Why is that?

I tend to prepare for the worst case scenarios in these situations. If a promo comes along that's great, but I'm just feeling that there is a significant chance the promotion is not returning. And I'm preparing for that.

Largely hyperbole.

I am having this same feeling. The RBC bonuses have been like clockwork. You can certainly count on those. The Amex bonuses were almost too good to be true...

I would like to report that the 15k bonus for adding an authorized user on the Marriott Visa has finally posted, dated 4/16 even though I don't expect my normal points to post until 4/18.

Added AU end of Nov, first transaction done by early Dec... and 4 months of waiting later I can finally stop calling Chase.

Thx for posting! I can't wait for those 15k points myself!

Canadian Rewards Creditcard for Business
 

Anybody know of any good reward based credit cards for businesses? My preferred card is the MBNA MasterCard with Alaska, but to my knowledge, they don't offer anything like this for businesses. Suggestions appreciated.

And mine (and Mr. Fink's) alas, have not. :td:
I shall be calling Chase on Tuesday...

For whatever reason, even though it's dated for April 16, it shows up on my March statement between my March 1 stay and March 18 Chase visa posting

I haven't actually looked at our statements, just logged into our Marriott accounts and the points balance hasn't changed. I want to book a stay for the beginning of May and was hoping they would have shown up by now.

Oh, best of luck! I actually received a postcard from them with the fifteen thousand advertised so I was pretty ready to fight them on it

Consider the Amex Business Gold Rewards Card. I have also had the Amex SPG Business card, but the bonus offer for it right now is not so hot.

All the other cards that I use for business expenses are consumer cards, and then my employer just pays my credit card bill. Not sure if that'll work in your situation.

Definitely check out the MilesBuzz! Canada forum for more ideas.

Just an FYI for anyone whose 15k AU bonus points have not posted, I called Chase today. The rep verified that both Mr. Fink and I added the AU in December and each made a purchase on the AU's card in January so we both definitely qualified for the bonus. She said the list of qualified recipients was sent to Marriott Rewards on April 16 for Marriott to credit the 15k and we were both on it. She can't see why we didn't receive the credit and is sending a 'nudge' to Marriott so that the points can be added on our next statement closing in mid-May. :(:td: I had wanted to make a booking for May 1 using some of these points. I called Marriott and they said they would put in a request to see if they could add the points this week but no guarantees.

So if you didn't get the bonus applied on April 16-18, give Chase a call as you were likely missed, as we were.

Experienced exactly the same - pretty much the same script was read to me. I have no idea how Chase operates in the US, but in my contact with them over the past two years, the Canadian operation doesn't seem very polished.

Anyway, they said wait two weeks and see what happens. Guess I can't do anything but wait then.

Yep, same here, waiting. Although Chase told me it wouldn't happen until the May 15 statement.

I have 3 US Chase cards as well as this one Canadian card and what a difference in service. Chase US is so professional and customer-focused, from matching new bonus offers for existing cards to one rep who went so far above and beyond for me that I wrote in to his supervisor about the exemplary service. Not to say the Canadian rep today wasn't friendly, just no real attempt to solve this for me now even though it is clearly their mistake and after I said I had been waiting 4 months and had planned to use the points before May 15.

Amex Biz card is now $250/yr, 25K bonus for $5K spend. Was free before for $3K spend. They have a program where 3 suppliers get you 2X the MR miles. I use Canadian Linen, 407ETR, and Petro Canada. There wasn't much else to choose from, it's a crappy list. But it all depends on who you use. I can see some mid-size companies with large linen bills from Canadian Linen making out large. We spend ~$450/month for 3 employees.

Won't renew the card.

As has been said the SPG bonus was gutted.

The CIBC Aeroplan Biz card $180/yr, 15K Aeroplan miles (not sure on spend- if there is one)

And to be completely honest, if you are small enough, personal card, biz card...whats the difference? I get a laugh when the CFIB (I'm a member btw) does this yearly media blitz on merchant fees. Small biz owners might pay those fees but they are the biggest USERS of credit cards out there. It's a big circle j**k, I guess someone loses somewhere if one takes a look at the earnings of visa, mc and Amex. Let alone Chase and all the other merchant processors. We come out ahead.

Have you looked into the RBC business platinum avion card?

(I got a what appears to be targeted promo with FYF & 40k points welcome bonus.)

Wow, that's crazy. What did your letter say/was there an application link?

The link seems to be the standard link.

I have until May 15 to accept the offer.
(decided to accept the offer since no credit pull ... :) )
The fine print says welcome bonus of 20k upon acceptance, then another 20k at renewal.

Even though first year is free, renewal will cost $50 if also hold the personal avion card. $120 otherwise.

right, you're preapproved then, and no applying (hence why no special link). Damn!

http://www3.aeroplan.com/static/gfx/..._ENG_v2_06.jpg

Aeroplan's 20% conversion bonus promotion is back on. Convert from hotel & car rental points programs to Aeroplan points, and get up to a 20% to 25% (if you hit the right increment levels) Aeroplan bonus.

Promotion starts today April 28. Runs until May 25, 2014.

Details at http://www3.aeroplan.com/promotions/...cid=ban1001741

It's up to a 25% bonus

I transferred 20,000 SPG points to aeroplan, posted Apri 27, missed by 1 day :mad:

Not sure if I can convince aeroplan to include these miles (25k) in the promo offer? Any idea how I can do that? :D

Milesbuzz: Canada
 

why would you transfer SPG to aeroplan? That's terrible

That's a bit harsh, and unfair to say. Some people need the Aeros to complete a redemption booking, and if it requires a less-than-favourable conversion from SPG or a Hotel rewards program, then so be it. The declining Aero redemption program has put us all in unfavourable positions and sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do.

I did a 85K spg-> Aeroplan last year, or was it the year before?

We really only used the points for our weekend mommy and daddy getaways to the King Eddy. Went to book and got the unpleasant surprise that it was no longer an SPG property! The Harbour Castle blows so I got the promo and decided to transfer the miles.

Looking back I could have used them for next year but I would have had to keep the points active for 2-3yrs without a SPG credit card&stays.

im viewing this from a churning point of view, so business travelers will obviously be in a different scenario.

my feeling is, if you look at how much Aeroplan it costs to go on a trip, and how much SPG it costs to cover the hotel on the trip, and then compare that demand against the supply side, it is generally easier to get enough Aeroplan pts, as opposed to enough SPG.

if i decide to just pay for the hotels on trips and pool all my pts into Aeroplan to go on more frequent mini RTWs, then i can see why i may want to do this. i can see how that could make sense, since the out of pocket for hotel is more reasonable than the mini RTW in J costs. so that's one scenario at least where you'd want to go from SPG to AP

I needed 25K aeroplan miles to book a long haul flight.
By transfering 20K SPG points, I was able to do that.

Is there another (better) way to book a long haul flight with SPG points? :confused:

You should have transferred AMEX points, as they're much easier to collect, IMO.

How do you know he has a AMEX card.. leave these people alone and let them do what they want..I'm sure they can stay in a Holiday inn and save on hotels instead of staying in a spg property on points.:rolleyes:

Well he should have.. and if he doesn't he should get one. I'm just saying that SPG transferred to alaska or even cash and points for hotels is a better value than transferring to aeroplan.

You are right ...

I have collected almost 50k SPG points over the past 3 yrs or so and never found a chance to use them. (I generally stay at "inexpensive" hotels ;) )

I have now stopped collecting SPG via the amex SPG card. The points would expire in 12 months if I don't have any activity so to not risk loosing the points, I am starting to convert them unless there is another way to keep the account active without using the amex SPG card. :D

(... yes, I do have the amex gold reward currently ... )

Just eat at a Sheraton or Starwood restaurant (min us$10). Be sure they fill out the little carbon copy form, and you'll earn a small number of points. More details in the SPG forums.

Was hoping for a 50% bonus to Avios today from AMEX MR. Looks unlikely!

Personally, Amex has to come up with something to keep me around. My wife and I each have the Plat, Gold and SPG. My Plat just renewed and I won't keep it, hers is in a few months. Losing Marco Polo without replacing it, the $699 fee and the fact that they only have have two airline partners with a 1:1 transfer (and I am moving on from Aeroplan). The 50% Avios transfer is what I am waiting for but it is looking bleak.

While it sucks the SPG is only one point per, the airlines available for transfer is amazing. Probably keep the SPG and look at any signup bonuses for the Plat and Gold down the road.

Transfering AmEx points does not qualify for the bonus miles.

80K Starpoints = 125K aeroplan miles under this promo, or
20K Starpoints = 29K aeroplan miles

I see nothing wrong with this transfer, if it meets the poster's needs.

:confused:

I know!!! Meeeeee toooooooo.......

I do need some more Aeroplans for a trip I have coming up, so I may just bite the bullet and transfer my stockpiled MRs to Aeroplan....But I may wait a biiiit longer....

so either we'll get a bonus june, which they'll announce sometime mid-may I guess, or we don't get a bonus. bleh.

but then amex is smart cuz they're keeping us waiting and we might just transfer without the bonus :P

The problem I found with SPG was that the hotels were either unavailable, did not offer cash and points, or only had single/double occupancy (and I was looking to book for my whole family). Plus you need the points up front to book anything - even way in advance. I've found the Marriott program works best for my family!