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)
Apr 27, 2017, 9:02 am
#541
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YWG
Programs: Aeroplan, MileagePlus, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 2,159
In a scenario where you may have other PRIMARY Amex Small Business cards in your profile, you do run a small risk that if an Amex rep is alerted and aware of this, then you may get denial of the new Biz card's bonus points. There have been reports of this happening, but so seldom that I wouldn't be deterred from applying for different second/third Amex Biz card product. Anyways, in this case, I would not contact Amex if points are not posting right away, and play it like the personal cards...wait patiently for up to 8-10 weeks, or more.
Apr 27, 2017, 1:27 pm
#542
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 39
I would wait a week or so. I've never done a business to business referal but I've held both Gold and Platinum business cards as the same time. I churn Amex quite a bit and rarely get immediate approval, but always get approved. I often know I got approved by getting the referal points posted on a self referal long before the card comes in the mail.
Anyone know if I can move all my Bus Plat points to my personal gold? IE set my personal gold as primary before I cancel the Bus plat so that I can carry the MR points and not forced to convert to something yet? Do I have to call in for this or can this be done online? I kind of remember reading this somewhere a while back, but was not able to find it.
I am trying not to have them look at my accounts closely, but I am afraid by connecting them they will see my Bus Gold that hasn't been activated yet. THoughts?
Thanks again for the help
Apr 27, 2017, 10:00 pm
#543
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 821
my wife did a self referal only get busi gold 30K points (butdid get 25k referral bonus), should I msg AMEX to ask or wait?
Last edited by ecgz88; Apr 28, 2017 at 9:43 pm
Apr 28, 2017, 1:02 pm
#544
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 821
never been denied by AMEX get Busi Gold denied in March , today re-apply AMEX told me if I been declined then next 6 month application will also get auto declined, is it true? and there's no re-consider line?
did a financial review last November, they cancel my Busi Platinum and put hard limit on all charge card, don't know if have anything to do with this.
did a financial review last November, they cancel my Busi Platinum and put hard limit on all charge card, don't know if have anything to do with this.
Last edited by ecgz88; Apr 28, 2017 at 9:44 pm
Apr 28, 2017, 1:24 pm
#545
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 73
Your last 2 posts are completely contradictory? In the first you say you got 25k self referral and only 30k bonus points. In the next you say you were declined?
Apr 28, 2017, 10:39 pm
#547
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 5
strategy for couple
Please direct me if this answer exists somewhere else in this forum.
My husband and I are trying to figure out a strategy for signing up for amex cards to maximize points. Any of the cards would be options as we have two personal businesses. What is the best order to get them in with self referrals between each other to maximize points? Thanks.
My husband and I are trying to figure out a strategy for signing up for amex cards to maximize points. Any of the cards would be options as we have two personal businesses. What is the best order to get them in with self referrals between each other to maximize points? Thanks.
Apr 28, 2017, 11:00 pm
#548
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
Please direct me if this answer exists somewhere else in this forum.
My husband and I are trying to figure out a strategy for signing up for amex cards to maximize points. Any of the cards would be options as we have two personal businesses. What is the best order to get them in with self referrals between each other to maximize points? Thanks.
My husband and I are trying to figure out a strategy for signing up for amex cards to maximize points. Any of the cards would be options as we have two personal businesses. What is the best order to get them in with self referrals between each other to maximize points? Thanks.
Apr 29, 2017, 1:53 pm
#549
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: YYZ
Programs: All Accor Plat, 1865 Voyager, AE E35K, HH Gold,Hyatt, Hrtz Gold, Marriott Gold, NEXUS
Posts: 1,669
Question for the group. I presently have a Business Plat and a Gold card. I cancelled my Plat card about a year ago. Today I got a call asking me if I wanted to upgrade my Gold card to a Plat card and be eligible for 50,000 membership rewards if I spent $3,000 in, I think, 3 months. I asked him if I would still be eligible given I cancelled my Plat card in the last year. He said I wouldn't be getting the call if I wasn't eligible. My question is, do you think I could self refer from my Business Plat and get 25,000 MR and be eligible for the 60,000 MR if I spend $3,000 in the next 3 months? Or is there a good risk I won't get anything so I should go for the phone offer?
Apr 29, 2017, 5:10 pm
#550
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
Question for the group. I presently have a Business Plat and a Gold card. I cancelled my Plat card about a year ago. Today I got a call asking me if I wanted to upgrade my Gold card to a Plat card and be eligible for 50,000 membership rewards if I spent $3,000 in, I think, 3 months. I asked him if I would still be eligible given I cancelled my Plat card in the last year. He said I wouldn't be getting the call if I wasn't eligible. My question is, do you think I could self refer from my Business Plat and get 25,000 MR and be eligible for the 60,000 MR if I spend $3,000 in the next 3 months? Or is there a good risk I won't get anything so I should go for the phone offer?
Just self-refer as you'll get 25K + 60K instead of mere 50K
Apr 30, 2017, 4:15 pm
#551
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: aeroplan, delta, aa
Posts: 125
newest rules for churning
Sorry, it's been awhile since I've been able to keep up with the forum and I can't find the info I am looking for. I have churned most AMEX cards over the years, except Platinum cards. I hear there are new rules that limit bonuses for those who have previously had cards. I presently only have the Gold card, having cancelled my Business Gold. What cards can I apply for, after what amount of time? I have never done self-referrals, what are the rules for that? If there is an up-to-date tutorial on these issues, I would appreciate being referred to it. My main points plan is Aeroplan. Thanks.
Apr 30, 2017, 11:22 pm
#552
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,392
I think I may have brought this up before, but with personal experience of everyone here, what are the odds that if I make a refundable purchase to fullfill the spend requirement, receive the points, then refund the purchase 3-4 months down the line (having now passed the spend requirement even without this purchase, just not within the first 3 months) the welcome points get clawed back? Or should I be in the clear?
May 1, 2017, 3:19 am
#553
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 541
Quick dp, cancelled gold last summer, reapplied april, just hit the min spend, got the bonus again.
May 1, 2017, 7:47 am
#554
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, YUL, PEK
Posts: 429
I think I may have brought this up before, but with personal experience of everyone here, what are the odds that if I make a refundable purchase to fullfill the spend requirement, receive the points, then refund the purchase 3-4 months down the line (having now passed the spend requirement even without this purchase, just not within the first 3 months) the welcome points get clawed back? Or should I be in the clear?
May 1, 2017, 5:43 pm
#555
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 6
Hi All,
My apologies if this question has been asked.
I am a Amex Platinum card holder and would like to refer my wife to a AMEX Platinum Business card (her business is legit); is this possible? I can't seem to be able to do that. It only give me an option to refer to the same Amex Platinum card.
TIA
My apologies if this question has been asked.
I am a Amex Platinum card holder and would like to refer my wife to a AMEX Platinum Business card (her business is legit); is this possible? I can't seem to be able to do that. It only give me an option to refer to the same Amex Platinum card.
TIA