Best American Express Cards in Canada for 2025
American Express established itself by offering cards that were status symbols as much as payment methods. Since issuing its first Canadian card in 1958, American Express has expanded its lineup significantly, providing cards with generous rewards, valuable benefits, and appealing perks.
NerdWallet analyzed American Express cards available in Canada, comparing rewards, earn rates, benefits, fees, and more. Whether you prefer premium perks or a straightforward no-fee card, you'll likely find an American Express card that suits your needs.
American Express cards available in Canada
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Our Top Pick: American Express Cobalt® Card
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Whether you’re indulging in your favourite takeout, settling in for a streaming marathon, or both, the American Express Cobalt® Card earns big while you treat yourself. Cardholders get 5 points per dollar spent at restaurants and on food delivery, plus 3 points per dollar on streaming services. Add to those a solid 2x on gas, transit and ride shares and the Amex Cobalt puts itself firmly into ‘well-rounded rewards’ territory — all for a modest $12.99 monthly fee ($155.88 annually).
I have to call out the Amex Cobalt’s respectable insurance offerings, too, which include a suite of travel insurance and mobile device protection, plus the usual suspects: extended warranty and purchase protection. So, whether you’re jetting off on vacation or just buying a new mobile device, you’re covered.
Still, this card won’t be for everyone. Unless you frequently splash cash on dining, groceries or streaming services, the Amex Cobalt’s rewards structure won’t provide a satisfying bang for your buck.
Pros:
High rewards rate on dining and entertainment.
Comprehensive insurance coverage.
Access to American Express Experiences.
Cons:
Not all streaming services qualify for accelerated rewards, including Amazon Prime and Paramount+.
No airport lounge access.
Best American Express cards in Canada
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Methodology
BACK TO TOPHow to choose an American Express card
Selecting the right American Express card involves considering your personal spending habits and preferences. Here’s what to consider:
American Express cards offer multiple types of rewards:
Membership Rewards points: Redeemable for travel bookings, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, and more.
Aeroplan points: Air Canada’s loyalty program allows you to redeem points for flights, cabin upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals, vacation packages, and merchandise through a global network of partners.
Marriott Bonvoy points: Ideal for frequent hotel guests, this program offers points redeemable for free hotel stays, room upgrades, and unique hotel experiences across the extensive Marriott hotel network.
Cash back: Earned as statement credits directly reducing your monthly bill.
Amex cards typically have two types of earn rates:
Base earn rate: The standard rate you earn for everyday spending — for example, 1 point per $1 spent. “Flat-rate rewards” cards only offer the base rate.
Accelerated earn rates: Increased rewards for spending in specific categories like restaurants, groceries, gas stations, or travel — for example, 5 points per $1 spent at eligible restaurants.
Annual fees for American Express cards in Canada range significantly, from $0 up to $799. Evaluate each card against this cost to see if the annual fee is worth it.
For example, if you frequently travel and a card charges a $200 annual fee but includes airport lounge access worth approximately $500 per year — and you’ll actually visit the lounges — the benefits outweigh the fee, making it a valuable choice.
Most American Express cards feature attractive welcome bonuses, often worth a few hundred dollars.
However, don’t expect to receive a welcome bonus just for signing up. New cardholders usually must meet certain spending thresholds within a specified period after opening the account to unlock the offer.
The majority of Amex credit cards charge an interest rate of around 21.99% on purchases. Some Amex products are charge cards, which require the balance to be paid in full each month to avoid significantly higher interest charges.
Consider extra perks that align with your lifestyle. Common Amex card benefits include:
Mobile device insurance.
Free checked bags.
Purchase protection.
What to know about American Express cards
Amex issues many of its cards directly to consumers. Scotiabank also offers Amex cards:
Scotiabank American Express® card.
Card types
Unlike Visa and Mastercard, American Express does not have formal card tiers. However, the issuer offers two types of cards: charge cards and credit cards.
Charge cards have no pre-set credit limit; instead, your limit adjusts based on your credit and payment history. With a charge card, you must pay your balance in full monthly or you'll incur a steep 30% interest rate.
Credit cards allow you to borrow funds to make purchases up to a fixed credit limit. If you don’t pay your balance in full, you can carry it over to the next month, but unless it’s a 0% interest card, you’ll pay interest on the balance.
Amex also offers the Centurion Card, an invitation-only “black card” aimed at its top customers. The credit card is packed with many benefits and carries a high annual fee.
Borrowing features
Beyond your card’s credit limit, American Express cardholders may have access to additional funds through American Express Personal Loans, credit limit increases, and other lending options.
The Plan It® Installment Program lets cardholders split purchases and portions of statement balances over $100 into 3, 6, or 12-month installments. It charges a monthly fee instead of interest, and reduces your available credit. Plan It® is not available in Quebec, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, and Prince Edward Island.
The American Express® Flexible Payment Option is available on some charge cards, which require you to pay your entire balance at once. This feature lets cardholders pay only a portion of their balance over time, making it easier to finance major purchases.
How to get an American Express card
Once you’ve found an American Express credit card you like, start the application process. Before you begin, review the card’s eligibility criteria to determine if you qualify.
Eligibility requirements
Unlike Visa and Mastercard, Amex doesn’t publicly specify income requirements for its cards.
Amex does list two formal requirements on its credit card pages:
You must be a Canadian resident.
You must be at least the age of majority in your province or territory.
Amex also doesn’t list minimum credit score requirements, but generally, the higher your credit score, the more likely you are to be approved.
Steps to Apply
American Express credit card applications are typically done online. If you’d prefer to apply in person, you’ll need to select one of American Express’ co-branded credit cards with Scotiabank.
To apply online:
Visit the American Express website and select the Apply Now button on the card you’re interested in.
Review the terms and conditions. Select Agree and Begin.
Enter your personal information, including your full name, email address, date of birth, and residential address.
Provide financial details such as your employment status and annual income.
Choose a four-digit PIN.
Review your information and submit the application.
Approval may take only 60 seconds, but could be longer if Amex requires additional information.
Getting the most from your American Express card
Learn to maximize your Membership Rewards
If your Amex card earns Membership Rewards points, it’s important to become familiar with the program.
You can redeem 1,000 Membership Rewards points for $10 in statement credits.
Simply put, this is a value of 1 cent per point. However, with Amex’s Fixed Points Travel program, you can get up to 1.74 cents per point on some flights.
You can also redeem points for gift cards and merchandise.
You must have enough Membership Rewards points to fully cover your booking (including all the travellers in your party) for the Fixed Points Travel option to appear.
Know your point transfer partners
One benefit of American Express Membership Rewards is that you can transfer your points to various hotel and airline loyalty programs.
Transferring points could help you get more value from these programs.
» MORE: Read our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card.
Familiarize yourself with popular American Express card benefits
Amex credit cards are popular in Canada because they come packed with benefits. Knowing your perks lets you use as many as possible.
One of the best perks for an Amex cardholder is the referral program. If friends or family apply through your referral link and get approved, you earn bonus points.
Amex Offers is a unique perk that’s available only to American Express cardholders. Throughout the year, you receive exclusive offers from various retailers.
To use Amex Offers, activate them online or through the app. If an Offer catches your eye, be sure to activate it properly — some are only available for a limited time.
With American Express Front of the Line access, cardholders can purchase tickets to entertainment events before the general public. Some Amex credit cards also grant entry to American Express Experiences, a collection of special dining, shopping, and wellness events.
If you miss the presale for an event, you may not be out of luck. Some shows offer exclusive seats to American Express cardholders until they sell out.
Purchase protection is included with most Amex cards. When you charge a purchase to your American Express card, it’s insured for 90 or 120 days (depending on the card) against theft, damage, or loss, up to $1,000 per occurrence.
A related protection program extends the manufacturer’s basic warranty on purchases by one or two years, depending on your card.
Existing Amex cardholders may be pre-approved for card upgrades. For example, you may be able to trade up from the American Express® Gold Rewards Card to The Platinum Card® from American Express.
If you’d like to upgrade but haven’t received a pre-approval offer, you can try to request one directly by contacting American Express.
Frequently asked questions
Does Square accept American Express?
Does Square accept American Express?
Square, a payment processing platform used by small business owners, accepts American Express in Canada. If the merchant uses Square, you can use your American Express Card.
Where is American Express accepted in Canada?
Where is American Express accepted in Canada?
Amex has a reputation for being less widely accepted than Visa and Mastercard, but it continues to add more merchants every year. If you’re unsure if American Express is accepted at a retailer, use the company’s online merchant map.
As of writing, popular online retailers that accept Amex include Amazon, Adidas, Best Buy, Dell, Eddie Bauer, Gap, Ikea, Lowes, Pottery Barn, Walmart, Wayfair, and more.
DIVE EVEN DEEPER
Shannon Terrell
