"Which Amex card earns the most Membership Rewards points?"

"The American Express Cobalt Card earns the most Membership Rewards points on everyday spending — 5x at eligible restaurants, cafes, food delivery, and grocery stores. On $2,000/month in those categories, the Cobalt generates 120,000 MR points per year, which can be transferred to Aeroplan for a Star Alliance business class flight."

"Does the Amex Cobalt earn 5x at all grocery stores?"

"No. The Amex Cobalt earns 5x at merchants that code as eating and drinking establishments or grocery stores in Amex's system. Large general merchandise retailers like Walmart and wholesale clubs like Costco (which does not accept Amex in Canada) typically do not qualify for 5x. Traditional grocery chains like Sobeys, Metro, Loblaws, IGA, and FreshCo generally earn at the 5x rate. Always verify a specific store's earn rate before relying on 5x."

"Can I earn Amex MR points without a credit card?"

"No. Amex Membership Rewards in Canada can only be earned through eligible American Express credit and charge cards. Unlike Aeroplan (which has flight-based earning and a shopping portal), Amex MR has no independent earning channels — the programme only exists through Amex card purchases."

"What is the best two-card Amex MR setup in Canada?"

"The most common pairing is the Amex Cobalt (5x on dining and groceries) plus the Amex Gold Rewards Card (earn bonus at gas stations and on other categories) for broader category coverage. A no-fee backup Visa or Mastercard is recommended for merchants that do not accept Amex."

How to Earn Amex Membership Rewards Points in Canada 2026

Amex Membership Rewards can only be earned through American Express credit and charge cards in Canada. Unlike Aeroplan (which can be earned on flights, through a shopping portal, and from multiple card issuers), MR is Amex-exclusive. The upside: Amex has several excellent earn-rate cards, and the Cobalt’s 5x on dining and groceries is the best category earn rate in Canada.

Amex MR Cards and Their Earn Rates

Card	Annual Fee	Category Earn	Base Earn
Amex Cobalt	$155.88	5x dining, groceries, food delivery	1x everywhere else
Amex Gold Rewards	$250	2x in Canada + bonus grocery & gas	2x international travel
Amex Platinum	$799	3x dining & travel	1x everywhere else
Amex Green Card	$0	None	1x everywhere

Category-by-Category Earning Guide

Dining and Food Delivery — Best: Amex Cobalt (5x)

The Cobalt earns 5x at eligible eating and drinking establishments, including:

Sit-down restaurants, fast food chains, food courts
Cafes, coffee shops (Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Second Cup)
Bars and pubs
Food delivery: Uber Eats, DoorDash, SkipTheDishes

Earn estimate: $800/month on dining and food delivery = 4,000 MR points/month = 48,000 MR/year from dining alone.

Groceries — Best: Amex Cobalt (5x at eligible stores)

The Cobalt earns 5x at merchants that code as grocery stores in Amex’s system. This typically includes:

Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods
Metro, Food Basics, Super C
Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, Zehrs
Whole Foods Market

Does NOT earn 5x:

Walmart Supercenter (codes as general merchandise)
Costco Canada (does not accept Amex)
PC Express online grocery (often codes separately — verify)

For Sobeys-banner stores, note that the Scotiabank Gold Amex earns 6x Scene+ — higher than the Cobalt’s 5x MR. The best choice depends on whether you prefer Scene+ or Aeroplan/Avios as your end programme.

Gas — Best: Amex Gold Rewards (bonus earn)

The Cobalt earns only 1x on gas. The Amex Gold Rewards Card earns a bonus at Canadian gas stations. For Avion users, the RBC Ion Plus earns 3x Avion on gas.

Note: For pure Aeroplan earn at gas stations, TD Aeroplan and CIBC Aeroplan cards earn elevated rates at gas that the Cobalt does not match.

Travel Purchases — Best: Amex Platinum (3x) or Amex Gold Rewards (2x)

The Cobalt earns 2x on eligible transit and travel purchases (taxis, Uber ride-share, public transit). For flight purchases specifically, the Platinum earns 3x and includes extensive travel insurance and credits.

Streaming Services — Cobalt (2x)

The Amex Cobalt earns 2x on eligible streaming services, including Netflix, Spotify, Crave, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and other subscription streaming platforms.

All Other Spending

Card	Base Rate
Amex Cobalt	1x
Amex Gold Rewards	2x in Canada, 1x international
Amex Platinum	1x
Amex Green Card	1x

For high base-rate earning on all spending, the Amex Gold Rewards earns 2x everywhere in Canada — useful for spending that doesn’t fall into a bonus category.

Optimal Amex MR Setup by Spending Profile

For dining and grocery-heavy households

Card: Amex Cobalt ($155.88/yr)

5x on dining, groceries, food delivery
2x on streaming and transit
Transfer to Aeroplan for best travel value

Annual earn estimate ($2,500/month total: $1,200 grocery, $600 dining, $200 streaming, $500 other):

5x categories: 9,000 MR/month
2x streaming: 400 MR/month
1x other: 500 MR/month
Total: ~118,800 MR/year

At 1:1 to Aeroplan, that funds a Star Alliance business class flight to Europe annually.

For high overall Canadian spending

Card: Amex Gold Rewards ($250/yr)

2x everywhere in Canada
Bonus at grocery and gas partners
Good for those whose spend doesn’t concentrate in dining/grocery

For ultra-premium travellers

Card: Amex Platinum ($799/yr)

3x on dining and travel
Statement credits worth $200–$400/year (travel, dining, hotel)
Access to Centurion Lounge, Priority Pass Prestige
Premium travel insurance

Bonus Earn Opportunities

Amex Offers: Targeted promotions sent to cardholders via Amex’s app and online portal — these can earn bonus MR or cash back at specific merchants.
Referral bonuses: Amex offers referral bonuses for both the referrer and the new cardholder on most cards.
Welcome bonuses: The most efficient way to quickly accumulate MR — each card’s welcome bonus can be 30,000–100,000 MR depending on the card and current promotion.

Earn rates are subject to change. Verify with American Express Canada at americanexpress.com/ca. See our Advertiser Disclosure.