American Express: The American Express Referral System (Promotion Until March 4, 2024)
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Information updated on January 17, 2024
Please note that Milesopedia is a partner of American Express Canada.
As such, not all links available on Milesopedia are referral links. By applying for your American Express card via Milesopedia, you support the development of the site and the Milesopedia community, which is 100% free.
Referral Promotion / Until March 4, 2024
As it does every year, until March 4, 2024, American Express is running a promotion to encourage referring friends by doubling or even tripling referral bonuses:
| Card | Referral bonus |
|---|---|
| American Express Platinum Card® | 30,000 Membership Rewards points |
| American Express® Gold Rewards Card | 15,000 Membership Rewards points |
| American Express Cobalt® Card | 10,000 Membership Rewards points |
| American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card | 20,000 Aeroplan points |
| American Express® Aeroplan®* Card | 10,000 Aeroplan points |
| Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card | 20,000 Marriott Bonvoy points |
| Business Platinum Card® from American Express | 40,000 Membership Rewards Points |
| American Express® Business Gold Rewards Card® | 30,000 Membership Rewards points |
| American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card | 40,000 Aeroplan points |
| Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card | 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points |
American Express card categories
American Express referral is available to any American Express cardmember.
There are 4 categories of American Express Cards:
- Membership Rewards
- Aeroplan
- Marriott Bonvoy
- SimplyCash
You can only refer within the same category. And there are limitations in each of these categories regarding which cards can be referred.
The referral card will determine the number of points/miles you will receive for the referral. Note that American Express frequently changes the points/miles earned through a referral.
Offers via referral can be more attractive than regular offers… but the amount to spend will often be much higher than the offers available on this page! So it’s something to “think twice about” before going through a referral offer!
Referral Restrictions
To limit abuse, American Express updated the terms and conditions on referrals on March 12, 2020.
Who can I refer?
If it is a recommendation made in a personal or family context, you agree to make recommendations only to family members and friends with whom you have a relationship and who have confirmed they want to receive this communication. If it is a recommendation made in a professional context, you agree to make recommendations only to professional contacts you know and who have consented to receive this recommendation from you. You must not send recommendations to people you do not know. (…) You must not post or share your referral link in places where the audience is likely to include people with whom you have no professional, personal, or family connection or who might not be interested in the offer.
American Express Canada
Thus, it is prohibited:
- to broadcast its referral link on different platforms (websites, forums, chat, facebook group…)
- share your referral link with people you don’t know
American Express is strengthening its control over platforms like Reddit or blogs that share referral links (Milesopedia is not one of them).
Self-referral / Self-recommendation
If you already have an American Express Card, you are prohibited from recommending yourself for an American Express Card. Any violation or abuse of this referral program, including sending emails to people with whom you do not have a professional, personal, or family relationship, self-referral, attempts to circumvent, manipulate, disguise, or otherwise alter the delivery and accurate representation of the referral link, as well as sharing tools, content, information, instructions, or other materials we provide, will be considered a breach of these terms and will result in your ineligibility for referral bonuses, the cancellation of your referral bonuses, your exclusion from the program, and the cancellation of your Card account.
American Express Canada
Thus, it is now explicitly forbidden to self-refer (from a Business Platinum card to a Business Gold card, for example).
The risk: losing referral points and being excluded from the program.
It is therefore now preferred to refer only within the family, among friends, or work colleagues.
Membership Rewards
American Express Platinum Card®
| Card |  |
| Name | American Express Platinum Card® |
| Points earned by the sponsor | 10,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Maximum per year | 225,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Card(s) available via referral | American Express Platinum Card® |
Here is the current offer for this Card available via Milesopedia:
- Annual fee
- $799
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,700Total$1,700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,700
- Welcome offerAfter $10,000 in 3 months
- Up to 100,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
American Express® Gold Rewards Card
| Card |  |
| Name | American Express® Gold Rewards Card |
| Points earned by the sponsor | 7,500 Membership Rewards points |
| Maximum per year | 75,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Card(s) available via referral | American Express® Gold Rewards Card American Express Cobalt® Card |
Here is the current offer for this Card available via Milesopedia:
- Annual fee
- $250
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,020Total$1,020Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,020
- Welcome offerAfter $12,000 in 12 months
- Up to 60,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
American Express Cobalt® Card
| Card |  |
| Name | American Express Cobalt® Card |
| Points earned by the sponsor | 5,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Maximum per year | 75,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Card(s) available via referral | American Express® Gold Rewards Card American Express Cobalt® Card |
Here is the current offer for this Card available via Milesopedia:
- Annual fee
- $191.88
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $255
- Welcome offerGet 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months
- Up to 15,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Business Platinum Card® from American Express
| Card |  |
| Name | Business Platinum Card® from American Express |
| Points earned by the sponsor | 20,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Maximum per year | 225,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Card(s) available via referral | Business Platinum Card® from American Express American Express® Business Gold Rewards Card American Express Platinum Card® |
Here is the current offer for this Card available via Milesopedia:
- Annual fee
- $799
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$2,040Total$2,040Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $2,040
- Welcome offerAfter $15,000 in 3 months
- Up to 120,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
American Express® Business Gold Rewards Card®
| Card |  |
| Name | American Express® Business Gold Rewards Card® |
| Points earned by the sponsor | 15,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Maximum per year | 225,000 Membership Rewards points |
| Card(s) available via referral | Business Platinum Card® from American Express American Express® Business Gold Rewards Card American Express Platinum Card® |
Here is the current offer for this Card available via Milesopedia:
- Annual fee
- $199
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,190Total$1,190Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,190
- Welcome offerAfter $30,000 in 12 months
- Up to 70,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Aeroplan
American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card
| Card |  |
| Name | American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card |
| Points earned by the sponsor | 10,000 Aeroplan points |
| Maximum per year | 225,000 Aeroplan points |
| Card(s) available via referral | American Express®* Aeroplan® Reserve Card American Express®* Aeroplan® Business Reserve Card American Express®* Aeroplan® Card |
Here is the current offer for this Card available via Milesopedia:
- Annual fee
- $599
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,700Total$1,700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,700
- Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 3 months
- Up to 85,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card
| Card |  |
| Name | American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card |
| Points earned by the sponsor | 20,000 Aeroplan points |
| Maximum per year | 225,000 Aeroplan points |
| Card(s) available via referral | American Express®* Aeroplan® Reserve Card American Express®* Aeroplan® Business Reserve Card American Express®* Aeroplan® Card |
Here is the current offer for this Card available via Milesopedia:
- Annual fee
- $599
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,800Total$1,800Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,800
- Welcome offerAfter $10,500 in 3 months
- Up to 90,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
American Express® Aeroplan®* Card
| Card | |
| Name | American Express® Aeroplan®* Card |
| Points earned by the sponsor | 5,000 Aeroplan points |
| Maximum per year | 75,000 Aeroplan points |
| Card(s) available via referral | American Express®* Aeroplan® Reserve Card American Express®* Aeroplan® Business Reserve Card American Express®* Aeroplan® Card |
Here is the current offer for this Card available via Milesopedia:
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$900Total$900Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $900
- Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 6 months
- Up to 45,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card
| Card |  |
| Name | Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card |
| Points earned by the sponsor | 10,000 Marriott Bonvoy points |
| Maximum per year | 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy points |
| Card(s) available via referral | Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card |
Here is the current offer for this Card available via Milesopedia:
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$700Total$700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $700
- Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months
- Up to 70,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card
| Card |  |
| Name | Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card |
| Points earned by the sponsor | 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points |
| Maximum per year | 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy points |
| Card(s) available via referral | Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card |
Here is the current offer for this Card available via Milesopedia:
- Annual fee
- $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$800Total$800Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $800
- Welcome offerAfter $5,000 in 3 months
- Up to 80,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
How to get a referral link
By logging into your American Express account, you can get a referral link via the “Refer a Friend” option on the left of the home screen. You can click on this link which will ask you to log into your American Express account to see available referral offers.
You will then arrive on this page. If you have multiple American Express cards in your account, choose the one you would like to refer from. Below, I have chosen the Business Platinum Card.
You will then have the option to make a recommendation by email, retrieve a referral link, or share this link via Facebook message.
With this link, your friend will arrive on this page:
They will then have the opportunity to apply for the proposed card, or choose another card that is part of the same referral program (at the bottom of the page):
Note that Milesopedia is a partner with American Express. As such, not all links available on milesopedia are referral links. By applying for your American Express Card via Milesopedia, you support the development of the site and the Milesopedia community!