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
Jun 28, 2018, 12:43 pm
#346
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Starwood:Lifetime Platinum, Air Canada:Basic, Asiana:Lifetime Diamond Plus, ANA: Basic
Posts: 980
This is the link to the new SPG AMEX card (in the merge program starting Aug 1, 2018)
https://www.americanexpress.com/ca/e...red-guest.html
My first reaction is the new SPG card is a devaluation of the old card with a reduction on earning rates.
The second important thing to find out is what would be the "conversion rate" for Membership Rewards to the new SPG/Marriott. If they kill it off, we will run low on partners on the Canadian AMEX Membership Rewards program as Aeroplan is out in 2020... Left with Hilton and fixed rate travel redemption
https://www.americanexpress.com/ca/e...red-guest.html
My first reaction is the new SPG card is a devaluation of the old card with a reduction on earning rates.
The second important thing to find out is what would be the "conversion rate" for Membership Rewards to the new SPG/Marriott. If they kill it off, we will run low on partners on the Canadian AMEX Membership Rewards program as Aeroplan is out in 2020... Left with Hilton and fixed rate travel redemption
Last edited by yeunganson; Jun 28, 2018 at 12:52 pm
Jun 28, 2018, 3:49 pm
#348
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Prince Edward Island
Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold
Posts: 1,582
IF the annual fee stays the same, it seems worthwhile to keep the card. If it increases to more than the price of a decent room, probably not
Jun 28, 2018, 4:16 pm
#349
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Starwood:Lifetime Platinum, Air Canada:Basic, Asiana:Lifetime Diamond Plus, ANA: Basic
Posts: 980
Currently, we get one SPG Cat 1 - 4 free weekend night upon reaching $CAD 40,000 spend per year. A Category 4 hotel is a lowend Sheraton or a popular 4-point costing 10,000 SPG points per night. If we believe the cert in the new SPG/Marriott program is similar to the free night of the old SPG program, a free night is at a four point/ low end Sheraton. Worth or not depends if you normally stay in such property.
Jun 28, 2018, 6:10 pm
#350
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,397
Few things. The up to 35K points is the USA version of the SPG card. The 35K (merged program points) is about 11666 SPG points. We have no confirmation on the official site that "free night up to 35000 points" is in the cards for the Canadian version of the card. It is entirely possible the one night free is a junk "category 1" free night. They can also amaze us with any night at any hotel and we can use it on a Ritz Carlton or St Regis...
Currently, we get one SPG Cat 1 - 4 free weekend night upon reaching $CAD 40,000 spend per year. A Category 4 hotel is a lowend Sheraton or a popular 4-point costing 10,000 SPG points per night. If we believe the cert in the new SPG/Marriott program is similar to the free night of the old SPG program, a free night is at a four point/ low end Sheraton. Worth or not depends if you normally stay in such property.
Currently, we get one SPG Cat 1 - 4 free weekend night upon reaching $CAD 40,000 spend per year. A Category 4 hotel is a lowend Sheraton or a popular 4-point costing 10,000 SPG points per night. If we believe the cert in the new SPG/Marriott program is similar to the free night of the old SPG program, a free night is at a four point/ low end Sheraton. Worth or not depends if you normally stay in such property.
Jun 28, 2018, 6:20 pm
#351
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Starwood:Lifetime Platinum, Air Canada:Basic, Asiana:Lifetime Diamond Plus, ANA: Basic
Posts: 980
I do think it's 35000 points of the new merged program and not the current SPG points.
If it's 35000 of the current SPG points, it means I get a night at a Luxury collection or a St Regis! More likely, it is 35000 of the new merged program, So it will be a free night at a places like a Courtyard or a low-end Sheraton
You can see what hotels you can stay by checking out the newly released Free-night Award chart
https://points-redemption.marriott.com/category-change
Jun 28, 2018, 6:22 pm
#352
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,397
I stand corrected
I do think it's 35000 points of the new merged program and not the current SPG points.
If it's 35000 of the current SPG points, it means I get a night at a Luxury collection or a St Regis! More likely, it is 35000 of the new merged program, So it will be a free night at a places like a Courtyard or a low-end Sheraton
You can see what hotels you can stay by checking out the newly released Free-night Award chart
https://points-redemption.marriott.com/category-change
I do think it's 35000 points of the new merged program and not the current SPG points.
If it's 35000 of the current SPG points, it means I get a night at a Luxury collection or a St Regis! More likely, it is 35000 of the new merged program, So it will be a free night at a places like a Courtyard or a low-end Sheraton
You can see what hotels you can stay by checking out the newly released Free-night Award chart
https://points-redemption.marriott.com/category-change
Jul 3, 2018, 12:05 pm
#353
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 8
Now that the Biz Gold isn't FYF, I'm wondering:
1. When does the annual fee post? Is there time to spend 5k (I can do that quickly), get the bonus points, and cancel before the annual fee posts?
2. Is the annual fee pro-rated? (I.e. If I pay the annual fee, get the points, and cancel the card, will they make a pro-rated refund for the annual fee?)
Thanks.
1. When does the annual fee post? Is there time to spend 5k (I can do that quickly), get the bonus points, and cancel before the annual fee posts?
2. Is the annual fee pro-rated? (I.e. If I pay the annual fee, get the points, and cancel the card, will they make a pro-rated refund for the annual fee?)
Thanks.
Jul 4, 2018, 7:03 am
#354
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Today is a landmark day. Amex Canada finally pulled the plug on the FYF, on the Business Gold MR card, and will no longer waive the first year's $250 annual fee.
Those endearing words we'd become so used to for so many years, are no longer there on the signup page: ".. the first year's on us! That's a value of $250*!"
RIP, FYF Biz Gold.
Updated the top-of-page WiKi. Wow, it is BARE. What happened to the info about the Personal and Business Plat MR cards? Someone pruned the info and totally wiped them off the slate.
Those endearing words we'd become so used to for so many years, are no longer there on the signup page: ".. the first year's on us! That's a value of $250*!"
RIP, FYF Biz Gold.
Updated the top-of-page WiKi. Wow, it is BARE. What happened to the info about the Personal and Business Plat MR cards? Someone pruned the info and totally wiped them off the slate.
guess it’s time to ride off into the sunset and simply enjoy all those free MRs they’ve been feeding us for years...
Jul 8, 2018, 3:23 pm
#355
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YYZ / FRA
Programs: IHG RA; Avis First
Posts: 1,444
I would like to apply for a supplementary card (Plat). How often does AMEX give bonus points for adding a supplementary user for the Personal Plat? Saw some threads where there was a 5,000 bonus points when a supplementary card user is added.
Jul 11, 2018, 3:36 pm
#356
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kan@da
Programs: Anything with sweet spots
Posts: 1,790
- Free night will probably be awarded immediately to new accounts but existing accounts get only at the anniversary/renewal date
- Welcome/launch promo of the future card might exclude current or previous cardholders of the new SPG/Marriot AMEX card. So people who got migrated to the new SPG/Marriott card by continuing to hold the SPG card might be excluded from the promo.
Jul 11, 2018, 4:43 pm
#357
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Prince Edward Island
Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold
Posts: 1,582
Perhaps it's best to cancel now and reapply when the new AMEX SPG/Marriott card is released, for a number of reasons:
- Free night will probably be awarded immediately to new accounts but existing accounts get only at the anniversary/renewal date
- Welcome/launch promo of the future card might exclude current or previous cardholders of the new SPG/Marriot AMEX card. So people who got migrated to the new SPG/Marriott card by continuing to hold the SPG card might be excluded from the promo.
Jul 17, 2018, 2:16 pm
#359
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Starwood Preferred Guest will still exist in August, but the account will earn "points" rather than "Starpoints", same as Marriott Rewards accounts. In the USA the new transfer rate (1000:1000) was published in July paper/PDF statements. I cannot say if American Express Canada also did this.
Jul 17, 2018, 5:38 pm
#360
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Starwood:Lifetime Platinum, Air Canada:Basic, Asiana:Lifetime Diamond Plus, ANA: Basic
Posts: 980
Perhaps it's best to cancel now and reapply when the new AMEX SPG/Marriott card is released, for a number of reasons:
- Free night will probably be awarded immediately to new accounts but existing accounts get only at the anniversary/renewal date
- Welcome/launch promo of the future card might exclude current or previous cardholders of the new SPG/Marriot AMEX card. So people who got migrated to the new SPG/Marriott card by continuing to hold the SPG card might be excluded from the promo.