Credit Card Offers Amex Explorer: 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.

 

[leyy]

question

have a friend who applied for explorer, ive spent the minimum spend and is giving me the points

however the max transfer of points is 50k, and they would be on the gateway program,
they are going to close the card soon as they wont use it,
they also wont get a platinum edge as they wont get the bonus points

what options do thye have to get the most points out of the situation

I was thinking, transfer the max 50k to me, and the rest to my velocity

and when do you recommend to cancel the card, the travel credit isnt important but we do have to pay the annual fee,
we could sell the travel credit it if we can find a buyer

alterantively, we can pay the fee, use the credit , and cancel the card and try and get a retention bonus as well

thanks everyone

There is a $5.00 fee for gifting points from Gateway program to Ascent Program, so 50K points is a $250.00 fee is that really worth it?

Or is there a loop hole around this fee?

 

[SOPOOR]

There is a $5.00 fee for gifting points from Gateway program to Ascent Program, so 50K points is a $250.00 fee is that really worth it?

Or is there a loop hole around this fee?

Oh bummer
Didn't know that. Maybe a straight transfer into velocity is the way to go

 

[Steady]

Oh bummer
Didn't know that. Maybe a straight transfer into velocity is the way to go

So the straight transfer would be via family pooling?
or are you saying the MR points can be transferred straight to a Velocity account in a different name?

 

[daft009]

There is a $5.00 fee for gifting points from Gateway program to Ascent Program, so 50K points is a $250.00 fee is that really worth it?

Or is there a loop hole around this fee?

I'm aware of this fee but it's still worth it imo. Otherwise $250 gets you 500 points. This way you are getting 50k!

 

[SOPOOR]

So the straight transfer would be via family pooling?
or are you saying the MR points can be transferred straight to a Velocity account in a different name?

I'm aware of this fee but it's still worth it imo. Otherwise $250 gets you 500 points. This way you are getting 50k!

yes I was aware of that fee, and yes ouchy, not worith it for me out of prinicpal,

I assume the velocity transfer will work,

also I just got my bonus points even though the annual fee hasnt been paid, ive only had the card for about 10 days,'
with my other explorer account I needed to pay the fee to get the bonus points, oh well,

I might see if I can transfer it all out before the annual fee is due

 

[Spizz]

I'm aware of this fee but it's still worth it imo. Otherwise $250 gets you 500 points. This way you are getting 50k!

Actually $250 would get you 10,000 Ascent Points. So $250 for 50,000 points I agree is still worth it.

 

[daft009]

How can you get 10k from a $250 spend?

 

[SOPOOR]

Well i managed to transfer my friends 100000k ascent poiints to their velocity
Then over to mine.
Tranfer completed within 24 hrs
75000 velocity point's

Going to cancel the card on monday.
Havebt been chsrged the annual fee yet

Hope i can get it cancelled without paying it
Havent used the travel credit.

 

[firstclasser]

Well i managed to transfer my friends 100000k ascent poiints to their velocity
Then over to mine.
Tranfer completed within 24 hrs
75000 velocity point's

Going to cancel the card on monday.
Havebt been chsrged the annual fee yet

Hope i can get it cancelled without paying it
Havent used the travel credit.

You should have waited for the 15% bonus velocity promotion in November.

 

[supa007]

Another data point for people trying to convert Gateway points to Ascent.

I called on a Sat arvo on 1300 132 639, spoke to an Aussie lady "Rebecca" about something unrelated (travel credit not showing up). She was the one who suggested I convert Explorer to earn Ascent points!

Best of luck getting her.

 

[SOPOOR]

You should have waited for the 15% bonus velocity promotion in November.

Hmmm I didn't know when the next bonus is.

Also I'm trying to cancel the card before the annual fee charge comes in to play as I would have struggled to use the $400 credit.
I was trying to arrange with friends for me to book their hotel for them and they pay me back

Maybe I should have waited until nov

 

[Spizz]

How can you get 10k from a $250 spend?

Buying them from Amex.

 

[daft009]

Buying them from Amex.

Please explain more. How and where? Annual limits?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Please explain more. How and where? Annual limits?

You purchase at the rate of $25 per 1000 points. To buy you need to call. I am not sure if there is an official maximum.

 

[Cynicor]

Well i managed to transfer my friends 100000k ascent poiints to their velocity
Then over to mine.
Tranfer completed within 24 hrs
75000 velocity point's

Going to cancel the card on monday.
Havebt been chsrged the annual fee yet

Hope i can get it cancelled without paying it
Havent used the travel credit.

Were you able to transfer among velocity within the T+Cs or have you been a little 'creative' with the relationship? I couldn't find a way to legitimately move my mate's amex points to me.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Were you able to transfer among velocity within the T+Cs or have you been a little 'creative' with the relationship? I couldn't find a way to legitimately move my mate's amex points to me.

I suspect that one mate be ok. But if you start having regular mates you may get a please explain query...

 

[SOPOOR]

Were you able to transfer among velocity within the T+Cs or have you been a little 'creative' with the relationship? I couldn't find a way to legitimately move my mate's amex points to me.

Well. You be the judge.
Ex gf of 10yrs

 

[SOPOOR]

Just FYI for everyone. Apparently got told that the annual fee will be charged even if you cancel straight away.

Not q100% convinced as the rep spent ages trying to convince us to stay and asking us why we were leaving and came up with excuses every second.

We will probably keep it and use the travel credit

 

[Cynicor]

Why wouldn't it be charged? You get the points and the benefits to use. Renewal is a different matter.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Applied while the bonus was up and approved. My first ever CC actually. Looking forward to it arriving, is there anywhere I should be reading to learn any particular quirks/tricks about this card/AMEX gateway in general?