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
Jan 18, 2018, 7:45 pm
#17
Formerly known as newbie elite
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: YUL
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador, Accor Platinum, AC50K
Posts: 2,927
Sounds like BS to me, I spend $150k/yr and never been called "high value"
Sounds just like their secure message emails, canned overly enthusiastic marketing drivel. Meaningless.
Jan 19, 2018, 6:11 am
#19
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 77
Jan 20, 2018, 8:30 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: United 1K, AC 50K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriot Platinum
Posts: 684
If you don't see the 2018 travel credit online you could go ahead and book first and then call AMEX to get the $200 credit applied afterwards. Or, if you want to do it in one shot, just to be sure, then call and ask a rep to help you with the booking and the travel credit at the same time.
Jan 20, 2018, 8:48 am
#22
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 700
Not sure if this has been posted, but I applied and received Personal Platinum late 2016. I used the $200 travel credit.
Later in 2017, I used the travel credit of $200 again for this calendar year. I was credited.
As the $699 charge came up, I cancelled the card.
I just received a letter statement in the mail showing a $200 charge in that they refunded $499 from the annual charge.
I haven't called them yet, but has this happened to anyone, and what was the result?
Later in 2017, I used the travel credit of $200 again for this calendar year. I was credited.
As the $699 charge came up, I cancelled the card.
I just received a letter statement in the mail showing a $200 charge in that they refunded $499 from the annual charge.
I haven't called them yet, but has this happened to anyone, and what was the result?
Jan 20, 2018, 8:55 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: United 1K, AC 50K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriot Platinum
Posts: 684
Not sure if this has been posted, but I applied and received Personal Platinum late 2016. I used the $200 travel credit.
Later in 2017, I used the travel credit of $200 again for this calendar year. I was credited.
As the $699 charge came up, I cancelled the card.
I just received a letter statement in the mail showing a $200 charge in that they refunded $499 from the annual charge.
I haven't called them yet, but has this happened to anyone, and what was the result?
Later in 2017, I used the travel credit of $200 again for this calendar year. I was credited.
As the $699 charge came up, I cancelled the card.
I just received a letter statement in the mail showing a $200 charge in that they refunded $499 from the annual charge.
I haven't called them yet, but has this happened to anyone, and what was the result?
Jan 20, 2018, 9:26 am
#25
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 700
It happened to me the last time I had the Platinum Card. If you look back you will find posts discussing this. It seems that you are fine using the travel credit twice just as long as you cancel before you get the $699 charge for the next year. If the charge gets applied and then you cancel after using the travel credit for that year you will only get $499 back.
Jan 22, 2018, 2:20 pm
#27
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
- Amex Gold MR lost its FYF status on Sep 14, 2017. The $150/yr annual fee will appear on the first statement.
- The Personal Gold MR can refer to another Personal Gold, or the Cobalt CC (and vice versa), for 5,000 MR.
- The Personal Gold CAN NO LONGER refer to the Business Gold, Personal Platinum nor Business Platinum.
Other options:
GCR - Earn a $50 or $60 (varies from time to time) cash back when you apply through their channel. Welcome offer is 25,000 MR after $1500 spending.
PERKOPOLIS - if you work for an organization/group that has a Perkopolis association, you can still open the Personal Gold through their special link using an RSVP code, and their offer for the Personal Gold MR card is 25,000 MR and FYF, after just $500 spending (regular channels require $1500). Plus if you choose to keep the card after 1 year the annual fee is $99 (vs. $150).
Jan 23, 2018, 6:46 pm
#28
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Aeroplan, Marriott Bonvoy (Gold)
Posts: 280
Updated the WiKi regarding Gold's loss of FYF and 5,000 referring bonus.
Other options:
GCR - Earn a $50 or $60 (varies from time to time) cash back when you apply through their channel. Welcome offer is 25,000 MR after $1500 spending.
PERKOPOLIS - if you work for an organization/group that has a Perkopolis association, you can still open the Personal Gold through their special link using an RSVP code, and their offer for the Personal Gold MR card is 25,000 MR and FYF, after just $500 spending (regular channels require $1500). Plus if you choose to keep the card after 1 year the annual fee is $99 (vs. $150).
- Amex Gold MR lost its FYF status on Sep 14, 2017. The $150/yr annual fee will appear on the first statement.
- The Personal Gold MR can refer to another Personal Gold, or the Cobalt CC (and vice versa), for 5,000 MR.
- The Personal Gold CAN NO LONGER refer to the Business Gold, Personal Platinum nor Business Platinum.
Other options:
GCR - Earn a $50 or $60 (varies from time to time) cash back when you apply through their channel. Welcome offer is 25,000 MR after $1500 spending.
PERKOPOLIS - if you work for an organization/group that has a Perkopolis association, you can still open the Personal Gold through their special link using an RSVP code, and their offer for the Personal Gold MR card is 25,000 MR and FYF, after just $500 spending (regular channels require $1500). Plus if you choose to keep the card after 1 year the annual fee is $99 (vs. $150).
Jan 23, 2018, 7:02 pm
#29
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: AC
Posts: 2,167
Can't you just merge the two MR accounts so they become one? I used to have the Platinum and the Gold card (years ago when it was $499 for both cards) (charter member is what I think it was called), and I just had them both deposit into one account.
Jan 23, 2018, 7:10 pm
#30
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
You can call or send a Secured Message to request for the cancellation, but DO make sure you mention that those MR points are to be moved to the other non-cancelling MR card account.