American Express credit cards & products
Unusual in being both an issuer and a payment network. Membership Rewards is among the most valuable Canadian currencies thanks to 1:1 transfers to Aeroplan, though acceptance is narrower than Visa or Mastercard.
What American Express does well
- Membership Rewards transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan, making them among the most valuable Canadian points
- Consistently the largest welcome bonuses in the market
- Strong travel insurance and Front Of The Line event presales
What to watch for
- Acceptance is narrower than Visa or Mastercard, notably at some Canadian grocers
- Several cards charge monthly rather than annual fees, which can't be avoided by cancelling mid-year
American Express cards earn Membership Rewards. See what those points are actually worth with our points value calculator.
All 13 American Express credit cards
Frequently asked questions about American Express
What credit cards does American Express offer?
We track 13 American Express credit cards, 2 of which have no annual fee. Annual fees run from $120 to $799. They run on American Express.
What rewards program do American Express cards use?
American Express cards earn Membership Rewards. Membership Rewards transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan, making them among the most valuable Canadian points. Worth knowing: acceptance is narrower than Visa or Mastercard, notably at some Canadian grocers.
What credit score do you need for a American Express card?
Across the American Express cards we track, our recommended scores range from 640 to 780. Entry-level and no-fee cards sit at the lower end, while premium cards typically want 780+ along with the income requirement. These are VaultNerd estimates based on card tier and stated income requirements, not official issuer cutoffs.
Compare American Express against everything else
Loyalty to one bank rarely pays. Run your actual spending through the card finder to see whether a American Express card genuinely earns you the most, or browse every card we cover.
Researching and writing about Canadian personal finance since 2026.
Last reviewed August 2026 · How we research
“American Express Products.” VaultNerd, https://www.vaultnerd.com/ca/banks/american-express, updated August 2026.
- American Express published product pages and cardholder agreements
- VaultNerd products database