Old Jan 17, 2015, 11:17 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JJonahJ
This thread is a continuation of discussion which began HERE in 2011. It was very active in 2014, read HERE.

Referrals and self-referrals are an important part of churning Canadian-issued American Express cards. It is appropriate to discuss how the referral process works in this thread. However, please do not offer or request referrals here.

Use only this thread, and do read the Wikipost carefully before posting:

Referral Offers (post only in this thread, no referral links, read Wiki post first).

JerryHung: I figure I'll include all CURRENT AMEX Canada offers here (no referral links) for anyone curious about what the bonus and fees are
This is not an all-inclusive list, only the "good" offers, so feel free to add new offers

AMEX Platinum Rewards - $699/year, 60K MR (via referral) after $1000 spending in 3 months vs. 50K non-referral

AMEX Gold Rewards - $150/year, FYF, 25K MR after $500 spending + $50 cashback from GCR
(as of Jan 11, 2016 Gold card will no longer earn referral points.)

AMEX Air Miles Platinum - $65/year, FYF, 2000 Air Miles after $500 spending + $30 GCR cashback

AMEX SPG - $120/year, 20K SPG after $500 spending + $30 GCR cashback

New as of 2014/10/09
AMEX Business Gold Rewards - $250/year, FYF, 30K MR after $5000 spending (or 40K via referral)

AMEX Business Platinum Rewards - $399/year, 40K MR after $5000 spending (or 50K via referral)

AMEX Aeroplan Plus Platinum - $499/year, 50K Aeroplans after $1000 spending in 3 months (or 51K via referral). Normally 40K/41K, extra 10K promo running till Mar 31, 2016
Print Wikipost

Churning Amex in Canada (2015)

Old Nov 25, 2015, 8:15 pm
  #1396  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 41
I got the old referral page today.

Logged in to my platinum account to refer a friend and the old page popped up.

Logged into my wifes gold account to refer a friend and the old page popped up too. Find your current card (platinum but she doesn't have one) recommend a different card (gold)
shows 15k referral bonus.

is this old news? I checked back into the thread and no one was talking about it.

I'm still going to refer my friend from my platinum account just in case.
scottman00 is offline  
Old Nov 25, 2015, 11:21 pm
  #1397  
alc
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,519
Originally Posted by oathk
Exact same thing happened to me, and I just emailed the BIZ gold account manager with a screenshot showing my referral link stating I'd be receiving a 40k referral bonus.

The account manager called back a few hours later to confirm the additional 10k to my account.

Hope that helps!
Originally Posted by jerryhung
Official answer is 8-10 weeks and YMMV on getting AMEX to expedite it
It comes in batches too, sometime mid-Month, so just wait for it. Doesn't hurt to send secure message though
Thanks, will pass the information along to him.
alc is offline  
Old Nov 26, 2015, 7:23 am
  #1398  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: YYZ
Posts: 527
Originally Posted by scottman00
I got the old referral page today.

Logged in to my platinum account to refer a friend and the old page popped up.

Logged into my wifes gold account to refer a friend and the old page popped up too. Find your current card (platinum but she doesn't have one) recommend a different card (gold)
shows 15k referral bonus.

is this old news? I checked back into the thread and no one was talking about it.

I'm still going to refer my friend from my platinum account just in case.
It seems that Amex gave up on the new page
zer0k1 is offline  
Old Nov 26, 2015, 10:07 pm
  #1399  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: YVR, HKG
Programs: SPG, Nexus, Aeroplan, AMEX MR, BA Avios
Posts: 108
Originally Posted by jerryhung
AMEX is offering extra 25% on TripFlex redemptions
10K points = $100
now it's worth $125

GET 25% MORE VALUE
in statement credits when you redeem points for TripFlex rewards until December 31, 2015.*
Is this by invitation? Where did you see this?
jwongathon is offline  
Old Nov 27, 2015, 1:04 am
  #1400  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
Originally Posted by jwongathon
Is this by invitation? Where did you see this?
I got email earlier, but not sure if it's invite only (I don't believe so)

Check in your AMEX redemption page
jerryhung is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2015, 10:24 am
  #1401  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: YVR, HKG
Programs: SPG, Nexus, Aeroplan, AMEX MR, BA Avios
Posts: 108
New data point:

Applied AMEX Gold GCR after July 1
Second card
Got referral immediately
Met 500$ spend 10 days after receipt of card

Received welcome bonus today (almost 3 months after)
jwongathon is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2015, 11:45 am
  #1402  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 153
Originally Posted by Speedy12
If you haven't received your sign up bonus after spend the required $xx, the standard response from amex is it can take 8 to 10 weeks.

We have applied for many amex cards and we have always (as far as I can remember) got our pts promptly. However, a friend (first time applicant) spent the required $xx on Oct 4 and still hasn't received the 25k pts. Amex emailed last month that it can take up to 8 to 10 weeks for the pts to be posted.
Friend finally got his 25k sign up bonus pts posted online. Took ~7.5 weeks. BUT he hasn't received 1k pts (2 pts per $1 spend) yet for the $500 spend on Oct 4.

Re amex amazon promo, out of 12 cards, only 1 got invite. Managed to register that card plus one more (both personal gold cards) for the promo. No dice for other 10 amex cards.
Speedy12 is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2015, 3:31 pm
  #1403  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,081
Finally got approved for the SPG Business AMEX. Initially got an automatic decline, had to call in and get them to reopen the application... Took 2 weeks.
DealAddict is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2015, 10:26 pm
  #1404  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 822
Can you refer yourself from a personal Amex SPG card to a biz Amex SPG card,use the same SPG member # and receive 10k referral points and 20 k sign up bonus(after min.spend) ?

Has anyone done this?
jubberly is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2015, 6:51 am
  #1405  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,081
Originally Posted by jubberly
Can you refer yourself from a personal Amex SPG card to a biz Amex SPG card,use the same SPG member # and receive 10k referral points and 20 k sign up bonus(after min.spend) ?

Has anyone done this?
That's what I just did. Just waiting to get my business AMEX. No reason it shouldn't work really..
DealAddict is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2015, 8:21 am
  #1406  
alc
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,519
Originally Posted by DealAddict
....No reason it shouldn't work really..
just saying.... while in practice all of us when there is no other choice but to self-refer, we do get both the referral bonus and sign-up bonus, but I will not say there is "no reason" if it doesn't work. Technically self-referral is against the T&C, and hence that is the most obvious reason for it to not to work. AMEX could always do a full audit and reverse all these bonus if they really want to.

Chasing AMEX for the Sign-Up Bonus is rather easy, but if you don't get the referral bonus automatically, it will be a bit more difficult (not say it can't be done) if you need to provide the "friend" that you referred... like, it will be rather hard for you to say "I refer alc, he is my friend, just happen to have the same full name, d.o.b. and address as me. please add the referral bonus for me, thank you"
alc is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2015, 8:48 am
  #1407  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,081
Originally Posted by alc
just saying.... while in practice all of us when there is no other choice but to self-refer, we do get both the referral bonus and sign-up bonus, but I will not say there is "no reason" if it doesn't work. Technically self-referral is against the T&C, and hence that is the most obvious reason for it to not to work. AMEX could always do a full audit and reverse all these bonus if they really want to.

Chasing AMEX for the Sign-Up Bonus is rather easy, but if you don't get the referral bonus automatically, it will be a bit more difficult (not say it can't be done) if you need to provide the "friend" that you referred... like, it will be rather hard for you to say "I refer alc, he is my friend, just happen to have the same full name, d.o.b. and address as me. please add the referral bonus for me, thank you"
Self-referral has worked every single time I have done it for regular AMEX and Aeroplan AMEX. I don't think AMEX really care enough about who you are referring... I am not sure where in the terms and conditions it says you cannot refer yourself either...I thought it just said you have to know the people you are referring.
DealAddict is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2015, 9:05 am
  #1408  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
Originally Posted by DealAddict
Self-referral has worked every single time I have done it for regular AMEX and Aeroplan AMEX. I don't think AMEX really care enough about who you are referring... I am not sure where in the terms and conditions it says you cannot refer yourself either...I thought it just said you have to know the people you are referring.
I agree with you, folks feel important when they start interpreting the T&C their own way and post their warnings. I wish more posters just present their own experiences rather than what they perceived to be the rules, because they know it all.
1Newflyer is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2015, 10:59 am
  #1409  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 822
Originally Posted by DealAddict
That's what I just did. Just waiting to get my business AMEX. No reason it shouldn't work really..
Did you use the same SPG membership # for the biz application as you have for the personal card?

Has anyone one else sef-referred,specifically the Amex SPG biz card and received 10k referral and 20k sign-up points by keeping the same SPG membership # ?
jubberly is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2015, 11:24 am
  #1410  
alc
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,519
Originally Posted by 1Newflyer
Originally Posted by DealAddict
Self-referral has worked every single time I have done it for regular AMEX and Aeroplan AMEX. I don't think AMEX really care enough about who you are referring... I am not sure where in the terms and conditions it says you cannot refer yourself either...I thought it just said you have to know the people you are referring.
I agree with you, folks feel important when they start interpreting the T&C their own way and post their warnings. I wish more posters just present their own experiences rather than what they perceived to be the rules, because they know it all.
I guess the words "just saying..." to start and the end with in my reply didn't let the readers know I was not very serous about AMEX going to or care to do anything about self-referral.

I was straightly just referring to the comment to the respond "No reason it shouldn't work really.." If my respond seems offensive, I do apologies as it was not meant to be. if you will feel better, I can either edit my post or ask Mod to delete it.
alc is offline  

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