American Express · Aeroplan· Reviewed 2026-07-25 by The Points Standard

Amex Aeroplan Card

Strong

A solid entry Aeroplan card, usually judged against the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite on acceptance vs. bonus size.

Annual fee
$120
Welcome bonus value (full offer)
$855 Up to 45,000 Aeroplan points (35,000 on $7.5K/6 mo + 10,000 on $1K in month 13)
First-year net value
$545
Interest rates
30% (charge card — balance due in full monthly; 30% applies to overdue balances)
See current offer

Direct issuer link — details verified 2026-07-25

Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.

Independent.Ranked by the Standard Score, never by compensation.·Last reviewed 2026-07-25·Full disclosure

Standard Score breakdown

Strong

Six weighted components, each rated 0–10. “Contributes” is the rating × weight — add all six and you get a raw 6.53/10, published as 6.5/10.

Component (weight)RatingContributes
First-year value (30%)
6.51.95
Ongoing value (20%)
6.01.20
Flexibility (15%)
6.00.90
Perk usability (15%)
7.51.13
Low friction (10%)
6.50.65
Strategic fit (10%)
7.00.70

Evidence behind each input

The facts are structured; the rating remains an editorial judgment. Open any component to audit what was considered without mistaking the evidence for an automatic formula.

First-year value6.5/10

The published first-year net value maps directly to the executable anchor ladder.

  • $545 first-year net value maps to a 6.5/10 baseline.
  • Published first-year input: 6.5/10, matching the baseline.
  • The largest structured year-one offer threshold is $7,500 of spend.
  • The offer includes value that lands after year one and is excluded from first-year net value.
Ongoing value6.0/10

This input judges recurring earn and cash-like credits after the annual fee; the welcome offer and non-cash perks are excluded.

  • $120 annual fee.
  • Published earn: 2x — Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations; 1.5x — Dining and food delivery; 1x — Everything else.
  • No cap is stated in the structured earn rows.
Flexibility6.0/10

This input judges how easily Aeroplan can become useful value without forcing one narrow redemption path.

  • Reward currency: Aeroplan.
  • Flexibility evidence: Preferred pricing on Aeroplan redemptions
Perk usability7.5/10

This input credits non-cash benefits at realistic use, separate from cash-like credits already counted in ongoing value.

  • No airport lounge access.
  • 3 published insurance benefits: Travel accident; Flight/baggage delay; Rental car coverage.
Low friction6.5/10

This input combines network acceptance, caps, conditions, eligibility, and operational effort; a higher rating means less friction.

  • American Express acceptance; 2.5% foreign-transaction fee.
  • No published income minimum.
  • Practical constraint: Amex acceptance gaps
Strategic fit7.0/10

This input asks whether the card fills a distinct role in a small wallet rather than duplicating another card; redemption quality is not counted again here.

  • Ranking roles: aeroplan.
  • Fit case: Aeroplan collectors who want the entry Amex with a checked-bag perk.
  • Main conflict: Your grocery stores don't take Amex — the TD equivalent earns on a Visa.

See how the Standard Score works or re-weight it to your priorities.

Earn rates

Earn rates
CategoryRate
Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations2x
Dining and food delivery1.5x
Everything else1x

Included insurance

Travel accident · Flight/baggage delay · Rental car coverage

Why it earns its score

  • Direct Aeroplan earning at a mainstream fee
  • Free first checked bag on Air Canada
  • Preferred pricing on Aeroplan redemptions

Where it loses points

  • Amex acceptance gaps
  • Reserve and TD Aeroplan VI both out-perk it for flyers who check bags often

Who it’s for

Aeroplan collectors who want the entry Amex with a checked-bag perk.

Who should skip it

Your grocery stores don't take Amex — the TD equivalent earns on a Visa.

The bottom line

Standard Score 6.5/10 — Strong. We estimate ≈ $545 in first-year net value after the $120 fee.

See current offerUp to 45,000 Aeroplan points (35,000 on $7.5K/6 mo + 10,000 on $1K in month 13)

Direct issuer link — no commission shapes this review

Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.

Renewal math

Should you keep this card?

The welcome offer only lands once — so the keep-or-cancel question is whether the $120 fee still pays for itself on earn alone. Enter your monthly spend to see the recurring math.

~$353/year in rewards at this spend − $120 fee = $233/year

The fee pays for itself at this spend — keeping it is defensible

At this spending mix, the card breaks even around $460/month on the card. Below that, the fee stops earning its keep.

Estimates price your spend at the card’s published earn rates and our Points Standard Index valuations; they ignore category earn caps and any retention offer the issuer might make if you call. Perks you actually use — insurance, lounge visits — are value on top of this math, so weigh them before cancelling.

Welcome-offer history

We’ve tracked this card’s welcome offer since Jul 11, 2026 and log every change, so you can judge whether today’s offer is genuinely strong or just loudly advertised.

$945 — Jul 11 – Jul 12$945Jul 11 – Jul 12$855 — Jul 12 – Jul 25$855Jul 12 – Jul 25$855 — since Jul 25 (current offer)$855since Jul 25CURRENT
Estimated CAD value of each tracked welcome offer, in order. Exact offers and dates in the table below.
Welcome-offer history
OfferEst. valueRecordedStatus
Up to 45,000 Aeroplan points (35,000 on $7.5K/6 mo + 10,000 on $1K in month 13)$855Jul 25, 2026Current
Up to 45,000 Aeroplan points (35,000 on $7.5K/6 mo + 10,000 on $1K in month 13) — offer ends July 28, 2026$855Jul 12, 2026 – Jul 25, 2026Replaced
Up to 45,000 Aeroplan points (35,000 on $7.5K/6 mo + 10,000 on $1K in month 13) — offer ends July 28, 2026$945Jul 11, 2026 – Jul 12, 2026Replaced

Source: issuer card page · Last reviewed 2026-07-25. Details change often — confirm current terms with the issuer before applying.

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