Amex Aeroplan Card Review 2026: 50K Welcome Bonus Worth It?

50,000 Aeroplan points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. The 50,000 points are worth approximately $900 in flight redemptions (long-haul economy or short-haul business class get the highest value per point).

Reserve at $599/year only makes sense for frequent Air Canada flyers using lounge access. Amex Aeroplan at $120/year is the right card for 1-3 Air Canada flights per year and casual Aeroplan accumulation. If you'll use the lounge less than 6 times/year, the Aeroplan card is better than the Reserve.

It depends. Year 1: clear yes (welcome bonus alone is worth $900 — 7x the fee). Year 2+: only if you'll use the free first checked bag (~$30 saved per flight) at least 4-5 times. Otherwise, downgrade to the no-fee Amex Aeroplan, which keeps the Aeroplan ecosystem benefits without the $120 fee.

No. Maple Leaf Lounge access is exclusive to the Aeroplan Reserve at $599/year. The Amex Aeroplan Card does not include lounge access of any kind. If you visit lounges 6+ times per year, the Reserve's $599 fee is justified by lounge access alone (~$50/visit equivalent).

The cardholder and up to 8 companions on the same Aeroplan-issued ticket get one free checked bag (50 lbs / 23 kg) on Air Canada flights. For a family of 4 flying once or twice a year, this saves $80-160 per round trip in checked-bag fees. The benefit applies to Aeroplan-issued tickets, not flights operated by partners (so partner-operated codeshare flights may not qualify).

Yes — travel emergency medical (15 days, $5M), trip interruption ($1,500 per covered insured), flight delay ($500), baggage delay, lost/damaged baggage, and rental car loss/damage waiver. The insurance package is identical to the Aeroplan Reserve. Comprehensive enough that most cardholders skip supplementary travel insurance.

Yes. The card's earn rate (1.25x on Air Canada) compounds with elite-status earn bonuses. Elite-status cardholders also benefit from Aeroplan promotional bonuses that often exclude lower-tier cards. The card itself doesn't grant elite status — you earn that by flying.

2.5% foreign currency conversion fee — same as most Amex cards. For overseas spending, pair the Amex Aeroplan with a no-FX card like the Scotia Passport Visa Infinite (which also accrues some travel insurance). Use the Amex Aeroplan only for Air Canada CAD purchases when traveling internationally.