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.

 

[bismarck]

Where'd you find this? When I click on supplementary card when logged into Amex there's no such 5k bonus.

You have to call.

 

[ninja-tim]

I took the plunge and applied. Got the screen saying it will take 5-10 days to get a decision.
I have a plat bus. charge card and the Velocity Plat card, so hoping they will approve this card. However I am planning on cancelling the Velocity card once I book my free flights.

 

[leyy]

got the bonus points after spending the required amount.

I previously held the velocity platinum card

 

[hummel]

You have to call.

Correct. My wife was on the phone to Amex the other day and they offered her 5k to sign me up as a supp holder on her card.

She declined saying '5000' pts isn't enough for him.

 

[boomy]

I talked to AMEX yesterday and was told the 5K bonus points on supplementary card is valid until the end of Oct. Considering getting another Charge card but worried it will cause issues getting the 100K bonus points on my +1 Explorer. The Amex rep promised it won't have any effect but it doesn't meant much.

 

[calgarychris]

Correct. My wife was on the phone to Amex the other day and they offered her 5k to sign me up as a supp holder on her card.

She declined saying '5000' pts isn't enough for him.

Does getting a supp card hit his credit rating? I thought supp cards were free, in which case, what's the down side? Does it preclude you from getting sign up bonuses?

I only ask as I'm getting an offer for 1,000 SPG points for supp cards overseas that I might do...

Thanks

 

[Dannyism]

How do you get the 400 dollar travel credit? I've got my points and payed my annual fee...

 

[Lawrage]

Does getting a supp card hit his credit rating? I thought supp cards were free, in which case, what's the down side? Does it preclude you from getting sign up bonuses?

I only ask as I'm getting an offer for 1,000 SPG points for supp cards overseas that I might do...

Thanks

It shouldnt no, a credit card is under one persons name, with the supp card all you are doing is linking the person to your account. Should have nothing to do with their rating or their ability to apply for the card themselves in their own name.

 

[Lawrage]

How do you get the 400 dollar travel credit? I've got my points and payed my annual fee...

Have you logged into your amex account and gone to the travel section? I am yet to pay my account and my credit is already showing when logged in, in the top right hand corner.

 

[dclol]

Anyone cancelled the card after getting the points?

What's the chance of a pro-rata refund of annual fee provided the travel credit are not use?

 

[unfunkable]

In terms of points earn (for velocity) it seems this card is just the same as a CBA diamond or WBC altitude black?
Gateway program 1MR = 0.75 VP
$1 spend = 2 MR = 1.5VP

For the above bank issued cards, $1 spend = 3 points = 1.5VP.

Or am I doing something wrong? Cheers

 

[M@rcoPolo]

Just for the explorer card? I can recall getting 3k points a while back for getting a plat edge supp card.
Aaaargh! if only I could sign up the cat as a supp card holder... ;'(

Perhaps not the cat but friends & family will work

 

[Lawrage]

Yeah that's about right. Same points earn rate as my bank issued Amex. Main diff for me is the bonus points and the travel credit. Also a lot more points transfer options.

 

[Isochronous]

I talked to AMEX yesterday and was told the 5K bonus points on supplementary card is valid until the end of Oct. Considering getting another Charge card but worried it will cause issues getting the 100K bonus points on my +1 Explorer. The Amex rep promised it won't have any effect but it doesn't meant much.

Why isn't this advertised anywhere? Can we get it if we apply for supp cards through the online portal?

 

[albyd]

Bank Amex earn started to reduce due to new RBA rules. It appears Amex is looking to enhance MR Ascent Premium as discussed in specific thread on AFF:
AMEX - Potentially Changing Ascent

I wonder if Gateway will be left alone or also enhanced. While Explorer and Essentials cards are pretty new and the only "mainstream" cards linked to Gateway, Gateway has been around for some time linked to the Rewards Advantage Charge card which has been around for ages. Otherwise, Explorer with MR Gateway might be a good option.

 

[dec540]

Another success story here. I had a VA Platinum card which was cancelled in April 2016. I applied for the explorer a couple of weeks ago and the points posted as soon as the required spend was hit.

I registered for a new username when activating the card, though it sounds like that doesn't make a difference.

 

[VOZ102]

Can confirm 5000 points promo for first supp card holder you add - plus they get your insurances etc.

 

[boomy]

Why isn't this advertised anywhere? Can we get it if we apply for supp cards through the online portal?

Just call them and do it over the phone, it doesn't cost you anything and if worst case you don't get the points (which I can't see happening), cancel the card.

 

[boomy]

My experience with Explorer:

Signed up online and account automatically linked to my existing Accent (as expected). Called and asked to separate the accounts. They were indeed separated immediately but was told it takes up to 5 working days to create Gateway. Meanwhile I can spend on the card and points will be backtracked to the new programme. Spent > $1500 and points indeed showed up on Gateway but no bonus. Later spent again > $1500 and the 100K finally showed up.

Now my dilemma is what to do next:
1. Keep the points in the account and ask to merge back with Accent, hoping the points will have greater value but also risking loosing them altogether.
2. Transfer the points to KF and then ask to merge.
3. Keep Gateway, earn less miles but enjoy the promos

 

[Damien00]

Well my 100,000 bonus points landed in my account overnight. As I previously mentioned I had a Velocity Platinum card which I closed earlier in the year and even though I linked this card to the same online login I used for the Velocity card the bonus points hit.

Both my partner and I applied for this card and as of right now we've both qualified for the 100,000 point bonus and used both Travel Credits available to us. I'd definitely call this one a "win". Now to get into that AMEX lounge in Sydney....