Fantastic sign up bonus from AMEX. I haven't seen a bonus this large for the explorer before.
As always, only for members who have not held a card in the past 18 months.
This card really should have a 0% international transaction fee, especially since it's being marketed as a travel card.
Referrer: 40,000 Reward Points
Referee gets 200,000 MR points. Referrer gets 150,000 MR points.
Depends on your situation but it's generally best to close cards prior to applying if you don't need them. To keep them open just increases the risk of being denied and a credit check being done for no benefit, so it's best to be cautious and close the cards first.
Hmm makes sense, thanks!
Also worth noting time of last application. I was rejected last time despite having a much higher salary but had recently gotten a credit card a month prior.
You could potentially just decrease the credit limit to minimum for both of them. But if you don't need it, might as well close it.
It normally takes a bit of time after closing your card for your credit score to update. I'd recommend closing and then waiting till your score has updated before applying. Check your score at something like Wisr
wowza..
Does this card really pay for itself if you use it as a daily credit card? $400 annual fee feels excessive… but with a $1300ish free points, this means that the first 3 years of the card is free
Wait, I’ve never held this card before, but they give you $400 travel voucher each year? Meaning that your annual fee basically just becomes a travel voucher???
It's $400 credit to use on Amex travel website, so expect to pay a little bit more per night for a hotel room booking it that way.
Flights booked through amex are alsmot always the same price - in fact last month I booked one on Etihad and it was cheaper.
Hotels often the same if not cheaper (sometimes more expensive but not often)
Car hire usually in line with the cheapest resellers too
Correct - you can consider your annual fee as being covered by the travel voucher, making the card essentially 'free'.
Same thing applies to a number of American Express cards like Qantas American Express Ultimate.
It's 1200
1000 pts = $5
Best way to use those points?
Convert to KrisFlyer
And save up for a star alliance RTW: https://www.pointhacks.com.au/krisflyer/round-the-world-awar…
But sigh doing this post-COVID will be a nightmare.
yup that will be a nightmare, and they require the fauci ouchy before and after every flight.
I have an Amex explorer card and I added my wife as an additional cardholder when she was not working. Now she is working and if she applies for her own card, does she qualify as a new member?
As long as she's not the main card holder, she is considered as new card member when she applies
Perfect. Thanks!
Is Virgin velocity platinum consider be Amex card or third party amex card? Cancelled mine back in May. Any chance I can apply this?
You can apply. But you won't be eligible for the bonus points.
Thanks, do you know if supplement card holder eligible for the bonus point? My wife never hold an Amex account but was a supplement card holder under my account.
I suggest you read the comments to find out your answer.
Might worth to wait a few days to see if they apply the same offer to referral links…
All Amex cards in the US don’t have fx fees, they should have one no fx fee in Australia.
I'm still 3 months out to be eligible for this offer. Cancelled my old Amex 15 months ago. Wondering if by speaking to someone in customer service would help in attaining this offer
Last time I checked they can only do the same offer if you apply within a week after the offer has ended.
I cancelled mine in March but they still approved my application.
being approved and being granted the bonus are two different things. nothing would stop you from getting approved (other than the process) even if you don't qualify for the points
Best way to meet min spend in record time? Lol
fully refundable accommodation. i use expedia (tick the box)
So cancellation won't void the bonus points? When can you cancel the accommodation?
no. cancel it after you get the bonus points.
@akte: Whoa I got the point already! (Not for this card, but another Amex). Going to cancel the hotel in a couple days.
@akte: So do they not claw back the points or do you need to try use up the points so as avoid this happening? Any repercussions with this?
@supacheap: Yeah I suppose you need to use the points then cancel the card and refund the hotel booking. Or if you know you gonna reach min spend in couple months, then book a hotel in later dates then proceed to spend your min spend before your hotel booking kicks in, then cancel.
So you just dump $3K+ into a fully refundable stay, collect the points and then cancel?
Any experience of Expedia being difficult with the refund?
Best way to spend travel credit? I mean other than on flights? I can't go anywhere anytime soon .
Is there a way to convert to QFF points?
No. Not directly anyway.
nope only with the $1450 fee platinum card
No
You can do through Marriott Bonvoy but it’s a terrible conversion rate of 5/18. I.e 240000 would convert to 66,667.
Thanks OP, cancelled my last AmEx more than 2 years ago, applied earlier this evening and was approved. Happy days!
(As an aside, didn't have to send them any payslips, employment contracts, bank statements, is that normal?)
Still the case? Can anyone vouch?
I know it to be risky business cycling through cards at lower incomes - I think I'll just reach the 65k mark for the new year and this would be the first credit card I'd obtain.
I'm confident I'd be able to pay off my spendings each month and would utilise the travel. Is there anything more I should be wary of? Especially given my income being on the lower end?
Was literally going to apply for this card on Sunday (day before previous promo was going to expire) which came with $400 travel credit and 150,000 bonus AmEx membership points but ultimately settled for the Qantas AmEx Ultimate Credit card (as I intend to travel soon) which comes with 120,000 membership points and $450 travel credit ($450 annual fee) and was torn between the two. Ended up going with the latter.
Applied yesterday and got accepted same day.
Just waiting for card to come now.
Such a shame cos now they boosted the Explorer card per current deal and would have much rather opted for that card over current Qantas.
Am I SOL or can I ring and have the card swapped? Would it count as another credit check or make me look less favourable to banks for potentially cancelling a credit card after being approved?
You might get lucky if you don’t activate the card it’s not an open account. Ring and ask. But you might also get declined in the new application.
does the David Jones AmEx card count and make me ineligible?
Yes it counts
I remember AMEX DJ card did not count before, was the rule changed?
I would also like to know if there was an update.
@Weasel: I too would like this confirmed somewhere, I currently hold a DJ store card (not to be confused with the DJ Amex), but I think its still operated by Amex.
The AmEx DJ does not count. You are eligible for this offer as long as you haven't held any other amex card in the last 18 months.
This is correct - I was in this position and checked with the chat team and had it confirmed that DJ Amex doesn't affect eligibility. The consultant was happy to provide a chat ID number for reference just in case it came up.
Im currently an Amex qantas card holder, am I still eglible for this offer??
no
With borders opening the travel voucher and points combo is very tempting so applied for one. Thanks OP
Ha, literally applied on Monday for the QF Ultimate with 110,000 points offer. This probably would've been the better deal for me as I have quite a few QFF already but been about 2 years since I had an AMEX and would've very much liked some KF points.
Bahhhh, win some, lose some.
Maybe someone here knows, I used to be on $65k+ and had this explorer AMEX card but cancelled it 18 months ago so perfect timing for this promo.
My current job, I am working part-time so about 0.57 of FTE, but hope to get switch to full-time which is 65k, this could happen next week. Would AMEX accept a letter from my team leader or payroll that I am on $65k instead of waiting for payslips? I wanna hit spend req. by Nov 22 for Krisflyer bonus.
My most recent payslip says $1147 gross, as it includes shift loadings and overtime, so over $65k, plus a second job which is $150 a week. But base salary is what matters to most credit companies, maybe AMEX is more forgiving seeming how easy their application process is?
You could try uploading Bank statements instead of Payslips if that shows regular income without much variance. Most of the banks also accept salary hike letters, not just payslips.
Can someone kindly tell me 240k be converted into Cole or Woolie gift card? If so, how much would be, thanks
better off buying discounted gc and using the points for statement credit
(it's $1200)
Thanks, what do you mean by statement credit ? S it is not worthy to use points to convert Coles GC ?
you can just get credit on your account
so you buy discounted gift cards, save a few bucks and earn a few points whole doing it.
then
https://www.americanexpress.com/en-au/rewards/membership-rew…
https://www.americanexpress.com/en-au/rewards/membership-rew…
Click on one of your spending and it will give you an option to pay it off using points, its slightly better than gift cards
Off topic. On Singapore airlines is it mandatory to wear masks inflight for the whole flight?
I assume every airline has that rule.
Thanks
So thoughts, anyone know of an exchange that allows crypto purchase with AMEX and Is there a way to sell the points off to someone?
Does AMEX supplemantary card have its own Annual fees ?
Planning to get the supplemantary card for my wife and she is not working atm.
TIA
- $0 annual Card fee for up to 4 Additional Card Members
- Earn points for every dollar spent on Additional Cards
- Smartphone Screen Insurance for up to $500 for screen repairs for Additional Card Members when their phone or contract is paid for with the Explorer Credit Card
https://www.americanexpress.com/au/credit-cards/manage-your-…
If I have refinaniced my loan and applied a visa credit card early this year, is it going to hurt my credit rating if I apply this one?
Possibly.
Will 240K points still leave you in the plus after the $395 annual fee?
yes
Thanks OP - been looking to replace my Virgin CC for a while now.
It's almost like they WANT you to cancel before the $395 annual.
When do you have to pay $395 annual fee? Is it now when your application is approved and you recieve card or at 1 year anniversary later?
first bill
$6k or $15k min credit limit?
3k min
Only 3k minimum card limit, not spend for points? Are you sure? That's extremely low.
yes
Is this better value than the current Qantas American Express Ultimate Card? 110k points and $200 back?
I have a heap of Qantas points, and usually use them for flights.
keen to know this as well. Also not sure if having the qantas amex card would make you ineligible for this deal?
it does. as to what is better they're pretty close so it depends if you want qantas points or not
A couple of questions:
Anyone have any idea how many KF points are required for an economy flight to Singapore?
If you cancel the credit card before the full year is up, do you get a pro-rated portion of the annual fee refunded back to you? Seem to remember that that’s the case with Amex cards, been a while since I’ve had them though..
I think 42k for economy saver fare. At least last night that was for one way to Korea Vai Singapore.
Think it looks like 37K according to this chart:
https://www.singaporeair.com/saar5/pdf/ppsclub_krisflyer/cha…
Should’ve just googled it before asking, my bad…:)
This is my first credit card, can someone explain how the annual fee works? I havent paid anything and they already approved and are sending a card. When/am I supposed to pay an upfront fee?
Will be on your first statement.
argh, its only been 16 months since I last cancelled my Amex card from one of the previous deals
Good deal, previous one was 150000 points + $395 annual fee waived, so the total benefit is $1145.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/642085
Since a lot of placed do not accept Amex, where would you look to spend $3k? Ta.
Just buy a big 75 or 85” TV from any of the big retailers, easy. Not hard really…
Keep an eye out for a 65 inch LG C1 OLED deal on Ozbargain and BAM there is your $3k spend lol
Thanks!