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75,000 Membership Rewards Points¹ plus $400 annual Travel Credit with the American Express Explorer Credit Card
Card Overview
Earn 75,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points¹ when you apply by 19 May 2026, are approved and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases on your new American Express Explorer® Credit Card within the first 3 months (T&Cs apply. New American Express Card Members only). Enjoy a $400 Annual Travel Credit², complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounges³ in Sydney and Melbourne, Card, Smartphone and International Travel Insurance⁴, for a $395 p.a. annual fee.
Key Attributes
75,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points¹, when you apply online by 19 May 2026, are approved and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases on your new American Express Explorer® Credit Card within the first 3 months. T&Cs apply. New American Express Card Members only.
$400 travel credit every year²
Up to US$100 credit when you book a stay of two consecutive nights with The Hotel Collection⁵
Free access to The Centurion® Lounge³ at Sydney or Melbourne Airport twice a year
Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver Status
Included insurances - Smartphone Screen Cover, Travel Insurance, Card Refund and Purchase Cover
Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay
Earn 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 on all purchases except government bodies where you will earn 1 point per $1 spent⁶
Annual Fee: $395 p.a.
Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the preceding 18 month period are ineligible for this introductory bonus offer. Previous and existing bank-issued American Express companion cardholders are eligible for this offer
American Express is offering 75,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points to New Amex Card Members who apply online through the link on this page by 19 May 2026, are approved and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases on your new American Express Explorer® Credit Card within the first 3 months. T&Cs apply. New American Express Card Members only.
The main benefit of the card is that it earns points into the American Express Membership Rewards, which provides flexibility in the frequent flyer and guest programs that you can divert your Membership Rewards Points to, without the high annual fee found with The American Express Platinum Card that caters to the very well-heeled traveller.
The card earn members up to 2 points per dollar spent on purchases6 and the points can either be redeemed for gift cards or can be transferred at a ratio of 2:1 Membership Rewards points into programs such as Velocity and Hilton Honors , 3:1 to programs like KrisFlyer Miles,Asia Miles, and Etihad Guest and others, and 3:2 to Marriott Bonvoy.7
We cover the transfer rates to different programs in more detail further down in the guide.
Digging into the benefits of the American Express Explorer Credit Card
The American Express Explorer Credit Card earns 2 Membership Rewards points6 per dollar on ongoing spend and there is no cap on the points you can earn.
Card Details
Card
American Express Explorer
Loyalty Program
American Express Membership Rewards
Points earned from spend
2 Membership Rewards points earned per $1 on all purchases except government bodies where you will earn 1 point per $1 spent6
Included Insurances
Smartphone Screen Cover
Trip Cancellation and Amendment Cover4
Travel Inconvenience Cover4
Public Transport Accident Cover4
Personal Baggage, Valuables, Money and Travel Documents Cover4
Medical Emergency Expenses Cover4
Personal Accident Cover4 (PDS)
Overseas transaction fee
3% of the converted amount
Mobile wallet
Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay
Annual fee
$395 p.a.
You will also be granted access to The Centurion® Lounge³ at Sydney or Melbourne twice per year without charge, which is a nice perk for international travellers in Economy or Premium Economy.
The headline points earn rate on spend is 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar6, which can be transferred to over 10 major airline programs and hotel programs.7
These are the key programs for those who want to learn how to get the most value from their frequent flyer points. There is great value to be had for different reasons from each of these programs, Velocity (for Business Class travel on Virgin Australia), KrisFlyer (premium cabin travel on Singapore Airlines) and Asia Miles (great for long-haul premium cabin redemptions on oneworld airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Qantas).7
American Express Membership Rewards Partners
Transfer Rates
Velocity Frequent Flyer
2 Membership Rewards Points = 1 frequent flyer point
Cathay Asia Miles
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
British Airways Avios
Etihad Guest
Malaysian Airlines Enrich
Qatar Privilege Club
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
3 Membership Rewards Points = 1 frequent flyer point
Emirates Skywards
4 Membership Rewards Points = 1 Skywards points
Marriott Bonvoy
3 Membership Rewards Points = 2 Marriott points
Hilton Honors
2 Membership Rewards Points = 1 Honors point
Air New Zealand Airpoints
200 Membership Rewards Points = 1 Airpoints
Helloworld
American Express Travel Online
Ticketmaster
You could transfer your points to KrisFlyer to book an award flight in Singapore Airlines’ modern A350 and Boeing 777-300ER Business Class
You’ll also earn the full points on the Explorer Credit Card for utilities and bills, unlike some other cards American Express offers. This means you’ll get full points on telecommunications and utilities, but not on government charges, such as the ATO and Australia Post.
$400 annual Travel Credit with American Express Travel
American Express Travel is the travel booking service that Amex offers to most of its Card Members for either preferential rates or bonus points.
As a Card Member, the $400 annual Travel Credit2 appears in your account on the Amex Travel website and can be redeemed for flights (excluding low-cost carriers), hotels, and car rentals.
In addition, you may also use the credit to book a stay at properties under The Hotel Collection5 using Pay with Points.
The great thing about the Travel Credit, by comparison to a free flight or hotel benefit that some other cards offer, is that it is flexible. Prefer to pay for Business or First Class? You can use the credit to offset these costs.
You can use your travel credit to book any of the cabins–Economy, Premium Economy, Business or First–on this British Airways Airbus A380.
A point to be aware of, however, is that the credit is generally non-refundable if you decide to cancel your booking. Therefore, make sure to use your credit on a travel booking with a high degree of certainty that it will go ahead.
The credit is renewed yearly after your annual fee is charged, but does not always exactly align with the statement period when the fee is charged.
If you make even just one trip a year where you can use the credit, the $400 Travel Credit2 is as good as cash and helps to offset the $395 annual fee of the card—just remember the restrictions around having to book through Amex Travel, and that it’s non-refundable.
Note: You will need to use your annual $400 Travel Credit2 on a single travel booking of $400 or more on your eligible Card, made through American Express Travel Online. Your booking will be charged in full to your American Express Explorer Credit Card and American Express will then credit $400 to your Account within 3 business days but may take up to 30 days. You will still receive your $400 Travel Credit each year, and your Travel Credit anniversary will remain the same.Click here for the full Terms & Conditions.
Get a room upgrade and US$100 hotel credit at high-end hotels
Explorer Credit Card Members can now enjoy special benefits at properties part of The Hotel Collection.5 Every time you book two consecutive nights stay or more at one of these properties with your American Express Explorer Credit Card, you will receive:
Up to US$100 hotel credit to spend on qualifying dining, spa and resort activities
Complimentary room upgrade at check-in, when available
Your US$75 credit can be used to eat at restaurants within the hotel
Included Insurances
There are a number of insurances available through the American Express Explorer Credit Card. These include:
Smartphone Screen Cover: up to $500 of screen repairs if you accidentally break your smartphone screen, with a 10% claim excess
Medical Emergency Expenses Cover: up to $2,500,000 towards medical treatment4
Travel Cancellation and Amendment Cover: up to $30,000 in the event that your travel is cancelled for specific reasons4
Baggage, Money and Documentation Cover: up to $10,000 to cover loss or damage to baggage, money or documents4
Travel Inconvenience Insurance: up to $500 if your flight departure is delayed for four hours or more4
One example of the coverage included—the Travel Insurance has a similar car rental ‘Loss Damage Waiver’ cover as its big brother, the $1,450 p.a. American Express Platinum Card, just with a slightly lower total vehicle value cover of $100,000.
The Smartphone Screen Cover is activated regardless of whether you hold a contract for the phone or whether you purchased the phone outright.
Similar conditions apply to the travel insurances. As an example, you will need to pay for the travel expenses on your card, with Amex Travel Credit, or with your Membership Rewards points to be covered.
Terms, conditions, cover limits and exclusions apply (such as a maximum age limit of 79 when travel is purchased and a pre-existing medical condition(s) exclusion).
This guide references some of the benefits of insurance policies provided with this card. You should read the PDS and obtain independent professional advice before obtaining this product.
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American Express launched ‘Plan It’ in mid-2020, which allows cardholders to create instalment plans that allow for equal payments to be distributed over a 3, 6 or 12 month payment period. There is a monthly fixed fee to access this feature, with up to 10 Plan It plans with a minimum of $150 balance able to be created.
Mobile wallet integration
American Express Cards work with Apple Pay®, Google Wallet™ and Samsung Pay, meaning you can use this card on your smartphone for easier payments.
Read the Point Hacks guide to using Apple Pay or for using Google Wallet and Samsung Pay, including instructions on how to add your American Express card to those services.
With this feature set up, it means you could still use your NFC-enabled phone to make purchases with your American Express account, even if your physical card is lost or stolen and pending replacement.
Considering this card for Business-related transactions?
American Express offer a range of both business and consumer charge and credit cards. They do permit business transactions to be made on personal cards, unlike some other banks, but you might find some of the other business-focused benefits of the business cards to be appealing or more appropriate.
So – if you’re a sole trader or a business looking to earn points with your business spend – this card would still work for that purpose.
Eligibility criteria for bonus points for existing American Express Card Members
American Express is quite specific about whether existing Card Members will be eligible for bonus points if they apply for a card, are approved, and meet the minimum spend criteria.
Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the preceding 18-month period are ineligible for this offer.
American Express doesn’t allow existing Card Members, even for different types of American Express cards (e.g. Charge, Credit or Business) to be eligible for bonus points offers for cards in a different family.
Summing Up
This is a very compelling card proposition from American Express for those looking to access the Membership Rewards Program at a mid-level annual cost.
Each year, the $395 annual fee is more than rebated by the $400 Travel Credit2, with the main consideration being that you’ll need to use it by booking through Amex Travel.
When it comes to earning points, this card could work well for people whose spend is not focused on the bonus categories found with other Amex-issued cards, such as supermarkets and fuel as with the American Express Platinum Edge Card.
The lack of bonus categories, but with a good effective frequent flyer point earn rate, means that it’s simple to consider just how many points you might be earning and whether the card will work for you.
All up, this is a card tailored to those looking for simplicity: Good points earn from your spending, a wide range of points transfer partners, a large travel credit, insurance coverage, and The Centurion® Lounge3 visits at Sydney and Melbourne Airports.
American Express Terms & Conditions
¹ Bonus & Eligibility
75,000 Bonus Membership Rewards® Points are only available to new American Express Card Members who apply online by 19 May 2026, are approved and spend $4,000 or more on eligible purchases on your new Card in the first 3 months from the Card approval date. Eligible purchases do not include Card fees and charges, for example annual fees, interest, late payment, cash advances, balance transfers, traveller’s cheques and foreign currency conversion. Please allow 8-10 weeks for the bonus points to be credited to your Account after the spend criteria has been met. Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the past 18 months are ineligible for this offer. The American Express Explorer® Credit Card has an Annual Card Fee of $395. This advertised offer is not applicable or valid in conjunction with any other advertised or promotional offer.
² Travel Credit
If your Card has a Travel Credit benefit, the Primary Card Member is eligible for an annual Travel Credit, subject to the full Travel Credit Terms and Conditions at amex.com.au/explorer-travelcreditterms. The Travel Credit can be redeemed through American Express Travel Online on a single eligible travel booking by selecting the Travel Credit when you checkout. To redeem the Travel Credit, the full value of the Travel Credit (or more) must be charged to the eligible Primary Card. Eligible travel includes flights, hotels and car hire when you prepay in advance. The Travel Credit can be used for 365 days from the benefit anniversary date and cannot be used past the expiration date. To check the expiration date of your Travel Credit if you have not already redeemed it, please visit americanexpress.com.au/travel; log in and click ‘Travel Credit’. If your booking is cancelled, and your Travel Credit has already been used and associated statement credit applied to your account, you will forfeit your annual Travel Credit benefit and American Express may reverse the statement credits issued. You need to be able to spend on the Card to access the Travel Credit benefit and it should be credited to your Card Account within 3 business days but may take up to 30 days. Your account must be in good standing and you must have paid the annual fee and minimum payment by the due date. If you cancel your Card, change your rewards program or Card type, you will no longer be eligible for the Travel Credit.
³ The Centurion® Lounge
Entry into The Centurion® Lounge is governed by the full Terms and Conditions available at amex.com.au/airportlounge. All entrants must adhere to the General Conditions of Entry. American Express Explorer Card Members are entitled to a total of two (2) entries into The Centurion® Lounges in Australia per calendar year (1 January to 31 December). Complimentary access is available for the Card Member’s children 17 years and younger. Card Members wishing to bring additional guests may be subject to a charge that is to be processed on the Card Member’s American Express Card.
⁴ Insurance
The insurance on American Express Cards is subject to terms, conditions and exclusions (such as maximum age limits, pre-existing medical conditions and cover limits). You must use your American Express Explorer Credit Card to pay for your trip in order to be covered under the travel insurance and pay for eligible items for those items to be covered under the retail insurance benefits. It is important you read the American Express Explorer Credit Card Insurance Terms and Conditions and consider whether the insurance is right for you. We do not provide advice about the insurance or whether it is appropriate for your objectives, financial situation or needs. This insurance is underwritten by Chubb Insurance Australia Limited (ABN 23 001 642 020, AFSL No. 239687) under a group policy of insurance held by American Express Australia Limited (ABN 92 108 952 085, AFSL No. 291313). Access to this insurance is provided solely by reason of the statutory operation of section 48 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth). Card Members are not a party to the group policy, do not have an agreement with Chubb and cannot vary or cancel the cover. American Express is not the insurer, does not guarantee or hold the rights under the group policy on trust for Card Members and does not act on behalf of Chubb or as its agent. American Express is not an Authorised Representative (under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)) of Chubb.
⁵ The Hotel Collection
The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more, with participating properties, made through Platinum Travel Service, Centurion Travel Service or American Express Travel Online. Bookings are valid only for eligible Card Members of the following American Express Cards: American Express® Rewards Advantage Card, American Express® Explorer Credit Card, American Express® Platinum Reserve Credit Card, American Express® Gold Card, American Express® Gold Business Card, American Express® Business Gold Plus Card, American Express® Platinum Card, American Express® Platinum Business Card and American Express® Centurion Card. Excludes Gold Credit Card Members who are not also Australian Rewards Advantage, Gold or Platinum Charge Card Members. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member’s name, and that Card Member must be travelling on the itinerary booked to be eligible for benefits described. Noon check-in, late check-out and the room upgrade are subject to availability; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of US$100 credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the US$100 credit will be applied to eligible charges up to US$100. To receive the US$100 credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The US$100 credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain credits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional THC benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke the THC benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your THC benefits. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in US Dollars or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for THC program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.
⁶ Membership Rewards Program
Subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards program available here. You will earn 1 point per dollar spent with Merchants classified as ‘government’, including the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Postal Corporation (Australia Post), Federal/State and Local Government bodies, including where you use a payment account, payment aggregator, services of a third party or online retailers that sell goods for another merchant.
⁷ Partner Programs
Subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards Gateway program available at membershiprewards.com.au. You must be a member of the airline partner program, joining fees may apply and points transferred will be subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable airline partner program.
75,000 Membership Rewards Points¹ plus $400 annual Travel Credit with the American Express Explorer Credit Card was last modified: February 10th, 2026 by
Community Comments
If I use my wife referral link to apply for this card: she will get 20K Velocity points and I will get 50K MR points. If I apply directly with Amex, I will get 100K MR points. The referral program is a bollock, doesn’t make sense.
Hi, I was an Amex card holder under my old name. The card has been cancelled a few months back. Will I be eligible for the offer if I apply for the card under my new name?
Unfortunately, that’s how it always is with these sign-up offers! You’ll have to wait it out for 18 months after cancelling your Amex cards before being able to take advantage of these deals.
Looking at the Amex explorer card now, does this have additional partners than it used to? It seems you may be able to transfer to virgin Atlantic now from the Amex gateway points? Is this correct?
Do we know if AMEX are postponing the devaluation for new card members – i.e. if I take 6 weeks to spend the $1,500 required for the bonus points will they then be worth less?
I applied the card on 24th FEB, got approved the next day on 25th FEB.
The card arrived on 27th FEB and I spent 1.5K over the next few days.
I got the 100K points yesterday on the 4th MAR, so it’s only seven days.
Thank you so much for the offer, application got approved last Monday, card arrived on Wed, spent $1500 for the next few days and got the 100000 points on Monday today, only seven days! Very nice experience!
This article I’m reading that was published in June 2019 stated that it’s 50,000 Amex points. You mentioned that your received 100,000 points. Can you please confirm if this is Velocity or Amex points?
Just a quick question, I am an additional card holder for my dads amex Platinum Charge he setup a while ago for the Amex lounge access, not sure what details he used to set this up as I wasn’t really involved. Am I still eligible to receive this offer as I am not the primary card holder?
As you are an additional card holder and not the primary pone, you should be eligible for this offer. However, I recommend getting in touch with American Express and getting their confirmation, and also request them to put in into notes on your account.
I am comparing this AMEX explorer card to the ANZ Travel Adventures card. I notice this card earns double the amount of points per $ spent. However, the ANZ card has a higher sign on velocity bonus, lower annual fee and no overseas transaction fee. Overall, which one do you think is better for earning more points please? I am soo stuck and would anyones help please.
Thanks Daniel for the reply. I did checked again and called up AMEX to clarify, so spouse and dependent children ARE covered regardless of having a supplementary card themselves or not, they are covered if the trip is booked on the account.
If you give a supplementary card to others who are not spouse or dependent children, then only selected covers can apply, according to those specified in the T&C.
If in doubt, always confirm with AMEX as the source of truth as terms can change/update over time.
On page 3 of the T&C,s it does state that the cover applies to the Primary Card Member, including spouses and dependent children who may also be Supplementary Card Members.
It may be worth reconfirming this with American Express also.
Considering this card often has 120,000 points on offer, I think it is important that you convey this to the reader that this offer does not present the optimal offer that comes from this card.
The maximum we’ve seen on this card is 100,000 points (the Platinum Charge is the one that sometimes reaches 120,000) and there are no indications of the 100,000-point offer on the Explorer coming back.
Any updates from Point Hacks on whether Amex will sweeten the deal from 75K bonus points to 100K bonus points either before or after the 26th September 2018?
If you purchase something on your card, and you receive your points, and ultimately end up returning the item, do the points then get deducted from your balance?
I’ve been watching this card for a month. It’s really a shame that I didn’t get the 100k offer earlier this year and last year. Maybe I should wait or look for other cards. Anyone knows other high-reward cards?
I’m sooo confused!
I know you cant tell me what to do but can you help with my options?
I want to fly BNE-London (any airport, cheapest best, going straight to Bedford). Then Rome-BNE for the return flight.
I have Velocity (111,000) and Amex (133,000) points plus $400 Amex travel credit.
I know I can do Velocity for 75k each way plus approx $250 per flight.
What other options do I have that would be beneficial?
Is it worth using Amex points directly or always transfer them to an airline? I have KrisFlyer but no points on it.
Can you please help me with my choices at all? 🙂
Thank you!
Hi Rachael, I’d suggest copying and pasting this into our Questions section and the Point Hacks Community can help you out with some ideas.
Does anyone know american express announce no more 100k offer since the previous offer end at APR?
is this 75k offer is a new promotion havent been introduced before?? now 75K instead of 100k?
We don’t have any indications that the 100,000 bonus points will return for now. At the moment, I personally am seeing a 30,000-point bonus for referring friends and family using my link and 75,000 points for them.
just after some clarification please, i have my annual fee due any day now, see that i can pay it and then within 30 days cancel the card with the annual fee refunded,
anything in place using this annual fee (travel credit) for some flights, and then cancel before the 30 days is up??
I’m about to book travel with the $450 travel credit gained with the Qantas American Express card on a flight. I’d then like to cancel the card before the actual travel dates.
I’m presuming the flight is unaffected. the Does anyone have any experience of this?
Is it correct that in order to transfer the Gateway Reward Points to an airline (e.g., Emirates), I have to join the Ascent club and pay an $80 joining fee?
No, you don’t need to do that. Gateway points transfer to Emirates at a ratio of 4 Membership Rewards points to 3 Emirates Skywards miles. You can transfer here.
If you have an Ascent Premium-earning card, then that ratio is upped to 1:1. More on the differences here.
I was wondering a few questions that I can’t seem to locate online.
I am currently a Velocity AMEX Card Holder and took advantage of the 100k points deal they had this time last year.
My plan is:
– Refer my Dad to AMEX (to take advantage of the referral points 30K)
– Dad (assuming spends the 3k etc) will then receive the 100,000 AMEX Points.
My question is, what is the best way possible for me personally to take advantage of those points? Would becoming a secondary card holder on “his account” make this possible? Or can he transfer to me somehow?
Looking forward to see what others have done in this scenario
Im actually looking for a card to earn Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus points at a good rate. I’ve got a business in Bangkok and fly around every two months. Also I have noticed THAI ROP point redemtion rate are alot better compared to SQ and QF. For Eg. Flying MEL to BKK on Business requires 98000 points. While SQ requires minimum 116000 points. TG is also cheaper if you fly to Europe or US compared to other airline. Any helps and tips would be appreciated.
Can I pay extra with Amex and upgrade myself to the Ascent or Ascent Premium (which I am assuming is for the Platinum and Centurion Card) Membership Rewards program which will give myself a better Redemption Rate ??
Can you use the $400 credit to book domestic virgin Australia flights? If so, in general are the prices comparable to what booking direct with the Virgin Australia web site would be or do they slap on a layer of fees?
In the past i have had credit cards with ‘free flights’ and noticed they don’t give you any status credits or points on the free flight. Would the same apply on a flight booked with he $400 credit on the Amex web site?
Hi, I currently hold Amex Explorer card and now that they come up with this 100k bonus points, I was thinking that my husband can apply for it using my referral in the app. But the app only offers him 60k bonus (with me getting 30k for referral). I thought he should be able to get 100k even through referral, shouldn’t he?
I thought the same! I’ve been waiting for the 100k offer to come back to refer my parents to the higher bonus and pick up 30k myself but can only see 60k on offer for them through the referral link. I’d suggest waiting a few days to see if the referral bonus changes.
Thanks Matt! Terrible miscommunication between ourselves such that my husband has applied himself online – doh! Please let me know if they offer 100k through the app referral so I can go and say to him, I told you so!
Thanks for the guide, I applied for a Amex Velocity Platinum card and was approved (but not yet activated).
Looking at the Explorer card it seems more suitable for my travel needs. What are my options of change the card type (note that I haven’t activated the Velocity card).
I’m confused with the points ratio. How many velocity points does $1 spend equate too? I’m trying to compare cards and on some of your pages you quote per $1 and others it is per 1 point. I have an Amex Explorer card and a ANZ Plainum card but possibly looking at changing the visa to something better but I just can’t work out how to compare to points per $1 spent on each card I’m looking at.
For the Explorer, per $1 spent, you’ll earn 2 Membership Rewards points. Due to the 4:3 transfer ratio, $1 ends up being equal to 1.5 Velocity points.
As for the ANZ Rewards Platinum, per $1 spent, you’ll earn 1.5 Rewards points. Due to the 2:1 transfer ratio, $1 ends up being equal to only 0.75 Velocity points.
So the Explorer earns you double the amount of Velocity points and doesn’t have a points cap, with the ANZ card does.
Hi, I have paid for my hotel booking (through Amex travel) using travel credit and the remaining on my Explorer credit card and I received 2 base + 1 bonus point per $1. I also paid for flight tickets using Explorer through Amex travel but only get 2 base points per $1 spent. Is that normal?
Just wondering if wehen transferring points from my Explorer card, does it equate to status points or $ Points when transferred.
For example, I am Gold Elite with Star Alliance through Air New Zealand, I need 600 more Airpoints to retain it this year, Which i am not going to get – If I trasnferred my Amex Points, I would make this, But I want to ensure my Amex points count towards Airpoints, rather than Airpoint Dollars.
I’m also a member of Singapore Airlines, but with no status – I would move my Amex points to this if it meant the points would count towards status.
Being a supplementary cardholder shouldn’t make you ineligible for the signup bonus. Since only the main cardholder of the account is what’s usually assessed in credit card applications.
Technically, you’re a new customer to Amex.
I think their system looks at the numbers you input into the application pretty closely. However I also think the current requirement is for household income, but double check that as you go.
I’m relatively new to Australia and arrived with a 457 visa back in Oct. I hold the Amex SPG card in the UK, and needed an Australian credit card so I wasn’t constantly hit with charges and fees etc for using it overseas. I applied for the Amex Explorer back in April/May time (can’t remember if it was the 100k signup or 50k signup bonus), but it was only approved last week despite me earning over 100k per year and having history with them in the UK (paid off the SPG in full every single month). For it to be approved they needed me to send them a signed copy of my passport, which had been signed by a Justice of the Peace to make sure I wasn’t a terrorist or laundering money (I work in media)…because like hell was I gonna pay a lawyer or accountant as Amex kindly suggested just to get approved for a bloody credit card. It took me months to find a Justice of the Peace near me, and even when I did I had to take the afternoon off work to go and get it done as they don’t do it outside of work hours. Absolutely ridiculous! They also needed copies of my visa, and 3 months of bank statements (screenshots wasn’t good enough, I had to download it and send them the full download).
Now I’m not even sure how many points I’ll get, and if I’ll get any as it’s taken so long to be approved? Will they still give me the sign up bonus even if the card was approved 3+ months after I applied for it?
In answer to your question, you should receive the bonus points as the offer you receive should be based on your application date, not the approval date.
So after applying as a stable high income earner that cut up a amex black card many years ago. They approved my card with the maximum 10k limit. Are they joking? what a waste of time, will take the free points and cut the card up, Thanks for the points amex but you can keep the card.
Hi Keith, I currently hold the Platinum Edge so I’m ineligible for the bonus points but I can have my partner apply instead. My concern is though that AMEX only let you transfer membership reward points into the same FF account name as the card holder. This won’t work for me as I need the points to reach my FF account. I’m wondering if AMEX will allow transfers into a supplementary card holders FF account which would allow me to be a supplementary holder and transfer the points into my FF account, would this be possible?
Hey Steve – most partner programs only let you transfer points into an account with the same name as your Membership Rewards account, and as a supplementary cardholder, AFAIK you don’t have access to do anything with the points balance of the account.
Workarounds – transfer points to a program which allows points pooling / sharing. Primarily these would be Starwood or Velocity.
Amex also let you do transfers between accounts for a fee but it’s usually cost prohibitive and there is a 50k limit.
Personally, I transfer to Starwood and merge over there and use for hotel redemptions.
Missed the original offer of 100,000 points – now it is down to 50,000. Was wondering how often Amex renew offers like that and whether it is worth waiting to see if a better offer come along…
Anyone kept track on the regularity of these offers from Amex??
Hey Megan – Amex has two key Membership Rewards flavours – Gateway and Ascent. The transfer rate for Gateway (which Explorer is linked to) is definitely 1:0.75.
Quick question from a rookie, can you utilise the AMEX points for say a Emirates rewards flight in conjunction with Qantas points (via one world)? I understand they cannot be transferred to Qantas points, but can they be used through one of the 8 supported airlines and qantas points used via oneworld to purchase the one reward seat/s?
You can use Amex Membership Rewards points for Emirates flights in a couple of ways – firstly, by transferring them directly to Emirates Skywards themselves, or transferring to Starwood and then onto another airline partner that also works with Emirates – either Japan Airlines Mileage Bank or Alaska Airlines MileagePlan would be the biggest options. That’s not simple but is still doable.
The section here has confused me though when he states:
To this effect, Avis and Hertz may be well-matched rental providers for Amex Platinum cardholders because the ‘un excessed-ed’ items are not considered a breach of agreement.
I don’t understand why the Amex Explorer card would be a better fit for Avis and Hertz and not say Thrifty …what am i missing here?
We will pay any amounts You are responsible for under the Rental
Agreement, including the Deductible if loss is incurred during a
Covered Rental Trip, as a result of accidental damage, fire, vandalism,
theft or loss of use of the Rental Vehicle.
I’ll clarify my point about the ‘breach of agreement’. The forewarning is that this is a technicality within the insurance PDS which may or may not be used by Ace (the Amex insurance provider) against you. Alas, it’s worth considering anyway.
All rental excess policies have a specific clause along the lines of: ‘If you break the rental agreement, our excess protection policy is void’. Now this is obvious if you are drink driving, using it as an Uber X car, or some other obvious ‘breach of agreement’.
The lesser known ‘breach’ that I found in the Europcar T’s and C’s (note: haven’t checked to see if they have changed…they often do) is that when you suffer certain damage where there is no coverage by Europcar, e.g. tyres and windscreen, where you have to pay for the full amount to fix the damage. However the wording is that this is a ‘severe breach of the rental agreement’.
This kind of sucks because it would imply that Amex (and all other ‘rental excess insurers’) should technically leave you out in the cold. If it was a ding in the door, they will cover you because you didn’t breach the agreement. But if it’s underbody damage, they could worm out of it. Be careful.
I’m not sure with thrifty, I haven’t checked their policy but considering they now have a Tesla I probably should add it into the article.
Why would you want your points transferred to QFF points?
Business Class return ticket from Sydney to Los Angeles on Asia Miles is 120,000 points while on QFF it’s 192,000 points. It means you have to spend $48,000 more to redeem the same flight!
I had a few very funny things happen about this card, good and bad. So i used my points and transferred to Emirates skyward, at the time of transfer was 4:3 as per usual. However in the process of setting up, i’ve logged in and out of the system a few times, and when i re-logged in, the transfer rate changed to 1:1 for a few of other airlines rewards (eg asia miles and velocity) and not the 4:3 conversion rate.
I logged in today and its reverted back but yeh that was one of the quirks.
I have been travelling for the past 3-4 weeks, and have travelled to China and Thailand. I found that certain merchants in those countries netted me 2points per dollar whilst some didn’t. Which was really weird. Hey I’m not complaining but was wondering if anyone else had similar discrepancies.
Hi,
Is it possible to apply for the Explore card and recieve the bonus points even though I currently hold a Amex Velocity Card? I’m hearing that some people are still getting the bonuses.
Is there any possible way to transfer these points to Qantas FF points? I understand that they are not a Gateway rewards partner, however is there any way round this?
I am comparing the Explorer and the Amex Velocity Platinum. In terms of the points earned, is there a black and white answer to which is the better earner or does it depend on personal spending habits…the Platinum got a little confusing with the 3 different levels of points to be earned at restaurants, travel etc.
Hey Mike – Amex don’t make it easy to see the differences between the Membership Rewards programs they offer. The main one is Ascent, which is the link you have – the Gateway terms are here and it’s clear the transfer rates are generally 4:3, not 1:1.
Supplementary cardholders aren’t considered as account holders when it comes to making new applications, so holding a supplementary card wouldn’t be a reason to exclude someone from picking up the bonus points.
No, it doesn’t – needs to be met by making on purchases. My usual suggestion is to bring forward spending you’d be making otherwise – buy supermarket or fuel gift cards, early renew home or car insurance… that kind of thing.
Hi Keith
I have an altitude black amex card issued through Westpac so will I have to wait the 18 month qualifying period or is it for amex cards issued through amex Australia directly.
I will get 1 of these if I can get the sign on bonus
The Altitude black, as you’ve noted, is bank issued not Amex issued – the 18 month period applies to holding Amex-issued cards only. More on Bank issued vs Amex issued here.
Hey Amanda! Yes, generally the transfers happen quite quickly – in around 24 hours or so. Some programs can take a little longer, 48-72 hours, and it can depend on whether the transfer was made on a business day or not. But in short, transfers are usually fairly fast, but there is always a small risk that if you’ve found points seats in a frequent flyer program, then make a points transfer and wait, the seats could be gone by the time you come to book.
Whilst the $400 travel credit does offset the $395 annual fee, do note that there is a lag between when the annual fee gets charged and when the $400 travel credit gets credited.
The annual fee gets charged on day 1 whilst the travel credit only gets credited on the 1st anniversary (i.e. 1 year later).
This is incorrect – the travel credit is available on your card as soon as the account is used for the first time. As a supplementary cardholder, I have checked and can see the travel credit as being active on our Amex account and ready to use.
Hi Keith
You might be interested to know that my new Explorer card is pooling points into my Ascent Premium rewards account. I have AMEX Plat charge with the Plat Reserve Credit …and now the new Explorer. Was expecting Explorer to link to a some sort of new Gateway rewards account but its not. After the Explorer first use the points were pooled into the general points account for my Plat charge card.
This effectively means the Explorer is earning 2 points per $ with no cap and can be transferred at 1:1 into SQ, Virgin, Qantas etc…
It is not an official benefit. Some people seem to be able to get it set up, others haven’t been so lucky, and as I understand it, Amex are probably working to fix this, so don’t consider it part of the value proposition of holding the card.
I just applied for the card using the link, thanks for the info.
Does anyone know if the points bonus is limited to one person per household?
I added my partner as a supplementary card holder, but in retrospect she should probably apply for the card and get the bonus too. After a year we might supplement the cards and get cumulative points that way.
Anyone more experienced with this kind of thing see any issues with this?
Applications are generally considered on an individual basis – so as long as you both meet the approval criteria, there’s no restriction at the household level on whether you both apply for the card.
Thanks Keith. I’m new to the site and I’m a big fan. Keep up the good work.
Bit of a generic question here but can one transfer their points to a FF program that is in a different name? I’m not eligible because I have an edge but if my partner signed up for this card could we both transfer points to the same FF program?
Thanks Keith. Great new card and looks like this is now the best option for a ‘second’ card after Amex Platinum reaches the 300,000 cap for 2 points per $1.
Now that Westpac is downgrading its points transfer to Singapore/Virgin to be only 1.2points per $ this card is now the winner (after Amex plat cap) at 1.5 points per $ and no cap. No sign up bonus is a shame and agree with Dan on this.
On the first question, this isn’t totally clear yet. I know you could transfer from David Jones MR to MR ascent with a corresponding dip in points but I don’t know about Gateway. I will try and find out.
Same for a family transfer, I assume you mean between two people who hold cards in the same kind of Membership Rewards?
If I already have the Platinum card, will the points accumulated on Explorer card go into the same pool, and I’ll be able to use the Ascent Platinum rate to transfer points? Thanks.
AFAIK there’s no possibility of pooling points between Membership Rewards Gateway and Ascent – at least not yet. But given this card is new it’s all a bit untested. As I find out more I’ll report back.
Thanks for the reply. It’s just that I have both Platinum and Platinum Edge, and they seem to be able to pool points together. Although they are both from the Ascent tier. Looking forward to your confirmation on this.
The Platinum Charge and the Platinum Edge are on different programs though; the former allows transfers to QFF whereas the latter does not. Hoping this suggests that Amex pools your points in the more favourable program!
Yes it does. On my Edge account homepage, it says “Please view the point under your Platinum account”, and I can correctly see all the Edge points under my Platinum card’s Ascent Platinum point pool.
I also have my Edge and Charge set up to pool points, but this is a ‘non-standard’ arrangement. If you have it working too, good on you.
The reason I have it working was because Charge online services were not working for me as a cardholder of both. It seems like this can happen if you are a cardholder of Edge first and then take the Charge; the fact that the Edge is your primary and oldest card seems to mess your online account up.
It then seems like the only way to solve this is to find someone on the phone in Amex Card Services who really knows what they are doing, and have them pool the points accounts. And then you get the nice outcome of earning points on Edge into Ascent Premium, not just Ascent, and having points pooled too.
Back to Explorer. Due to Ascent vs Gateway, I don’t see points pooling working at all with two cards in different programs. Very happy to be proven wrong, of course.
any updates? does anyone get an Explorer?
Interesting. Wonder if it will be offered under the referral program?
If I use my wife referral link to apply for this card: she will get 20K Velocity points and I will get 50K MR points. If I apply directly with Amex, I will get 100K MR points. The referral program is a bollock, doesn’t make sense.
Any idea if there is a history of higher sign up bonuses any more with this card?
There is no Hilton Silver with this card
Hi Chris, please check to see if you can still enrol on this link (mentions the Amex Explorer): https://www.americanexpress.com/au/credit-cards/membership-benefits/travel/hilton-honors-silver-status/
Hi, I was an Amex card holder under my old name. The card has been cancelled a few months back. Will I be eligible for the offer if I apply for the card under my new name?
Bummer – they rejected my request and I am unsure why. I am waiting for the letter, I wonder why was a letter sent rather than an email.
damn, only avail to new customers 🙁
Unfortunately, that’s how it always is with these sign-up offers! You’ll have to wait it out for 18 months after cancelling your Amex cards before being able to take advantage of these deals.
Can anyone confirm that points are earned on ATO tax payable? Cheers
Hi Ian, you will earn the reduced rate of 1 MR point per $1 with ATO charges.
Looking at the Amex explorer card now, does this have additional partners than it used to? It seems you may be able to transfer to virgin Atlantic now from the Amex gateway points? Is this correct?
Thanks Matt. I’ve posted on the Community but no replies at this stage 🙁
Do we know if AMEX are postponing the devaluation for new card members – i.e. if I take 6 weeks to spend the $1,500 required for the bonus points will they then be worth less?
Hi Michael
As far as we know, the devaluation will occur on 15 April 2019.
Resubmit my review
I applied the card on 24th FEB, got approved the next day on 25th FEB.
The card arrived on 27th FEB and I spent 1.5K over the next few days.
I got the 100K points yesterday on the 4th MAR, so it’s only seven days.
Thank you very much!
Thank you so much for the offer, application got approved last Monday, card arrived on Wed, spent $1500 for the next few days and got the 100000 points on Monday today, only seven days! Very nice experience!
Thanks!
This article I’m reading that was published in June 2019 stated that it’s 50,000 Amex points. You mentioned that your received 100,000 points. Can you please confirm if this is Velocity or Amex points?
Just a quick question, I am an additional card holder for my dads amex Platinum Charge he setup a while ago for the Amex lounge access, not sure what details he used to set this up as I wasn’t really involved. Am I still eligible to receive this offer as I am not the primary card holder?
Thanks
Hi Mattyw
As you are an additional card holder and not the primary pone, you should be eligible for this offer. However, I recommend getting in touch with American Express and getting their confirmation, and also request them to put in into notes on your account.
I am comparing this AMEX explorer card to the ANZ Travel Adventures card. I notice this card earns double the amount of points per $ spent. However, the ANZ card has a higher sign on velocity bonus, lower annual fee and no overseas transaction fee. Overall, which one do you think is better for earning more points please? I am soo stuck and would anyones help please.
Hi Bianca
Please see my response to your earlier question. Thanks.
Thanks Daniel for the reply. I did checked again and called up AMEX to clarify, so spouse and dependent children ARE covered regardless of having a supplementary card themselves or not, they are covered if the trip is booked on the account.
If you give a supplementary card to others who are not spouse or dependent children, then only selected covers can apply, according to those specified in the T&C.
If in doubt, always confirm with AMEX as the source of truth as terms can change/update over time.
Thanks for the update Steve!
If I read it correctly the T&Cs (https://web.aexp-static.com/content/dam/amex/au/staticassets/pdf/explorer-insurance-tncs.pdf) of the travel insurance offered by this AMEX Explorer card does NOT cover any immediate family member travelling with you as opposed to many other credit cards that do cover those persons.
This card will also NOT provide travel cover to additional card holders (while you being the primary card holder).
This sucks and i hope Amex changes it.
Hi STEVE
On page 3 of the T&C,s it does state that the cover applies to the Primary Card Member, including spouses and dependent children who may also be Supplementary Card Members.
It may be worth reconfirming this with American Express also.
100K is back! https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/435231
Regarding eligibility, is a westpac altitude amex card now considered bank issued or amex issued?
Please update the details accordingly.
Still considered bank-issued for eligibility purposes.
Considering this card often has 120,000 points on offer, I think it is important that you convey this to the reader that this offer does not present the optimal offer that comes from this card.
The maximum we’ve seen on this card is 100,000 points (the Platinum Charge is the one that sometimes reaches 120,000) and there are no indications of the 100,000-point offer on the Explorer coming back.
Can we transfer to qantas points? Thank you!
Any updates from Point Hacks on whether Amex will sweeten the deal from 75K bonus points to 100K bonus points either before or after the 26th September 2018?
No indications of that.
If you purchase something on your card, and you receive your points, and ultimately end up returning the item, do the points then get deducted from your balance?
Correct, they do get deducted.
I’ve been watching this card for a month. It’s really a shame that I didn’t get the 100k offer earlier this year and last year. Maybe I should wait or look for other cards. Anyone knows other high-reward cards?
Here is a list of our top offers for the month.
I’m sooo confused!
I know you cant tell me what to do but can you help with my options?
I want to fly BNE-London (any airport, cheapest best, going straight to Bedford). Then Rome-BNE for the return flight.
I have Velocity (111,000) and Amex (133,000) points plus $400 Amex travel credit.
I know I can do Velocity for 75k each way plus approx $250 per flight.
What other options do I have that would be beneficial?
Is it worth using Amex points directly or always transfer them to an airline? I have KrisFlyer but no points on it.
Can you please help me with my choices at all? 🙂
Thank you!
Hi Rachael, I’d suggest copying and pasting this into our Questions section and the Point Hacks Community can help you out with some ideas.
Does anyone know american express announce no more 100k offer since the previous offer end at APR?
is this 75k offer is a new promotion havent been introduced before?? now 75K instead of 100k?
Look out for a post this month regarding this.
Hi Keith
Do you think we will see 100,000 bonus points be offered again like when the card was launched?
If this is the best deal we are likely to see, what can we boost this to if we get referred by someone who currently holds the card/another Amex card?
Can you confirm what the current referral bonus is for both parties in this case?
Thanks
We don’t have any indications that the 100,000 bonus points will return for now. At the moment, I personally am seeing a 30,000-point bonus for referring friends and family using my link and 75,000 points for them.
hi keith/ points hack team
just after some clarification please, i have my annual fee due any day now, see that i can pay it and then within 30 days cancel the card with the annual fee refunded,
anything in place using this annual fee (travel credit) for some flights, and then cancel before the 30 days is up??
thanks in advance
Usually it will take 30 days for the travel credit to appear to prevent people taking advantage of this hack.
i’m currently holding an AMEX platinum, but thinking i should ‘downgrade’ to this given all i’m interested in is SQ and SPG earn!
any downsides i’m missing if the above is my sole aim? (and the bonus categories on platinum aren’t relevant)
I’m about to book travel with the $450 travel credit gained with the Qantas American Express card on a flight. I’d then like to cancel the card before the actual travel dates.
I’m presuming the flight is unaffected. the Does anyone have any experience of this?
Is it correct that in order to transfer the Gateway Reward Points to an airline (e.g., Emirates), I have to join the Ascent club and pay an $80 joining fee?
No, you don’t need to do that. Gateway points transfer to Emirates at a ratio of 4 Membership Rewards points to 3 Emirates Skywards miles. You can transfer here.
If you have an Ascent Premium-earning card, then that ratio is upped to 1:1. More on the differences here.
Thanks!
Hi There,
I was wondering a few questions that I can’t seem to locate online.
I am currently a Velocity AMEX Card Holder and took advantage of the 100k points deal they had this time last year.
My plan is:
– Refer my Dad to AMEX (to take advantage of the referral points 30K)
– Dad (assuming spends the 3k etc) will then receive the 100,000 AMEX Points.
My question is, what is the best way possible for me personally to take advantage of those points? Would becoming a secondary card holder on “his account” make this possible? Or can he transfer to me somehow?
Looking forward to see what others have done in this scenario
Thanks
This guide may answer your question!
Im actually looking for a card to earn Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus points at a good rate. I’ve got a business in Bangkok and fly around every two months. Also I have noticed THAI ROP point redemtion rate are alot better compared to SQ and QF. For Eg. Flying MEL to BKK on Business requires 98000 points. While SQ requires minimum 116000 points. TG is also cheaper if you fly to Europe or US compared to other airline. Any helps and tips would be appreciated.
You might enjoy reading this guide.
Hi all
If I have the qantas express ultimate card, will this make me ineligible for this card?
Yes, you are ineligible for the bonus points offer. Read more here.
Can I pay extra with Amex and upgrade myself to the Ascent or Ascent Premium (which I am assuming is for the Platinum and Centurion Card) Membership Rewards program which will give myself a better Redemption Rate ??
The ‘extra’ that you would pay is the $1200 annual fee for Platinum Charge vs $395 with Amex Explorer.
Can you use the $400 credit to book domestic virgin Australia flights? If so, in general are the prices comparable to what booking direct with the Virgin Australia web site would be or do they slap on a layer of fees?
In the past i have had credit cards with ‘free flights’ and noticed they don’t give you any status credits or points on the free flight. Would the same apply on a flight booked with he $400 credit on the Amex web site?
Yes, you can use your travel credit to book any flight (except those on low-cost carriers, which doesn’t apply to Virgin Australia).
The prices should be the same on the VA and Amex websites but it’s always good to cross-check.
And I can’t see anything in the terms and conditions saying that you are excluded from earning points or Status Credits on this booking.
We just signed up for this card 2 weeks ago under the 50k offer. Is there anything we can do to get the 100k?
No, unfortunately. It is based on when you apply for the card.
Hi, I currently hold Amex Explorer card and now that they come up with this 100k bonus points, I was thinking that my husband can apply for it using my referral in the app. But the app only offers him 60k bonus (with me getting 30k for referral). I thought he should be able to get 100k even through referral, shouldn’t he?
I thought the same! I’ve been waiting for the 100k offer to come back to refer my parents to the higher bonus and pick up 30k myself but can only see 60k on offer for them through the referral link. I’d suggest waiting a few days to see if the referral bonus changes.
Thanks Matt! Terrible miscommunication between ourselves such that my husband has applied himself online – doh! Please let me know if they offer 100k through the app referral so I can go and say to him, I told you so!
Thanks for the guide, I applied for a Amex Velocity Platinum card and was approved (but not yet activated).
Looking at the Explorer card it seems more suitable for my travel needs. What are my options of change the card type (note that I haven’t activated the Velocity card).
Cheers
I would suggest contacting Amex to discuss your options.
I’m confused with the points ratio. How many velocity points does $1 spend equate too? I’m trying to compare cards and on some of your pages you quote per $1 and others it is per 1 point. I have an Amex Explorer card and a ANZ Plainum card but possibly looking at changing the visa to something better but I just can’t work out how to compare to points per $1 spent on each card I’m looking at.
It can be very confusing!
For the Explorer, per $1 spent, you’ll earn 2 Membership Rewards points. Due to the 4:3 transfer ratio, $1 ends up being equal to 1.5 Velocity points.
As for the ANZ Rewards Platinum, per $1 spent, you’ll earn 1.5 Rewards points. Due to the 2:1 transfer ratio, $1 ends up being equal to only 0.75 Velocity points.
So the Explorer earns you double the amount of Velocity points and doesn’t have a points cap, with the ANZ card does.
Hi, I have paid for my hotel booking (through Amex travel) using travel credit and the remaining on my Explorer credit card and I received 2 base + 1 bonus point per $1. I also paid for flight tickets using Explorer through Amex travel but only get 2 base points per $1 spent. Is that normal?
Not sure why that’s happened. Might be best to give Amex a call.
Thank you for the review. I’ve applied via your link and was approved.
Hi there,
Just wondering if wehen transferring points from my Explorer card, does it equate to status points or $ Points when transferred.
For example, I am Gold Elite with Star Alliance through Air New Zealand, I need 600 more Airpoints to retain it this year, Which i am not going to get – If I trasnferred my Amex Points, I would make this, But I want to ensure my Amex points count towards Airpoints, rather than Airpoint Dollars.
I’m also a member of Singapore Airlines, but with no status – I would move my Amex points to this if it meant the points would count towards status.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
_C
Hi Keith,
If I am currently holding a secondary card (my partner is the primary card holder), will I still be eligible for the bonus sign up?
Hi Kevin,
Being a supplementary cardholder shouldn’t make you ineligible for the signup bonus. Since only the main cardholder of the account is what’s usually assessed in credit card applications.
Technically, you’re a new customer to Amex.
Hey Keith,
Do you have any idea how tight they are on the minimum annual income? My fiance is on a 60k pkg annually and would love to get a hold of this card.
Cheers
I think their system looks at the numbers you input into the application pretty closely. However I also think the current requirement is for household income, but double check that as you go.
I’m relatively new to Australia and arrived with a 457 visa back in Oct. I hold the Amex SPG card in the UK, and needed an Australian credit card so I wasn’t constantly hit with charges and fees etc for using it overseas. I applied for the Amex Explorer back in April/May time (can’t remember if it was the 100k signup or 50k signup bonus), but it was only approved last week despite me earning over 100k per year and having history with them in the UK (paid off the SPG in full every single month). For it to be approved they needed me to send them a signed copy of my passport, which had been signed by a Justice of the Peace to make sure I wasn’t a terrorist or laundering money (I work in media)…because like hell was I gonna pay a lawyer or accountant as Amex kindly suggested just to get approved for a bloody credit card. It took me months to find a Justice of the Peace near me, and even when I did I had to take the afternoon off work to go and get it done as they don’t do it outside of work hours. Absolutely ridiculous! They also needed copies of my visa, and 3 months of bank statements (screenshots wasn’t good enough, I had to download it and send them the full download).
Now I’m not even sure how many points I’ll get, and if I’ll get any as it’s taken so long to be approved? Will they still give me the sign up bonus even if the card was approved 3+ months after I applied for it?
In answer to your question, you should receive the bonus points as the offer you receive should be based on your application date, not the approval date.
Can we convert the 50.000 bonus points to credit? 36.000=250$
So after applying as a stable high income earner that cut up a amex black card many years ago. They approved my card with the maximum 10k limit. Are they joking? what a waste of time, will take the free points and cut the card up, Thanks for the points amex but you can keep the card.
Hi Keith, I currently hold the Platinum Edge so I’m ineligible for the bonus points but I can have my partner apply instead. My concern is though that AMEX only let you transfer membership reward points into the same FF account name as the card holder. This won’t work for me as I need the points to reach my FF account. I’m wondering if AMEX will allow transfers into a supplementary card holders FF account which would allow me to be a supplementary holder and transfer the points into my FF account, would this be possible?
Hey Steve – most partner programs only let you transfer points into an account with the same name as your Membership Rewards account, and as a supplementary cardholder, AFAIK you don’t have access to do anything with the points balance of the account.
Workarounds – transfer points to a program which allows points pooling / sharing. Primarily these would be Starwood or Velocity.
Amex also let you do transfers between accounts for a fee but it’s usually cost prohibitive and there is a 50k limit.
Personally, I transfer to Starwood and merge over there and use for hotel redemptions.
Missed the original offer of 100,000 points – now it is down to 50,000. Was wondering how often Amex renew offers like that and whether it is worth waiting to see if a better offer come along…
Anyone kept track on the regularity of these offers from Amex??
Hey Megan – Amex has two key Membership Rewards flavours – Gateway and Ascent. The transfer rate for Gateway (which Explorer is linked to) is definitely 1:0.75.
Quick question from a rookie, can you utilise the AMEX points for say a Emirates rewards flight in conjunction with Qantas points (via one world)? I understand they cannot be transferred to Qantas points, but can they be used through one of the 8 supported airlines and qantas points used via oneworld to purchase the one reward seat/s?
You can use Amex Membership Rewards points for Emirates flights in a couple of ways – firstly, by transferring them directly to Emirates Skywards themselves, or transferring to Starwood and then onto another airline partner that also works with Emirates – either Japan Airlines Mileage Bank or Alaska Airlines MileagePlan would be the biggest options. That’s not simple but is still doable.
Sorry, playing catch up today!
Hey Tom – have a read of this update for the full explanation of this – https://www.pointhacks.com.au/american-express-points-offer-eligibility/
Dang, just did my head in again reading the Insurance documentation for the Amex Explorer ( https://web.aexp-static.com/au/content/pdf/explorer-insurance-tncs.pdf ).
It appears the Vehicle cover for the explorer card is virtually identical aside from the 125K->100K value of the vehicle. Great!.
I read Todd’s awesome guide here: http://www.ridehacks.com.au/ultimate-guide-to-rental-car-insurance/#credit-cards that is referenced across the PointHacks website.
The section here has confused me though when he states:
To this effect, Avis and Hertz may be well-matched rental providers for Amex Platinum cardholders because the ‘un excessed-ed’ items are not considered a breach of agreement.
I don’t understand why the Amex Explorer card would be a better fit for Avis and Hertz and not say Thrifty …what am i missing here?
We will pay any amounts You are responsible for under the Rental
Agreement, including the Deductible if loss is incurred during a
Covered Rental Trip, as a result of accidental damage, fire, vandalism,
theft or loss of use of the Rental Vehicle.
Hi Peter, I’m glad you liked my guide!
I’ll clarify my point about the ‘breach of agreement’. The forewarning is that this is a technicality within the insurance PDS which may or may not be used by Ace (the Amex insurance provider) against you. Alas, it’s worth considering anyway.
All rental excess policies have a specific clause along the lines of: ‘If you break the rental agreement, our excess protection policy is void’. Now this is obvious if you are drink driving, using it as an Uber X car, or some other obvious ‘breach of agreement’.
The lesser known ‘breach’ that I found in the Europcar T’s and C’s (note: haven’t checked to see if they have changed…they often do) is that when you suffer certain damage where there is no coverage by Europcar, e.g. tyres and windscreen, where you have to pay for the full amount to fix the damage. However the wording is that this is a ‘severe breach of the rental agreement’.
This kind of sucks because it would imply that Amex (and all other ‘rental excess insurers’) should technically leave you out in the cold. If it was a ding in the door, they will cover you because you didn’t breach the agreement. But if it’s underbody damage, they could worm out of it. Be careful.
I’m not sure with thrifty, I haven’t checked their policy but considering they now have a Tesla I probably should add it into the article.
Let me know how else I can help!
I recently received my Amex explorer card. Disappointing that points can’t be transferred to Qantas frequent flyer point.
Why would you want your points transferred to QFF points?
Business Class return ticket from Sydney to Los Angeles on Asia Miles is 120,000 points while on QFF it’s 192,000 points. It means you have to spend $48,000 more to redeem the same flight!
I agree, sometimes you only use one frequent flyer program, so when you can’t transfer points across it can be disappointing.
I too am a little miffed about the lack of QFF support. SPG transfers won’t work either.
Anyone know of any other way of transferring point to QFF.
Also, has anyone received their bonus 100,000 points. Was there anything else you had to do other than spend your minimum $$$?
I had a few very funny things happen about this card, good and bad. So i used my points and transferred to Emirates skyward, at the time of transfer was 4:3 as per usual. However in the process of setting up, i’ve logged in and out of the system a few times, and when i re-logged in, the transfer rate changed to 1:1 for a few of other airlines rewards (eg asia miles and velocity) and not the 4:3 conversion rate.
I logged in today and its reverted back but yeh that was one of the quirks.
I have been travelling for the past 3-4 weeks, and have travelled to China and Thailand. I found that certain merchants in those countries netted me 2points per dollar whilst some didn’t. Which was really weird. Hey I’m not complaining but was wondering if anyone else had similar discrepancies.
Regards
The T&C’s refer to not holding an Amex “consumer card” for the last 18 months. What exactly does that mean?
Is the Amex Velocity for example a “consumer” card?
Yes, that’s correct – ‘consumer credit card’ means most of Amex’ range that are aimed at ‘consumers’ rather than business cards.
Hi,
Is it possible to apply for the Explore card and recieve the bonus points even though I currently hold a Amex Velocity Card? I’m hearing that some people are still getting the bonuses.
There’s no rhyme or reason about who manages to get bonus points as an existing cardholder it would seem. Some people do, many don’t.
Hi,
on the amex pages it says only new customers? If i have a NAB Velocity AMEX card im not going to be able to get these points, am i correct?
That requirement applies to Amex-issued cardholders – more about this here.
Is there any possible way to transfer these points to Qantas FF points? I understand that they are not a Gateway rewards partner, however is there any way round this?
Unfortunately not Blair. The only option would be via Hilton HHonors but you’ll lose so much value on the way through it’s not worth considering.
Hi Keith,
I am comparing the Explorer and the Amex Velocity Platinum. In terms of the points earned, is there a black and white answer to which is the better earner or does it depend on personal spending habits…the Platinum got a little confusing with the 3 different levels of points to be earned at restaurants, travel etc.
Thanks,
Actually, nevermind.. Found my answer. Will be apply through your link now!
What was your answer? I’m guessing you figured Explorer was better since you’re applying for it!
This page seems to say that 1 membership point per 1 frequent flyer point with Krisflyer or Velocity (as a select example).
http://catalogue.membershiprewards.com.au/en/viewPartnerOverview.mtw
Is this a different program to the Membership Rewards Gateway?
Hey Mike – Amex don’t make it easy to see the differences between the Membership Rewards programs they offer. The main one is Ascent, which is the link you have – the Gateway terms are here and it’s clear the transfer rates are generally 4:3, not 1:1.
Hi Keith,
My wife currently has a supplementary card for my Platinum Edge card. Does 18 month restriction apply to her in this case?
Supplementary cardholders aren’t considered as account holders when it comes to making new applications, so holding a supplementary card wouldn’t be a reason to exclude someone from picking up the bonus points.
Does the $395 annual fee count towards the min $1500 spend?
Oct/Nov are generally quiet months in terms of spend.
No, it doesn’t – needs to be met by making on purchases. My usual suggestion is to bring forward spending you’d be making otherwise – buy supermarket or fuel gift cards, early renew home or car insurance… that kind of thing.
Hi Keith
I have an altitude black amex card issued through Westpac so will I have to wait the 18 month qualifying period or is it for amex cards issued through amex Australia directly.
I will get 1 of these if I can get the sign on bonus
The Altitude black, as you’ve noted, is bank issued not Amex issued – the 18 month period applies to holding Amex-issued cards only. More on Bank issued vs Amex issued here.
Anyone have any idea if Refer a Friend should become available to the Amex Explorer?
I haven’t yet received my first statement -might it become available after this or will it become available at all?
I’m hoping to refer my partner before the deal expires at the end of November.
Hi often enjoyed the info on this site! Can you tell me is this card capped for points per month or is it unlimited?
No points cap with American Express Explorer!
Hey Amanda! Yes, generally the transfers happen quite quickly – in around 24 hours or so. Some programs can take a little longer, 48-72 hours, and it can depend on whether the transfer was made on a business day or not. But in short, transfers are usually fairly fast, but there is always a small risk that if you’ve found points seats in a frequent flyer program, then make a points transfer and wait, the seats could be gone by the time you come to book.
Whilst the $400 travel credit does offset the $395 annual fee, do note that there is a lag between when the annual fee gets charged and when the $400 travel credit gets credited.
The annual fee gets charged on day 1 whilst the travel credit only gets credited on the 1st anniversary (i.e. 1 year later).
This is incorrect – the travel credit is available on your card as soon as the account is used for the first time. As a supplementary cardholder, I have checked and can see the travel credit as being active on our Amex account and ready to use.
Hi Keith
You might be interested to know that my new Explorer card is pooling points into my Ascent Premium rewards account. I have AMEX Plat charge with the Plat Reserve Credit …and now the new Explorer. Was expecting Explorer to link to a some sort of new Gateway rewards account but its not. After the Explorer first use the points were pooled into the general points account for my Plat charge card.
This effectively means the Explorer is earning 2 points per $ with no cap and can be transferred at 1:1 into SQ, Virgin, Qantas etc…
Very, very interesting. Will do some more digging on this to see whether it’s a confirmed benefit or not!
has this been verified Keith?
It is not an official benefit. Some people seem to be able to get it set up, others haven’t been so lucky, and as I understand it, Amex are probably working to fix this, so don’t consider it part of the value proposition of holding the card.
Are the foreign transaction fees?
Yes, Amex charge 3% FX fee.
Having had Qantas amex in February, will this make me ineligible for the offer?
Hi Keith
Is it worth shifting from Citi prestige?
I just applied for the card using the link, thanks for the info.
Does anyone know if the points bonus is limited to one person per household?
I added my partner as a supplementary card holder, but in retrospect she should probably apply for the card and get the bonus too. After a year we might supplement the cards and get cumulative points that way.
Anyone more experienced with this kind of thing see any issues with this?
Applications are generally considered on an individual basis – so as long as you both meet the approval criteria, there’s no restriction at the household level on whether you both apply for the card.
Thanks Keith. I’m new to the site and I’m a big fan. Keep up the good work.
Bit of a generic question here but can one transfer their points to a FF program that is in a different name? I’m not eligible because I have an edge but if my partner signed up for this card could we both transfer points to the same FF program?
Thanks Keith. Great new card and looks like this is now the best option for a ‘second’ card after Amex Platinum reaches the 300,000 cap for 2 points per $1.
Now that Westpac is downgrading its points transfer to Singapore/Virgin to be only 1.2points per $ this card is now the winner (after Amex plat cap) at 1.5 points per $ and no cap. No sign up bonus is a shame and agree with Dan on this.
Thanks Keith, on the second point yes that’s what I meant
Very succinctly put.
Hi Keith
Can you transfer points from one Membership rewards program to another? Also are family transfers allowed?
On the first question, this isn’t totally clear yet. I know you could transfer from David Jones MR to MR ascent with a corresponding dip in points but I don’t know about Gateway. I will try and find out.
Same for a family transfer, I assume you mean between two people who hold cards in the same kind of Membership Rewards?
MR Points can be transferred with this form: https://www.americanexpress.com/australia/pdfs/customerservice/amex_mrpoints_gift_requestform_v5.pdf
Thanks Ryan! I’m trying to get confirmation on what the transfer rate from Gateway to MR is when transferred.
Excellent review of the card Keith. I think this card is now better than the Westpac black altitude with redemption rates changing for SQ/CX points.
If I already have the Platinum card, will the points accumulated on Explorer card go into the same pool, and I’ll be able to use the Ascent Platinum rate to transfer points? Thanks.
AFAIK there’s no possibility of pooling points between Membership Rewards Gateway and Ascent – at least not yet. But given this card is new it’s all a bit untested. As I find out more I’ll report back.
Thanks for the reply. It’s just that I have both Platinum and Platinum Edge, and they seem to be able to pool points together. Although they are both from the Ascent tier. Looking forward to your confirmation on this.
The Platinum Charge and the Platinum Edge are on different programs though; the former allows transfers to QFF whereas the latter does not. Hoping this suggests that Amex pools your points in the more favourable program!
Yes it does. On my Edge account homepage, it says “Please view the point under your Platinum account”, and I can correctly see all the Edge points under my Platinum card’s Ascent Platinum point pool.
I also have my Edge and Charge set up to pool points, but this is a ‘non-standard’ arrangement. If you have it working too, good on you.
The reason I have it working was because Charge online services were not working for me as a cardholder of both. It seems like this can happen if you are a cardholder of Edge first and then take the Charge; the fact that the Edge is your primary and oldest card seems to mess your online account up.
It then seems like the only way to solve this is to find someone on the phone in Amex Card Services who really knows what they are doing, and have them pool the points accounts. And then you get the nice outcome of earning points on Edge into Ascent Premium, not just Ascent, and having points pooled too.
Back to Explorer. Due to Ascent vs Gateway, I don’t see points pooling working at all with two cards in different programs. Very happy to be proven wrong, of course.
any updates? does anyone get an Explorer?
Interesting. Wonder if it will be offered under the referral program?