American Express is offering 75,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points1 plus an additional 20,000 Bonus Points to New Amex Card Members who apply for the American Express Explorer Credit Card via the link on this page by 27 May 2025 and spend $4,000 or more on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of the approval date. Minimum spend, eligibility and T&Cs apply.
To take advantage of this offer, make sure to click the red ‘FIND OUT MORE & APPLY’ button on the right of this guide.
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, Asia Miles and Etihad Guest as well as Hilton Honors, 3:1 to KrisFlyer Miles and Emirates Skywards, 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 card offers complimentary Silver status to the Hilton Honors program. If you already have the card, you can enrol using this link.
There is also a business version of the American Express Explorer Credit Card.
Earning points with the American Express Explorer Credit Card
The card belongs to the American Express Membership Rewards program for points earn and redemption.
The headline points earn rate on spend is 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar6, which equates to 1 frequent flyer point per dollar spent.7
Effective Frequent Flyer Program Point Earn Rates
| Frequent Flyer / Hotel Program | Points earned from spend |
|---|---|
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | Up to 1 point / $ |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Up to 0.66 mile / $ |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | Up to 1 mile / $ |
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 Asia Miles British Airways Avios Etihad Guest Malaysian Airlines Enrich THAI Royal Orchid Plus HawaiianMiles Qatar Privilege Club Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 2 Membership Rewards points = 1 frequent flyer point |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Emirates Skywards | 3 Membership Rewards points = 1 frequent flyer point |
| 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 | 20,000 Membership Rewards points = $100 travel reward |
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.
A point to be aware of, however, is that the credit is generally non-refundable if you decide to cancel your booking (although this restriction has been waived during the COVID-19 pandemic). 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
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.
You can read the PDS for the insurance benefits of the Explorer Credit Card here.
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.
Keen to hear what fellow travellers think?
American Express Plan It
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.
There’s a full list of business and personal consumer American Express cards which might be suitable for earning points from business-related transactions here.
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 high 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: high 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 + additional 20,000 bonus points: Offer only available to new American Express Card Members who apply by 27 May 2025 via the link on this page, are approved and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases on their new Card in the first three (3) months from the Card approval date. If you apply via a different link or visit the Amex site separately, you will not be eligible for the offer. 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.If you previously held a David Jones American Express Card and have not held any other American Express Card(s) in the past 18 months, you will be eligible for the offer. All other 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. 95,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points will be awarded to the eligible Card Member’s account 8-10 weeks after the spend criteria has been met. Subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards Program available at https://www.americanexpress.com/en-au/benefits/rewards/membership-rewards/. 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
Valid only for new The Hotel Collection bookings of at least two consecutive nights with participating providers made through American Express Travel Online (americanexpress.com.au/travel or americanexpress.com.au/thc), Platinum Travel Service or Centurion Travel Service. Online bookings currently only available to Primary Card Members. The following American Express Card Members are eligible to book through The Hotel Collection: 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® Platinum Card, American Express® Business Platinum Card® and American Express® Centurion Card. Payment must be made in full with an eligible American Express Card in the Card Member’s name. Card Member must travel on itinerary booked to be eligible for benefits described. Membership Rewards® points and Platinum Travel Credit cannot be used towards The Hotel Collection bookings as payment.
The eligible Card Member will receive the credit as a deduction from the final hotel bill when checking out of the hotel; they will receive $1 for each eligible dollar spent up to $100 USD. Eligible spend includes dining, spa and resort activities. Eligible spend does not include charges for taxes, gratuities, fees and cost of room. Additional exclusions based on specific hotel restrictions may also apply (including without limitation purchases within the hotel that are unaffiliated and/or owned by third parties) – see hotel front desk for details. Credit must be used in conjunction with initial stay and cannot be carried over to another stay, is not redeemable for cash and expires at check-out. Credit is non-exchangeable and non-refundable and is applied in USD or equivalent in local currency based on exchange rate on day of arrival. Limit one credit per room, per stay. Three-room limit per Card Member per stay; back-to-back stays within a 24-hour period at the same property considered one stay. If an eligible Card Member cancels their room, any additional rooms will no longer qualify for benefits as the eligible Card Member must be staying at the hotel. Participating providers and benefits subject to change. Taxes, surcharges and additional fees are as supplied by the hotel at the time of reservation; however they are subject to change and will be charged as applicable at the time of settlement of your hotel account. Note that payments made in foreign currencies will be subject to a foreign currency conversion and fee at the time of payment upon departure. You may be able to use Membership Rewards® points and/or the Travel Credit on the American Express Travel website as payment towards The Hotel Collection, if the selected hotel and room type provides you the option to prepay in advance.
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.
As far as we know, the devaluation will occur on 15 April 2019.
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!
Thanks!
Thanks
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.
Please see my response to your earlier question. Thanks.
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.
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.
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.
Please update the details accordingly.
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!
is this 75k offer is a new promotion havent been introduced before?? now 75K instead of 100k?
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
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
any downsides i’m missing if the above is my sole aim? (and the bonus categories on platinum aren’t relevant)
I’m presuming the flight is unaffected. the Does anyone have any experience of this?
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
Thanks
If I have the qantas express ultimate card, will this make me ineligible for this card?
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?
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.
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
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.
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
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?
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.
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
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?
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.
Anyone kept track on the regularity of these offers from Amex??
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.
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!
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 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 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
Is the Amex Velocity for example a “consumer” card?
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.
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?
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,
http://catalogue.membershiprewards.com.au/en/viewPartnerOverview.mtw
Is this a different program to the Membership Rewards Gateway?
My wife currently has a supplementary card for my Platinum Edge card. Does 18 month restriction apply to her in this case?
Oct/Nov are generally quiet months in terms of spend.
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
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.
The annual fee gets charged on day 1 whilst the travel credit only gets credited on the 1st anniversary (i.e. 1 year later).
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…
Is it worth shifting from Citi prestige?
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?
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.
Can you transfer points from one Membership rewards program to another? Also are family transfers allowed?
Same for a family transfer, I assume you mean between two people who hold cards in the same kind of Membership Rewards?
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.