An upgraded version of the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card, the AMEX Aeroplan Business Reserve card is one of the top travel rewards credit cards for business owners who travel often.
Using this card for business purchases is the best way to earn Aeroplan points, which you can redeem on a wide range of travel rewards.
In this American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card review, you’ll learn about the card’s top features, benefits, how to apply, and a few alternate travel credit cards.
American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card – At a Glance
- $599 annual fee
- $199 supplementary card fee
- $0 for Aeroplan Business Reserve No Fee
- 19.99% interest rate on purchases
- 21.99% interest rate on funds advances
- Earn 3x Aeroplan points on eligible purchases with Air Canada flights and vacations
- Earn 2x Aeroplan points on eligible car rentals and hotel bookings
- Earn 1.25x Aeroplan points on all other purchases
- Earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles for every $5,000 in card purchases
- Receive an Annual Worldwide Companion Pass
- Get up to a $100 NEXUS card statement credit
American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card Benefits
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card Canada offers a few welcome bonuses.
Other notable American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card benefits include:
Earn and Redeem Aeroplan Points
For every $1 spent on your American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card, you’ll earn:
- 3x Aeroplan points on eligible Air Canada flights and vacation bookings
- 2x Aeroplan points on hotel and car rental bookings
- 1.25 Aeroplan points for everything else
You can redeem your Aeroplan points on flight tickets with Air Canada, hotel stays, car rentals, activities & travel experiences, travel upgrades, merchandise, and gift cards.
Business Benefits and Coverage
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Credit Card has a range of business solutions, including:
- The flexibility to pay balances in full each month or carry a balance
- The $599 annual fee may be tax-deductible
- You can get up to 99 supplementary cards for your employees
This credit card also includes Employee Card Misuse Protection, which provides coverage of up to $100,000 per cardmember if an employee misuses their supplementary card.
Travel Benefits
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve card gives cardholders access to a host of travel perks and rewards, including:
- A free checked bag on any flight
- Priority check-in, boarding, airport standby, baggage handling, and airport upgrades
- Maple Leaf Lounge access
- A complimentary Priority Pass membership
- Many benefits at the Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Complimentary valet services
- Discount on parking rates
Travel Coverage
With this Aeroplan business credit card, you get an array of travel insurance, including the following.
Emergency Medical Insurance – if you’re under age 65, get out of province/country emergency medical insurance with coverage up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
Flight Delay Insurance – if your flight is delayed for over 4 hours and no alternate transportation is available, get up to $1,000 in coverage for necessary accommodation, food, and sundry items purchased.
Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance – if your checked or carry-on baggage is stolen or lost, get up to $1,000 in coverage.
Baggage Delay Insurance – if your checked baggage is delayed for 6 hours or more, get up to $1,000 in coverage for necessary emergency purchases.
Hotel Burglary Insurance – if your accommodation is broken into, get up to $1,000 in coverage against the loss of personal items.
Car Rental Damage/Theft Insurance – get up to $85,000 in coverage for damage, theft, or loss of car rentals of 48 days or less.
Travel Accident Insurance – in the event of accidental death or dismemberment, get up to $500,000 in coverage.
Trip Interruption Insurance – if your trip is interrupted or delayed for a covered reason, get up to $1,500 in coverage per insured person (up to a maximum of $6,000).
Trip Cancellation Insurance – if your trip is cancelled for a covered reason, get up to $1,500 in coverage per insured person (up to a maximum of $3,000).
Purchase Coverage
Buyer’s Assurance Protection Plan – get an automatic extension of the manufacturer’s original warranty for up to one year.
Purchase Protection Plan – in the event of accidental damage or theft, you’ll be insured for up to $1,000 for eligible items charged to your American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve card.
American Express Experiences
As with most other American Express credit cards, you get access to front-of-the-line presale tickets, reserved tickets, and e-updates, not to mention special offers and experiences throughout the year.
Downsides of the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
One major downside is the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve card annual fee of $599.
This can be quite pricey, especially if you have employees with supplementary cards costing $99 each. Keep in mind, though, that you may be able to deduct this expense from your taxes.
Aeroplan points are best redeemed on flights, hotel bookings, car rentals, and vacation packages through Air Canada.
If you don’t travel often, the high annual fee and limited ways you can redeem Aeroplan points will likely outweigh the benefits of this card.
How To Apply for the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
To apply, you must meet the age of majority in your province or territory and be a Canadian resident with a Canadian credit file.
To apply for the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card, click here.
Aeroplan Rewards Program and How To Redeem Aeroplan Points
You can redeem the points you’ve earned with your Aeroplan credit card on the Air Canada website.
Points can be redeemed for Air Canada flights, hotels, vacations, car rental bookings, merchandise, gift cards, and more.
Alternatives to the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
A few alternate American Express travel credit cards include:
Loop Corporate Credit Card
Loop Corporate Credit Card topped our list of the best business credit cards in Canada for 2024.
Loop Corporate Card
Rewards: Earn cash back on purchases, can hold multiple currencies (GBP, CAD, EUR, and USD), variable credit limit of up to $1 million, 55 days to make a payment; applying won’t affect your credit score.
Welcome offer: N/A
Cards: Free account gets up to 20 virtual cards and 2 physical cards; extra physical cards for $5 each.
Annual fee: $0 (Free plan). For additional premium features, you can get the Loop Plus for $49 CAD/month or $199 CAD/month for Loop Power.
American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card vs Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express card has a $150 annual fee with a 20.99% interest rate on purchases and $21.99% on cash advances.
Cardholders earn Marriott Bonvoy points, which can be redeemed on hotel bookings, flights, car rentals, and travel upgrades.
You can earn:
- 5 points for every $1 spent on eligible Marriott Bonvoy purchases
- 3 points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, travel, and dining purchases
- 1 point for $1 spent on all other purchases
This card also includes a range of travel and shopping insurance coverage.
Learn more in this review.
American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card vs American Express Business Edge Card
One of the best business credit cards, the American Express Business Edge card is great for small business owners.
It has a $99 annual fee with an interest rate of 20.99% on purchases and 21.99% on cash advances.
Cardholders earn Membership Rewards Points, which can be redeemed on travel, dining, entertainment, and retail purchases.
Learn more in my full review here.
American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card vs American Express Business Gold Rewards Card
The American Express Business Gold Rewards card has no pre-set spending limit, with a $199 annual fee and a $50 annual fee for supplementary cards.
Cardholders earn 1 Membership Rewards point for every $1 spent, which can be redeemed on travel, gift cards, merchandise purchases, and more.
This credit card also includes insurance against lost or stolen baggage, hotel burglary, flight and baggage delays, and travel accidents.
Is the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card For You?
If you’re a business owner, travel often, and plan to charge large expenses to your credit card, this one might be for you.
You can earn 1.25 to 3x the Aeroplan points on most purchases and redeem them on various travel bookings, such as flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages.
In addition to the promising rewards, this card includes many categories of travel insurance and benefits and allows you to have up to 99 supplementary cards for your employees.
