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)
Sep 26, 2017, 1:08 pm
#1006
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
I applied for SPG Biz and got this:
"Thank you for choosing American Express. We are unable to give an instant decision at this time. Your application will be processed within 10 days. "
Should I worry about it or is this the standard now days. Previous Amex applications I was approved instantly.
"Thank you for choosing American Express. We are unable to give an instant decision at this time. Your application will be processed within 10 days. "
Should I worry about it or is this the standard now days. Previous Amex applications I was approved instantly.
Sep 26, 2017, 1:17 pm
#1007
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
My experience has been the same thus far - but still waiting to meet the spending threshold to see if I get the 25K bonus again, and waiting to see if I get FYF (my application was submitted Sept. 13 -- prior to the Sept. 14 cut-off, but approved after that). I'm optimistic considering what I've experienced so far, and from what I've read here. 
Waiting for the first statement to see the FYF, and getting the final 5K suppie bonus would be a nice way to close off a chapter of this Little-Engine-That-Could card.
Sep 26, 2017, 1:22 pm
#1008
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
I applied for SPG Biz and got this:
"Thank you for choosing American Express. We are unable to give an instant decision at this time. Your application will be processed within 10 days. "
Should I worry about it or is this the standard now days. Previous Amex applications I was approved instantly.
"Thank you for choosing American Express. We are unable to give an instant decision at this time. Your application will be processed within 10 days. "
Should I worry about it or is this the standard now days. Previous Amex applications I was approved instantly.
Sep 26, 2017, 1:23 pm
#1009
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: YQM
Posts: 341
Same anxiousness about the FYF for a Gold application done on Sep 12th. The 25K welcome points were injected 2 days after activating and making $1500 spending within minutes of. Waiting for the first statement to see the FYF, and getting the final 5K suppie bonus would be a nice way to close off a chapter of this Little-Engine-That-Could card.
Waiting for the first statement to see the FYF, and getting the final 5K suppie bonus would be a nice way to close off a chapter of this Little-Engine-That-Could card.
Annual Fees
Basic Card: $150; Supplementary Cards: $0 for 1; additional Supplementary Cards: $50 each. Waived for the 1st year, charged annually thereafter
Basic Card: $150; Supplementary Cards: $0 for 1; additional Supplementary Cards: $50 each. Waived for the 1st year, charged annually thereafter
Sep 26, 2017, 3:11 pm
#1011
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
From my viewing positions, it does seem to be more prevalent than in years prior. If it was a a personal card product and a churn, I would say don't call. With a a Business card, I'm a bit more relaxed and tempted to call, but I would just wait a couple of days to see if you get the congratulations email (or if the timing is right, look for the 10K referring bonus) as indicators of an approval. But, if you're in a rush for it, then call and ask them to pull your application from the queue to do a manual review.
Added: Just got a call to validate the address and the profession. All approved with the usual 5-10 for the card to arrive. I am sure I fill out all the spaces in the application. O well it was nice to talk to a nice fellow, no waiting on an agent.
Last edited by 1Newflyer; Sep 26, 2017 at 6:00 pm
Sep 26, 2017, 5:23 pm
#1012
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 38
I have a Business Platinum and have been MS'ing initially with paypal and now giftcards from Shoppers drug mart. The biggest mistake I made was I invoiced myself from a second Paypal account and the statement shows my name on my AMEX statement.
I believe the voicemail is for an audit as they said it was about "very important business matters".
What suggestions would you give me? I've never been audited before and this is my second card. If they question these activities I need to come up with a good story.
Advice?
I believe the voicemail is for an audit as they said it was about "very important business matters".
What suggestions would you give me? I've never been audited before and this is my second card. If they question these activities I need to come up with a good story.
Advice?
Sep 26, 2017, 9:54 pm
#1013
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 308
I have a Business Platinum and have been MS'ing initially with paypal and now giftcards from Shoppers drug mart. The biggest mistake I made was I invoiced myself from a second Paypal account and the statement shows my name on my AMEX statement.
I believe the voicemail is for an audit as they said it was about "very important business matters".
What suggestions would you give me? I've never been audited before and this is my second card. If they question these activities I need to come up with a good story.
Advice?
I believe the voicemail is for an audit as they said it was about "very important business matters".
What suggestions would you give me? I've never been audited before and this is my second card. If they question these activities I need to come up with a good story.
Advice?
Be wary of Paypal when any significant transactions are involved.
Sep 27, 2017, 6:39 am
#1014
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
I applied for SPG Biz and got this:
"Thank you for choosing American Express. We are unable to give an instant decision at this time. Your application will be processed within 10 days. "
Should I worry about it or is this the standard now days. Previous Amex applications I was approved instantly.
"Thank you for choosing American Express. We are unable to give an instant decision at this time. Your application will be processed within 10 days. "
Should I worry about it or is this the standard now days. Previous Amex applications I was approved instantly.
I wouldn't read too much into the message. Wait a week or whatever and call in.
Sep 28, 2017, 5:39 am
#1015
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Prince Edward Island
Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold
Posts: 1,582
As expected, the referral bonus for the SPG personal card was reduced from 10K to 5K on Sept. 28th.
Sep 28, 2017, 9:00 am
#1016
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28731871-post916.html
Too bad that they also reduced the Biz SPG to 5K for referring as well. I was speculating that Amex might only drop the Personal SPG bonus to 5K, but (hoping) they would keep the Biz SPG at 10K for referring. Oh well. Say Lah Vee.
I've updated the WiKi to reflect the new 5K bonus level.
Sep 28, 2017, 9:31 am
#1017
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
Glad I just got under the wire to sign up for a card on Monday. Not so glad that I didn't refer my wife to a card (she's up for a Biz SPG).
Sep 28, 2017, 9:35 am
#1018
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
Added new (introduced Sep 25) Amex Cobalt MR CREDIT card to the WiKi. Apply through GCR for $50 cash back.
Sep 28, 2017, 11:07 am
#1019
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,405
Is the "2 cards" limit just on CC's or also on Charge Cards?