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.

 

[SOPOOR]

Really envy you guys who simply had their travel credit manually adjusted within a few seconds.

Seriously hate calling amex and having to confirm all your details. Then to explain the situation. Then they put you o hold to Read the notes. And then come back to you and say Oh we'll get the person to call you back. Sometimes they do sometimes the dont

I'm now almost a week since I initiated a request. I even asked them to manually do it like so many have experienced.
.
I've even asked new staff to manually add it but I've been told someone else has actioned it so they can't.

My rep has called me back a few times. And each time it's some explanation. Despite saying it's a simple assured process

Accounts unlinked, no travel credit showing......
Some reps are saying my credit is there. Some are saying it's there and it's linked. Some are saying 24 hrs..

Giving me a headache

 

[blingy90]

Any recent reports of people receiving (or not receiving) the explorer bonus when being an existing card holder???

 

[petejay]

Any recent reports of people receiving (or not receiving) the explorer bonus when being an existing card holder???

Current Plat Edge holder.. applied 1.5 weeks ago via referral link. Received/activated card mid last week. Spent required $1500+ (ATO payment) on Friday. Points (for payment at 0.5) posted Monday morning. As yet, no sign-up bonus. Not holding my breath...

P

 

[fairbasa]

Current Plat Edge holder.. applied 1.5 weeks ago via referral link. Received/activated card mid last week. Spent required $1500+ (ATO payment) on Friday. Points (for payment at 0.5) posted Monday morning. As yet, no sign-up bonus. Not holding my breath...

P

Sounds like no bonus coming then.

 

[blingy90]

Current Plat Edge holder.. applied 1.5 weeks ago via referral link. Received/activated card mid last week. Spent required $1500+ (ATO payment) on Friday. Points (for payment at 0.5) posted Monday morning. As yet, no sign-up bonus. Not holding my breath...

P

Sounds like no bonus coming then.

Bugger.

My folks both had plat edge's and both signed up for explorer via referral. My old man has hit spending amounts in the last few days but no points of yet.

Sounding unlikely

 

[Lemon_Party]

Current Plat Edge holder.. applied 1.5 weeks ago via referral link. Received/activated card mid last week. Spent required $1500+ (ATO payment) on Friday. Points (for payment at 0.5) posted Monday morning. As yet, no sign-up bonus. Not holding my breath...

P

Sounds like no bonus coming then.

Bugger.

My folks both had plat edge's and both signed up for explorer via referral. My old man has hit spending amounts in the last few days but no points of yet.

Sounding unlikely

That's very disappointing. I quite like the explorer and was hoping to hold on to it as an everyday card - but if I want another Amex bonus to look forward to perhaps its time to throw in the towel and begin the 18 month countdown to a new application...

 

[Aumelle]

Good new, I was able to get the 100,000 points earlier this week as an existing Platinum Edge holder (I applied recently), see the steps I took in the other thread.

 

[blingy90]

Hi Aumelle,

Thanks for the post and feedback, I read your steps.

Just a question - so you rang up to say you didn't get the bonus points? I'm thinking you might have gotten lucky, as even with the referral offers it still says in the T&Cs that you are excluded if you have been a previous card holder within 18 months.

What are your thoughts?

Good new, I was able to get the 100,000 points earlier this week as an existing Platinum Edge holder (I applied recently), see the steps I took in the other thread.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Hi Aumelle,

Thanks for the post and feedback, I read your steps.

Just a question - so you rang up to say you didn't get the bonus points? I'm thinking you might have gotten lucky, as even with the referral offers it still says in the T&Cs that you are excluded if you have been a previous card holder within 18 months.

I would say lucky as I know that in my daughters case who was joining on a referral (and who already had an Edge) that they called her and asked her if she wanted to proceed with her application as she would not get the points.

ie 2) Create a new American Express user profile online for the new card (don't use your existing login).

- is irrelevant in my daughters case she did not even get to that stage.
- early in this thread there are many posts of people creating separate login, or not, and being randomly linked with a Ascent or starting afresh in Gateway.

There are also reports from some who have since gained points, and many who have not.

Amex back-ends and CSRs both however seem flakey and variable and what one person gets, another may not. Personally my view is that it random and that the outlined steps are not a guaranteed path to success.

 

[Aumelle]

Well, previously (before March), all you had to do was de-link your cards for points to be credited automatically. I think the combination of using a referral link with creating a new (online) user profile and de-linking cards and a friendly follow-up call could now suffice (it did for me). The rep I spoke to said she could see I was eligible when she brought up my (Explorer) account so I really think taking the before mentioned steps helped. I was worried since my Explorer account and physical card say 'member since 201x' (the year I got my Plat Edge card) but that didn't seem to matter. I'm not trying to say everyone who follows/followed my steps will get their points but since the card itself is pretty good, I think it's a risk worth taking! Also, the screenshot I mentioned will help big time if you were to take things further. It's definitely misleading advertising if you serve up a 100,000 points offer to someone who's logged in even if the small print were to exclude you ('this offer is available to new Card Members' - I actually read this as 'Card' being 'Explorer' whereas I believe they mean 'American Express Card Holders').

 

[lovetravellingoz]

T&C 1. Bonus & Eligibility. Offer only available to new American Express Card Members who apply online by 15 May 2017, are approved and spend $1,500 on their new Card in the first 3 months from the Card approval date. Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the preceding 18 month period are ineligible for this offer. Previous and existing bank-issued American Express companion cardholders are eligible for this offer (cards issued by: Australia New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank, Westpac Banking Corporation). 100,000 Membership Rewards Bonus points will be awarded to the eligible Card Member's account 8-10 weeks after the spend criteria has been met. This advertised offer is not applicable or valid in conjunction with any other advertised or promotional offer.


I think that this part: Previous and existing bank-issued American Express companion cardholders are eligible for this offer (cards issued by: Australia New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank, Westpac Banking Corporation)

is new? Perhaps to make it clearer to people.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Well, previously (before March), all you had to do was de-link your cards for points to be credited automatically. ').

This is not so.

Many people were put straight into Gateway. ie nothing to delink.

Others found that they were put into Ascent. ie they then had to delink to earn the bonus.

Which program one started in was random. ie Mine was in Ascent. My wife went straight to Gateway. There are many posts with both experiences on this in this thread.

 

[Aumelle]

I would say lucky as I know that in my daughters case who was joining on a referral (and who already had an Edge) that they called her and asked her if she wanted to proceed with her application as she would not get the points.

In the application process, did she tick the box for 'Please check this box if you have another American Express issued card'?

 

[petejay]

In the application process, did she tick the box for 'Please check this box if you have another American Express issued card'?

I specifically didn't, but pretty sure they can work it out...

P

 

[Aumelle]

This is not so.

Many people were put straight into Gateway. ie nothing to delink.

Others found that they were put into Ascent. ie they then had to delink to earn the bonus.

Sorry, that's what I meant (and wrote in the steps I took). In case your 2nd card was linked/set to Ascent (and you already had a card in the Ascent program), all you had to do to still get the points was to ring up and de-link. Are we not saying the same thing?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The rep I spoke to said she could see I was eligible when she brought up my (Explorer) account .

The rep was clearly wrong. With the current terms you are not eligible. You are therefore lucky to have gotten a CSR that thought you were eligible. My experience is that CSR's are often wrong. It is one reason it is common advice to hang up and call again if one does not like the answer. Sometimes you HUCA to find CSRs who will do the wrong thing to one's advantage and sometimes you HUCA as the CSR does not want to do the right thing to your advantage.

If you disagree please outline where in the terms you were in fact eligible?

 

[Aumelle]

Hi Aumelle,

Thanks for the post and feedback, I read your steps.

Just a question - so you rang up to say you didn't get the bonus points?

Yes, I rang up and simply stated that I hadn't received the points yet and that I was eager to make a redemption booking this week (which is the case). The rep brought up the account and then said she could see I met the criteria and was eligible for the points after which she said she would add the points manually. She must have done this a hundred times, that's how experienced/confident she sounded. There wasn't any approval necessary from a supervisor or so I don't think she made an exception for me.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

tick the box for 'Please check this box if you have another American Express issued card'?

As has been discussed in the past many will not tick this box, but Amex will in many cases on approval write to people as EXISTING cardmembers.


Besides even if you did not check it, they linked your Explorer to your Edge to start with and you had to call them with them seeing your Edge to get the points.

 

[Aumelle]

If you disagree please outline where in the terms you were in fact eligible?

I simply share my experience and try to make some sense under what circumstances one may get the points. Also, in terms of evidence, I already mentioned the screenshot I took. It's misleading advertising to serve up an offer to someone who has identified himself (ie an existing card member) to then exclude them based on small print.

 

[blingy90]

Im happy you have gotten the bonus points.

I still think you have gotten lucky. I'm not disagreeing with what you have said and it's good to hear your suggestions.

I guess, maybe after a few weeks - if bonus points haven't shown (and thus very unlikely) a call to "complain" about no bonus points can't hurt or do any more damage.

But wether this is a "successful" method - I have to disagree

Yes, I rang up and simply stated that I hadn't received the points yet and that I was eager to make a redemption booking this week (which is the case). The rep brought up the account and then said she could see I met the criteria and was eligible for the points after which she said she would add the points manually. She must have done this a hundred times, that's how experienced/confident she sounded. There wasn't any approval necessary from a supervisor or so I don't think she made an exception for me.