Intro: Is the Amex Cobalt Good for Travel?

Unlocking the full potential of your Amex Cobalt Card goes beyond the benefits of earning points on your everyday expenses.

One particularly rewarding facet is the 2x points multiplier for eligible travel and transit purchases within Canada.

In this post, we’ll look at the earning structure of the Amex Cobalt’s 2x points on transit and travel, with a list of merchants where you can maximize your rewards.

Whether you’re commuting, booking flights and accommodations, or renting a car, the Cobalt Card will allow you to strategically earn and redeem points for more travel.

Amex Cobalt 2x Points on Transit & Travel: Earning Structure

You’ll earn 2x points for every $1 spent on:

• Eligible travel and transit in Canada.

What Transit & Travel Purchases Are Eligible to Earn 2x Points With the Amex Cobalt?

Below is a list of well-known transit and travel merchants in Canada where you can utilize your Amex Cobalt Card to earn 2x points:

Gas Stations:

• 7-11
• Canadian Tire Gas+
• Canco
• Chevron
• Circle K
• Co-op
• Esso
• Flying J
• Husky
• Irving Oil
• Petro-Canada
• Pioneer Energy
• Safeway Gas Bar
• Shell
• Ultramar

Airlines:

• Air Canada
• Air Transat
• Alaska Airlines
• Aloft Hotels
• Cathay Pacific
• Flair Airlines
• KLM
• United Airlines
• WestJet
• And all other major airlines

Accommodations:

• Airbnb
• Agoda
• Best Western
• Comfort Inn
• Delta Hotels
• Econo Lodge
• Expedia
• Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
• Four Points by Sheraton
• Hotels.com
• Hyatt Hotels
• Quality Inn
• VRBO

Travel Services:

• Amex Travel
• CAA

Ferries:

• Aquabus Ferry (Vancouver)
• BC Ferries

Trains:

• Via Rail

Car Rentals & Ridesharing:

• Budget Rent a Car
• Evo Car Share
• Hertz
• Lyft
• Uber
• Zipcar
• Taxis
• Limousines

Public Transit:

• Translink (Vancouver)
• TTC (Toronto)
• Subways

How Much Can You Earn With Amex Cobalt 2x Points?

To make the most of the Cobalt Card, prioritize maximizing the 5x points monthly spend cap of $2,500 on food and drink. After reaching this cap, allocate any remaining funds from these expenses to purchase gift cards from the grocery store, specifically for travel and transit, such as gas station gift cards.

Once you’ve exhausted the monthly cap, ensure that all gas, transit, and travel purchases are charged to your Cobalt card. Unlike the points multiplier for food and drinks, there is no spend cap for earning 2x points in the transit and travel category. Therefore, there’s unlimited potential for accumulating points with this multiplier.

How to Redeem Your Amex Cobalt Points for Travel

1 Amex Membership Rewards point = 1 cent at cash value when used as a statement credit.

However, to get the best redemption for travel, you’ll want to transfer your points to an American Express Travel Partner. There are multiple airline and hotel loyalty programs to choose from, including:

Airline Loyalty Programs:

• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France
• Asia Miles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Delta SkyMiles
• Etihad Guest

Points from these loyalty programs can be used for flights on other airlines in the same alliance.

Learn More: How Airline Alliances Work

Hotel Loyalty Programs:

• Hilton Honors
• Marriott Bonvoy

Points from these hotel loyalty programs can be used at hotels that are owned by these companies. There is a network of hotels that range from budget, to midrange, to luxury, so be sure to understand what hotels belong to Hilton, and what hotels belong to Marriott to get the most out of your points.

Learn More: List of Marriott Hotel Brands

Learn More: List of Hilton Hotel Brands

Conclusion

Now that we’ve covered the Amex Cobalt Card’s 2x points on transit and travel, keep in mind the other ways to earn points with this Card.

Beyond the unlimited points potential in transit and travel, remember you can also earn 5x points on food and drinks, and 3x points on streaming services.

By strategically leveraging these multipliers and unlocking the versatility of Amex Membership Rewards points, you can transform everyday spending into extraordinary travel experiences.

Learn More: How to Earn the Amex Cobalt Welcome Bonus