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.

 

[Steady]

To add your card you'll need to go via here: https://www.paypal.com/creditcard

Thanks pauly, I probably didn't explain very well in my post - I don't have / haven't had any issue adding anyother CC cards to my Paypal account - it just wont accept the Explorer details.

I was wondering if anyone else had successfully added their Explorer card to see if it is a unique problem to me, or something to do with it being a new offering or....

 

[bismarck]

Thanks pauly, I probably didn't explain very well in my post - I don't have / haven't had any issue adding anyother CC cards to my Paypal account - it just wont accept the Explorer details.

I was wondering if anyone else had successfully added their Explorer card to see if it is a unique problem to me, or something to do with it being a new offering or....

I've successfully added mine and made a payment. Must be something else.

 

[pauly]

I was wondering if anyone else had successfully added their Explorer card to see if it is a unique problem to me, or something to do with it being a new offering or....

I probably should have elaborated.

Paypal have a known bug where if you try to add an Amex via your wallet it will, erroneously, identify it as a Mastercard.
If you use the above link it will let you add the card (as that page isn't affected by the same bug). I added my Explorer using this link just the other day after speaking with a CSR.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Thanks pauly, I probably didn't explain very well in my post - I don't have / haven't had any issue adding anyother CC cards to my Paypal account - it just wont accept the Explorer details.

I was wondering if anyone else had successfully added their Explorer card to see if it is a unique problem to me, or something to do with it being a new offering or....

Might be a glitch/ bug. I went to swap which Amex I had linked (I have just put a large 0% balance transfer on my Westpac Black) and so temporarily went to put my wife's Edge on. It would not take her number but did accept my Edge. I was doing this online on my computer.

 

[Steady]

I probably should have elaborated.

Paypal have a known bug where if you try to add an Amex via your wallet it will, erroneously, identify it as a Mastercard.
If you use the above link it will let you add the card (as that page isn't affected by the same bug). I added my Explorer using this link just the other day after speaking with a CSR.

Ahhhh, very many thanks pauly I will give that a go in the morning

 

[jackthomas]

My Explorer arrived today... Maybe I am just being overly picky, but has anybody else noticed that the card feels very flimsy? Certainly not as sturdy as any of my other credit cards and Platinum Edge...

Fingers crossed for the bonus points but not holding out hope with some of the recent reports!

 

[lang_13]

Got my card and spent threshold amount. Was surprised to see 100k gateway points posted this morning (even though some of transactions were still pending). Also noted line about travel credit. Closed plat edge after applying and currently hold velocity plat.

 

[Steady]

To add your card you'll need to go via here: https://www.paypal.com/creditcard

Thanks pauly, I probably didn't explain very well in my post - I don't have / haven't had any issue adding anyother CC cards to my Paypal account - it just wont accept the Explorer details.

I was wondering if anyone else had successfully added their Explorer card to see if it is a unique problem to me, or something to do with it being a new offering or....

I probably should have elaborated.

Paypal have a known bug where if you try to add an Amex via your wallet it will, erroneously, identify it as a Mastercard.
If you use the above link it will let you add the card (as that page isn't affected by the same bug). I added my Explorer using this link just the other day after speaking with a CSR.

Ahhhh, very many thanks pauly I will give that a go in the morning

Thanks pauly, problem solved

 

[ProggerPete]

With westpac being devalued I'm looking at jumping on the AMEX bandwagon. Is this card the best place to start or should I be looking at the Platinum Edge?

 

[adelee]

With westpac being devalued I'm looking at jumping on the AMEX bandwagon. Is this card the best place to start or should I be looking at the Platinum Edge?

Depends what you value more, and where you'll focus most of your spend (though both cards have very good point per dollar earning rates).

The Plat edge has a slightly lower annual fee ($195), free flight and 3 points per dollar at supermarkets and petrol stations. However, a low sign on bonus of 15,000 points Ascent MR points (with referral).

The Explorer is a slightly higher fee ($400), but comes with $400 travel credit, plus a very generous 100,000 Gateway MR points sign on bonus (equivalent to 75,000 fflyer points). You'll get 2 points per dollar on all spend with the exception of Govt spending. I have both, but if I had to choose just one, I'd go with the Explorer.

 

[Damien00]

Got my partner signed up and approved for this card last night. I'm quite curious to see if she gets the sign on bonus as she held and closed a Velocity Platinum card earlier this year.... but it sounds like plenty of other people have received the bonus points so fingers crossed.

This will actually be our first time earning and using MR points as we've always had direct earning cards before. It's a bit of a change in thinking but I like the flexibility it appears to offer.

 

[Steady]

Got my partner signed up and approved for this card last night. I'm quite curious to see if she gets the sign on bonus as she held and closed a Velocity Platinum card earlier this year.... but it sounds like plenty of other people have received the bonus points so fingers crossed.

This will actually be our first time earning and using MR points as we've always had direct earning cards before. It's a bit of a change in thinking but I like the flexibility it appears to offer.

This is me - I closed the same card earlier this year and it is my first go at MR points.

Is there a thread discussing the differences between Accent and Gateway MR points?

 

[Mr_Orange]

Is there a thread discussing the differences between Accent and Gateway MR points?

Not that I have seen, but I think the major differences are the number of conversion options and the conversion rate. Ascent having more choice and better conversion rates.

 

[Dannyism]

Based on feedback in this thread I've just applied for the explorer card, even though I cancelled Velocity AMEX gold in Feb this year. Fingers crossed I get the 100K bonus points.

 

[albyd]

One interesting thing with MR Gateway that point hacks brought up recently is the un advertised ability to convert to SPG and effective point per dollar earn rate which is only bettered by the other Amex cards for 3 point spend categories.
http://www.pointhacks.com.au/amex-starwood-preferred-guest-credit-cards-australia/

 

[hcshih]

My Explorer has been setup in a weird way.
Basically I started with an Edge, then got Platinum Charge. Received the 120K bonus and all my Ascent points got converted to Ascent Premium, and all the subsequent points from Edge spendings went into Ascent Premium.

Then got Explorer, and no Gateway MR account created. No bonus points received so far even spending exceeded required. However, it appears all Explorer spendings are into the Ascent Premium, with the ratio of 2pt/$1 !! I'll say it's pretty awesome for long run, albeit missed the 100K bonus.

 

[N860CR]

My Explorer has been setup in a weird way.
Basically I started with an Edge, then got Platinum Charge. Received the 120K bonus and all my Ascent points got converted to Ascent Premium, and all the subsequent points from Edge spendings went into Ascent Premium.

Then got Explorer, and no Gateway MR account created. No bonus points received so far even spending exceeded required. However, it appears all Explorer spendings are into the Ascent Premium, with the ratio of 2pt/$1 !! I'll say it's pretty awesome for long run, albeit missed the 100K bonus.

A few of us have had the same happen.

Keep an eye on intl transactions if you do any. They're only posting at 1PPD. I'd pay the 3% for 2PPD but not 1

 

[blingy90]

Hi everyone,

I've been keeping an eye on this thread, I'm a current plat edge holder, but I do want to add the explorer to my inventory...and hopefully get the bonus points too!

Has anyone received the bonus points for the explorer and are a current edge holder???

And is it correct in saying, it appears that if you are added into the ascent program...you miss out on the bonus points? Whereas if you are added into the gateaway you will receive the bonus points? Does that seem to be people's experiences????

 

[bismarck]

Hi everyone,

I've been keeping an eye on this thread, I'm a current plat edge holder, but I do want to add the explorer to my inventory...and hopefully get the bonus points too!

Has anyone received the bonus points for the explorer and are a current edge holder???

And is it correct in saying, it appears that if you are added into the ascent program...you miss out on the bonus points? Whereas if you are added into the gateaway you will receive the bonus points? Does that seem to be people's experiences????

Yes. (extra characters)

 

[halogen]

My current Amex situation, holding:

Plat Edge since 2014
Velocity Platinum since 2015 (signed up this time last year for the 110k VF bonus)

I was intending to cancel the Velocity platinum (before second annual fee) after this weekend's shop small promotion anyway when I chanced upon the Amex Explorer card.

After reading through the posts from Page 1, it seems that some people have had mixed reports on obtaining the sign up bonus (whilst holding on to the Plat Edge - Ascent MR card).

Some seem to have gotten it without any issues and some have gotten their Amex Explorer reward account merged with their existing Ascent account (better earn rate) with no sign up bonus points.

Not sure what to do at the moment, I can't see Amex allowing the Explorer to earn 2 AMR points / $ in the long run, seems like a mistake/glitch with the new card?