American Specific bank cards provide a few of the highest earn charges and most rewarding journey perks for bank cards in Canada. Right here, we break down the most effective Amex playing cards within the nation for money again, journey, no charge and low curiosity.
Greatest American Specific bank cards in Canada
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Greatest money again Amex card
SimplyCash Most popular Card from American Specific
Earn a minimal of two% money again on all purchases, and 4% money again on main spending classes.
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Curiosity Charges:
21.99% buy, 21.99% money advance, N/A stability switch
Welcome provide:
$250 worth
Earn a bonus 10% money again on all purchases to your first 3 months (as much as $2,000 in purchases). Plus, earn a $50 assertion credit score if you make a purchase order in month 13. This might add as much as $250 in bonus worth in your first 13 months.
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Greatest Amex journey card
Scotiabank Gold American Specific Card
Earn as much as 6 Scene+ factors per $1 spent and entry unimaginable journey perks, together with no international transaction charges.
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Curiosity Charges:
20.99% buy, 22.99% money advance, 22.99% stability switch
Welcome provide:
$450 worth
Earn as much as $950 in worth within the first 12 months, together with as much as 45,000 bonus Scene+ factors. To qualify, apply by December 31, 2024.
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Greatest no-fee Amex card
American Specific Inexperienced Card
Earn as much as 2 Membership Rewards factors on each buy with out paying an annual charge.
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Curiosity Charges:
21.99% buy, 21.99% money advance, N/A stability switch
Welcome provide:
$100 worth
Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards factors if you cost $1,000 in purchases to your card within the first three months of cardmembership.
Examine widespread American Specific bank cards
Examine your American Specific bank card choices with our interactive device and filter bank cards primarily based on rewards worth, annual charges, earnings necessities and extra. Use the device beneath to check bank card choices, or maintain scrolling for our editors’ high picks.
MoneySense award winners
Try the professionals and cons of our high American Specific card picks throughout the money again, journey, low-interest and different classes.
Greatest money again American Specific bank card
At a look: The American Specific SimplyCash Most popular is among the finest money again bank cards in Canada, providing a beneficiant 4% money again on fuel and groceries and a couple of% on all different purchases. There’s no earnings requirement, making it accessible to a variety of Canadians.
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Amex SimplyCash Most popular
Annual charge: $120
Welcome provide: Earn a bonus 10% money again on all purchases to your first three months (as much as $2,000 in purchases) and a $50 assertion credit score if you make a purchase order in month 13 (complete worth of as much as $250).
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 21.99% on purchases, 21.99% on money advances |
| Earnings required | None specified |
| Credit score rating | 725 or larger |
Gold: Greatest American Specific journey bank card
At a look: The Scotiabank Gold American Specific is king among the many finest journey bank cards in Canada, due to its spectacular rewards program, complete insurance coverage bundle and suite of journey perks, together with no international transaction charges. With a beneficiant welcome bonus and a versatile redemption course of to make use of factors for journey and different purchases, it’s good for frequent travellers.
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Scotiabank Gold American Specific
Annual charge: $120
Welcome provide: Earn as much as $780 in worth within the first 12 months, together with as much as 40,000 bonus Scene+ factors. Provide ends July 1, 2025.
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, 22.99% on stability transfers |
| Earnings required | $12,000 per 12 months |
| Credit score rating | 725 or larger |
| Level worth | 1 Scene+ level = $0.01 when redeemed for journey on any airline or resort (together with Airbnbs). |
Silver: Greatest American Specific journey bank card
At a look: The spectacular excessive earn fee of the American Specific Cobalt, notably within the widespread meals class, makes it a standout bank card for many who trip typically. For journey class—which incorporates rewards for flights, transit, fuel and even rideshares purchases—presents a high-rate for incomes rewards.
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American Specific Cobalt
Annual charge: $156
Welcome provide: Earn 1,250 factors for every month you spend $750, as much as a most of 15,000 factors.
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 21.99% on purchases, 21.99% on money advances |
| Earnings required | None specified |
| Credit score rating | 725 or larger |
| Level worth | 1 Amex Membership Rewards level = $0.01 when redeemed with the Versatile Factors Journey Program, $0.015 on common with the Fastened Factors Journey Program, and as much as $0.02 with airline factors transfers. |
Greatest no-fee American Specific bank card
At a look: Consider the American Specific Inexperienced Card because the Cobalt’s mini-me. Just like the Cobalt, this card enables you to earn versatile Amex Membership Rewards factors which you could redeem for journey and money rewards—besides it has no annual charge.
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American Specific Inexperienced Card
Annual charge: $0
Welcome provide: earn 10,000 Membership Rewards factors if you cost $1,000 in purchases to your card within the first three months of cardmembership.
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 21.99% on purchases, 21.99% on money advances |
| Earnings required | None specified |
| Credit score rating | 725 or larger |
| Level worth | 1 Amex Membership Rewards level = $0.01 when redeemed with the Versatile Factors Journey Program, $0.015 on common with the Fastened Factors Journey Program, and as much as $0.02 with airline factors transfers. . |
Greatest low-interest American Specific bank card
At a look: The American Specific Important Card is an efficient low-interest bank card for Canadians who wish to save on curiosity expenses. And with a low annual charge of $25, it’s an inexpensive possibility for managing on a regular basis bills.
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American Specific Important Card
Annual charge: $25
Rewards: Doesn’t provide rewards.
Welcome provide: None presently.
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 12.99% on purchases and 12.99% on money advances |
| Earnings required | $15,000 per 12 months |
| Credit score rating | 725 or larger |
About American Specific Membership Rewards
American Specific Membership Rewards is among the Most worthy and versatile rewards applications for bank cards in Canada. However to benefit from it, it’s necessary to know how Membership Rewards (MR) factors work and the way a lot MR factors are value.
Journey redemptions
Journey is among the hottest methods to redeem any of American Specific factors applications, partly due to how versatile American Specific made it for cardholders. There are a number of methods to benefit from your factors, and also you don’t want to make use of Amex’s in-house journey company. You possibly can redeem factors for purchases booked straight from an out of doors airline, resort and/or journey company.
American Specific Versatile Journey
Probably the most simplified journey redemption comes from the Versatile Journey factors program, the place every level is value $0.01 in the direction of flights, resort stays, automotive rental, trip packages and cruises. You possibly can redeem factors for journey in flat increments of 1,000 factors (value $10).
American Specific Fastened Journey
In the event you’re trying to maximize your factors worth and rating nice journey offers, you may wish to use the Fastened Journey factors program. It permits you to redeem factors for round-trip flights out of Canada, primarily based on a regional rewards chart.
Level values range relying on the flight and area you’re travelling to, with every area requiring a minimal variety of factors in change for a most ticket. And you could have to pay upfront and get a refund for the ticket.
For instance, say you’re flying from Toronto to Montreal (a short-haul flight inside Canada). Based on the rewards chart, you’ll want a minimal of 15,000 factors, which might cowl as much as a most $300 of a flight ticket’s base worth (not together with taxes). In the event you discover an airline ticket at $350 ($250 plus $100 in taxes), you would want to redeem 15,000 factors and pay $350 (complete worth of the ticket). Then, American Specific would refund you $250—the bottom worth of the ticket, not together with taxes. Finally, you’d pay 15,000 factors plus $100 out of pocket for the $350 ticket, which works out to $0.0167 per level—far larger than the $0.01 per level worth you’d obtain within the Versatile Factors program.
Switch choices
One of many advantages of American Specific Rewards is the flexibility to switch your factors to 6 totally different frequent flyer applications, typically at beneficial ratios. For instance, you possibly can switch 1,000 Membership Rewards factors for 1,000 Aeroplan Factors at a one-to-one ratio. The worth of Aeroplan Factors fluctuates. However, relying on which flight you redeem them for and the way effectively you optimize your journey, you possibly can reap as a lot as $0.02 to $0.04 per level, particularly on enterprise class flights. The best transfers can enhance your rewards values.
Transfers don’t simply apply to airways. You possibly can switch both Membership Rewards to resort companions together with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. Level values and switch ratio fluctuate by program, so do you could have to do some math to search out out what’s the best deal for you.
Assertion credit
In the event you’d relatively spend factors in your on a regular basis buys, you possibly can. Though the worth for factors right here is inferior to with the journey rewards. When utilizing an announcement credit score, 1,000 factors equals $7 (which is $0.007 per level). You might have considered trying to stay with a money again bank card as an alternative of a journey rewards card, since money rewards playing cards provide redemptions values on on a regular basis spends and credit.
Present playing cards and merchandise
In the event you simply wish to money in your factors for a present card or merchandise, with American Specific Membership Rewards you are able to do that. The values on merchandise range dramatically. So, getting an excellent deal might, once more, take a little bit of math. You possibly can anticipate round $0.0075 per level on present playing cards.
Amex acceptance in Canada: Is it actually a difficulty?
In the event you learn up on American Specific playing cards, you’ll discover warning about limitations round how broadly accepted these playing cards are. It’s true Mastercard and Visa playing cards will be tapped at extra locations, particularly exterior of North America. However the stigma round American Specific could also be a bit overblown.
American Specific is accepted at greater than 96,000 locations throughout Canada, together with most office and massive field shops like The Bay, Walmart, Canadian Tire, Dwelling Depot amongst others. It’s additionally accepted at 1000’s of eating places and cafés, together with a lot of quick meals and chain eating places, in addition to meals supply apps. Metro and Sobeys grocery shops settle for American Specific, however Costco and Loblaw-banner shops don’t. Customers Drug Mart, some impartial eating places and several other smaller mom-and-pop retailers don’t take American Specific both.
The place does this go away you?
Reasonably than forgoing the precious rewards and perks discovered with many American Specific playing cards, our recommendation is to hold not less than two playing cards with you. Convey your American Specific together with one other no-fee Visa or Mastercard, simply in case.