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.

 

[B0RDEX]

It really depends on what sort of account you'll ended up getting. If they are on Gateway (Explorer) and Ascent (Edge) you are fine. Proceed with spending the minimum amount and you'll get the bonus points.

Things get tricky when you had the both cards on the Ascent. Details on the wiki page, call to delink, met the spend requirement and both bonus points should post. To relink it back, mix result but still doable.

For the travel credit, you'll get both and they are on separate account. I was told that I couldn't combine both together and use it as one credit.

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated... What about the transfer of points from Gateway to Ascent? I read the Wiki page before posting, it didn't seem clear there.

The Explorer arrived today, so if I activate it and meet the minimum spend I'll get the 80k points on the Gateway program. That's all well and good. I applied for the Plat Edge just to get into the Ascent program for the better redemption rates, thinking once I had that I could transfer the 80k Gateway points from the Explorer over to the Ascent program, but someone else has said that's not possible - but I can't seem to find a definitive answer? Does anyone know about that?

 

[mmchow]

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated... What about the transfer of points from Gateway to Ascent? I read the Wiki page before posting, it didn't seem clear there.

The Explorer arrived today, so if I activate it and meet the minimum spend I'll get the 80k points on the Gateway program. That's all well and good. I applied for the Plat Edge just to get into the Ascent program for the better redemption rates, thinking once I had that I could transfer the 80k Gateway points from the Explorer over to the Ascent program, but someone else has said that's not possible - but I can't seem to find a definitive answer? Does anyone know about that?

You can't transfer the Gateway points to Ascent as they are two different rewards program. What others, including myself have done is call up AMEX and request to have the Gateway link to Ascent. There are reports where the CSR said this couldn't be done but there have been many positive feedback that it went through alright. You'll just have to try. Once it is linked, you should see all your points pooled into the Ascent program.

 

[billbro]

Finally had success linking my cards (or at least a back office request was meant to have been done yesterday) - unlike others who have had instant linkage, both my reward programs are still active... but will see what happens over the next few days.

Been a week and still nothing... guess it's time to give them another call this weekend ._.

 

[SOPOOR]

I ordered 4 supp cards together

One arrived today and it had the paper with all the fees on it and it said $395 annual fee.

Is this the what happens when you order a supp card?

 

[jbman]

yes it's the same paperwork as the original account holder gets.

Fee is once per original account holder application, no fees for the sup card

 

[Ken1]

I ordered 4 supp cards together

One arrived today and it had the paper with all the fees on it and it said $395 annual fee.

Is this the what happens when you order a supp card?

Yes it is. I ordered a Supplementary card for our Son and additional cards for myself and my Wife. The additional cards for us arrived six days later, and our Son's supplementary card arrived the next day, and both lots had the letter which lists the credit limit, annual fee etc.

 

[SOPOOR]

yes it's the same paperwork as the original account holder gets.

Fee is once per original account holder application, no fees for the sup card

Thought this was the case.
Just thought the paper was odd

I wouldn't have minded paying the fee again and getting another 110k points!

 

[HeavyElectricity]

I had a quick play with the AMEX travel site, looking at some flights to use my $400 travel credit on. Does anyone know if the fare-bucket/type can be chosen for Virgin Australia flights? I was hoping to get a flexi/freedom fare using the travel credit, so I could upgrade to business with one of my platinum vouchers. But from an initial search it looked like there wasn't a way to choose the fare bucket.

 

[PDog]

I had a quick play with the AMEX travel site, looking at some flights to use my $400 travel credit on. Does anyone know if the fare-bucket/type can be chosen for Virgin Australia flights? I was hoping to get a flexi/freedom fare using the travel credit, so I could upgrade to business with one of my platinum vouchers. But from an initial search it looked like there wasn't a way to choose the fare bucket.

i couldn't work out how to do it either (I wanted to do exactly the same thing!) It was too late to call AMEX from Perth so I just ended up buying the flexi outright.

 

[Spizz]

Been a week and still nothing... guess it's time to give them another call this weekend ._.

Any update?

 

[puchu]

So, I've foolishly spent up to the $1,500 minimum on the explorer without checking if it was linked to my Ascent Premium or on the Gateway programme. When I called up to query why the welcome bonus had yet to post, I was told that they would be delinking the two accounts, and that the welcome bonus would post then. Is the wiki on this thread correct in saying that I will have to spend an additional $1,500 for the welcome bonus to post?

 

[nightelves]

Yes you will need to

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So, I've foolishly spent up to the $1,500 minimum on the explorer without checking if it was linked to my Ascent Premium or on the Gateway programme. When I called up to query why the welcome bonus had yet to post, I was told that they would be delinking the two accounts, and that the welcome bonus would post then. Is the wiki on this thread correct in saying that I will have to spend an additional $1,500 for the welcome bonus to post?

Yes.

However were you told that they would be delinking the two accounts, without you prompting them to do so?

I am just interested in the sequence as they in the past had to be asked to delink.

 

[puchu]

Yes.

However were you told that they would be delinking the two accounts, without you prompting them to do so?

I am just interested in the sequence as they in the past had to be asked to delink.

I was told that they would be delinking the two accounts. A week ago I had called up before spending the $1,500 for another reason, and I was told by the CSR then that I would be getting the welcome bonus, even though the two accounts were linked (the CSR had noticed they were linked).

I asked if they should be delinked and was told that it would be fine linked.

After spending $1,500 in the next week, I noticed today the points did not credit instantly as they did for the charge card. So I called up and was told straight up that the two accounts would have to be delinked and that the points would then be credited within 6-8 weeks, once the minimum spend had been met. I clearly asked if my previous spend on the Explorer card meant I would qualify for the welcome bonus and was told yes. Obviously I am being misled by multiple phone agents.

 

[puchu]

So I was put through to a manager who immediately said that the cards are allowed to be linked together and immediately put the points in to my account. Great service recovery.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

I had a quick play with the AMEX travel site, looking at some flights to use my $400 travel credit on. Does anyone know if the fare-bucket/type can be chosen for Virgin Australia flights? I was hoping to get a flexi/freedom fare using the travel credit, so I could upgrade to business with one of my platinum vouchers. But from an initial search it looked like there wasn't a way to choose the fare bucket.

I phoned AMEX travel today and was told that the website only shows the cheapest fare bucket available in the class selected, but they can book the more expensive (freedom) fares over the phone, and also that it shouldn't be an issue using the travel credit on the phone either .

 

[PDog]

I phoned AMEX travel today and was told that the website only shows the cheapest fare bucket available in the class selected, but they can book the more expensive (freedom) fares over the phone, and also that it shouldn't be an issue using the travel credit on the phone either .

Thanks for the update! Too bad I used our last credit for NZ accommodation last night, but good to know for future use!

 

[oh_lol]

Anyone having issues with points posting? Spent well over the $1.5k and the points haven't posted (I am de-linked with the Explorer on Gateway).

I've transferred some money to pay off the card, maybe the points will post then?

 

[Returnofthemach]

Assuming you applied for the card during the promotional period, the cards were correctly delinked and you spent the $1500 after the delinking occurred, the bonus points should post to your account as soon as the transaction pushing you over the $1,500 spend moves from pending to confirmed. If all of this has happened and still no points you have a drama somewhere.

I delinked a couple of weeks ago and received the bonus points without any issue per the above.

 

[unfunkable]

In regards to having a merged ascent / explorer account and missing the $400 explorer credit

It's been 11 days since I submitted a request - had to ring 2 more times.
When I go to the travel page, I used to see a $200 credit where the point's details are, but now there is nothing.

When I click my points, then my redemption's, I can now see a $200 and $400 credit listed there ( used to be only $200)

When I click travel and book a hotel, at the end page where you pay, there is no option to use ANY credit ( before it used to be the $200)

I will wait one more day, maybe the system needs to update it self or something. I want to book using these credits and stack with the 200/50 travel credit

edit: they literally must of been working on it!
It now appears....!!! Didn't have to de-link accounts either.
Everything is awesomeeeeeeeeeee