Looking today into changing to a platinum Amex, with choices between Canada, Germany and an ICC.card, what I see is all over the place. I use my current CDN SPG and the very limited DE Amex gold mainly for SPG (now Marriott) transfers. The ICC euro card looks like the way to go over the DE platinum card; there is really no incentive here. Maybe switch to the Canadian SPG business card for the points, and just hop back and forth every 1-2 years as Amex allows? Seems a hassle and just looking for trouble. After the SPG merger and devaluation it is even less worthwhile.

Do self-referrals for Canadian Amex SPG cards work, and has anyone tried this, cancel/switch to the business SPG card and then back again?

Choices for cards here in Germany are lame all around. Why can't they make a rewards card ...rewarding?

Canada Amex plat: 50000 MR bonus
Canada SPG card: 50000 Marriott points
DE Amex plat: 100 Euro credit ?? that's all?
ICC Amex plat: 30000 MR bonus

Compared to the US cards;
USA Amex plat: 60000 MR bonus
USA SPG lux/normal card: 75000 Marriott points

With so many choices/bonuses for cards it is amazing that more Americans don't game the system.