Wallace Cashperson

Benefit seems dubious for you

For me I actually thinks it makes sense as someone who will qualify with AQDs for SE..

The number one benefit is the welcome bonus
The extra 3AP per dollar on 20K AQDs is also quite good
The extra SQM/SQS are nice and help make it sure I never need to deliberately add extra segments
The rollover e-ups aren't really useful to me as I plan them out so they all get used
Everything else is useless if you are already SE

mileageking

If you fly over 100k (for some it's significantly over) then rollover of up-to 200k SQM should also benefit hitting multiple thresholds including 1 year banked SE & 150-300k bonus points

Adam Smith

I think you're confused. I don't know when an Aeroplan credit card was first introduced (Wikipedia suggests it was 1989 when AC introduced the enRoute card, but that wasn't usable for payments other than to AC until 1992), but Amex didn't get involved until AC's insolvency (filed in late 2003) allowed AC to break the exclusivity that CIBC had at the time and bring in Amex. At most you can have had an Amex Aeroplan card since about 2004 or 2005.

To the extent that you had a CIBC card prior to getting an Amex one, Amex will not give any value to that relationship. They'll only care when you first became a member with Amex.

(Seems you've already gotten your fee waiver for this year, so it may not matter until you have the same argument with them next year, but just FYI)

mileageking

Haha, that based on a quick google search . Equates to Platinum being about 43% heavier than Aeroplan Reserve.

Bohemian1

Depending on adoption, that sounds like a potentially serious Weight and Balance issue for AC. I wonder if that was factored into the latest MAX software?

lcohen999

I was charged and promised a credit for the full amount in 45 days. So I am watching for that.

Come 2022, will have to see what comes.

InTheAirGuy

I'm bad at math. Must have been that. The card has "Charter Member" embossed on it.

The fee is superflous at this point, since they've waived it and promise a refund in 60 days.

rafi2k6

That's more or less my case, I've been with them for around 10 years now.

Scheduled a meeting at my branch, told them I'd like the VIP Aeroplan card but don't to pay the fee, needed branch manager to review, called me back the next day that whatever department approved my request.
See above, I do all my banking with CIBC, so that likely had a big impact on this.

I don't quite have 40 years with CIBC, but when I finished Uni & started working, etc... I moved all of my accounts from another big 5 bank over to CIBC, and I've only been extremely satisfied with them ever since

BlondeBomber

Is it the Platinum card or the Aeroplan Platinum card? The Platinum card has been around for a while. I can't remember when the "basic" Platinum card associated with Air Canada for rewards under that card but you could have had a Platinum card for more than the time they have been associated with AC or the Aeroplan Platinum card's existence. Only ITAG would know the answer to which card he has.

I look at $600 as a couple of hours work (or less) for some of the travelers here. I took the bait just for the rollover eupgrade credits (which I never use all of) but might have a need this year if I actually get moving again. For that it is worth it to test run and very little downside risk ($600--no freebee here). My SO not impressed but she will get over it even though she is probably right and we may not get moving in 2021 . . .

Likely to go back to the Aeroplan Gold card unless this really works to my advantage. Likely much more travel in 2022 since many conferences originally rescheduled to 2021 now being rescheduled to 2022. All of us can likely wait another year but I caved in 2021.

Hopefully they will be quicker with their rollover benefits next year (as they have promised) since it is not much of a benefit if you can't access it for 1/4 of the time that it should be good for.

FlY2XS

For us, the card was worth a 1-2 year trial in very different times. Bonuses were worth the fees for us, and we have already redeemed earned points that were worth the annual fees.
In a time that we are travelling less, and as people who don't travel for a living, the Privilege is as close to buying 35k status that you can find. For OP or others, who have status already dialed in, I don't know. Only did the math for ourselves.
The rollover benefits are still a bit of a mystery. I haven't yet seen anyone post that they were credited what they expected. Couple of post, plus my own sees it at about 50%. I would like to see an accounting on that one.

CanadaDH

I signed up for the Amex Reserve card simply for the signup bonus. I figured the fee was worth it for the 65,000 miles. I'm sure I'll cancel it before it renews, and then sign up for it again in another year or so. For years, I've been switching annually between TD and CIBC VIP cards, and the Amex Plat and Aeroplat (now Reserve) cards, and have always received the bonuses, even though the terms say you need to be a new cardholder to receive it. Without those bonuses, I can't see the benefits being worth $599/year to me.

gospelle

Refer a friend for Aeroplan Reserve Amex is available now. got my first 10,000 points from referral yesterday.

mgn2000

The person being referred is better of applying through GCR ( Great Canadian Rebates ). There is $ 200 Cash Back and a $ 100 statement credit.

https://www.greatcanadianrebates.ca/...roplanReserve/

CanadaDH

I don't know how targeted it is, but I had an Amex offer on my account, to earn up to $150 statement credit equal to any spending at Sobeys, Metro and other grocery retailers. Doesn't have to be all in one purchase. Credit is 1 to 1. I went shopping last week, spent $165 total, and 2 days later, a $150 credit appeared. I'm used to the ~20% statement credit for random retailers here and there, most of which I don't care about and don't bother to register for, but with 100% credit at a place I shop anyway, that's basically a straight up $150 reduction to the annual card fee.

If you're a card member, be sure to check your offers.

EdmFlyBoi

AMEX has been offering this on and off a while on different cards (I have a few premium AMEX cards). Overall, it is a pretty good deal as it is basically a straight refund on things I need anyway.