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)
Nov 11, 2015, 9:15 am
#1337
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,519
For those using that thinking of using the "Purchase and Refund" tactic for a very very high spending requirement, like the Biz Gold, you can just purchase a fully refundable ticket, much easier than trying to refund anything at any store.
If you want to ensure the sign-up bonus kept after refund, you should refund at least 3 months AFTER you rec'd the sign-up bonus. I have friends got their bonus taken away when they refund shortly after they got the bonus.
If you want to ensure the sign-up bonus kept after refund, you should refund at least 3 months AFTER you rec'd the sign-up bonus. I have friends got their bonus taken away when they refund shortly after they got the bonus.
Last edited by alc; Nov 11, 2015 at 1:51 pm Reason: Correct typo that Jerry mentioned below. Thanks Jerry.
Nov 11, 2015, 9:48 am
#1338
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
For those using that thinking of using the "Purchase and Refund" tactic for a very very high spending requirement, like the Biz Gold, you can just purchase a fully refundable ticket, much easier than trying to refund anything at any store.
If you want to ensure the sign-up bonus kept after refund, you should refund at least 3 months AFTER you rec'd the refund. I have friends got their bonus taken away when they refund shortly after they got the bonus.
If you want to ensure the sign-up bonus kept after refund, you should refund at least 3 months AFTER you rec'd the refund. I have friends got their bonus taken away when they refund shortly after they got the bonus.
I know for my AMEX Gold, a refund dropping total to below $500 would remove/undo the 25K welcome bonus, unless you spend more again to go over $500
Nov 11, 2015, 1:50 pm
#1339
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,519
Thanks.
Nov 11, 2015, 1:56 pm
#1340
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
All cards where spending is required indicate the net spend, total spent - total returns.
Nov 11, 2015, 3:04 pm
#1341
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,147
So we still have nothing about Amex enforcing the once-per-lifetime bonuses yet, do we?
Nov 11, 2015, 9:33 pm
#1342
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: Top Tier Flyertalk Member
Posts: 687
But receive 2 X $10 "statement credit" from the Esso promotion.
For the purpose of the welcome bonus, have I spent $500? or $480? I'm leaning towards the former, as with these promotions...you get the full $50 (X2) purchase' MR points. Even after the -$10 statement credit, you will still have $50 X 2 points for that transaction.
Nov 11, 2015, 10:26 pm
#1343
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
Not that it's a huge matter....I wonder what happens if I make $500 in purchase.
But receive 2 X $10 "statement credit" from the Esso promotion.
For the purpose of the welcome bonus, have I spent $500? or $480? I'm leaning towards the former, as with these promotions...you get the full $50 (X2) purchase' MR points. Even after the -$10 statement credit, you will still have $50 X 2 points for that transaction.
But receive 2 X $10 "statement credit" from the Esso promotion.
For the purpose of the welcome bonus, have I spent $500? or $480? I'm leaning towards the former, as with these promotions...you get the full $50 (X2) purchase' MR points. Even after the -$10 statement credit, you will still have $50 X 2 points for that transaction.
Nov 11, 2015, 11:58 pm
#1344
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
Not that it's a huge matter....I wonder what happens if I make $500 in purchase.
But receive 2 X $10 "statement credit" from the Esso promotion.
For the purpose of the welcome bonus, have I spent $500? or $480? I'm leaning towards the former, as with these promotions...you get the full $50 (X2) purchase' MR points. Even after the -$10 statement credit, you will still have $50 X 2 points for that transaction.
But receive 2 X $10 "statement credit" from the Esso promotion.
For the purpose of the welcome bonus, have I spent $500? or $480? I'm leaning towards the former, as with these promotions...you get the full $50 (X2) purchase' MR points. Even after the -$10 statement credit, you will still have $50 X 2 points for that transaction.
so you'll be good, $50 spent is $50 counted
Nov 12, 2015, 1:19 am
#1345
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
Not that it's a huge matter....I wonder what happens if I make $500 in purchase.
But receive 2 X $10 "statement credit" from the Esso promotion.
For the purpose of the welcome bonus, have I spent $500? or $480? I'm leaning towards the former, as with these promotions...you get the full $50 (X2) purchase' MR points. Even after the -$10 statement credit, you will still have $50 X 2 points for that transaction.
But receive 2 X $10 "statement credit" from the Esso promotion.
For the purpose of the welcome bonus, have I spent $500? or $480? I'm leaning towards the former, as with these promotions...you get the full $50 (X2) purchase' MR points. Even after the -$10 statement credit, you will still have $50 X 2 points for that transaction.
Problem is that you won't know if you'll get the points right away anymore, since more and more people are reporting delays in getting the welcome points posted for the MR cards, whereas it used to be fairly consistent, as in right away after the required spending had posted.
Datapoint from our end, 25K showed up right away after spending $500, and this was just a couple of weeks ago.
Last edited by JJonahJ; Nov 12, 2015 at 2:07 am
Nov 12, 2015, 5:29 am
#1346
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, Bonvoy, Alaska, Avios
Posts: 1,290
Same here, personal Gold MR bonus posted right away. BizGold, ~45 days (don't hold me to it)
Nov 12, 2015, 7:05 am
#1347
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Toronto, ON
Programs: Amex Plat CAN
Posts: 90
Just to add a data point, I reached $1000 spend within a week of getting my Platinum Card. Took 47 days after the charge posted to get the bonus points. This is my first ever MR card.
Nov 12, 2015, 10:58 pm
#1348
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: YVR, HKG
Programs: SPG, Nexus, Aeroplan, AMEX MR, BA Avios
Posts: 108
Nov 13, 2015, 6:22 am
#1349
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SIN
Programs: UA Platinum, DL Platinum, AFKL Gold, Qatar Gold
Posts: 895
Hi guys,
I need to get 8K SPG points ASAP to complete a booking fo next month, and I'm wondering what would be faster :
- refer AMEX SPG to a friend, gives 10K
- refer AMEX Gold from AMEX Platinum, gives 15K Amex, transfer to SPG for 7.5K
I made a couple of referrals from plat to gold in the past and the referral bonus posted as soon as my friends' applications were approved.
Could anyone comment on AMEX SPG referral bonuses? Do you get them fast or will they get posted when the next monthly statement is issued ?
Thanks
I need to get 8K SPG points ASAP to complete a booking fo next month, and I'm wondering what would be faster :
- refer AMEX SPG to a friend, gives 10K
- refer AMEX Gold from AMEX Platinum, gives 15K Amex, transfer to SPG for 7.5K
I made a couple of referrals from plat to gold in the past and the referral bonus posted as soon as my friends' applications were approved.
Could anyone comment on AMEX SPG referral bonuses? Do you get them fast or will they get posted when the next monthly statement is issued ?
Thanks
Nov 13, 2015, 7:00 am
#1350
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
Hi guys,
I need to get 8K SPG points ASAP to complete a booking fo next month, and I'm wondering what would be faster :
- refer AMEX SPG to a friend, gives 10K
- refer AMEX Gold from AMEX Platinum, gives 15K Amex, transfer to SPG for 7.5K
I made a couple of referrals from plat to gold in the past and the referral bonus posted as soon as my friends' applications were approved.
Could anyone comment on AMEX SPG referral bonuses? Do you get them fast or will they get posted when the next monthly statement is issued ?
Thanks
I need to get 8K SPG points ASAP to complete a booking fo next month, and I'm wondering what would be faster :
- refer AMEX SPG to a friend, gives 10K
- refer AMEX Gold from AMEX Platinum, gives 15K Amex, transfer to SPG for 7.5K
I made a couple of referrals from plat to gold in the past and the referral bonus posted as soon as my friends' applications were approved.
Could anyone comment on AMEX SPG referral bonuses? Do you get them fast or will they get posted when the next monthly statement is issued ?
Thanks
Amex referrals get posted within days of approval. then it can take up to 5 days to transfer to SPG (my experience has been more like 2-3).
Amex referral + transfer is faster.