Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Annual fees: Aeroplan® Card $195/yr, Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card $150/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Aeroplan® Card on dining, Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card on dining.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | Aeroplan® Card | Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card |
|---|---|---|
| Dining | 3X | 2X |
| Grocery Stores |
The Aeroplan® Card wins in 2 of 2 categories. The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card leads in 0.
Dining
Aeroplan® Card earns 3X vs 2X
Grocery Stores
Aeroplan® Card earns 3X vs 2X
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
| Scenario | Aeroplan® Card | Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $250 Credits (our usable estimate): $98 − Annual fee ($195) Ongoing: $153 Year one: $933 | Rewards: $187 Credits (our usable estimate): $182 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $219 Year one: $369 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Aeroplan® Card |
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
Published annual fees: Aeroplan® Card $195/yr, Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card $150/yr — a $45 difference before welcome offers and credits.
| 3X |
| 2X |
| Everything Else | 1X | 1X |
Network
Key Benefits
Pros
Cons
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month |
Rewards: $998 Credits (our usable estimate): $98 − Annual fee ($195) Ongoing: $901 Year one: $1,681 |
Rewards: $749 Credits (our usable estimate): $182 − Annual fee ($150) Ongoing: $781 Year one: $931 |
| Aeroplan® Card |
| Aeroplan® Card |
The Aeroplan® Card costs $195/yr — that's $45 more than the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card ($150/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $45 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Aeroplan® Card includes dining credits, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, free checked bags. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $45 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $45 fee gap means the Aeroplan® Card needs roughly $45 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on dining and grocery stores and everyday spend.
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card means losing:
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
