News Releases

    - Set to be one of the fastest ways to earn AIR MILES reward miles -

    MARKHAM, ON, Feb. 4 /CNW/ - Amex Bank of Canada and the AIR MILES®(*)
Reward Program today launched the American Express® AIR MILES Platinum
Credit Card, designed to give consumers the fastest way to earn AIR MILES
reward miles on a credit card in the marketplace today.
    With the new Card, AIR MILES Cardmembers can earn 50% more AIR MILES
reward miles - 1 AIR MILES reward mile for every $10 in purchases charged to
the Card at AIR MILES Sponsors like SportChek (Sports Experts), A&P, Safeway,
PharmaPlus/Rexall, Shell, RONA and WestJet - just to name a few. Plus, they
can earn 1 AIR MILES reward mile for every $15 in purchases charged to the
Card everywhere else. AIR MILES reward miles can be redeemed for a variety of
travel, leisure, entertainment and merchandise options.
    In addition, by using both their American Express AIR MILES Platinum
Credit Card and their AIR MILES Collector Card, Cardmembers can shop at more
than 9,600 locations across Canada to earn reward miles from both the Sponsor
and American Express. Cardmembers can also collect reward miles faster by
combining their spending with free Supplementary Cards for even more AIR MILES
reward miles.
    "We're excited to be teaming up once again with AIR MILES to expand our
already successful portfolio of AIR MILES Credit Card products", says Rob
McClean, Vice President of New Product Development at American Express in
Canada. "With today's announcement, we're able to give consumers more of what
they want - further options and a faster way to earn AIR MILES reward miles on
the purchases consumers make everyday. When you combine all those things you
end up with a product that is raising the bar in the loyalty card market."
    McClean adds that this extension of the AIR MILES partnership is part of
the company's aggressive push to accelerate the growth of its business in
Canada, particularly in the everyday spend category of the Card market.
    "Today's announcement gives AIR MILES Collectors across the country
another exciting way to collect reward miles faster than ever while shopping
at Sponsor locations," said Bruce Kerr, Senior Vice President, Chief Client
Officer, AIR MILES Reward Program. "With an unprecedented offer, the American
Express AIR MILES Platinum Credit Card demonstrates the strength of the AIR
MILES coalition and our commitment to working with partners to continuously
enhance the appeal of our Program."
    The annual fee for the Card is $50. New Cardmembers will receive 250
bonus reward miles the first time they use the Card. That's enough reward
miles for movie passes or a gift card. Existing American Express AIR MILES
Credit Card members who choose to upgrade to the Platinum Credit Card will
also receive 250 bonus reward miles upon approval.
    The insurances and benefits of the card include Car Rental Theft and
Damage Insurance, Travel Accident Insurance, Purchase Protection Plan, Buyers
Assurance Protection Plan, Front Of The Line® ticket access to some of the
hottest entertainment events, and 24/7 Customer service to name a few.
    The American Express AIR MILES Platinum Credit Card will be supported
with an extensive national marketing campaign, including television and print
advertisements, direct mail and online media.
    To apply for an American Express AIR MILES Platinum Credit Card go to
www.americanexpress.ca/airmilesplatinum or call 1-866-507-2639.

    About American Express in Canada
    --------------------------------
    American Express in Canada operates as Amex Bank of Canada and Amex
Canada Inc. Both are wholly owned subsidiaries of the New York based American
Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., the largest operating unit of
the American Express Company. Amex Bank of Canada is the issuer of American
Express Cards in Canada. Amex Canada Inc. operates the Corporate Travel,
Travel Services Network and Travellers Cheques divisions in Canada. American
Express opened its first offices in Toronto and Hamilton in 1853 and now
employs 3,700 Canadians coast-to-coast.

    About the AIR MILES Reward Program
    ----------------------------------
    Founded in 1992, the AIR MILES Reward Program is Canada's premier
coalition loyalty program. More than 9 million active Collector accounts,
representing approximately two-thirds of all Canadian households, actively
participate in the Program.
    The AIR MILES Reward Program allows Collectors to indulge in leisure,
entertainment, merchandise, travel and other lifestyle rewards quickly, simply
by doing their everyday shopping for products and services at AIR MILES
Sponsors. AIR MILES reward miles can be redeemed for more than 800 different
rewards, such as movie passes, family attractions, electronic merchandise,
sports and recreation, travel and more.
    Collectors can shop and collect AIR MILES reward miles at more than 100
brand-name Sponsors across the country, representing thousands of retail and
service locations nationally, including RONA, Shell, SportChek (Sports
Experts), The Shoe Company, American Express, A&P, Sobeys, Safeway and IGA,
and airmilesshops.ca. The AIR MILES Reward Program's website is airmiles.ca.