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)
Dec 15, 2015, 11:20 pm
#1471
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
I sense your skepticism. It's understandable. At one time, people thought the Greeks were crazy, suggesting that Earth was round, and not flat. Unless you've walked the walk, maybe you'll never believe it's true.
Just recently, someone else at RFD posted another datapoint, that two different people's CIBC Aeroplan Visa card can channel into one Aero account.
Scroll back on these page, or in the 2014 thread, and you'll find others who reported that 2 Amex Aeroplan cards can both post points to the same Aero account.
Just recently, someone else at RFD posted another datapoint, that two different people's CIBC Aeroplan Visa card can channel into one Aero account.
Scroll back on these page, or in the 2014 thread, and you'll find others who reported that 2 Amex Aeroplan cards can both post points to the same Aero account.
Dec 16, 2015, 6:21 am
#1472
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: SPG Gold, Aeroplan, Hilton Honors, Le Club Accor Platinum
Posts: 268
I sense your skepticism. It's understandable. At one time, people thought the Greeks were crazy, suggesting that Earth was round, and not flat. Unless you've walked the walk, maybe you'll never believe it's true.
Just recently, someone else at RFD posted another datapoint, that two different people's CIBC Aeroplan Visa card can channel into one Aero account.
Scroll back on these page, or in the 2014 thread, and you'll find others who reported that 2 Amex Aeroplan cards can both post points to the same Aero account.
Just recently, someone else at RFD posted another datapoint, that two different people's CIBC Aeroplan Visa card can channel into one Aero account.
Scroll back on these page, or in the 2014 thread, and you'll find others who reported that 2 Amex Aeroplan cards can both post points to the same Aero account.
Dec 16, 2015, 7:51 am
#1473
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: YYZ
Programs: Amex MR, SPG, Aeroplan
Posts: 129
Mine and husband's are going into same AP. Having same last name and address certanly helps. But I understand the point, should be 2 separate accounts, if you read T&C to a letter.
Dec 16, 2015, 9:31 am
#1474
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 41
Thought I confirmed this a few weeks back?
Did a referral to my wife and myself from my BizGold to regular Gold (3rd Gold card for both of us)
Got both referral miles (15K x 2). And both bonuses (25K X 2). Both cards on new MR #'s.
During your application process, did you answer no when they asked you if you're a current Amex cardholder?
Since Aeroplat is coming up for renewal/cancellation did the same for the Blue Aeroplan card.
Should get referral, 15K x 2. 5K bonus unknown...just got the card today.
Did a referral to my wife and myself from my BizGold to regular Gold (3rd Gold card for both of us)
Got both referral miles (15K x 2). And both bonuses (25K X 2). Both cards on new MR #'s.
During your application process, did you answer no when they asked you if you're a current Amex cardholder?
Since Aeroplat is coming up for renewal/cancellation did the same for the Blue Aeroplan card.
Should get referral, 15K x 2. 5K bonus unknown...just got the card today.
Dec 16, 2015, 9:40 am
#1475
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
Churning Amex in Canada (2015)
Originally Posted by 1011TriStar
I posted about this once, then got an email from another flyertalk member asking me to delete my post because the threads are monitored and I may ruin it for everyone. Never had an issue with the points going to one aeroplan account.
It's not really hurting their bottom line, by having two different cards pointing to the same Aeroplan account. Like, why would they care, if they are giving 25K/40K to accountX vs accountY? Other than they should probably try to help their FFP partners by preventing this from happening, thus further crippling the Aeroplan member community?
Do we really want Aeroplan (aka Evil Corp) to have all the chips to play with? We're already succumbing to playing in Aeroplan's ever-devaluating sandbox, and being hampered with, for eg., having to look for our own no/low YQ redemptions because they insist on showing us their preferred Air Canada award options.
Allowing 2 people to collect points into the same account is just one small advantage for Joe-AeroPublic, so that bookings can be more-easily done on the same PNR, and not having to hope that a two-browser booking procedure will come up with TWO instead of ONE ticket being actually booked.
Dec 16, 2015, 1:56 pm
#1476
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, Bonvoy, Alaska, Avios
Posts: 1,290
Dec 16, 2015, 2:32 pm
#1477
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
Usually when I said YES = they link to my existing AMEX MR
One time I said NO = they still auto-linked to my existing AMEX MR, which I didn't want as that delayed the 25K welcome bonus
Dec 16, 2015, 4:16 pm
#1478
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, Bonvoy, Alaska, Avios
Posts: 1,290
I might have used an SPG card #, yes $0 balance new MR.
Dec 16, 2015, 9:03 pm
#1479
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 1
Hi, first message for me on Flyertalk. First, thanks for all the great info on churning over the last few years.
There has been some discussion about the new T&C wording with Amex Canada re: churning. I'm happy to report that both my spouse and I just received our bonus rewards on cards we applied for in November. The cards were Gold Amex and Business Gold Amex and we had only cancelled our previous Gold Amex cards in July (we have been actively churning 2 Amex cards each twice a year for the last three years). I also received my referral bonus' for a Gold Amex and Business Gold Amex I referred to my spouse and a Business Gold Amex I self referred to myself.
So, it seems that while Amex Canada has changed their wording to say that bonus rewards are only offered to "new" customers who have not previously had an Amex card, they are clearly not applying this wording with real card applications. At least in my case.
I should also add that re: churning affecting credit ratings. My spouse and I also applied for a mortgage this last summer at two credit unions (Coast Capital and Vancity) and were approved with the lowest rate at both credit unions and were told that our credit rating was "excellent". I guess as long as you pay off your card balance every month and don't carry any other big debts (car loans, lines of credit etc) churning will have little affect on your credit rating.
There has been some discussion about the new T&C wording with Amex Canada re: churning. I'm happy to report that both my spouse and I just received our bonus rewards on cards we applied for in November. The cards were Gold Amex and Business Gold Amex and we had only cancelled our previous Gold Amex cards in July (we have been actively churning 2 Amex cards each twice a year for the last three years). I also received my referral bonus' for a Gold Amex and Business Gold Amex I referred to my spouse and a Business Gold Amex I self referred to myself.
So, it seems that while Amex Canada has changed their wording to say that bonus rewards are only offered to "new" customers who have not previously had an Amex card, they are clearly not applying this wording with real card applications. At least in my case.
I should also add that re: churning affecting credit ratings. My spouse and I also applied for a mortgage this last summer at two credit unions (Coast Capital and Vancity) and were approved with the lowest rate at both credit unions and were told that our credit rating was "excellent". I guess as long as you pay off your card balance every month and don't carry any other big debts (car loans, lines of credit etc) churning will have little affect on your credit rating.
Dec 16, 2015, 10:27 pm
#1481
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 822
After reading so many punters receiving the sign-up MR points again for the Amex Gold Rewards card....it's time for me to re-apply.
I wonder if it would make a difference if I used someone's referral link or just applied directly on their website re. increasing my chances of getting the sign-up points again?
I wonder if it would make a difference if I used someone's referral link or just applied directly on their website re. increasing my chances of getting the sign-up points again?
Dec 16, 2015, 10:32 pm
#1482
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
After reading so many punters receiving the sign-up MR points again for the Amex Gold Rewards card....it's time for me to re-apply.
I wonder if it would make a difference if I used someone's referral link or just applied directly on their website re. increasing my chances of getting the sign-up points again?
I wonder if it would make a difference if I used someone's referral link or just applied directly on their website re. increasing my chances of getting the sign-up points again?
Dec 17, 2015, 12:24 am
#1483
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,410
GREAT NEWS EVERYONE.
Okay I've only ever had the regular Amex Gold and did a self-refer to the Amex Aeroplat (different family)
Here are the bonuses I received:
After Signup: 25k
After meeting 1k spend: 41k + 10k
So instead of 51k I got 76k... Which isnt even the referral aeroplat bonus on top... I'm not complaining tho!
Okay I've only ever had the regular Amex Gold and did a self-refer to the Amex Aeroplat (different family)
Here are the bonuses I received:
After Signup: 25k
After meeting 1k spend: 41k + 10k
So instead of 51k I got 76k... Which isnt even the referral aeroplat bonus on top... I'm not complaining tho!
Dec 17, 2015, 12:27 am
#1484
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
GREAT NEWS EVERYONE.
Okay I've only ever had the regular Amex Gold and did a self-refer to the Amex Aeroplat (different family)
Here are the bonuses I received:
After Signup: 25k
After meeting 1k spend: 41k + 10k
So instead of 51k I got 76k... Which isnt even the referral aeroplat bonus on top... I'm not complaining tho!
Okay I've only ever had the regular Amex Gold and did a self-refer to the Amex Aeroplat (different family)
Here are the bonuses I received:
After Signup: 25k
After meeting 1k spend: 41k + 10k
So instead of 51k I got 76k... Which isnt even the referral aeroplat bonus on top... I'm not complaining tho!
Any referral bonus, in AMEX MR or Aeroplan?
I guess the only "unknown" is the 25K welcome bonus on your Aeroplat
since 41K+10K is the 51K promised bonus via referral
Congrats though
Dec 17, 2015, 7:20 am
#1485
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
I do remember your scenario:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post25639520
So, even though some suggested you to take your pitches and get a walk, instead you stepped up to the plate and swung for the fences! Home Run!
1) got the cross-referral to work (from the signup end)
2) got the 51K before the promo ended Oct 31st (now 41K for the AeroPlat)
3) got the extra 25K bennies
If you get the referral points as well, for your referring MR card, I'd say you hit for the cycle!
JJJ, GM-of-Churn-Squads
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post25639520
So, even though some suggested you to take your pitches and get a walk, instead you stepped up to the plate and swung for the fences! Home Run!
1) got the cross-referral to work (from the signup end)
2) got the 51K before the promo ended Oct 31st (now 41K for the AeroPlat)
3) got the extra 25K bennies
If you get the referral points as well, for your referring MR card, I'd say you hit for the cycle!
JJJ, GM-of-Churn-Squads