Jan 7, 2017, 4:18 pm
Last edit by: mia
Referrals and self-referrals are an important part of maximizing rewards from 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).
This thread is a continuation of: Churning Amex in Canada (2016). All the listed offers below are still valid as of January 2017.
Jerry: Aug 2017 latest update, all-in-one summary
New as of Mar 23, 2017, minimum spend up to $3000 now
AMEX Platinum Rewards - $699/year, 60K MR (via referral) after $3000 spending in 3 months vs. 50K non-referral
New as of March 23 2016.
AMEX Business Platinum Rewards - $399/year, 75K MR (via referral) after $5000 spending in 3 months vs. 40K non-referral
Updated as of July 21, 2017
AMEX Gold Rewards - $150/year, FYF, 25K MR after $1500 spending + $50/$60 cashback from GCR. New as of Jan 15, 2017, on a referred signup: and an additional 5,000 Membership Rewards points for one approved Supplementary Card added to your account at time of online application. That’s a total of 30,000 Membership Rewards points.
AMEX Business Gold Rewards - $250/year, FYF, 30K MR after $5000 spending (or 40K via referral)
AMEX Air Miles Platinum - $65/year, 2000 Air Miles after $1500 spending + $30 GCR cashback
July 18-Oct 18, 2017 - welcome offer increased 5K to 25K.
Sep 28, 2017 - Personal and Business SPG bonus drops from 10K to 5K per approved referral.
AMEX SPG - $120/year, 25K SPG after $1500 spending + $30 GCR cashback
- if you applied recently for the SPG card at the 20K welcome level, try contacting Amex by Secured Message to ask if they can match the current 25K offer. Several successful datapoints have surfaced with manual addition of 5K at next statement. YMMV.
New as of July 2016
AMEX Aeroplan Plus Platinum - $499/year, 50K Aeroplans after $1000 spending in 3 months (or 51K via referral). The 50K/51K, extra 10K promo expired on April 01, 2016, but started up again July - Sep 30th, 2016.
New card as of Sep 25 2017
AMEX Cobalt CREDIT card - $10/month ($120 annually)
Apply through GCR for $50 Rebate https://www.greatcanadianrebates.ca/...s/Amex-Cobalt/
This is not an all-inclusive list, only the "good" offers, so feel free to add new offers.
AMEX Platinum Rewards
- Earn 15K MR for each referral you make
(Note: from Mar 23 - Jun 29 the bonuses were 75K welcome and 25K referral points)
AMEX Business Platinum Rewards
- Earn 25K MR for each referral you make
AMEX Gold Rewards
- Earn 10k MR for each referal you make.
This thread is a continuation of: Churning Amex in Canada (2016). All the listed offers below are still valid as of January 2017.
Jerry: Aug 2017 latest update, all-in-one summary
New as of Mar 23, 2017, minimum spend up to $3000 now
AMEX Platinum Rewards - $699/year, 60K MR (via referral) after $3000 spending in 3 months vs. 50K non-referral
New as of March 23 2016.
AMEX Business Platinum Rewards - $399/year, 75K MR (via referral) after $5000 spending in 3 months vs. 40K non-referral
Updated as of July 21, 2017
AMEX Gold Rewards - $150/year, FYF, 25K MR after $1500 spending + $50/$60 cashback from GCR. New as of Jan 15, 2017, on a referred signup: and an additional 5,000 Membership Rewards points for one approved Supplementary Card added to your account at time of online application. That’s a total of 30,000 Membership Rewards points.
- July 11, 2017, Amex Gold MR will no longer earn referral points.
- July 21, 2017, no other Amex MR card can refer to Gold MR
AMEX Business Gold Rewards - $250/year, FYF, 30K MR after $5000 spending (or 40K via referral)
AMEX Air Miles Platinum - $65/year, 2000 Air Miles after $1500 spending + $30 GCR cashback
July 18-Oct 18, 2017 - welcome offer increased 5K to 25K.
Sep 28, 2017 - Personal and Business SPG bonus drops from 10K to 5K per approved referral.
AMEX SPG - $120/year, 25K SPG after $1500 spending + $30 GCR cashback
- if you applied recently for the SPG card at the 20K welcome level, try contacting Amex by Secured Message to ask if they can match the current 25K offer. Several successful datapoints have surfaced with manual addition of 5K at next statement. YMMV.
New as of July 2016
AMEX Aeroplan Plus Platinum - $499/year, 50K Aeroplans after $1000 spending in 3 months (or 51K via referral). The 50K/51K, extra 10K promo expired on April 01, 2016, but started up again July - Sep 30th, 2016.
New card as of Sep 25 2017
AMEX Cobalt CREDIT card - $10/month ($120 annually)
Apply through GCR for $50 Rebate https://www.greatcanadianrebates.ca/...s/Amex-Cobalt/
- Earn 2,500 Membership Tiered Rewards points for each month where you spend $500 (up to 30,000/year).
- Limited Time Offer: Apply by Jan 30, 2018 and you can earn a Welcome Bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $3K in 3 months.
- See discussion thread for more details: 2017 American Express Cobalt (Canada)
This is not an all-inclusive list, only the "good" offers, so feel free to add new offers.
Referral Difference Between Cards:
Please note there is a maximum annual referral bonus you can make per card.
AMEX Platinum Rewards
- Earn 15K MR for each referral you make
(Note: from Mar 23 - Jun 29 the bonuses were 75K welcome and 25K referral points)
AMEX Business Platinum Rewards
- Earn 25K MR for each referral you make
AMEX Gold Rewards
- July 11, 2017, Amex Gold MR will no longer earn referral points.
- July 21, 2017, no other Amex MR card can refer to Gold MR
- mid-May 2016, increased from $500 to $1500 required spending.
- Jan 11 to mid-May 2016, the Gold card earned 0 referral points.
- Earn 10k MR for each referal you make.
American Express Canada application and reward strategies (2017)
Feb 28, 2017, 1:37 pm
#301
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,847
Referring from Personal Gold to Business Gold
I currently hold a Personal Gold - but plan to cancel next month before my AF is charged.
I've been sort of out of touch with referrals and if they still work, and if so, with which cards. My hubby holds a personal gold...can he refer me to Business Gold - and will he legitimately be entitled to referral points if he refers me? And will the same benefits still apply to me ($250 AF waived and 30,000 points awarded if you spend $5K in your first 3 months)?
Also, anyone know if Business Gold apps are more strict with your credit score - or should I have no problems getting approved since I already hold the Personal Gold card?
I've been sort of out of touch with referrals and if they still work, and if so, with which cards. My hubby holds a personal gold...can he refer me to Business Gold - and will he legitimately be entitled to referral points if he refers me? And will the same benefits still apply to me ($250 AF waived and 30,000 points awarded if you spend $5K in your first 3 months)?
Also, anyone know if Business Gold apps are more strict with your credit score - or should I have no problems getting approved since I already hold the Personal Gold card?
Feb 28, 2017, 2:00 pm
#302
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Prince Edward Island
Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold
Posts: 1,582
You shouldn't have a problem. If you're approved, he'll get the referral bonus and you'll get FYF and 40,000 points.
Feb 28, 2017, 4:18 pm
#304
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 16
i currently have a personal gold card
i am trying to self-refer to a business gold for the welcome bonus but the site doesn't seem to give me the option to?!?! any ideas?
thanks
i am trying to self-refer to a business gold for the welcome bonus but the site doesn't seem to give me the option to?!?! any ideas?
thanks
Feb 28, 2017, 4:27 pm
#305
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Prince Edward Island
Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold
Posts: 1,582
When you open your referral link, it will show the card that you currently have, but somewhere on the page, it should give an option to refer to different cards (it will show pictures of each of the other MR cards (biz gold, biz platinum and personal platinum). Click on the one you want and it will open the application page for that card.
Feb 28, 2017, 4:44 pm
#306
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 16
When you open your referral link, it will show the card that you currently have, but somewhere on the page, it should give an option to refer to different cards (it will show pictures of each of the other MR cards (biz gold, biz platinum and personal platinum). Click on the one you want and it will open the application page for that card.
Feb 28, 2017, 4:48 pm
#307
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Prince Edward Island
Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold
Posts: 1,582
Feb 28, 2017, 6:38 pm
#308
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: YUL
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 107
I have a Biz Platinum, do I need to call in to activate the card benefits like SPG Gold Status? I remember that for the personal one I was able to do it online but when I try to log in with my biz card account I got an "no eligible card found"error.
Feb 28, 2017, 6:55 pm
#309
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
I stand corrected on the hotel status (see below replies)
Last edited by jerryhung; Feb 28, 2017 at 10:10 pm
Feb 28, 2017, 9:58 pm
#310
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YVR to SEA
Posts: 2,536
Disagree. You can get hotel status
https://smallbusiness.americanexpress.com/ca/en/carddetails/cards/small-business-platinum-card
Platinum benefits tab, footnote 15 for SPG
https://smallbusiness.americanexpress.com/ca/en/carddetails/cards/small-business-platinum-card
Platinum benefits tab, footnote 15 for SPG
Feb 28, 2017, 10:09 pm
#311
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
Disagree. You can get hotel status
https://smallbusiness.americanexpres...-platinum-card
Platinum benefits tab, footnote 15 for SPG
https://smallbusiness.americanexpres...-platinum-card
Platinum benefits tab, footnote 15 for SPG
I got my SPG Gold from Personal Plat
Hotel Programs The Platinum card opens the door to many of the world's finest properties.
Starwood Gold Preferred Guest Membership15 Usually reserved for guests with a recorded minimum of 10 stays or 25 room nights in a calendar year, the Gold Preferred Membership in the Starwood Preferred Guest®** program is yours with no minimum requirements to fulfill. This membership provides you with a 50% bonus (three Starpoints®**) for every eligible dollar spent, no blackout dates on award stays and complimentary upgrades to a preferred room at check-in, when available.
Fairmont President's Club16 Charge 5 nights to your Business Platinum Card, and get the many privileges of Fairmont President’s Club Platinum Membership usually reserved for guests with a recorded stay of 30 nights. Benefits include $100 in Fairmont dining certificates, one complimentary night and two room upgrades.
Fine Hotels and Resorts Program17 Enjoy exceptional amenities around the globe with access to more than 700 properties thought the Fine Hotels & Resorts Program. Special extras may include upgrade to a higher room category at check-in (based on availability), daily continental breakfast for two and a guaranteed 4.00 p.m. check-out upon request. These amenities have been valued at over $450 USD based on a 1-night stay.18
Starwood Gold Preferred Guest Membership15 Usually reserved for guests with a recorded minimum of 10 stays or 25 room nights in a calendar year, the Gold Preferred Membership in the Starwood Preferred Guest®** program is yours with no minimum requirements to fulfill. This membership provides you with a 50% bonus (three Starpoints®**) for every eligible dollar spent, no blackout dates on award stays and complimentary upgrades to a preferred room at check-in, when available.
Fairmont President's Club16 Charge 5 nights to your Business Platinum Card, and get the many privileges of Fairmont President’s Club Platinum Membership usually reserved for guests with a recorded stay of 30 nights. Benefits include $100 in Fairmont dining certificates, one complimentary night and two room upgrades.
Fine Hotels and Resorts Program17 Enjoy exceptional amenities around the globe with access to more than 700 properties thought the Fine Hotels & Resorts Program. Special extras may include upgrade to a higher room category at check-in (based on availability), daily continental breakfast for two and a guaranteed 4.00 p.m. check-out upon request. These amenities have been valued at over $450 USD based on a 1-night stay.18
Mar 1, 2017, 9:35 am
#312
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Canadia
Programs: A loyal Amerisuites customer... oh wait
Posts: 2,033
The welcome offer for the Scotiabank American Express Gold Card has gone up from 20,000 welcome points ($200 in travel) to 25,000 welcome points ($250 in travel).
• $250 in travel (increased from $200).
• 4% on gas, groceries, entertainment spend.
• First year free.
• Very low household income requirement to qualify.
I think this is a great deal.
Mar 1, 2017, 11:03 am
#313
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YVR to SEA
Posts: 2,536
Nearly as good as the previous 200 plus 75 giftcard, hopefully one of the other rebate sites will be able to piggy back on top
Mar 1, 2017, 11:14 am
#314
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: YUL
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 107
Disagree. You can get hotel status
https://smallbusiness.americanexpres...-platinum-card
Platinum benefits tab, footnote 15 for SPG
https://smallbusiness.americanexpres...-platinum-card
Platinum benefits tab, footnote 15 for SPG
I will call in and found out about this.
Mar 1, 2017, 11:36 am
#315
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Prince Edward Island
Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold
Posts: 1,582
To sign up for SPG Gold, you need to call Amex Business Platinum Card Customer Service at 1-888-721-1044 (when you log into your Amex account, the info on how to enroll in each benefit is outlined in the welcome centre, which is under the information and help tab).