Update 2019-02-26: Please note that the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) American Express Card Canada is no longer available. It has been replaced by the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. Get the details here!
The Canadian credit card market consists of three main players: Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Many Canadians have mixed feelings about American Express Cards, and admittedly, I used to be one of them.
Some common complaints I often hear are:
- Most places don’t accept American Express
- They have high-interest rates
- Annual fees are expensive
However, most of that is misinformation, and American Express cards are some of the most rewarding on the Canadian Market.
Jump To:
Where is American Express Accepted in Canada?
It’s true that American Express has limited acceptance compared to Visa and MasterCard, mainly due to higher processing fees paid by the merchant.
However, over 70,000 places in Canada started accepting American Express cards in 2017.
Below are some of the bigger Canadian retailers that accept American Express, both in-store and online.
And for an even more detailed list, you’ll want to check out this map of retailers near you that accept American Express in Canada.
Merchant | Category | Notes |
---|---|---|
Fortis BC | Bills | Fortis BC doesn't natively accept American Express, however you can pay your Fortis BC bill by using a third party company, Plastiq. This is useful if you need to meet a minimum spend, or want to earn more American Express points. Get your first $500 fee free dollars with this link. |
Shaw | Bills | |
Telus | Bills | |
Pattison Outdoor Advertising | Business Suppliers (Advertising) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
ReachLocal | Business Suppliers (Advertising) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Yellow Pages | Business Suppliers (Advertising) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Acklands Grainger | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Castle Building Centers | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
CDMV Inc. | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
CooperVision | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Dixon Electric | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Gescan Ontario | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Goodyear Canada Inc. | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Hiossen Implant Canada | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
K Dental Inc. | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Kal Tire | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Lowe's Canada | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Nobel Biocare Canada | Business Suppliers (Equipment) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
407 ETR | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Atlas Van Lines | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Canadian Linen and Uniform Services, Quebec Linge | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Halpern Enterprises | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
MVR Cash and Carry | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Petro-Canada | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Plastiq | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Sameday Worldwide | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
The InsureBC Group | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
The Medcan Clinic | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Unisource Canada | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Vector Energy | Business Suppliers (Everyday B2B) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Best Buy | Business Suppliers (Technology) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
CDW Canada | Business Suppliers (Technology) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Microsoft | Business Suppliers (Technology) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Quickbooks Canada | Business Suppliers (Technology) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Sage | Business Suppliers (Technology) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Shaw Communications | Business Suppliers (Technology) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
TigerDirect.ca | Business Suppliers (Technology) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Wolters Kluwer | Business Suppliers (Technology) | With the American Express Business Gold card, choose up to 3 suppliers from the Business Suppliers category and earn 1 extra Membership Reward point for every $1 spent. With this program, you can earn up to a maximum of 250,000 extra points in each calendar year. Apply for the American Express Business Gold card today! |
Alice Fazooli's | Dining | |
Browns Social House | Dining | |
Bymark | Dining | |
Cactus Club | Dining | |
Canyon Creek Chophouse | Dining | |
Chop Restaurants | Dining | |
Dennys | Dining | |
Earls | Dining | |
Earls Kitchen & Bar | Dining | |
Fabbrica | Dining | |
Harveys | Dining | |
Jack Astor's | Dining | |
Kelseys | Dining | |
Loose Change Charlies | Dining | |
McDonalds | Dining | Seems to vary by location. Ask upon ordering to confirm. |
Milestones | Dining | |
Montanas | Dining | |
Moxie's Classic Grill | Dining | |
Moxies | Dining | |
North 44° | Dining | |
Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants | Dining | |
One Restaurant | Dining | |
Pickle Barrel | Dining | |
Revelstoke Mountain Resort | Dining | |
Second City | Dining | |
Shark Clubs Of Canada | Dining | |
Starbucks | Dining | |
Subway | Dining | Seems to vary by location. Ask upon ordering to confirm. |
Swiss Chalet | Dining | |
The Keg | Dining | |
The Second Cup | Dining | |
Tim Hortons | Dining | |
Triple O's | Dining | |
White Spot | Dining | |
Cineplex | Entertainment | |
Ticketmaster | Entertainment | |
7-Eleven | Gas Station / Convenient Store | |
Canadian Tire Gas Bar | Gas Station / Convenient Store | |
Chevron | Gas Station / Convenient Store | |
Esso | Gas Station / Convenient Store | |
Husky | Gas Station / Convenient Store | |
Mac’s | Gas Station / Convenient Store | |
On the Run | Gas Station / Convenient Store | |
Petro Canada | Gas Station / Convenient Store | |
Safeway Gas Bar | Gas Station / Convenient Store | |
Shell | Gas Station / Convenient Store | |
Federated Co-op | Grocery Store | |
IGA Marketplace | Grocery Store | |
London Drugs | Grocery Store | |
Longo’s | Grocery Store | |
Metro | Grocery Store | |
Pusateri’s | Grocery Store | |
Rabba | Grocery Store | |
Safeway | Grocery Store | |
Save-on Foods | Grocery Store | |
Shoppers Drug Mart | Grocery Store | |
Sobeys | Grocery Store | |
SPUD.CA | Grocery Store | Local, organic groceries delivered to your door. Get $25 off your first order with promo code CRVAN-MENBRI |
Urban Fare | Grocery Store | |
Whole Foods Market | Grocery Store | |
ICBC | Insurance | Check with your local insurance office. Yearly insurance renewals can be made with American Express. Monthly payment plans cannot be paid with a credit card, unless you use a third party company, Plastiq. This is useful if you need to meet a minimum spend, or want to earn more American Express points. Get your first $500 fee free dollars with this link. |
RBC Insurance | Insurance | |
Sussex Insurance | Insurance | |
Wawanesa | Insurance | |
Westland Insurance | Insurance | |
Amazon | Online Retailer | |
eBay | Online Retailer | |
Aldo | Shopping | |
Apple | Shopping | |
Bestbuy | Shopping | |
Bose | Shopping | |
Canadian Tire | Shopping | |
Fountain Tire | Shopping | |
H&M | Shopping | |
Holt Renfrew | Shopping | |
Home Depot | Shopping | |
Home Hardware | Shopping | |
HomeSense | Shopping | |
Hudson’s Bay | Shopping | |
IKEA | Shopping | |
Indigo Chapters | Shopping | |
Kal Tire | Shopping | |
Lowe’s | Shopping | |
Lululemon | Shopping | |
Nike | Shopping | |
Old Navy | Shopping | |
Petsmart | Shopping | |
Rona | Shopping | |
Sephora | Shopping | |
Sport Chek | Shopping | |
Staples | Shopping | |
The Brick | Shopping | |
The Gap | Shopping | |
Walmart | Shopping | Walmart accepts American Express in Canada for online purchases. Check in-store upon purchase. |
Winners | Shopping | |
Zara | Shopping | |
Air Canada | Travel | |
Airbnb | Travel | |
Avis | Travel | |
Best Western | Travel | |
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts | Travel | |
Hertz | Travel | |
Marriott Hotels | Travel | |
Royal Caribbean Cruises | Travel | |
Sandman Hotels & Inns | Travel | |
Starwood Hotels and Resorts | Travel | |
WestJet | Travel |
Enough retailers accept American Express that my Platinum Card is my ‘top of wallet’ card (the card I use most often for everyday spend). I use a CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite for retailers that don’t accept American Express.
American Express Platinum Card®
Receive 50,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.
- Get a $200 travel credit & airport lounge access worldwide.
$699 annual fee.
What American Express Card Should I Get in Canada?
That really depends on four main factors:
- How much do you spend annually on credit cards?
- How often do you travel?
- Do you mind paying an annual fee for additional benefits?
- Are you a small business owner?
American Express Canada has four Membership Rewards cards; two personal and two for small businesses:
The American Express Platinum Card
- Earn 50,000 Membership Reward points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months of membership.
- Precision-cut metal card, with your name engraved.
- Earn 3 Membership Reward points for every $1 spent on eligible dining in Canada.
- Earn 2 Membership Reward point for every $1 spent on travel.
- Earn 1 Membership Reward point for every $1 spent on everyday purchases.
- Enjoy a $200 annual travel credit (each calendar year – resets in January) for flights, hotel stays, or car rentals
- World-wide airport lounge access, including complimentary Priority Pass membership ($399USD value) and access the American Express Centurion Lounges
- Complimentary Gold status with Starwood Hotels and Marriott
- Industry leading insurance benefits including trip cancellation and out-of-province medical
- Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
- $699 annual fee (not waived the first year)
- Earn 15,000 Membership Reward points for each approved referral
The American Express Gold Rewards Card
- Earn 25,000 Membership Reward points after spending $1,500 in the first 3 months of membership and adding an authorized user during the initial application
- Earn 2 points for every $1 on gas, grocery, drugstore, and travel purchases
- Earn 1 point for every $1 on everything else
- Comprehensive insurance benefits, including out-of-province medical
- Earn 5,000 Membership Rewards points for each approved referral
The American Express Business Platinum Card
- Earn 40,000 Membership Reward points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months of membership.
- Earn 1.25 Membership Reward points for every $1 in spend on everyday purchases
- World-wide airport lounge access, including complimentary Priority Pass membership and access the American Express Centurion Lounges
- Complimentary Gold status with Starwood Hotels and Marriott
- Comprehensive insurance coverage including trip cancellation and small business protections
- Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
- $499 annual fee (not waived the first year)
- Earn 15,000 Membership Reward points for each approved referral
The American Express Business Gold Rewards Card
- Earn 30,000 Membership Reward points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months of membership
- Earn 1 point for every $1 in spend on everyday purchases
- Earn 2 points for every $1 at 3 select retailers (choose from a list provided by American Express)
- Comprehensive insurance benefits, including small business protection
- Earn 10,000 Membership Reward points for each approved referral
In addition to the family of Membership Reward cards, I would also consider the two Starwood Preferred Guest credit cards from American Express. SPG is my favourite overall loyalty program for hotel redemptions and flexible airline transfer partners. Those who are considering the SPG card should act fast, as Marriott and SPG have merged, and the future of both programs is unknown.
***Update as of April 17th, 2018*** The Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Cards are no longer offering SPG points as a welcome bonus. For all the details on the changes, check out our recent post!
The American Express Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card
Earn 50,000 American Express points after spending $1,500 in the first 3 months of membership (free night redemptions start at 2,000 points per night)Earn 2 SPG points for every $1 at participating Starwood and Marriott hotelsEarn 1 SPG point for every $1 on everyday purchasesComplimentary SPG and Marriott Gold status after spending $30,000 in a calendar yearComplimentary weekend night stay at a category 1-4 SPG property after spending $40,000 in a calendar yearTransfer SPG points to 30 participating airline programs, usually at 1:1 ratio, with a 5,000 mile bonus for each transfer of 20,000 pointsComprehensive insurance benefits$120 annual fee (not waived the first year)Earn 5,000 SPG points for each approved referral- Update 2019-02-26: Please note that the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) American Express Card Canada is no longer available. It has been replaced by the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. Get the details here!
The American Express Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card
Earn 50,000 American Express points after spending $1,500 in the first 3 months of membership (free night redemptions start at 2,000 points per night)Earn 2 SPG points for every $1 at participating Starwood and Marriott hotelsEarn 1 SPG point for every $1 on everyday purchasesComplimentary SPG and Marriott Gold status after spending $30,000 in a calendar yearComplimentary weekend night stay at a category 1-4 SPG property after spending $40,000 in a calendar yearTransfer SPG points to 30 participating airline programs, usually at 1:1 ratio, with a 5,000 mile bonus for each transfer of 20,000 pointsComprehensive insurance benefits$150 annual fee (not waived the first year)Earn 5,000 SPG points for each approved referral- Update 2019-02-26: Please note that the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) American Express Card Canada is no longer available. It has been replaced by the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. Get the details here!
Compare The Best Travel Rewards Cards in Canada
If you’re having a tough time deciding which card is right for you, check out more in-depth reviews of The American Express Gold Rewards Card, The Platinum Card, or The Starwood Preferred Guest Credit card.
Or compare the best travel rewards cards in Canada using our dynamic comparison tool to find the card that’s right for you.
Why Every Canadian Needs An American Express Card
It’s really simple: American Express offers the most rewarding credit cards on the Canadian market:
- Membership Reward points are the most flexible points currency available to Canadians, with transfer options to Aeroplan, British Airways, and Starwood Preferred Guest (among others)
- American Express offers some of the most generous sign-up bonuses for new members, with annual fee waivers on the personal and business Gold Rewards card
- Referral program: earn bonus points for each friend or family member you refer to American Express
- 2 points for every $1 spent on gas, grocery, drugstore, and travel purchases with the Gold Rewards card means points can add up very quickly on everyday spending
- Comprehensive insurance benefits on all cards
- American Express customer service is industry leading
Forget the old stigma that American Express isn’t accepted in Canada and start rewarding yourself today!
American Express Platinum Card®
Receive 50,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.
- Get a $200 travel credit & airport lounge access worldwide.
$699 annual fee.
Please provide a list of the eligible dining locations in Canada?