Amex Cobalt at a Glance
| Feature |
Details |
| Card name |
American Express Cobalt Card |
| Annual fee |
$12.99/month ($155.88/year) |
| Rewards program |
Amex Membership Rewards (MR) |
| Welcome bonus |
Varies — typically earn up to 30,000 MR points |
| Card type |
Charge (no preset limit) |
| Insurance |
Purchase protection, extended warranty |
| Minimum income |
None stated |
Rewards Earning Rates
| Category |
Points per $1 |
| Dining & food delivery |
5x |
| Groceries |
5x |
| Streaming services |
3x |
| Transit & gas |
2x |
| Travel |
2x |
| Everything else |
1x |
Point Value
| Redemption Method |
Value per Point |
| Transfer to Aeroplan |
2.0–2.5¢ (best value) |
| Transfer to Marriott Bonvoy |
~1.0¢ |
| Statement credit (travel) |
1.0¢ |
| Statement credit (any) |
0.7¢ |
| Gift cards |
0.7–1.0¢ |
Best strategy: Transfer to Aeroplan for premium flights (business/first class) to maximize point value.
Earning Scenario
| Monthly Spend |
Category |
Points Earned |
| $600 groceries |
5x |
3,000 |
| $400 dining |
5x |
2,000 |
| $150 transit/gas |
2x |
300 |
| $100 streaming |
3x |
300 |
| $500 other |
1x |
500 |
| Total |
|
6,100/month |
Annual total: ~73,200 points (~$1,464 via Aeroplan transfers) on $1,750/month spend.
Net return after fee: ~$1,308/year = 6.2% effective return.
Pros and Cons
| Pros |
Cons |
| 5x on food (best in Canada) |
Monthly fee billing |
| Flexible transfer partners |
Lower acceptance than Visa/MC |
| No preset spending limit |
No travel insurance (lounge/delay) |
| Monthly fee easier to manage |
1x on general spend is low |
| Welcome bonus |
No companion lounge access |
Amex Cobalt vs Alternatives
| Feature |
Amex Cobalt |
Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite |
TD Cash Back Visa Infinite |
| Annual fee |
$155.88 |
$120 |
$139 |
| Grocery rate |
5x (~5%) |
4% |
3% |
| Dining rate |
5x (~5%) |
4% |
1% |
| Gas rate |
2x (~2%) |
4% |
3% |
| General rate |
1x (~1%) |
1% |
0.5% |
| Points flexibility |
✅ Transfer partners |
Cash back |
Cash back |
Who Should Get the Amex Cobalt
| Profile |
Recommendation |
| Big spender on food/dining |
✅ Best card available |
| Want Aeroplan points easily |
✅ Excellent |
| Travel hacker |
✅ Great transfer partners |
| Need Visa/MC acceptance everywhere |
⚠️ May need a backup card |
| Low monthly spending (<$500) |
⚠️ Fee may not be justified |