Independent comparisonFees includedCanadian card data
Annual fee
$191.88
Reward type
Amex Points
Welcome offer
15,000 pts
Current new-cardmember offer
Insurance
10 coverages
Certificate terms apply
🍽️ Best for Dining
The ClearFin bottom line
🍽️ Best for Dining
A food-first rewards card for people who spend heavily at eligible restaurants and grocery stores and can use flexible Membership Rewards points. Its strongest case is everyday earning—not lounge access—and the monthly fee deserves a deliberate value check. Its strongest published earn rate in our data is 5.0% on dining. The $191.88 annual fee should be weighed against the rewards and benefits you expect to use.
Checked 2026-08-08 · Product page and insurance certificate
Welcome bonus
Up to 15,000 Membership Rewards pointsup to $150 in statement-credit value
How to earn it
1,250 points each monthSpend $750 in purchases during a monthly billing period in your first year, up to 12 times
Offer details
Available to eligible new American Express Cobalt Cardmembers. Your account must remain in good standing, and the issuer's full offer terms apply.
How you earn
5× points on eligible restaurants, cafés, bars, stand-alone groceries, and food delivery in Canada · up to $2,500 per month, then 1×.
3× points on eligible Canadian streaming subscriptions.
2× points on eligible gas, local transit, taxis, and rideshare in Canada.
1× point on other eligible purchases, including general travel.
2× points in total on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through Amex Travel, subject to exclusions.
Costs and requirements
Fees & eligibility
Confirm final approval criteria and current rates directly with the issuer.
Annual fee$191.88$15.99 billed monthly (yearly in Quebec)
Purchase interest21.99%
Cash advance interest21.99%
Foreign transaction fee2.5%
Income requirementNot statedIssuer approval criteria apply
Additional card$0
Recommended credit score743+ Good to Excellent
Applicants typically have the strongest approval odds with a good to excellent credit profile.
300Poor
560Fair
660Good
725Very Good
760Excellent
ClearFin estimate on Canada's 300–900 scale. This is not an issuer cutoff or approval guarantee; lenders may use different bureau scores and underwriting criteria. This is an estimated approval range based on industry data and cardholder reports. American Express does not publish a minimum credit score requirement, and approval decisions consider additional factors such as income, credit history, existing debt, and payment history.
Earning cap
Earning cap
Earning cap
Using your rewards
Redemption options
Redemption values and availability may vary by option and can change.
Apply points to an eligible card purchase as a statement credit at 1,000 points for $10 in value.
Transfer points to participating airline and hotel loyalty programs. Several airline partners use a 1:1 ratio, while ratios and availability vary by partner.
Use Fixed Points Travel for eligible flights, where a set number of points can cover a base ticket price up to the program maximum.
Book eligible travel through American Express Travel or use points for eligible travel purchases charged to the card.
Use points toward eligible Air Canada purchases through Pay with Points, with a minimum redemption of 10 points.
Redeem for gift cards, merchandise, or eligible Amazon purchases; the value per point can vary by option.
Beyond the points
Benefits that come with the card
Consider these extras by the value they add to purchases and experiences you already use.
Instacart monthly credit
After registration, earn a $5 statement credit in each month you make an eligible Instacart purchase of at least $10, through December 31, 2027—up to $60 per year. Terms apply.
The Hotel Collection
Book two or more consecutive nights at participating properties for up to US$100 in eligible hotel credit, plus a possible room upgrade, noon check-in, and late checkout, subject to availability.
Amex Offers
Register for targeted offers in the Amex app or Online Services to access eligible statement credits and bonus rewards.
Amex Experiences
Access eligible Front Of The Line presales, reserved tickets, and selected Cardmember events.
No-fee supplementary cards
Add up to nine supplementary cards with no annual fee. American Express age and account requirements apply.
Protection included
Insurance at a glance
10 coverages listed. Key terms are summarized below; full certificate terms apply.
Out-of-province/country emergency medical
Up to $5 million · first 15 trip days · under age 65.
Flight delay
Up to $500 combined with baggage delay · after 4 hours.
Baggage delay
Up to $500 combined with flight delay · after 6 hours.
Hotel burglary
Up to $500 for eligible stolen personal property.
Lost or stolen baggage
Up to $500 per trip for eligible baggage and personal effects.
Travel accident
Up to $250,000 for an eligible common-carrier accident.
Car-rental theft and damage
Vehicles up to $85,000 MSRP · rentals of 48 days or fewer.
Mobile device insurance
Up to $1,000 · eligible devices · coverage for up to 2 years.
Purchase Protection
Up to $1,000 per occurrence · first 90 days after purchase.
Buyer's Assurance Protection Plan
Extends an eligible manufacturer's warranty by up to 1 year.
Coverage is subject to eligibility, exclusions, limits, payment requirements, and claim rules in the insurance certificate.
Exceptional earning on eligible food and grocery purchases
Flexible Membership Rewards redemptions, including transfer partners and simple statement credits
Ten included insurance coverages plus useful lifestyle benefits
No annual fee for supplementary cards
Worth noting
$15.99 monthly fee totals $191.88 per year
The 5-points-per-$1 category is capped at $2,500 in net purchases per monthly billing period
General travel purchases now earn the base 1 point per $1 unless an eligible Amex Travel bonus applies
American Express acceptance can be less consistent than Visa or Mastercard at some merchants
ClearFin analysis
Our detailed review
A practical reading of where the card earns, what the fee buys, and which limits matter.
🍽️ Best for Dining
A food-first rewards card for people who spend heavily at eligible restaurants and grocery stores and can use flexible Membership Rewards points. Its strongest case is everyday earning—not lounge access—and the monthly fee deserves a deliberate value check.
How the rewards work
Dining, Groceries receive the strongest estimated return at 5.0%. Purchases outside the accelerated categories earn an estimated 1.0%.
What the annual cost means
Using the strongest estimated category return alone, roughly $3,850 in annual spending at that rate would equal the $191.88 fee before considering the value of insurance, partner benefits, or a welcome offer.
Who it may suit
This card is most relevant for someone who spends consistently on dining and groceries and can use enough of the included value to justify the yearly cost.
What to examine before applying
Compare the purchase interest rate, foreign-transaction fee, approval requirements, reward limits, and insurance certificates. Pay particular attention to merchant-category rules because a store may not receive the reward rate its products appear to suggest.
Issuer terms apply. ClearFin is not affiliated with this provider. How we make money. Card facts were checked against the issuer's official source. Card terms and the linked insurance certificate were checked against official issuer material.
