Amex Cobalt
Category cardWhat the roles mean
- Groceries, restaurants and food delivery: 5 points per $1 ($5 per $100 as a statement credit), up to $2,500 a month
"Earn up to 15,000 Membership Rewards Points" by earning 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 on your Card in your first year as a new Cobalt Cardmember. "This could add up to 15,000 points in a year."
Checked on Amex's own page October 21, 2026. See Amex's page
What it earns in a year
85,800 points a year
Worth about $666 after the $192 fee at the simplest redemption, up to $1,524 at the best.
Based on $30,000 a year of spending ($9,600 groceries, $3,000 gas, $3,000 dining…). Welcome offer not included.
Try it with your own spending →
- Dining & restaurants (First $2,500 a month, then 1× points): 5× points.
- Groceries (First $2,500 a month, then 1× points): 5× points.
- Entertainment: 3× points.
- Gas / EV: 2× points.
- Transit: 2× points.
- Everything else: 1× points.
Highlighted = use this card here.
Using your points
On the spending above, 85,800 points a year: worth $858 the easy way, $1,716 the best way.
- Easy way (1¢): Statement credit: 1,000 points = $10
- Best way (2¢): Move them 1:1 to Aeroplan or British Airways Avios, then book economy flights
How to apply for the Amex Cobalt
Check first
- Bonus once per lifetime: you can't get it if you've ever had this card
- Check you qualify No minimum income listed. You need to live in Canada and be the age of majority in your province.
- Have this ready Your address and how long you've lived there, your employer and yearly income, and your monthly rent or mortgage. Your SIN is optional for a credit card; you can leave it blank.
- Expect a credit check Applying adds a hard inquiry to your credit report, which lowers your score a little for a few months. Space applications about 90 days apart.
- Apply on Amex's own site Apply online from the bank's product page, where the offer above is shown. This isn't an affiliate link: we earn nothing if you apply.Apply on Amex's site →
- After you're approved Put the spending needed for the welcome offer on the card before the deadline, and pay the full balance every month.
How to use it
- Groceries, restaurants, bars, cafés, food delivery in Canada: put them all here, up to $2,500 a month
- Streaming subscriptions: 3 points per $1
- Gas, transit, rideshare: 2 points per $1
- Everything else, and anything in a foreign currency: use another card. This one pays 1 point per $1
- Where Amex isn't taken: Costco and some grocers; carry a Visa or Mastercard for those
- Example: $800/month groceries + $250 dining + $250 gas + $300 bills = 72,600 points = $726 a year as a statement credit, $534 after the fee. Moved to Aeroplan, the same points can be worth about twice that
Key facts
- Annual fee
- $191.88
- Purchase interest
- 21.99%
- Foreign currency fee
- 2.5%
- Min. personal income
- None published
- Min. household income
- None published
- Rewards
- Amex Membership RewardsSee every Amex Membership Rewards card
Annual fee waiver
- None
From americanexpress.com Cobalt product page, checked October 17, 2026. Not an affiliate link.
More Amex cards
Rogers Red World Elite
- This card: groceries, gas / ev, dining & restaurants, transit, entertainment
- Rogers Red World Elite: bills & subscriptions, travel, drugstore / pharmacy, everything else
- Together: $792 a year after both fees, vs $666 with this card alone
- Rogers pays 2% with an active Rogers, Fido or Shaw service, 1.5% without
Computed on our standard household ($30,000 a year): each kind of spending goes to whichever card pays more, both fees taken off. Partners are everyday, category and churning cards on Visa or Mastercard. Points at their simplest redemption. Welcome offers not included.
Pros
- 5 points per $1 on groceries, dining and food delivery, on up to $2,500 of spending a month
- 3 points per $1 on streaming, 2 on gas, transit and rideshare
- Points move 1:1 to Aeroplan, British Airways Avios and Flying Blue
- $5 million travel medical (first 15 days, age 64 or under)
- $1,000 phone insurance
- Up to $60 a year in Instacart credit ($5 a month on $10+ orders, to December 31, 2027)
- Free additional cards; no published minimum income
Cons
- $15.99 a month ($191.88 a year), including year one
- Amex: not accepted at Costco (Mastercard only) and turned away at some grocers, which cuts into the 5x
- 1 point per $1 on everything else, and on all foreign purchases
- Statement credit pays only $10 per 1,000 points; the higher value needs a transfer to an airline
- Small welcome offer: up to 15,000 points (about $150), spread over 12 months
- No trip cancellation insurance, no lounge access
- 2.5% on foreign-currency purchases
Insurance included
- Travel medical: $5 million, first 15 days, age 64 or under
- Flight delay and delayed bags: $500 combined, after 4 hours (flight) or 6 hours (bags)
- Lost bags: $500
- Hotel burglary: $500
- Travel accident: $250,000
- Rental car damage: up to 48 days, cars up to $85,000
- Phone: $1,000 (10% deductible)
- Purchases: 90 days of theft/damage cover (up to $1,000), +1 year warranty
- Trip cancellation: none
Maximums as Amex lists them. Conditions apply; the insurance certificate decides claims.
Perks
- Welcome offer: 1,250 points each month you spend $750 in year one (up to 15,000)
- Instacart: $5 a month on $10+ orders
- Amex Offers: targeted statement credits, added in the Amex app
- Front Of The Line: concert and event presales
Other cards for groceries
Back a year on $9,600 of groceries, caps included. Points at best-case value. Before annual fees.
| Card | Earns on groceries | Back a year | Annual fee | Terms checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Cobalt | 5× points≈ 10.0% in value | $960 | $192 | October 21, 2026 |
| Scotiabank Gold Amex | 6× points | $576 | $120 | November 2, 2026 |
| Neo World Elite Mastercard | 5% back | $480 | $149 | October 21, 2026 |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | 5× points | $480 | $150 | October 21, 2026 |
| Desjardins Cash Back World Elite Mastercard | 4% back | $384 | $100 | October 23, 2026 |
| SimplyCash Preferred | 4% back | $384 | $120 | October 21, 2026 |
Other cards for dining & restaurants
Back a year on $3,000 of dining & restaurants, caps included. Points at best-case value. Before annual fees.
| Card | Earns on dining & restaurants | Back a year | Annual fee | Terms checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Cobalt | 5× points≈ 10.0% in value | $300 | $192 | October 21, 2026 |
| Scotiabank Gold Amex | 5× points | $150 | $120 | November 2, 2026 |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | 5× points | $150 | $150 | October 21, 2026 |
| Simplii Cash Back Visa | 4% back | $120 | $0 | October 21, 2026 |
| RBC British Airways Visa Infinite | 2× points≈ 4.0% in value | $120 | $165 | October 23, 2026 |
| Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege | 4% back | $120 | $395 | October 21, 2026 |
How the offer has changed
One row per check of Amex's page, newest first. Old rows are never edited.
| Checked | Welcome offer | Fee, year one | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 21, 2026 | Standard: up to 15,000 MR: 1,250 MR per billing period with $750 spend in the first year; no dollar-value line shownElevated 20,000 offer of October 17, 2026 (+5,000 MR after $2,500 in 3 months, "up to $200") gone: standard on all 7 loads. Page redesigned (FAQ now states 2.5% FX fee) | $15.99/mo ($191.88/yr), not waived | none stated |
| October 17, 2026 | Elevated: up to 20,000 MR: 1,250 MR per billing period with $750 spend in the first year (up to 15,000) + 5,000 MR after $2,500 in 3 months ("up to $200"); 15,000 shown crossed outFirst row in this table. New 5,000-pt front-load tier (doc had up to 15,000). Page states flight + baggage delay $500 combined | $15.99/mo ($191.88/yr), not waived | none stated |
General information, not financial advice. Offers change; confirm on Amex's page before you apply.