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 29, 2018, 8:56 pm
#46
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 353
It will be charged on the 13th statement, on the statement's cycling date. So if your FIRST statement was say Feb 28th, 2017 then it will be on your Feb 28th, 2018 statement date. But in any event, you have 60 days to change your mind, to contact Amex and cancel for a full refund. Don't push that limit though, and cancel before the 13th statement's due date, so you won't have to pay and then ask for a statement credit afterwards.
Jan 29, 2018, 8:59 pm
#47
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 353
Good to know ^, but what did you mean by "several"? Was it more than 3 months, 6 months, 9 months or 12 months since your previous application? (I personally think your previous application date matters more than your previous cancellation date.)
Jan 30, 2018, 3:10 pm
#52
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YWG
Programs: Aeroplan, MileagePlus, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 2,159
Not long ago, I churned the personal SPG card after a several-months long break between cancelling my last personal SPG card and acquiring a new personal SPG card. Despite meeting the minimum spending requirements some months ago, I didn't receive the bonus points again. It was an experiment on my part, so I don't mind too much, and I thought that I'd share my experience with the FlyerTalk community. Your mileage may vary, of course, but it's far from a given that you can successfully churn the personal version of the SPG card.
Jan 31, 2018, 8:23 am
#53
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 198
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?
I called them and was told that I was only entitled to $200 annual credit per calendar year, and it wouldn't have mattered when I cancelled in 2018 because they would have put a charge for $200 through due to my using the annual travel credit of $200 in 2018..
I told them that I was a member from Jan. 15, 2017 to Jan. 15, 2018 and that during that time period I received a $200 credit in 2017 and another Jan. 1, 2018, and asked what my renewing (or not) after the expiration of our 1 year had anything to do with what happened previously- they just kept parroting that I was only entitled to the $200 in 2017 under the 2017 application-there was no talking them out of it and they didn't "get my point".
I should have just cancelled prior to the 15th but didn't because an agent told me that I renewed on January 27th...
If Amex is to be believed, they would have taken the $200 Annual Credit for 2018 no matter what...
I also asked to see the terms and conditions to support what they were saying, and they admitted that it wasn't in the terms and conditions they had the right under some other catchall phrase related to charges...
Anyways, I'm a bit annoyed, but this is the game- this is just some data points for others.
FYI, this was my third or fourth time churning this card, and I had not experienced this issue or logic before. But I think I did cancel before the next renewal before...so I would definitely advise that for everyone...and to keep track of your own renewal date just in case Amex accidentally or on purpose gives you the wrong date which takes you over into a new renewal...
Oh, and I definitely feel like they are tightening up, and if they don't consider you profitable that they are only too happy to see the back of you.
Jan 31, 2018, 8:49 am
#54
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan, Alaska, Marriott
Posts: 435
Why does this keep coming up. If you want to keep your 2x $200, cancel before the renewal date.
You're playing a game and taking advantage of loopholes. Why are you even remotely drawing attention to yourself. Sounds extremely foolish.
Its like a cashier at a store mistakenly gives you more change than you should have gotten, and instead of either A. walking away, or B, returning it, you do C. go back and ask them why they didnt give you even more. /facepalm
You're playing a game and taking advantage of loopholes. Why are you even remotely drawing attention to yourself. Sounds extremely foolish.
Its like a cashier at a store mistakenly gives you more change than you should have gotten, and instead of either A. walking away, or B, returning it, you do C. go back and ask them why they didnt give you even more. /facepalm
Jan 31, 2018, 9:59 am
#55
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 198
Otherwise, I am mostly just sharing some data-points with the forum.
Its like a cashier at a store mistakenly gives you more change than you should have gotten, and instead of either A. walking away, or B, returning it, you do C. go back and ask them why they didnt give you even more. /facepalm
I can't see where I got more of anything.
Jan 31, 2018, 11:20 am
#56
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan, Alaska, Marriott
Posts: 435
They've essentially been too lazy / felt like its not worth it, to fix the loop hole for that card, so yea, you did get something extra.
Just keep better track next time and chalk it up to a learning experience (that has been widely discussed on FT). Its not like there isnt a known and proven way to avoid the issue altogether. Don't provoke the sleeping beast by calling them and nitpicking the T&C, effectively slapping a bright neon "FIX ME" sign on the loophole.
Not trying to get on your case or anything, just hoping more people learn that calling these places over this type of issue is a net destructive in the long run.
Just keep better track next time and chalk it up to a learning experience (that has been widely discussed on FT). Its not like there isnt a known and proven way to avoid the issue altogether. Don't provoke the sleeping beast by calling them and nitpicking the T&C, effectively slapping a bright neon "FIX ME" sign on the loophole.
Not trying to get on your case or anything, just hoping more people learn that calling these places over this type of issue is a net destructive in the long run.
Jan 31, 2018, 10:53 pm
#57
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Aeroplan Diamond, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, Marriott
Posts: 1,839
Several of my friends reported that they received the 40k bonus for their 2nd or 3rd Business gold card after reaching the $5000 spend. The bonus points posted right after they reached the spend except one waited for about 2 months.
Feb 1, 2018, 3:29 pm
#58
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan, Flying Blue Gold, Accor Silver, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 662
In addition to Perkopolis, if you work in a large office building, you may also qualify for eServus. It’s a similar program and also offers the same FYF and $99 annual fee going forward offer for the Amex personal Gold card. You can try to sign up and you will see the offer in the Financial products page.
Feb 2, 2018, 11:38 pm
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,399
Why would you not get that? I got it half a year ago and I don't remember anything changing since then as far as one card excluding the other is concerned.