American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card Review
Pros
- Earn up to 90,000 Welcome Bonus Aeroplan points
- 3X Aeroplan points for travel, dining, and select business spending
- Annual partner ticket benefit
- Free Maple Leaf Lounge access
- Priority privileges for Air Canada travel
- Travel insurance and business expense coverage
Cons
- $599 annual fee
- Requires strong credit score
- American Express not accepted everywhere
- Limited partnership outside Air Canada and Aeroplan network
- No introductory interest rate promotions
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Performance test results
At DollarWise, for each credit card we test 7 different factors including the rewards, value for money, perks, insurance, strengths and weaknesses of the card.
You can see our full testing methodology here to learn why we’re the most trusted source for credit card reviews.
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card has earned a 4.37 DollarWise Rating out of 5. This score is based on a weighted average of the two highest scoring factors (excluding acceptance and approval).
4.4
Rewards
0.3
Fees
2.6
Perks
2.9
Interest rates
4.3
Insurance
4.0
Acceptance
2.5
Approval
The highest scoring categories for the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card are rewards and insurance.
These factors are weighted 70% to the highest scoring factor and 30% to the second highest score to get an overall review score.
This weighting allows us to judge cards on their merits and the customers they are designed for.
For the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card the most important factors for scoring this card are its rewards and insurance.
Rewards
With the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card, here’s the rates at which you earn rewards for different spending categories per dollar you spend:
| Bills | 1.25 points |
| Pharmacy | 1.25 points |
| Gas | 1.25 points |
| Groceries | 1.25 points |
| Restaurants | 1.25 points |
| Specific Stores | 3 points |
| Travel | 1.25 points |
| All Other Spend | 1.25 points |
Calculating your annual rewards
We estimate that spending $2,000 per month with the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card would earn $642 in rewards over the year.
Our performance testing research uses an accurate estimation of the average Canadian households spending patterns to predict the rewards a card will earn.
We found that you’d earn this per category:
| Specific Stores | $72 |
| All Other Spend | $570 |
Our study investigating the value found that each dollar spent on the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is worth up to $0.02, depending on how you redeem.
This $642 in rewards value puts the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card in the top 20% of credit cards in Canada based on rewards earned.
The average credit card in our database earns $337 in rewards for the same spend that the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card earns $642 in rewards value.
We can compare this card to other options by looking at the earn rate by category.
This earn rate is the percentage return that you would get when you spend on this card, assuming you redeem at the predicted maximum value.
For example, if a card earned 5 points per dollar on gas and each point is worth up to $0.02, then the earn rate is 5 points multiplied by $0.02 each, divided by the dollar you spent.
In this example, that’s a 10% earn rate on gas.
| Spend | This Card | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | 2.50% | 1.25% |
| Pharmacy | 2.50% | 1.17% |
| Gas | 2.50% | 1.48% |
| Groceries | 2.50% | 1.71% |
| Restaurant | 2.50% | 1.53% |
| Store | 6.00% | 1.94% |
| Travel | 2.50% | 1.19% |
| Other | 2.50% | 1.08% |
| Redemption method | Annual rewards |
|---|---|
| Transfer to partner hotels | $263 |
| Gift cards | $228 |
| Merchandise | $238 |
| Car rentals | $289 |
| Flight rewards | $642 |
| Air Canada gift cards | $321 |
| Air Canada vactions | $266 |
For an annual spend of $24,000, we estimated annual rewards value at up to $642.
That’s equivalent to a 2.68% return on spending.
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card has an annual fee of $599. After deducting this, we predicted net annual rewards of $43.
This puts it in the bottom 20% of credit cards for net rewards after fees.
In comparison, the average card earns net annual rewards of $254.
Fees
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card has a $599 annual fee.
The average card charges $85. So, the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is in the top 10% of cards based on the cost of the annual fee.
Perks
We manually review the perks of each credit card to determine how they compare to other cards.
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card scored a 2.6 out of 5 for perks, putting it in the top 20% of cards.
The average card scores 1.6 out of 5 for perks.
Interest Rates
| Purchase | 19.99% |
| Cash Advance | 21.99% |
| Balance Transfer | N/A% |
The average (median) credit card has a purchase interest rate of 19.99% and so the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card charges {{purchase_interest_diff}} than the average.
For cash advances it costs 21.99% compared to the average of 19.96%.
Testing the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card with a $2,000 starting balance, you can see in the graph how the {{purchase_interest_diff}} in interest rates impacts the interest over a year, compared to the average card.
Insurance coverage
| Insurance | This Card | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Extended Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
| Purchase Protection | 90 days | 90 days |
| Travel Accident | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| Emergency Medical Term | 15 days | 15 days |
| Trip Cancellation | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Trip Interruption | $1,500 | $2,000 |
| Flight Delay | $1,000 | $500 |
| Baggage Delay | $1,000 | $500 |
| Lost or Stolen Baggage | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Rental Car Theft & Damage | Yes | No |
| Hotel Burglary | $1,000 | $1,000 |
We scored it 4.3 out of 5 for insurance.
It offers 11 types of insurance, whereas the average card has 5 types of coverage.
Approval and qualifying
| Do I qualify? | |
|---|---|
| Estimated Credit Score | 725 – 759 |
| Personal Income | $0 |
| Household Income | $0 |
| Fees | |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $599 |
| Extra Card Fee | $0 |
| Card type | AMEX |
We scored it 2.5 out of 5 for approval.
We predict that you will require a credit score of at least 725 to qualify for the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card, while the average card requires 652 to qualify.
This puts it in the top top 50% of cards by approval difficulty.
The personal income requirements are $0, while the average card requires $23,896.
This puts it in the top 50% of cards by the income required to qualify.
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card offers a variety of valuable rewards and benefits, making it a competitive option for Canadian business owners who frequently travel.
Understanding the key features of this card will help you evaluate whether it is the right choice for your business. Let’s explore the earning potential, benefits, drawbacks, and additional information related to this credit card.
Earning potential
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card allows cardholders to earn Aeroplan points on their purchases. The earning structure is as follows:
- 3 points per dollar spent on eligible Air Canada purchases, including flights, vacations, and in-flight services
- 2 points per dollar spent on eligible hotels and car rentals
- 1.25 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
Benefits
- Welcome Bonus: A standout advantage of this card is the welcome bonus for new cardholders. Currently, American Express offers up to 100,000 Aeroplan points as a welcome bonus, awarded after meeting certain spending requirements within the first months of membership.
- Annual Worldwide Companion Pass: The second major advantage is the ability to earn an Annual Worldwide Companion Pass from eligible purchases. This benefit can significantly decrease travel expenses while enhancing the travel experience for cardholders and their companions.
- Complimentary Lounge Access: The credit card also offers complimentary access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges and Priority Pass Airport Lounges, elevating your travel experience. This benefit includes access for both primary and supplementary cardholders.
- Travel Insurance Coverage: American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Cardholder’s can benefit from travel insurance coverage such as trip cancellation or interruption, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, and travel emergency medical insurance, adding protection and peace of mind for the cardholder’s travels.
Drawbacks:
- Drawback: One significant drawback of the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is the high annual fee of $599. This fee may be prohibitive for small business owners who are seeking lower-cost options.
- Drawback: Another notable disadvantage of this card is that American Express is not as widely accepted compared to other major credit cards, such as Visa or Mastercard. Some retailers may not accept American Express, limiting the card’s practicality in certain situations.
Additional information
In summary, the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card can be an excellent choice for Canadian business owners who frequently travel with Air Canada and seek premium travel benefits.
While the high annual fee and limited acceptance of American Express may be drawbacks for some, the rewards potential, travel insurance coverage, and enhanced travel experience can provide exceptional value for the right user.
Interested in other credit cards? If the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card credit card isn’t perfect for you, you might want to consider the RBC Visa Business Platinum Avion.
Plus, many Canadian’s that like the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card like the Scotia Momentum for Business Visa Credit Card, and the National Bank Platinum Mastercard Business Card.
FAQ
Key benefits
- Impressive rewards redemption options
- Comprehensive travel insurance package
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to international airport lounges
- Business experience enhancements
- 0.5X points per dollar on other purchases
- Redeem points for flights, with no blackout dates
- Contactless and mobile payment compatibility
- Elite status in the Aeroplan program
- Utilizes American Express global service with fraud protection
