Jan 7, 2018, 10:23 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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 (2017). All the listed offers below are still valid as of January 2018.

AMEX Business Gold Rewards - $250/year, ~~FYF~~, 40K MR (by referral, else only 30K) after $5000 spending
(no longer FYF as of Jun 26, 2018)

Updated as of Jan 22, 2018
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
Jan 22, 2018, as of Sep 14, 2017 the Amex Gold MR is no longer FYF. $150/yr applies on first statement. Only another Gold or Cobalt card can refer to Gold (and vice versa) for a 5,000 MR bonus. The Personal Gold cannot refer to Business Gold, Personal Platinum nor Business Platinum.

AMEX Air Miles Platinum - $65/year, 2000 Air Miles after $1500 spending + $30 GCR cashback
AMEX SPG - $120/year, 25K SPG after $1500 spending + $30 GCR cashback

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)

American Express Canada application and reward strategies

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Mar 6, 2018, 10:25 am

#136

agjil

Join Date: Mar 2012

Posts: 3,166

Delete.

Mar 7, 2018, 3:45 pm

#137

Preacher7

Join Date: Apr 2012

Programs: 25 million points to burn!

Posts: 1,522

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJonahJ

Wait, what? Did something change? You should still be able to refer to other MR cards.

Business Plat MR can refer to self, Personal Plat or Business Gold, for 25K bonus
Personal Plat MR can refer to self, Business Plat or Business Gold, for 15K bonus
Business Gold MR can refer to self, Business Plat or Personal Plat, for 10K bonus
Note: Personal Gold MR can NOT be referred to BY any of the 3 above cards. Nor can Personal Gold MR refer TO any of the 3 above cards. Only to self or Cobalt CC for 5K bonus.

So, go to your Personal Plat MR account page and look for your /amex.ca/share/bright1234 referral link to the Personal Plat card. Copy and paste this into a new browser window. This is your referral to the Personal Plat card. Now look at the bottom of the page for "Not the right Card for you? Take a look at our other Cards...", and choose either the Business Platinum card icon, or the Business Gold card icon. This launches to the signup page for these other cards, and anyone who applies (and is approved) like this using your referral will earn you 15K referring bonus to your Personal Plat MR account.

What he said. Two cards into our Churn Team’s 10-card semi-annual churn, and things are still working like a charm with the above approach. Once again, JJJ, you’re spot on!

Mar 9, 2018, 3:13 pm

#138

JJonahJ

Join Date: Dec 2011

Location: Canada

Programs: *void

Posts: 2,408

Quote:

Originally Posted by Preacher7

What he said. Two cards into our Churn Team’s 10-card semi-annual churn, and things are still working like a charm with the above approach. Once again, JJJ, you’re spot on!

OMG, is your profile growing 'bigger'? Must resist. But, it's so hard to NOT stare at it.... BUSTED!
Last time I looked, I thought you were at 12 million. What a team! It's amazing, simply AMAZING!

Mar 13, 2018, 11:24 am

#139

BlooQ

Join Date: Feb 2018

Posts: 4

I'm trying to squeeze in a couple more churns in for myself and my partner before the program change on 3/21. Currently I have both Plats and she just has Personal Plat.

What's the length of time one should wait before re-applying for the same card? For example, if I cancel my biz platinum, how long should I wait to re-apply?
Can we own both the Biz Plat and Biz Gold under one account or would AMEX find that fishy?

The current plan is to refer her to a Biz Platinum and have her refer me for a Biz Gold. I'm debating if I should refer her to both a Biz Platinum and a Biz Gold at the same time, so we have three new cards between the three of us, but I'm not sure if that would be too many. We have some large transactions coming up, so the minimum spend isn't really an issue.

Mar 13, 2018, 9:29 pm

#140

lsquare

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2010

Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG

Posts: 19,902

I'm interested in signing up for the Personal AMEX Gold through Perkopolis. I have never heard of that site before. Can anyone use that link and sign up for it? I'm assuming I can't refer from my existing AMEX cards to the Personal Gold? I just want to ask before I sign up as FYF and 25K is pretty good.

Mar 14, 2018, 11:38 am

#141

Admiral Ackbar

Formerly known as newbie elite

Join Date: Feb 2002

Location: YUL

Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador, Accor Platinum, AC50K

Posts: 2,927

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlooQ

I'm trying to squeeze in a couple more churns in for myself and my partner before the program change on 3/21. Currently I have both Plats and she just has Personal Plat.

What's the length of time one should wait before re-applying for the same card? For example, if I cancel my biz platinum, how long should I wait to re-apply?
Can we own both the Biz Plat and Biz Gold under one account or would AMEX find that fishy?

What is happening on 3/21?

Mar 14, 2018, 11:49 am

#142

mia

Moderator

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: Miami, Mpls & London

Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold

Posts: 48,958

Quote:

Originally Posted by Admiral Ackbar

What is happening on 3/21?

Start at post 4 in this thread:

Changes to American Express Business Platinum in Canada

Mar 14, 2018, 3:32 pm

#143

Admiral Ackbar

Formerly known as newbie elite

Join Date: Feb 2002

Location: YUL

Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador, Accor Platinum, AC50K

Posts: 2,927

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

Start at post 4 in this thread:

Changes to American Express Business Platinum in Canada

Many thanks, was wanting to apply, will do so sooner rather than later.

Mar 16, 2018, 8:47 am

#144

agjil

Join Date: Mar 2012

Posts: 3,166

I closed my personal platinum card about a year ago.
I'm considering re-applying for the same card this weekend.
I know everything is YMMV, but are people usually having success getting the sign up bonus again for the personal plat card?

Mar 16, 2018, 9:05 am

#145

JJonahJ

Join Date: Dec 2011

Location: Canada

Programs: *void

Posts: 2,408

Quote:

Originally Posted by agjil

Full denial on repeated churning by Amex Canada still has NOT been enforced, to the extent that it has been delivered by Amex USA. So, as you said, it's YMMV but probably a very good chance.

Mar 16, 2018, 6:46 pm

#146

CanadianMike

Join Date: Jun 2014

Location: YVR

Programs: SE 100K

Posts: 935

Datapoint (others may be aware of this but I had never stumbled upon it):

Opened SPG Amex last August. $120 annual fee or whatever. Met min spend. Received SPG Points.
Cancelled just now. Received a $60 credit from the annual since only had the card open for 6 months?

Pleasant surprise I hadn't read about elsewhere.

Last edited by CanadianMike; Mar 16, 2018 at 9:15 pm

Mar 17, 2018, 12:09 pm

#147

scottman00

Join Date: Feb 2009

Posts: 41

hey, I've noticed that every purchase for the biz platinum qualifies for 1000=$10 when using redeem points for purchase.
I was going to get a gift card for a nespresso machine at 38000 points for $300. I'm better off just putting it on the card then redeeming 30000 points online.
the biz plat has clothing, car repair and starbucks on it, all available for 1000=$10.

I thought it was just travel related at that rate and everything else at 1000=$7

Mar 17, 2018, 12:22 pm

#148

Low Roller

Join Date: Jun 2016

Location: Prince Edward Island

Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold

Posts: 1,582

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottman00

It's been that way for quite a while on the platinum cards. The gold card is 1000=$7 (except travel).

Mar 17, 2018, 12:28 pm

#149

scottman00

Join Date: Feb 2009

Posts: 41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Low Roller

It's been that way for quite a while on the platinum cards. The gold card is 1000=$7 (except travel).

I just checked my wifes personal platinum and it shows 1000=$7
so maybe just the biz card?

either way, its good to know because its better value than a GC

Mar 17, 2018, 12:33 pm

#150

Low Roller

Join Date: Jun 2016

Location: Prince Edward Island

Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold

Posts: 1,582

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottman00

I just checked my wifes personal platinum and it shows 1000=$7
so maybe just the biz card?

either way, its good to know because its better value than a GC

Maybe it is just the business card (that's the one I have). I assumed it was personal as well, but I could be wrong.