JWL

Updated OP to include the actual card details rather than the comparisons and speculation.

Vasyl

Please update the headline!

JWL

It has been updated several times, but it doesn't change as the "official" title of the thread. It is only visible when you look at the actual OP. Works different than RFD.

Vasyl

I did not know that. Maybe we should ask a moderator. I think we should have the official Canadian Amex SPG thread. ^

JWL

Mods aren't as accessible here either (already went down this path of thinking a while ago). I'll try the Contact Us form.

guessaaa

Can I transfer these SPG points from the credit card to Aeroplan?

onebagtraveller

Probably - at least with the transfer to airline (air canada aeroplan 1:1 transfer) - and 20K points gets you a 5K bonus on the transfer too.

ericw

Luckily you! I FAILED the stupid history questions and I am 100% sure my answers were right. Now I have to mail in a $1 cheque

martyYYZ

Yes, the points will go from the card to your SPG account. You can then transfer from your SPG account to Aeroplan 1:1 and a 5K bonus at 20K so 20K SPG transfers to 25K Aeroplan

superangrypenguin

Well as you can see I'm not a big poster on the Flyertalk forums, but I have been watching this thread diligently. I was a big MBNA SPG fan, and while I sense a lot of anger on this subject, here's a rundown.

I have since converted my SPG MBNA card to a smartcash card. The 1-3% return was good.

I have since signed up and have been using a CIBC Aerogold card as my primary
card. I only fly Toronto to Vancouver round trip in J class, so if I spent $40,000 I get a $3000-$4000 ticket (up to 10% return on my tickets) (again I don't travel to other destinations)

I have also signed up for the Amex card. It's my first AMEX card, and I was honestly surprised I was accepted. I guess years of paying my bill in full every time made AMEX like me. There are only going to be two deciding factors on whether or not I keep this card.

1) My credit limit better be equal or higher than my MBNA card and VISA . Any lower and it isn't worth it for me
2) I have been watching very closely the places that accept AMEX where I shop. For me, 95% of the places I shop at accept Amex (exception is car dealership and Loblaws - I'll shop at Sobeys then)

I'm going to play this by ear, I have a year to decide. The only point where I am a bit upset is that if I make American purchases on AMEX, they still charge 2.5%....what's up with that?

I"m pretty rational, so I will give it a try. I'm trying to figure out whether or not to get rid of the Aerogold, or to decrease my credit line on MBNA for safety reasons, but we'll see. AMEX might win me over with their customer service, but when it came to MBNA with online purchases, their chargeback was bang on every time...so we'll see. CIBC isn't the best with their service...

I guess if I really wanted to be sold on the AMEX service, it'd be pretty easy, tell me my reward tickets would be covered by travel / baggage delay insurance outright (like CIBC). I don't care about the annual fees, I am completely OK with paying $120 for an awesome return....

Braindrain

While I'm waiting to receive my card like everyone else, based on past Amex cards, I'm pretty sure that isn't going to be happening. Even my "paid" travel insurance on the old MBNA SPG MC didn't cover reward trips.

superangrypenguin

Yep - the only comparison which (I learned tonight) was that CIBC did cover it. The AMEX front of the line winterlicious/summerlicious is sort of what did it for me not going to lie

yycworldtraveler

The 2.5% forex conversion fee is pretty standard. Your CIBC Aerogold does it to.

Where AMEX is the absolute worst is on other foreign currencies. They charge 2.5% to convert into USD, then charge another 2.5% to convert it into CDN...for a total of 5%! Total ripoff!

Visa and MC don't do this (just a single 2.5% charge generally).

ac/elite

For those of you who, like me, received approval with a much lower credit limit than you had with the MBNA SPG MC, it seems to help if you agree to close other Amex cards you may have. My limit with MBNA seemed to increase with every bill I received from them (and I always paid it in full each month). By the end, my limit was up to $57,500. I was approved instantly for the Amex SPG card when I applied online, but it gave me a limit of only $15,000. I called their customer service line and the guy I spoke to told me that he'd be happy to send the account for review or, if I preferred, he could close my Amex Airmiles card (which I haven't actually used in at least 5 years) and then double the limit on this new card to $30,000. That's what I chose to do.

superangrypenguin

Quick question, with CIBC Aerogold if you book your reward ticket on the card, you get travel/baggage insurance. I called AMEX and with the SPG card, you definitely do NOT get the insurance (you have to pay full fare). How about with the AMEX Aeroplan Card....is it like CIBC or the SPG card?