American Express Essential Rewards Card: 60,000 Membership Rewards Points ($3,000 Spend in 3 Months), $108 Annual Fee

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frewer on 27/03/2025 - 11:52 americanexpress.com (238 clicks)
Last edited 27/03/2025 - 12:14 by 1 other user

Found this while looking around

Receive 60,000 Bonus Membership Rewards® Points1
when you apply online by 6 May 2025, are approved, and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases on your new American Express Essential® Rewards Credit Card within the first 3 months. T&Cs apply. Available to new American Express Card Members only.​
-$9 per month ($108 per year)
-23.99% p.a. on purchases
-55 days Interest Free Period

+Up to 5XPOINTS for the first 10,000 points per month Earn 1 point per $1 spent thereafter​
+5XPOINTS on eats & drinks4 such as eligible restaurants, cafes, bars and selected food delivery in Australia per $1 spent

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• 

  GeneralKeen on 27/03/2025 - 12:19

  How much 60k points worth? Been no luck with AMEX card

  • 

    Benjkmv on 27/03/2025 - 12:58

    +1

    1000 pts = $5, so around $300 worth if you are going for cashback on card.

• 

  Frozensage on 27/03/2025 - 12:24

  im on the old no annual fee essential card, what does the new have over it?

  • 

    nightelves on 27/03/2025 - 12:37

    +3

    A sign on bonus.

  • 

    TEER3X on 27/03/2025 - 13:15

    …. and a longer expiry date.

  • 

    A female dog on 27/03/2025 - 13:32

    +2

    An annual fee /s

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  damnable on 27/03/2025 - 13:24

  Any thoughts on this versus the Platinum Velocity Amex?

  • 

    ja912son on 27/03/2025 - 17:00

    Got referral link for 275,000 signup MR pts for Platinum if interested.

    • 

      damnable on 27/03/2025 - 19:57

      Please tell me more. That would be the platinum Amex (not velocity) with much higher yearly fee, yes?

      • 

        ja912son on 27/03/2025 - 21:11

        +1

        Yep, $1,450 annual fee. Free Amazon Prime up to $84 per calendar year. Free The Australian and The Wall Street Journal Subscription, etc, etc.
        -$450 Annual Travel Credit
        -Complimentary Travel insurance: Domestic and overseas
        -Complimentary Accor Plus membership
        -$200 dinning credit per calendar year in Australia
        -$200 dinning credit abroad
        -2.25 pts per $1 spend
        Free Priority Pass for Lounges at airports, plus the 275,000 MR pts.

• 

  hotori on 27/03/2025 - 13:29

  To get the bonus points, you have to not own an Amex card at this moment, right?

  • 

    Wallbridge on 30/03/2025 - 01:06

    Correct. From their T&C's:

    "If you previously held a David Jones American Express Card and have not held any other American Express Card(s) in the past 18 months, you will be eligible for the offer. All other Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the past 18 months are ineligible for this offer."

• 

  JDNE on 27/03/2025 - 14:36

  What is everyones opinion on this card opposed to some of their higher value cards?
  If purely looking for points and value for money?

  • 

    Wallbridge on 29/03/2025 - 22:21

    In my opinion (and not financial advice), whilst the explorer card has some nice benefits, if you're not traveling yearly then it wouldn't be worth the annual fee. The platinum card on the other hand is great if you're big balling, but if not then I think the essentials card is good value.

    You can make a ton of points on everyday expenses and should you desire to travel one year you can just use those accumulated points to redeem some of the benefits you would've gotten with the explorer card. I think it serves as a great 'keeper card' which will show good credit history.

    I don't think their Qantas and Velocity linked cards are worth it as keeper cards. You're better of credit card hacking other credit cards; Opening a card -> Getting the sign up bonus points -> Cancelling the card -> Calling the bank and asking them to waive part or all of the annual fee because you only used it for a few months. That's one of the better ways to get frequent flyer points.

    • 

      Wallbridge on 30/03/2025 - 06:12

      I thought I should also include the platinum edge card:

      The lack of a sign-up bonus isn't ideal, but I don't agree with common sympathies that "it's as if you combined the explorer and essentials card". The essentials card only nets you bonus points on eating out, subscription services and a very limited number retailers. If someone doesn't have these spending habits then they're not actually making back the annual fee. It's entirely possible they'd be better suited to the platinum edge card— $200 in travel credit, immediately rebating the annual fee, possibility to make more points (in the long run) AND it shares all the same benefits & purchase protections as the essentials card PLUS travel insurance. Some existing AMEX customers have received sign up bonus offers to 'upgrade' to the platinum edge card, making it a much stronger consideration.

      It's less useful for double income households that take a '2 player' approach, but I don't think it's a bad card, especially for single players that aren't set on traveling yearly. On the off chance you do travel, for lounge access just look for a churning card with that benefit for when you go on holiday. If you do plan on traveling at least once per year though I believe the explorer card is a strong contender.

      All in all I think the explorer, essentials and platinum edge are all good in their own way. It just depends on your spending habits and how often you travel. Ideally taking a '2 player' approach will allow you to maximise the cards.