American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card review
Best for: Business owners who spend heavily on travel and want lounge access, a free checked bag and a companion pass.
- Rewards rate
- 1.25x - 3x points
- Annual fee
- $599
- Interest rates
- 20.99% / 22.99% Purchase / cash advance
- FX fee
- 2.5%
The bottom line
The Business Reserve is a premium card for businesses that travel often. It earns 3 points per dollar on travel and 1.25 points on everything else, and adds airport lounge access, a free checked bag and a companion pass. The $599 annual fee and 2.5% foreign transaction fee mean it only pays off if those travel perks get regular use.
Rewards & earn rates
You earn points in Aeroplan.
| Category | Earn rate |
|---|---|
| Travel | 3x |
| Everything Else | 1.25x |
Rates & fees
| Annual fee | $599 |
|---|---|
| Monthly equivalent | $49.92 |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.5% |
| Purchase interest rate | 20.99% |
| Cash advance rate | 22.99% |
| Network | American Express |
Perks & benefits
- Lounge Access
- Free Checked Bag
- Companion Pass
Eligibility
- Recommended credit score
- 760+ (excellent)
- Minimum personal income
- None stated
- Minimum household income
- None stated
Pros & cons
Pros
- 3 points per dollar on travel purchases
- 1.25 points per dollar on all other business spending
- Airport lounge access included
- Free checked bag and a companion pass
Cons
- $599 annual fee, one of the highest of any card we list
- 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases abroad
- Steep approval bar: 760+ credit score and a $200,000 personal income requirement
Our detailed review
How the Business Reserve earns points
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card keeps its earn structure simple. Travel purchases earn 3 points per dollar, and every other purchase earns 1.25 points per dollar. There are no other bonus categories to track, so the card rewards businesses whose biggest variable cost is getting people on the road or in the air.
As an example, a business that puts $2,000 a month of travel and $5,000 a month of other expenses on the card would earn 6,000 points from travel and 6,250 points from everything else. That’s 12,250 points a month, or 147,000 points a year. The 1.25x base rate matters here: on a card that pays 1 point per dollar, the same $5,000 of non-travel spending would earn 1,250 fewer points each month.
Lounge access, checked bags and the companion pass
Much of what you pay for with a $599 card sits in its travel benefits. The Business Reserve includes airport lounge access, a free checked bag and a companion pass. For a business owner who flies regularly, lounge access turns waiting time into working time, and a free bag removes a small charge that adds up across many trips.
The companion pass is the perk most worth planning around, because it’s most useful if you often travel with a colleague, partner or family member. The specific terms, including which trips qualify and how often each benefit can be used, are set by American Express, so read them before you count on any one perk.
Fees, interest and the fine print
The $599 annual fee works out to about $49.92 a month, so the card needs to earn its keep all year, not just on the occasional big trip. If you’d rarely use the lounge access, checked bag or companion pass, you’d be paying mostly for perks that sit unused.
Purchases made in a foreign currency carry a 2.5% foreign transaction fee, so $1,000 of spending on a trip abroad or with a US supplier adds about $25. Purchases are charged 20.99% interest and cash advances 22.99%. Paying the full statement balance by the due date avoids purchase interest entirely, which matters on a card likely to carry large travel bills.
Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere
The Business Reserve fits an owner or partner who travels often enough to use lounge access and checked bags several times a year, and who has a regular travel companion to make the companion pass worthwhile. Heavy travel spending also lets the 3x rate do real work.
It’s a poor fit for a business whose spending is mostly office costs, inventory or advertising, which would earn only 1.25 points per dollar against a $599 fee. Businesses with frequent foreign-currency expenses should weigh the 2.5% fee, and anyone who relies on suppliers that don’t take American Express will need a second card.
How it compares
The Business Platinum Card from American Express costs more at $799 a year and earns 1.25 points per dollar on all purchases, with no travel bonus. In return it offers a welcome offer of up to 120,000 Membership Rewards points, lounge access, a NEXUS rebate and a $200 annual travel credit. It suits businesses that want flexible points more than a travel-focused earn rate.
For a much lower fee, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Card costs $180 a year and earns 1.5 points per dollar on travel and dining. As a Visa, it’s accepted at merchants that don’t take American Express, though it carries the same 2.5% foreign transaction fee.
Before you apply
This card is aimed at applicants with excellent credit. The recommended credit score is 760 or higher, and the card’s listing notes a personal income requirement of $200,000. American Express makes the final decision based on your full credit and business profile.
A welcome offer may be available, but its size and spending requirement aren’t confirmed here. Check the American Express website for current terms, along with the fees and benefits, before you apply.
How it compares
- 97 of the 105 credit cards we track cost less per year, and 2 cost more.
- Charges the same 2.5% foreign transaction fee as 94 other cards we track.
- Spending $1,000 in a foreign currency adds about $25 in FX fees, or $125 on $5,000.
Side by side with similar picks
| American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card |  BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege Card |  CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card |  TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $599 | $599 | $599 | $599 |
| FX fee | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Rewards rate | 1.25x - 3x | 1x - 5x | 1.25x - 2x | 1.25x - 2x |
| Purchase interest | 20.99% | 20.99% | 20.99% | 20.99% |
| Welcome bonus | — | — | — | Up to 85,000 Aeroplan points |
| Offered by | American Express | BMO | CIBC | TD |
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Frequently asked questions
Does the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card have an annual fee?
Yes. The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card has an annual fee of $599, about $49.92 a month.
Does the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card charge foreign transaction fees?
Yes. The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card charges a 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases in currencies other than Canadian dollars.
How much does the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card earn?
3x on travel, 1.25x on everything else. Rewards are earned in Aeroplan.
What is the interest rate on the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card?
20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances. You can avoid purchase interest by paying your full statement balance by the due date.
What credit score do you need for the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card?
The recommended credit score for the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is 760+ (excellent). American Express makes the final decision based on your full credit profile.
Is the Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve Card worth the $599 fee?
Only if you travel often. The fee is the same whether you fly twice a year or twenty times, so the value comes from regularly using the lounge access, free checked bag and companion pass. A business spending $2,000 a month on travel and $5,000 on other expenses would earn 147,000 points a year, but if the travel perks would go unused, a cheaper card is likely a better fit.
What travel perks come with the Aeroplan Business Reserve Card?
The card includes airport lounge access, a free checked bag and a companion pass. Eligibility rules and limits for each benefit are set out in the card’s terms, so review them with American Express before you plan a trip around them.
Is the Aeroplan Business Reserve better than the Business Platinum Card?
It depends on where your business spends. The Business Reserve earns 3 points per dollar on travel and costs $599 a year, while the Business Platinum earns 1.25 points on everything, costs $799 and adds a $200 annual travel credit and a NEXUS rebate. Businesses with heavy travel spending will earn more points with the Business Reserve.
Who offers the American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card?
The American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card is offered by American Express. Applications are reviewed and approved by American Express, not by CreditLab.
Rates, fees and offers come from American Express’s published terms and can change at any time. Confirm the current terms with American Express before applying. CreditLab may earn a commission from partner links; this never changes the facts we show. See our methodology.