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.

 

[potm]

One more solution is to link the accounts. My travel credit disappeared iniially but came back some time later.

 

[SOPOOR]

One more solution is to link the accounts. My travel credit disappeared iniially but came back some time later.

so if you have $400 and $200 for the edge and explorer, they will credit you $600?

does the reules of having to use it all in one shot still apply?

 

[crossbow]

so if you have $400 and $200 for the edge and explorer, they will credit you $600?

does the reules of having to use it all in one shot still apply?

I don't think anyone has access to $200 travel credit for Edge yet. Edge does not switch from free flight to travel credit until March 30 I think.

Unless you're talking about new Edge cardmembers. When did new Edge cards start getting $200 travel credit instead?

What is the experience of those with Explorer and Platinum Charge with a linked rewards account? The Charge has $300 travel credit.

 

[B0RDEX]

I don't think anyone has access to $200 travel credit for Edge yet. Edge does not switch from free flight to travel credit until March 30 I think.

Unless you're talking about new Edge cardmembers. When did new Edge cards start getting $200 travel credit instead?

New Edge member here, applied 12 Feb and got the $200 travel credit, which showed immediately upon activation.

 

[SOPOOR]

New Edge member here, applied 12 Feb and got the $200 travel credit, which showed immediately upon activation.

i believe my credit showed up immeidately , however wasnt useable until I paid the annual fee, so it was

showing as aviaible, but when I tried to book, the option to use it, didnt come up

a few people on here said that was normal

 

[B0RDEX]

i believe my credit showed up immeidately , however wasnt useable until I paid the annual fee, so it was

showing as aviaible, but when I tried to book, the option to use it, didnt come up

a few people on here said that was normal

The Edge has no annual fee for the first year... Perhaps there was a glitch and you needed to contact Amex to be able to use the travel credit, but it certainly wouldn't be blocked from use until you've held the card for 12 months (ie when annual fee would be raised).

 

[SOPOOR]

The Edge has no annual fee for the first year... Perhaps there was a glitch and you needed to contact Amex to be able to use the travel credit, but it certainly wouldn't be blocked from use until you've held the card for 12 months (ie when annual fee would be raised).

i dont want to derail this thread, because some people get quite touchy , but I had the previous promo of annual fee with $195 travel credit

 

[lovetravellingoz]

For those seeking The Edge Thread: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ewards/the-edge-general-discussion-81489.html

 

[BacchusMarsh]

Recently had an iPhone screen fixed at the Apple Store for $189 and got 90% of that back via the insurance on the Explorer. Relatively straightforward process.

 

[unfunkable]

Aight ill try calling and writing to them to plead my case
I heard the hard limit is 50k...would be nice to get that

spacebar
I wrote a letter and attached my latest NOA from ATO - they gave me a 10k increase , pretty happy with that, that's an extra 20k points per month @ 1% before tax

 

[Jonova]

My wife called this morning to link her Explorer and Edge on the same account. First call went through to an Australian CSR and she had no problems linking them together. Says it will take 24 hours for them to link and move the points across . I can already see the accounts linked after 30 min.

 

[B0RDEX]

My wife called this morning to link her Explorer and Edge on the same account. First call went through to an Australian CSR and she had no problems linking them together. Says it will take 24 hours for them to link and move the points across . I can already see the accounts linked after 30 min.

Thanks for sharing - I still haven't had a chance to follow up again yet (too many late nights!), do you know which number your wife called? Cheers.

 

[Jonova]

Thanks for sharing - I still haven't had a chance to follow up again yet (too many late nights!), do you know which number your wife called? Cheers.

She called the number on the back of the card

 

[B0RDEX]

Thanks Jonova!

So another update for anyone else trying to link - decided to give it on more try and called the number on the back, got the Philippines and the CSR initially advised it couldn't be done and quoted the notes back to me as per the last call... Bugger. I decided to try my luck and gave her the date and time of the call where I was told it would be done (but wasn't), and after a lengthy hold she advised she had been able to process it and transfer the points across and I should see this reflected on the account within 1-2 hours. Fingers crossed! The points have disappeared from the Explorer already but nothing credited into the Ascent yet... Here's hoping they haven't all been forfeited, that would be most unfortunate...

In any case this is my last attempt at linking, if it doesn't happen this time it obviously wasn't meant to be (though I do think I'll probably follow up if my Gateway points just vanish into thin air and try to get them back!)... Apologies for all my posts, but figured it could be useful for others trying to do the same. Good luck!

Edit: The linking gods have finally smiled upon me and all points are now showing in Ascent.

 

[SOPOOR]

Well did my first delink ING linking today.
Called up the Aussie guy rep was quite helpful. Just 15 mins before that had a useless philioino male who promised me all kinds of things and told me my understanding was very wrong. Which the Aussie guy said I was right.

Anyway. When I asked to have the two accounts linked he was like "oh that's a really good idea. Cos the redemption rates are different. I'll see what I can do"

On hold for a few minutes he comes back and says it's all done.

He Said he has delink ed the Plat edge. Which sounded wrong but I wasn't going to argue in case the next rep refused to do it.

Straight away my Explorer points have disappeared and it says it's under my edge account.

I assume this is looking all correct.

Just need make sure I don't lose any points or either travel credit.


Edit: and all done. The gateway prog disappeared. My points total was right. But no transactions. . 24 hrs it's all complete and working.

Happy as larry

 

[daft009]

rang at 4.30pm EST today.
the guy said he hadn't heard of such a thing as linking so he went to check with the first supervisor.
he came back and said he could do a manual transfer 1 to 1 but nothing automatic.
I then told him a friend had the auto linking done recently so he went to the second supervisor.
came back and said yes! so lets see what happens in 3-5 days like he promised.

 

[SponsorSFC]

Had my Explorer and Plat Edge linked today without any issue via an Australian CSR. Only had a small balance of Gateway points left after Transferring everything to SPG so wasn't worried if they were forfeited. She transferred them over to Ascent anyway.

Really happy with how this card has panned out so far.

 

[nat000]

Thanks Jonova!

So another update for anyone else trying to link - decided to give it on more try and called the number on the back, got the Philippines and the CSR initially advised it couldn't be done and quoted the notes back to me as per the last call... Bugger. I decided to try my luck and gave her the date and time of the call where I was told it would be done (but wasn't), and after a lengthy hold she advised she had been able to process it and transfer the points across and I should see this reflected on the account within 1-2 hours. Fingers crossed! The points have disappeared from the Explorer already but nothing credited into the Ascent yet... Here's hoping they haven't all been forfeited, that would be most unfortunate...

In any case this is my last attempt at linking, if it doesn't happen this time it obviously wasn't meant to be (though I do think I'll probably follow up if my Gateway points just vanish into thin air and try to get them back!)... Apologies for all my posts, but figured it could be useful for others trying to do the same. Good luck!

Edit: The linking gods have finally smiled upon me and all points are now showing in Ascent.

Looks like my points have also disappeared during the exlporer swap from gateway to ascent. Unless for some reason they've moved from gateway and not at ascent yet.
I was told it was ok to link to ascent, and would be done in 5 days ( this is day 5).
Should i start to stress ?
I've left a message for the csr who put the order through to contact me.

Update on my missing points. I rang up this morning and spoke to the csr who put the order through 5 days ago. Told him that my points went missing. So he manually added them to my ascent program. I checked 20 mins later and they were all in my ascent program now.
Phew.

 

[SOPOOR]

Just wondering

It seems amex is tightening a lot of their benefits and loopholes etc.

I don't intend to touch my setup but for all those people unlibking and linking multiple times. Isn't there a chance that eventually they will say no more. And then you'd be stuck on the gateway with the lower redemption rate?

Is combing ascebt and gateway technically against the rules or a loophole?

 

[Spizz]

Had my Explorer and Plat Edge linked today without any issue via an Australian CSR. Only had a small balance of Gateway points left after Transferring everything to SPG so wasn't worried if they were forfeited. She transferred them over to Ascent anyway.

Really happy with how this card has panned out so far.

Is your travel credit still there though?