements when needed.

Features and Benefits of the American Express Green® Card

• Welcome bonus: Earn 10,000 Bonus Membership Rewards® points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in your first three months of Cardmembership
• Cardholders earn one Membership Reward point for every $1 spent with the card
• Points can be redeemed toward eligible card purchases, such as groceries, dining out, and streaming services
• Front of the Line ticket access for concerts, dining, film, and other experiences with American Express Invites

Pros and Cons of the American Express Green® Card

The Takeaway

The American Express Green® Card is a simple, day-to-day credit card that's ideal for consumers who are after a card without annual fees. Its Membership Rewards program is a great benefit that shows appreciation for cardholders by providing access to the rewards they want most in return for using their card. While the 10,000 point bonus is a major selling point for this card, it's important for new cardholders to keep in mind that they need to spend $1,000 in the first three months to qualify for this benefit.

American Express Aeroplan Card

The American Express Aeroplan Card is a charge card that allows users to also collect points towards the Aeroplan loyalty program. Check out the features of the credit card below.

Rewards

The Aeroplan Card allows users to earn points towards Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program. With this credit card, you will earn points at the following rates:

• Earn 2 points per dollar spent on Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
• Earn 1.5 points per dollar spent on dining and food delivery in Canada
• Earn 1 point per dollar spent elsewhere

Currently, there is a welcome bonus for this credit card of up to 50,000 Aeroplan®* Points.New American Express® Aeroplan®* Cardmembers can earn up to $900 in value within your first year and a bonus Buddy Pass:

Fees

Before applying for the Aeroplan Card, you should be mindful of the fees. Below is a list of fees that are associated with this credit card.

• Annual fee: $120
• Interest rate: 30%*
• Additional cards: $50 each

* Note: This credit card is a charge card which means the balance must be paid in full each month. If the balance is not paid in full, interest will be charged.

Other Features

Given that the Aeroplan Card is a travel-based credit card, it comes with an array of travel perks. Below are some additional benefits that come with this card.

• Your first checked bag is free on Air Canada flights for up to 9 people.
• Earn Aeroplan Elite Status faster.
• No pre-set spending limit.
• Access to AMEX special offers including Front Of The Line and exclusive experiences.
• Travel insurance coverage.
• Purchase protection and extended warranty.