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

---

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.

 

[maccaisking]

Update to this. 2 further late night calls this week to link were unsuccessful (one said the only way to link is to cancel one card!). Mrs Mac rang again today, got a USA call centre. The operator said request should be ok and put us on hold. When she came back she apologised and said Gateway points need to be xferred out first or forfeited.

We rang the number on the card a few hours later, (had been calling MR number) and linking was done on the spot. Gateway is gone and message where Gateway points used to be says refer to card xx_xx. Points haven't transferred yet but expecting that they will in next 3-5 days. Just hope I don't get anything about a forfeit.

I have to say the operators were all very nice and professional even when turning is down, the hardest part has been convincing my wife that if we keep trying eventually one will say yes.

Just had Mrs Mac call and try to link Gateway to Ascent, her accounts were not linked when cards arrived. I gave her a thorough briefing on what to say, we called the Membership Rewards number and got through to call centre in Phillipines (I think - def not Aus) and was told linking no problem but points have to be xferred out first or they are forfeited. Plan to try again each night this week and if no luck after the weekend will take out the points and then link. Will update with progress.

Does anyone know if US call centres can be reached early morning Aus time (ie 630am) through the week?

edit: I should add the reason given for needing to forfeit was because you shouldn't receive sign up bonus for two cards. The operator said the system will wipe them if it detects another card. It was nothing to do with point value.
As we had Explorer 1st, I might ask if we can forfeit the points from the Plat Edge instead as they are the ones we 'shouldn't' have received.

 

[Irishbazz]

Good to see it worked out! Saturday seems to be the new sweet spot for re-linking.

 

[MicoPico]

Update to this. 2 further late night calls this week to link were unsuccessful (one said the only way to link is to cancel one card!). Mrs Mac rang again today, got a USA call centre. The operator said request should be ok and put us on hold. When she came back she apologised and said Gateway points need to be xferred out first or forfeited.

We rang the number on the card a few hours later, (had been calling MR number) and linking was done on the spot. Gateway is gone and message where Gateway points used to be says refer to card xx_xx. Points haven't transferred yet but expecting that they will in next 3-5 days. Just hope I don't get anything about a forfeit.

I have to say the operators were all very nice and professional even when turning is down, the hardest part has been convincing my wife that if we keep trying eventually one will say yes.

i am in a similar situation. Called a few times late night during the week and was put through to the Philippines call centre. They were firm that linking is not possible due to the different programs and rates.

Gave it one more shot today. When I heard that the CSR is in Sydney, I was prepared to be told the same answer. But to my surprise, the very courteous guy said it is fine after putting me on a few minutes hold. He was very clear that the points in my gateway will be transferred and combined with my ascent account.

gateway is not visible anymore but the points haven't landed in my Ascent yet. Fingers crossed too that I haven't lost the bulk!

 

[billbro]

I just tried again and no luck, congrats to those of you who managed to do it.

I think I will just leave it, I've had 2 rejected calls already - meant to receive a call back on Monday to see if it can be done, but if not I'll just let it be.

 

[Irishbazz]

I just tried again and no luck, congrats to those of you who managed to do it.

I think I will just leave it, I've had 2 rejected calls already - meant to receive a call back on Monday to see if it can be done, but if not I'll just let it be.

Third time lucky Billbro!

 

[SOPOOR]

Got some good news! despite being explicitly told by the amex CSR (twice over two phone calls) that I wouldn't receive any sign-up bonus because amex had plugged the 'loophole' and upgraded their system I did receive my bonus this morning! just minutes after the final charge that pushed me over the $1500 was confirmed the 110,000 points hit. so relieved! points have already be transferred to my krisflyer account for safe keeping lol.

So you already had Plat edge. Got the bonus on this card

And then applied for Explorer for the very first time?

 

[anat0l]

My sister just got her card and more than likely she'll be linked to Ascent. So now to navigate the unlinking process with her...

Today being Sunday I'm hoping any time today will be OK, although from reports even some of the Filipino staff may be coming around.

I dread to think of relinking... even my own when I've already got the signup bonus. At what worth is the risk?

 

[blingy90]

While for some it is quick, for others it has taken a week to sort itself out. Off the top of my head I cannot recall anyone who had problems not linking all ok after a while.

Thnaks lovetravellingoz, It will be a week for me come Monday/Tuesday....so shall see if there is any activity on the point front!

 

[MicoPico]

i am in a similar situation. Called a few times late night during the week and was put through to the Philippines call centre. They were firm that linking is not possible due to the different programs and rates.

Gave it one more shot today. When I heard that the CSR is in Sydney, I was prepared to be told the same answer. But to my surprise, the very courteous guy said it is fine after putting me on a few minutes hold. He was very clear that the points in my gateway will be transferred and combined with my ascent account.

gateway is not visible anymore but the points haven't landed in my Ascent yet. Fingers crossed too that I haven't lost the bulk!

All my gateway points have landed in my Ascent this morning. Very happy with the outcome. Thanks everyone for the tips and advice here.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Well, while some people have been linking and delinking (and then linking again), I'm just happy to have received my 110,000 bonus points this morning as a new MR member. Explorer is my first card linked to any form of Membership Rewards, so can't say I'll be tinkering with that any time soon: just happy to have what I have - those points will come in handy for some travel plans I'm putting together. The only question now is whether I also apply for the Plat Charge later in the year, as the T&Cs specifically allow existing AMEX credit card holders to earn bonus points with a new charge card, but the annual fee is a bit hard to swallow... oh well, guess I have a while to think about it.

 

[billbro]

Quick update from me, so I received a call back and thankfully they told me I can link my programs together.

The only issue is I was told I would forfeit the $400 travel credit unless I use it first - so just need to get that out of the way before I link them back together!

Not sure if anyone else has tried to use their travel credit after linking their accounts?

 

[Irishbazz]

Yep...Used mine after re-linking.

Had to call to have it manually added as it wasn't showing up but nothing unusual with that.

 

[unfunkable]

Where is the $400 travel credit supposed to show up in your online banking?

This might be a first - on the Mrs explorer, we de linked and had a gateway account open. We have made the required 1.5k spend, and no point's posted yet.
Transaction has gone off pending as well...no point's for that transaction either. From experience points post as soon as spend is made, will give it another day or so

edit: amex must be reading this - points posted now

 

[Ken1]

Where is the $400 travel credit supposed to show up in your online banking?

This might be a first - on the Mrs explorer, we de linked and had a gateway account open. We have made the required 1.5k spend, and no point's posted yet.
Transaction has gone off pending as well...no point's for that transaction either. From experience points post as soon as spend is made, will give it another day or so

I have Platinum Charge and Reserve cards as well as the Explorer. When I log on to my Amex account the Explorer card comes up first and under Membership Rewards it says "Please view your points balance under Card : xx_-00000 .
I then go to that card and under Membership Rewards it shows "Your Points Balance". Click on that and it opens a screen with My Points History showing all your transactions and points earned etc. At the top left of the screen click on "My Redemptions" which shows redemption history for the last 12 months. On that screen I see listed $400 Travel Credit posted the day after I received and activated the Explorer card.

When I go to Platinum Travel - Book A Trip I see the $300 Platinum Travel Credit from my Charge card that I haven't used yet but not the $400 Explorer travel credit so I'll have to phone up to use that when I'm ready to book something. Last week I could see both the $300 Platinum Travel Credit and the $400 Travel Credit both listed as "Status - In Progress" but now only the $400 one is showing, along with my points transfers to QFF and my Platinum Reserve flight bookings, showing as completed.

 

[unfunkable]

Thanks for that
I only see my $200 credit for the plat edge
So I guess I need to call and ask about the $400 for the explorer?
cheers

 

[nightelves]

Anyone know if you still get hotel status if you book via Amex Travel Services?

 

[Ken1]

Thanks for that
I only see my $200 credit for the plat edge
So I guess I need to call and ask about the $400 for the explorer?
cheers

As I mentioned, I only see the $300 Charge credit on the Platinum Travel - Book A Trip page when I log in to my account although the $400 Explorer credit shows under My Redemptions. I have just phoned the Platinum Travel number and was told that she can see the Explorer $400 credit as well as the $300 Platinum credit but that I can't use the $400 through Platinum Travel. She told me that I have to log in separately to my Explorer card and that it must be used online while I can use the $300 Platinum travel credit when booking with them over the phone. I told her that I have one log in for all my cards so don't see a way to use the $400 online.

I'll wait until I'm ready to book something in the next couple of months and I'll call the Card Services number about it if it's still not showing when I go to book something. Has anyone else who has travel credits from both the Explorer and a Platinum Charge or Edge card had both travel credits show at the same time when you go to book a trip through your account? I'm sure I've read in this thread of people phoning up to use their $400 travel credit.

 

[fairbasa]

Anyone know if you still get hotel status if you book via Amex Travel Services?

AMEX Travel are just an OTA like any other, so no I don't believe you will receive hotel status recognition.

 

[jetcam]

AMEX Travel are just an OTA like any other, so no I don't believe you will receive hotel status recognition.

you could always ask for them to record your membership number on check in. has worked for me in the past.

 

[fairbasa]

you could always ask for them to record your membership number on check in. has worked for me in the past.

I guess each chain and property are different, but many have a policy of not honouring status when booked through OTAs to discourage booking indirectly. Whether the individual properties enforce this on check-in I imagine varies, however it's something that shouldn't be expected.