Card Promotions Amex Explorer Credit Card: 50,000 bonus Amex points

Earn uncapped Amex Points and enjoy a $400 travel credit every year!​

Learn more and apply for this card:

American Express® Explorer Credit Card

With the American Express Explorer credit card, earn uncapped Amex Membership Rewards points and offset the annual fee with a travel credit.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

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What are the main benefits of this card?

1. Signup bonus: 50,000 bonus Amex Membership Rewards Points, when you spend at least $4,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of approval
2. Earn 2 Membership Rewards Points per $1 on eligible purchases, uncapped, which you can transfer to 13 different airline & hotel programs
3. $400 annual travel credit fully offsets the $395 annual fee

Why we like the American Express Explorer credit card

This card lets you earn Amex Membership Rewards points at a solid rate of 2 points per dollar, uncapped, without the higher annual fee of the Amex Platinum card.

You can transfer Amex points to 11 airline frequent flyer programs and 2 hotel loyalty programs, generally at a 2:1 rate. For example, this means you’re effectively earning 1 Velocity Point, Qatar Avios or Cathay Asia Mile per $1 spent on the card.

The $395 annual fee is offset by a $400 annual travel credit that you can spend on eligible flights, car rentals or hotels when booking through American Express Travel.

You'll also receive two free annual visits to the Amex Centurion Lounges in Sydney or Melbourne Airport, plus complimentary travel insurance. See our card guide for the full details:

American Express® Explorer Credit Card

With the American Express Explorer credit card, earn uncapped Amex Membership Rewards points and offset the annual fee with a travel credit.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

AFF members are welcome to discuss this card in this thread.

 

[kallinch]

American Express® Explorer Credit Card

With the American Express Explorer credit card, earn uncapped Amex Membership Rewards points and offset the annual fee with a travel credit.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

$395 Annual Fee Min $3k Limit

65K Inc Req.

Seems an okay card...

 

[junbugging]

They have such a wide range of options they must get good data on what customers prioritize and how rational they really are when comparing options.

It's a pretty clear statement that a $400 travel credit isn't worth $400, anyway. Some ammunition for my next card renewal "negotiations".

 

[Pleb Status]

Effectively 1.5pts/$ spent (as in Gateway and not Ascent) and excluding government purchases which would be at 0.375pts/$ spent.

I would still go with the Edge (if you neglect the sign on bonus) at half the fee and the free VA flight.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Note:

4 Gateway Membership Rewardspoints = 3 Airline RewardPartner points

So the 100K sign on gains 75K Krisflyer points.

 

[albyd]

Interesting offering given general spend is effectively 1.33 'normal' MR at the gateway conversion rate.
Might be getting a little cynical but since when do Amex credit cards look like charge cards?
Essential looks 'like' the Platinum charge card;
Explorer looks like a 'darker' (Centurion ...Cough)charge card.
Is this intentional?
There's always been a clear design distinction between credit (large centurion) and charge (small centurion in the middle).

 

[TomVexille]

Interesting offering given general spend is effectively 1.33 'normal' MR at the gateway conversion rate.
Might be getting a little cynical but since when do Amex credit cards look like charge cards?
Essential looks 'like' the Platinum charge card;
Explorer looks like a 'darker' (Centurion ...Cough)charge card.
Is this intentional?
There's always been a clear design distinction between credit (large centurion) and charge (small centurion in the middle).

I'm guessing that they want it to look like a "premium" card if they're charging $395/year

 

[mmchow]

No doubt it is a sleek looking card.

 

[tizey]

Given its a different rewards program to the velocity amex and the platinum charge, do you reckon a new sign up would be eligible for the 100k bonus points sign up?

Also - any consideration as to referral program? Thinking this is our next step for me + SO.

 

[Plutonus]

Interesting offering given general spend is effectively 1.33 'normal' MR at the gateway conversion rate.
Might be getting a little cynical but since when do Amex credit cards look like charge cards?
Essential looks 'like' the Platinum charge card;
Explorer looks like a 'darker' (Centurion ...Cough)charge card.
Is this intentional?
There's always been a clear design distinction between credit (large centurion) and charge (small centurion in the middle).

The style seems to be in keeping with the other Gateway Rewards card, the Essentials Credit Card.

I thought it was 4 gateway points = 3 airline points, so effectively 1.5 per $? Maybe I'm reading it wrong. The terms and conditions also say you can transfer points between rewards programs for a fee of $5 per 1,000.

 

[decs]

Note:

4 Gateway Membership Rewardspoints = 3 Airline RewardPartner points

So the 100K sign on gains 75K Krisflyer points.

What are people's thoughts on whether applying for this card while holding another Membership Rewards account/card (e.g. Edge or Charge) would convert the Gateway MR points to Ascent or Ascent Premium MR points?

I'm thinking similar to how people had their Ascent balances converted to Ascent Premium when they got the Platinum Charge...

 

[bismarck]

Seems pretty good. I've been shopping less and less at supermarkets, and hardly ever buy petrol so the 1.5 (true) pts/$ seems more attractive to me.

In fact, most of my spend is at restaurants but can't justify $1,200 for the Platinum Charge.

 

[Plutonus]

What are people's thoughts on whether applying for this card while holding another Membership Rewards account/card (e.g. Edge or Charge) would convert the Gateway MR points to Ascent or Ascent Premium MR points?

I'm thinking similar to how people had their Ascent balances converted to Ascent Premium when they got the Platinum Charge...

I'd say it's unlikely as Gateway converts at a different rate, whereas the two Ascent are of the same 'flavour'.

I'm considering this card to replace my Velocity Platinum (which I only got for the sign up bonus anyway).

 

[decs]

Seems pretty good. I've been shopping less and less at supermarkets, and hardly ever buy petrol so the 1.5 (true) pts/$ seems more attractive to me.

In fact, most of my spend is at restaurants but can't justify $1,200 for the Platinum Charge.

I completely agree. Having a very hard time justifying renewing my Charge and this seems the best miles-earner for general spend since Citi and Westpac have both devalued.

As someone who highly values CX AM and SQ KF currencies, this one is still a winner at *only* 1.5ppd.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I might take it up for the 75K KF pts for $395 after I cancel Velocity Platinum - OK value IMHO.

 

[decs]

I'd say it's unlikely as Gateway converts at a different rate, whereas the two Ascent are of the same 'flavour'.

I'm considering this card to replace my Velocity Platinum (which I only got for the sign up bonus anyway).

I see merit to this. At first I was disappointed, however thinking about it this could be a win-win. If we are wrong, and they do merge the MR Gateway points with MR Ascent points, they are worth 33% more. OTOH, if we are correct, then signing up via a referral might still trigger the 100k bonus MR Gateway points!

Now to decide whether to wait for a referral link and go for the bonus, or request a product change to try protect from more hard pulls to my credit file and avoid another cc fee...

 

[potm]

I wonder if there's a referral offer that gives even more points? Seems like it's on the same line of cards as the free essentials card. Anyone have one and can check if they can make a referral for this explorer card.

Even 75k krisflyer points and $400 travel credit is pretty good for $395. I already have a Charge, Reserve and Edge though so I don't think I can get another card.

 

[boomy]

Damn I have to cancel one of my existing cards to proceed with the application. Which one should I let go, the Velocity or the Qantas card? Hmmm

 

[get me outta here]

If you plan to keep the points and benefits and then churn this one, it may not matter which you cancel as you could go back to the one you just cancelled and try for another sign on bonus when you apply for that recently cancelled card as you will have cancelled this one.

 

[kamchatsky]

Based on what I have seen, this is a pretty good card, and is what people have been asking for: earning 1.5 points per dollar spent for most things. Sure there is the $395 annual fee but it is compensated by the $400 travel credit. Whilst some people may not use it, AFFers will definitely use it to the max.