Jan 7, 2018, 10:23 am
Last edit by: MasterGeek
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.
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/
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,
(no longer FYF as of Jun 26, 2018)
Updated as of Jan 22, 2018
AMEX Gold Rewards - $150/year,
- 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 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
Mar 26, 2018, 6:05 am
#181
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: AC
Posts: 2,167
I have had Amex Canada platinum for almost 20 years.
I kept it for the Fairmont platinum benefit (gone now) and like the centurion lounges, but no longer sure if the $$ is worth it.
It annoys the hell out of me that they still scam Canadians on foreign exchange.
What are the benefits that I’m unaware of.
I kept it for the Fairmont platinum benefit (gone now) and like the centurion lounges, but no longer sure if the $$ is worth it.
It annoys the hell out of me that they still scam Canadians on foreign exchange.
What are the benefits that I’m unaware of.
Discounted valet at YYZ
Starwood Gold
International airline program
FHR
Concierge
To sum up, nothing very useful.
Mar 26, 2018, 9:27 am
#182
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, Mileage Plus, WestJet Gold, AMEX Plat
Posts: 2,026
No idea why AMEX has such a YYZ focus. I would have expect YVR to have similar programs, but it does not.
Mar 26, 2018, 9:55 pm
#183
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), Star Alliance Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,194
Mar 27, 2018, 2:37 am
#184
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Starwood:Lifetime Platinum, Air Canada:Basic, Asiana:Lifetime Diamond Plus, ANA: Basic
Posts: 980
With the improved Priority Pass benefit for AMEX Platinum Business while equalizing the referral bonus and welcome bonus with Personal Platinum, my question is this.
Is there any difference between American Express Platinum vs American Express Business Platinum? They seem to have the same points earning power. The same type of insurance.
I am thinking if I should ditch my personal AMEX Plat and go with the AMEX Business Plat. Any comments?
Is there any difference between American Express Platinum vs American Express Business Platinum? They seem to have the same points earning power. The same type of insurance.
I am thinking if I should ditch my personal AMEX Plat and go with the AMEX Business Plat. Any comments?
Mar 27, 2018, 9:29 am
#185
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: YCD
Programs: AC 75K, HIlton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold Elite, Radisson Rewards Gold
Posts: 513
With the improved Priority Pass benefit for AMEX Platinum Business while equalizing the referral bonus and welcome bonus with Personal Platinum, my question is this.
Is there any difference between American Express Platinum vs American Express Business Platinum? They seem to have the same points earning power. The same type of insurance.
I am thinking if I should ditch my personal AMEX Plat and go with the AMEX Business Plat. Any comments?
Is there any difference between American Express Platinum vs American Express Business Platinum? They seem to have the same points earning power. The same type of insurance.
I am thinking if I should ditch my personal AMEX Plat and go with the AMEX Business Plat. Any comments?
- Insurance coverage better with Business Platinum
- Additional hotel status with Personal Platinum
Mar 27, 2018, 2:20 pm
#186
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,166
With the improved Priority Pass benefit for AMEX Platinum Business while equalizing the referral bonus and welcome bonus with Personal Platinum, my question is this.
Is there any difference between American Express Platinum vs American Express Business Platinum? They seem to have the same points earning power. The same type of insurance.
I am thinking if I should ditch my personal AMEX Plat and go with the AMEX Business Plat. Any comments?
Is there any difference between American Express Platinum vs American Express Business Platinum? They seem to have the same points earning power. The same type of insurance.
I am thinking if I should ditch my personal AMEX Plat and go with the AMEX Business Plat. Any comments?
If Hilton Gold is important to you, you should go with the personal plat, otherwise I think those two cards are pretty similar in terms of other benefits.
Mar 27, 2018, 6:14 pm
#187
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Starwood:Lifetime Platinum, Air Canada:Basic, Asiana:Lifetime Diamond Plus, ANA: Basic
Posts: 980
Does anyone know if you can have BOTH the Gold Business AMEX and the Platinum Business AMEX at the same time?
I have the personal Platinum and just got the Gold Business AMEX (when I should have applied for the Plat Busienss AMEX for the 75000 points before the cut-off).
I have the personal Platinum and just got the Gold Business AMEX (when I should have applied for the Plat Busienss AMEX for the 75000 points before the cut-off).
Mar 27, 2018, 7:11 pm
#188
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Canadia
Programs: A loyal Amerisuites customer... oh wait
Posts: 2,033
Does anyone know if you can have BOTH the Gold Business AMEX and the Platinum Business AMEX at the same time?
I have the personal Platinum and just got the Gold Business AMEX (when I should have applied for the Plat Busienss AMEX for the 75000 points before the cut-off).
I have the personal Platinum and just got the Gold Business AMEX (when I should have applied for the Plat Busienss AMEX for the 75000 points before the cut-off).
Mar 28, 2018, 12:27 pm
#189
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: YYZ
Programs: All Accor Plat, 1865 Voyager, AE E35K, HH Gold,Hyatt, Hrtz Gold, Marriott Gold, NEXUS
Posts: 1,670
YMMV, but I switched from Plat to Bus Plat several years ago and my Gold Hilton status has remained in place. May be a glitch in their system? In the 90s I did something similar (can't remember why I had gold status but should have lost it) and I lost gold status when I changed one of my personal preferences several years later. I'm not touching my preferences this time!
Mar 28, 2018, 12:39 pm
#190
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,166
YMMV, but I switched from Plat to Bus Plat several years ago and my Gold Hilton status has remained in place. May be a glitch in their system? In the 90s I did something similar (can't remember why I had gold status but should have lost it) and I lost gold status when I changed one of my personal preferences several years later. I'm not touching my preferences this time!
Maybe a glitch in the system as you said?
Personally I just don't understand why only the personal card comes with Hilton status when everything else is the same between the personal and business card.
Mar 30, 2018, 8:26 am
#191
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: AC
Posts: 2,167
With the improved Priority Pass benefit for AMEX Platinum Business while equalizing the referral bonus and welcome bonus with Personal Platinum, my question is this.
Is there any difference between American Express Platinum vs American Express Business Platinum? They seem to have the same points earning power. The same type of insurance.
I am thinking if I should ditch my personal AMEX Plat and go with the AMEX Business Plat. Any comments?
Is there any difference between American Express Platinum vs American Express Business Platinum? They seem to have the same points earning power. The same type of insurance.
I am thinking if I should ditch my personal AMEX Plat and go with the AMEX Business Plat. Any comments?
Mar 30, 2018, 8:42 am
#192
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Montreal
Programs: Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Gold, Accor Gold, AMEX FHR
Posts: 81
With the improved Priority Pass benefit for AMEX Platinum Business while equalizing the referral bonus and welcome bonus with Personal Platinum, my question is this.
Is there any difference between American Express Platinum vs American Express Business Platinum? They seem to have the same points earning power. The same type of insurance.
I am thinking if I should ditch my personal AMEX Plat and go with the AMEX Business Plat. Any comments?
Is there any difference between American Express Platinum vs American Express Business Platinum? They seem to have the same points earning power. The same type of insurance.
I am thinking if I should ditch my personal AMEX Plat and go with the AMEX Business Plat. Any comments?
Apr 2, 2018, 1:44 pm
#193
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: YYZ
Programs: All Accor Plat, 1865 Voyager, AE E35K, HH Gold,Hyatt, Hrtz Gold, Marriott Gold, NEXUS
Posts: 1,670