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)
Jun 20, 2017, 7:54 pm
#721
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
Option 1
Wife refers you to Biz Gold (FYF, 40K $5K spend)
Self-refers to Gold (FYF, 30K, $1500 spend)
Gets 2x15K in referring bonii.
Option 2.
Wife refers you to Biz Plat ($399, 75K $5K spend)
You use new Biz Plat to her to Gold (FYF, 30K, $1500 spend)
Gets 15K for her Plat and 25K for your new Viz Plat in referring bonii.
The soending requirements are rhe same for both options. However, option 2 at the start sounds less desirable cuz it costs you $399 vs 2 FYF cards, but you get 75K (Biz Plat) vs 40K (Biz Gold) in welcome bonus and 10K more in referring bonus for total of 45K more, using Option 2 over Option 1. This 45K difference in extra points offsets the $399 fee and gives you some lounge access privs.
Going forward beyond this any other referrals are going to be at least 10K more by using the Biz Plat compared to referrals from the Plat.
See also the example posts I've linked to in my signature.
JJJ
Jun 20, 2017, 9:29 pm
#722
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London / Los Angeles
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, BA Silver
Posts: 1,631
Hi Guys, for Canada Amex, I saw someone say you are not allowed have 2 biz charge cards at the same time e.g. Gold Biz and Plat Biz, or at least you possibly won't get the bonus.
Are there any other rules? I currently have the Platinum personal and Business. Can I apply for the Gold personal and/or SPG while holding both plats?
Thanks!
Are there any other rules? I currently have the Platinum personal and Business. Can I apply for the Gold personal and/or SPG while holding both plats?
Thanks!
Jun 21, 2017, 6:57 am
#723
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Montreal
Posts: 247
Hi Guys, for Canada Amex, I saw someone say you are not allowed have 2 biz charge cards at the same time e.g. Gold Biz and Plat Biz, or at least you possibly won't get the bonus.
Are there any other rules? I currently have the Platinum personal and Business. Can I apply for the Gold personal and/or SPG while holding both plats?
Thanks!
Are there any other rules? I currently have the Platinum personal and Business. Can I apply for the Gold personal and/or SPG while holding both plats?
Thanks!
Jun 21, 2017, 7:20 am
#724
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, YUL, PEK
Posts: 429
Same - just got a Biz Gold 40K bonus while concurrently holding a Biz Plat.
Jun 21, 2017, 7:41 am
#725
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Prince Edward Island
Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold
Posts: 1,582
The terms on the public Amex site say that you can't get the biz gold bonus if you hold another small biz card (i.e. biz platinum) but those terms don't seem to apply if using a referral link. I have both cards and got both bonuses.
Jun 21, 2017, 11:05 am
#726
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London / Los Angeles
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, BA Silver
Posts: 1,631
Someone said earlier in this thread or in the 2016 thread(forget which) that they were refused the signup offer because if this. Good to know that it is not enforced for referrals. or maybe it is just occasionally enforced
Jun 21, 2017, 11:26 am
#727
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Montreal
Posts: 247
Wow, I had no idea! Good to know, thanks.
Jun 21, 2017, 2:06 pm
#728
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YWG
Programs: Aeroplan, MileagePlus, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 2,159
Just to add to this, I got a SPG Biz a few months ago (first one for me) while holding a Biz Gold. I got the card and received the bonus.
Jun 22, 2017, 3:35 pm
#729
Join Date: May 2004
Location: YYZ
Programs: CX-Silver, HH-Diamond, SPG-Gold
Posts: 376
Last update
Update:
Hit 2 statements (and about 6 weeks) know that show I've passed the threshold for points. 75k Welcome bonus still hasn't posted. Call in. Rep said he doesn't see any issues with my spend and that i've crossed the threshold, wait another 4 weeks and call in if I don't see it by then.
So looks like I'm still waiting.. mind you, I'll keep it for the majority of the year anyways, but need to have those points available to transfer out when I need them right...
Though I wonder.. sometimes a welcome bonus posts overnight, and sometimes weeks later, and sometimes only when you call in after 10 weeks. Something is wrong with the automation in the background..
Hit 2 statements (and about 6 weeks) know that show I've passed the threshold for points. 75k Welcome bonus still hasn't posted. Call in. Rep said he doesn't see any issues with my spend and that i've crossed the threshold, wait another 4 weeks and call in if I don't see it by then.
So looks like I'm still waiting.. mind you, I'll keep it for the majority of the year anyways, but need to have those points available to transfer out when I need them right...
Though I wonder.. sometimes a welcome bonus posts overnight, and sometimes weeks later, and sometimes only when you call in after 10 weeks. Something is wrong with the automation in the background..
Called +1 day after, Rep said she'd open a case with Membership Rewards and to wait 5 days.
Waited 5 days nothing. Called back (lucky got same rep), she said she'd send them a direct email this time and she'd call me back next day.
Called me back next day and the points were there.
So.. as well as their automated system sometimes works, there are some conditions that fail the auto checks and you have to call in to get it.
To recap, the only thing different that happened with this churn for me is:
1. Didn't put in an existing AMEX card number during application.
2. They consolidated my MR account into an existing one I had already (versus usually I automatically get a brand new one).
YMMV.
Jun 23, 2017, 8:19 am
#730
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: YVR
Programs: AP, AS, BAEC, HH, SPG, FPC, PC
Posts: 282
Jun 23, 2017, 10:09 am
#731
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
I applied for the SPG Business Amex on Feb 27 and got the "unable to give you instant decision at this time...".
Called on Mar 1 and was approved after answering some security questions.
Called again on Mar 17 since I hadn't received the card yet. Was told it must be lost and they would send another.
Called again on Mar 27. Still no card, but I did get my bill for $150 AF (billing period Feb 21 - Mar 20). This time was told there were some problems at Amex and card was being sent out via Priority Post.
Received the card on Mar 29. Hallelujah!
Since I have 3 months to hit my minimum spend, is that starting on Feb 21? Am I paying $150 for a card that will be valid for less than 11 months? Maybe I should ask for a pro-rated amount.
Called on Mar 1 and was approved after answering some security questions.
Called again on Mar 17 since I hadn't received the card yet. Was told it must be lost and they would send another.
Called again on Mar 27. Still no card, but I did get my bill for $150 AF (billing period Feb 21 - Mar 20). This time was told there were some problems at Amex and card was being sent out via Priority Post.
Received the card on Mar 29. Hallelujah!
Since I have 3 months to hit my minimum spend, is that starting on Feb 21? Am I paying $150 for a card that will be valid for less than 11 months? Maybe I should ask for a pro-rated amount.
I lost an entire month because Amex took so long to send me the card (see above), but I still managed to hit my $1500 spend in the first 2 months after I received the card (post date of May 19). No sign up bonus on the first statement (May 20) after spending $1500, and nothing on the next one (June 20) either. I don't expect this will auto-post. Based on all the other posts, guess I'll just have to sit tight for 10-12 weeks after May 19.
And what's with the 10-12 weeks? Is it 10, or is it 12?
Last edited by margarita girl; Jul 23, 2017 at 7:44 am
Jun 23, 2017, 3:49 pm
#732
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
I see a lot of people are having issues with their sign up bonus. I am too. I self referred the SPG Biz Amex from my SPG Personal Amex and got the referral points. I've never had the Biz Amex before, and I cancelled the personal Amex shortly after getting the referral points.
I lost an entire month because Amex took so long to send me the card (see above), but I still managed to hit my $1500 spend in the first 2 months after I received the card (post date of May 19). No sign up bonus on the first statement (May 20) after spending $1500, and nothing on the next one (June 20) either. I don't expect this will auto-post. Based on all the other posts, guess I'll just have to sit tight for 10-12 weeks after May 19.
And what's with the 10-12 weeks? Is it 10, or is it 12?
I lost an entire month because Amex took so long to send me the card (see above), but I still managed to hit my $1500 spend in the first 2 months after I received the card (post date of May 19). No sign up bonus on the first statement (May 20) after spending $1500, and nothing on the next one (June 20) either. I don't expect this will auto-post. Based on all the other posts, guess I'll just have to sit tight for 10-12 weeks after May 19.
And what's with the 10-12 weeks? Is it 10, or is it 12?
Why are you waiting? Why not call Amex now. Other people are waiting 10-12 weeks because they are hoping the points will post automatically for CHURNED cards, or for a second Business card product, which are supposedly NOT eligible. Calling in these cases would potentially expose that issue and might result in denial of welcome points.
In your case, the only issue I see is that you self-referred, but that is waaaay down there in the concern list, at least IMHO.
If you're not in a rush, then just wait for another statement. But if you want those SPG points NOW, for a redemption/conversion, then give them a call and poke them for some points.
JJJ
Jun 28, 2017, 2:49 pm
#733
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 39
After referring a several family members, and as many mentioned, sometimes you get the points right after hitting the spend and others had to wait for 10 +weeks. The only thing that was different in my case was one had the gold a couple years ago who had to wait and the others never had one and got it immediately. The only thing that isn't making sense and not sure if there is some fine print on it is the extra 5K points for adding a supplementary card has never been posted for either accounts even though they added one at time of application. Can the person being added have an existing Gold card or be a supplementary card member of another person already and still be counted for the extra 5k for the person?
The reason I say this is because I was used as the supplementary card holder for all of them. None of them have received the extra 5k points and because one of them had the card a couple years back and received the 25k, they don't want to risk losing these because of the rule change to try to get the 5k.
Anyone have any details on why or how this extra 5 k works and when they should try to get the points?
Thank you,
Jun 28, 2017, 3:59 pm
#734
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,847
Data points: I hit my $5000 minimum spend a few weeks ago, just before my third statement was generated. Today it's been 91 days (13 weeks) since I was approved, so unless they like to wait until my balance is paid, and/or the 4th statement is generated, there should be no reason my points didn't auto-post.
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UPDATE: They responded to my message saying that the bonus points post in batches 8 - 10 weeks after you hit your minimum spend. It's been 4 weeks since I met my minimum spend, so I guess I'm waiting another 6 weeks until I can complain again. UGHHHH!
Last edited by pokee; Jun 29, 2017 at 11:03 am
Jul 4, 2017, 8:57 am
#735
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
Here we go again................ after Mrs GHT was screwed with AMEX's late card delivery and refusal to honor the bonus points after $5000 in spending within 3 months she got the card..... we are into week 3 waiting for her new AMEX card................. is anyone else having to wait such a long time for a new AMEX card?