Jan 17, 2015, 11:17 am
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
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
Churning Amex in Canada (2015)
Jan 23, 2015, 10:34 am
#76
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, Bonvoy, Alaska, Avios
Posts: 1,290
Thanks, I always thought 4 was the limit.
I don't keep a "card" just rotate in and out of various cards. I do spend a decent amount with them and not so long ago it was $0.00, so they are benefiting, just not as much as if I kept paying renewal fees.
I don't keep a "card" just rotate in and out of various cards. I do spend a decent amount with them and not so long ago it was $0.00, so they are benefiting, just not as much as if I kept paying renewal fees.
Jan 23, 2015, 4:51 pm
#77
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Our family just picked up its 7th Biz Gold today. Whew! What a run...
Gotta finish spend on about the last 2 and a half of them. But when it's over, with referrals and spend, it will be 420K MR points. For no AFs! Thank you, Amex...
Without any transfer bonuses to BA, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna dump those points into SPG. That's the one partner where Canada does better than the US: 1:0.5 v. 1:0.33
We all have our own best ways to use points, I get that, but for us, this is how I can see this shaking down:
420K MR = 210K SPG. Transfer to Alaska Airlines gets 260K Mileage Plan points. That's almost good for 3 one ways in F on the shower plane, DXB to North America! Each of those flights costs about $10K Canadian Pesos, so 7 Hard pulls gets us about 30K CPesos worth of flights. Fun!
Now it's onto the 20K + 10K SPG apps...
Gotta finish spend on about the last 2 and a half of them. But when it's over, with referrals and spend, it will be 420K MR points. For no AFs! Thank you, Amex...
Without any transfer bonuses to BA, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna dump those points into SPG. That's the one partner where Canada does better than the US: 1:0.5 v. 1:0.33
We all have our own best ways to use points, I get that, but for us, this is how I can see this shaking down:
420K MR = 210K SPG. Transfer to Alaska Airlines gets 260K Mileage Plan points. That's almost good for 3 one ways in F on the shower plane, DXB to North America! Each of those flights costs about $10K Canadian Pesos, so 7 Hard pulls gets us about 30K CPesos worth of flights. Fun!
Now it's onto the 20K + 10K SPG apps...
Jan 23, 2015, 6:01 pm
#78
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 248
Our family just picked up its 7th Biz Gold today. Whew! What a run...
Gotta finish spend on about the last 2 and a half of them. But when it's over, with referrals and spend, it will be 420K MR points. For no AFs! Thank you, Amex...
Without any transfer bonuses to BA, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna dump those points into SPG. That's the one partner where Canada does better than the US: 1:0.5 v. 1:0.33
We all have our own best ways to use points, I get that, but for us, this is how I can see this shaking down:
420K MR = 210K SPG. Transfer to Alaska Airlines gets 260K Mileage Plan points. That's almost good for 3 one ways in F on the shower plane, DXB to North America! Each of those flights costs about $10K Canadian Pesos, so 7 Hard pulls gets us about 30K CPesos worth of flights. Fun!
Now it's onto the 20K + 10K SPG apps...
Gotta finish spend on about the last 2 and a half of them. But when it's over, with referrals and spend, it will be 420K MR points. For no AFs! Thank you, Amex...
Without any transfer bonuses to BA, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna dump those points into SPG. That's the one partner where Canada does better than the US: 1:0.5 v. 1:0.33
We all have our own best ways to use points, I get that, but for us, this is how I can see this shaking down:
420K MR = 210K SPG. Transfer to Alaska Airlines gets 260K Mileage Plan points. That's almost good for 3 one ways in F on the shower plane, DXB to North America! Each of those flights costs about $10K Canadian Pesos, so 7 Hard pulls gets us about 30K CPesos worth of flights. Fun!
Now it's onto the 20K + 10K SPG apps...
The only other thing I will add is that I wouldn't look at it that you are saving $30k since I am guessing you would have never even spent that much money on those flights. But certainly each person sees the value they are getting and evaluates it differently. Anyways, kudos to you! Enjoy your points
Jan 23, 2015, 7:13 pm
#79
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
Our family just picked up its 7th Biz Gold today. Whew! What a run...
Gotta finish spend on about the last 2 and a half of them. But when it's over, with referrals and spend, it will be 420K MR points. For no AFs! Thank you, Amex...
Without any transfer bonuses to BA, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna dump those points into SPG. That's the one partner where Canada does better than the US: 1:0.5 v. 1:0.33
We all have our own best ways to use points, I get that, but for us, this is how I can see this shaking down:
420K MR = 210K SPG. Transfer to Alaska Airlines gets 260K Mileage Plan points. That's almost good for 3 one ways in F on the shower plane, DXB to North America! Each of those flights costs about $10K Canadian Pesos, so 7 Hard pulls gets us about 30K CPesos worth of flights. Fun!
Now it's onto the 20K + 10K SPG apps...
Gotta finish spend on about the last 2 and a half of them. But when it's over, with referrals and spend, it will be 420K MR points. For no AFs! Thank you, Amex...
Without any transfer bonuses to BA, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna dump those points into SPG. That's the one partner where Canada does better than the US: 1:0.5 v. 1:0.33
We all have our own best ways to use points, I get that, but for us, this is how I can see this shaking down:
420K MR = 210K SPG. Transfer to Alaska Airlines gets 260K Mileage Plan points. That's almost good for 3 one ways in F on the shower plane, DXB to North America! Each of those flights costs about $10K Canadian Pesos, so 7 Hard pulls gets us about 30K CPesos worth of flights. Fun!
Now it's onto the 20K + 10K SPG apps...
Too bad we're limited to only Aeroplan, Avios, or even SPG for "good partner transfers" in Canada, and Aeroplan YQ kept getting worse
Jan 23, 2015, 9:49 pm
#80
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
Man, that's a LOT of Alpo and Bananas...do you buy a truckload at at time?
Way to go Preacher. Great to see someone with so much enthusiasm for munching cards!
Jan 24, 2015, 5:58 am
#81
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Thx guys. Most of the 35K spend was legit end of the year/beginning of the year business spend, actually. The offer just fell at the right time for us. I'll be off the grid for a while now. Tomorrow I fly to Asia and the trip will include long haul on these flights: Etihad F Suites, Singapore F and Emirates F Suites, on the shower plane. Last time I flew home from Dubai on that plane, there were just 3 of us in F: me, George Clooney and his fiancée, now wife! True story...
Thank you, Alaska Airlines! Happy Groundhog's Day, when I'm gone...
Thank you, Alaska Airlines! Happy Groundhog's Day, when I'm gone...
Jan 25, 2015, 6:17 am
#82
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
We all have our own best ways to use points, I get that, but for us, this is how I can see this shaking down:
420K MR = 210K SPG. Transfer to Alaska Airlines gets 260K Mileage Plan points. That's almost good for 3 one ways in F on the shower plane, DXB to North America! Each of those flights costs about $10K Canadian Pesos, so 7 Hard pulls gets us about 30K CPesos worth of flights. Fun!
Jan 25, 2015, 3:44 pm
#83
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
I'm in the DFW Centurion Lounge right now, minutes from boarding our 16 hour Etihad Suites flight to AUH (btw, the DFW Cent Lounge beats the Etihad F lounge big time!). I will suggest this, perhaps for the last time, as the window to make this transfer is virtually over: transferring MR points to Aeros and then to USDM via points.com is a great way to get the AA miles you'd need to book Etihad F. It's a great aspirational redemption! Yes, you'll take a 16% loss on your MR points. But...Etihad Suites really is something special!
Jan 26, 2015, 5:28 am
#84
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
I'm hitting a "cancel" cycle. I would like to hit a second 40k/FYF biz gold offer, but I haven't held on to it long enough, let alone waited to re-apply.
Hope you're having a nice trip.
Jan 26, 2015, 10:28 am
#85
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
Preacher is probably off the grid now, unless there’s a wifi feed in the Shower Plane.
1) Amex usually* does not allow you to carry duplicate of the exact same card product (can have Gold Rewards and Biz Gold Rewards, but NOT 2 Biz Gold Rewards)
2) Amex usually* will not let you do a product change to switch to a different card
* ‘usually’, because there are some exceptions.
Preacher can confirm when he's back on Earth, but I believe he meant it was for 7 different family members/entities.
1) Amex usually* does not allow you to carry duplicate of the exact same card product (can have Gold Rewards and Biz Gold Rewards, but NOT 2 Biz Gold Rewards)
2) Amex usually* will not let you do a product change to switch to a different card
* ‘usually’, because there are some exceptions.
Preacher can confirm when he's back on Earth, but I believe he meant it was for 7 different family members/entities.
Jan 26, 2015, 1:15 pm
#86
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Preacher is probably off the grid now, unless there’s a wifi feed in the Shower Plane.
1) Amex usually* does not allow you to carry duplicate of the exact same card product (can have Gold Rewards and Biz Gold Rewards, but NOT 2 Biz Gold Rewards)
2) Amex usually* will not let you do a product change to switch to a different card
* ‘usually’, because there are some exceptions.
Preacher can confirm when he's back on Earth, but I believe he meant it was for 7 different family members/entities.
1) Amex usually* does not allow you to carry duplicate of the exact same card product (can have Gold Rewards and Biz Gold Rewards, but NOT 2 Biz Gold Rewards)
2) Amex usually* will not let you do a product change to switch to a different card
* ‘usually’, because there are some exceptions.
Preacher can confirm when he's back on Earth, but I believe he meant it was for 7 different family members/entities.
Just got off the DFW-AUH Etihad Suites flight. The food is the best in the sky! Etihad makes the personal chef concept work so well. Tomorrow we fly Etihad Biz to BKK. After that, it's really off the grid for a while...btw, there is no Etihad F to BKK.
We're overnighting at the Hyatt Capital Gate, free on points. Manager gave us a double room upgrade, a great suite! Favor. The free chauffeur Etihad offers is a great touch too. Google capital gate Abu Dhabi if you've never seen this building! It was built with 18 degree slant--very iconic!
It's midnight here, gonna try some sleep...
Jan 27, 2015, 2:35 pm
#87
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,307
Jan 27, 2015, 3:18 pm
#88
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Aeroplan Diamond, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, Marriott
Posts: 1,839
And Preacher will confirm! It was for 7 different family members, all human too--and all with the FYF/40K offer, plus referrals.
Just got off the DFW-AUH Etihad Suites flight. The food is the best in the sky! Etihad makes the personal chef concept work so well. Tomorrow we fly Etihad Biz to BKK. After that, it's really off the grid for a while...btw, there is no Etihad F to BKK.
We're overnighting at the Hyatt Capital Gate, free on points. Manager gave us a double room upgrade, a great suite! Favor. The free chauffeur Etihad offers is a great touch too. Google capital gate Abu Dhabi if you've never seen this building! It was built with 18 degree slant--very iconic!
It's midnight here, gonna try some sleep...
Just got off the DFW-AUH Etihad Suites flight. The food is the best in the sky! Etihad makes the personal chef concept work so well. Tomorrow we fly Etihad Biz to BKK. After that, it's really off the grid for a while...btw, there is no Etihad F to BKK.
We're overnighting at the Hyatt Capital Gate, free on points. Manager gave us a double room upgrade, a great suite! Favor. The free chauffeur Etihad offers is a great touch too. Google capital gate Abu Dhabi if you've never seen this building! It was built with 18 degree slant--very iconic!
It's midnight here, gonna try some sleep...
Jan 30, 2015, 8:40 am
#89
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: YOW
Posts: 42
A quick question for the 'double dippers.'
If you hold a Canadian and a US AMEX card, can the points collected under each card be redeemed by either? In other words, if you collect 25,000 Canadian MR points, but also hold a US Gold, can you transfer them out under the US Gold account?
Goes without saying that the transfer partners on the US side are much better...
thank you!
If you hold a Canadian and a US AMEX card, can the points collected under each card be redeemed by either? In other words, if you collect 25,000 Canadian MR points, but also hold a US Gold, can you transfer them out under the US Gold account?
Goes without saying that the transfer partners on the US side are much better...
thank you!
Jan 30, 2015, 12:07 pm
#90
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, Bonvoy, Alaska, Avios
Posts: 1,290
I don't see this card being talked about as part of the Amex churn.
American Express® AeroplanPlus®* Card
Only 5K bonus, but it's got a 15K referral bonus.
I assume a $1 charge would suffice to get the 5K. For the 2 of us 40,000 total for $2 spend@:-)
Seems easier than the TD visa FYF via GCR which I've yet to attempt all for 25K. Wife has a free TD Inf Priv. so no go for her.
American Express® AeroplanPlus®* Card
Only 5K bonus, but it's got a 15K referral bonus.
I assume a $1 charge would suffice to get the 5K. For the 2 of us 40,000 total for $2 spend@:-)
Seems easier than the TD visa FYF via GCR which I've yet to attempt all for 25K. Wife has a free TD Inf Priv. so no go for her.