- 50,000 Membership Rewards® Bonus Points when you apply online, are approved and spend $3,000 on your Card within the first 3 months
- $400 Travel Credit every year
- Smartphone Screen Insurance
- Earn up to 2 points per $1 spent
- Choose one of 8 airlines to transfer points or redeem online for a gift card
- Up to 4 free additional Card Members
- Two complimentary entries per year to the American Express Lounge, located at Sydney International Airport or Melbourne International Airport
- No cap on earn rate and no expiry on Membership Rewards points
- 0% on balance transfers for 12 months with a 1% one-off credit plan establishment fee applies. Please note, no interest free days apply to retail purchases while you have a balance transfer
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Pros and cons
- The maximum balance transfer that you can be approved for is $10,000 or 70% of your approved credit limit, whichever is less.
Creditcard.com.au review
Editor Review
American Express Explorer Credit Card
Roland Bleyer
Credit Card Expert with over 15 years card experience and the founder of Creditcard.com.au. Ask Roland a Question about this card.
The American Express Explorer® Credit Card
Love a bit of prestige? Then this new card from American Express could be the card for you. Take a deep breath. Yes, the American Express Explorer Credit Card is here.
Designed to stand up alongside the big boys, Amex’s new Explorer Card faces tough competition from the likes of the ANZ Rewards Black Credit Card, the Commonwealth Bank Awards Diamond Credit Card, and the Westpac Altitude Black Credit Card.
Does it do the job? Does it stand out from the crowd? Does it really provide all the extras you would expect from a prestige credit card with a prestige price tag? Let’s take a look.
What we love...
Let’s start by pointing out the obvious. This is not meant to be a low cost card that helps you save money. This card is aimed at big earners and big spenders. Not only does it have an annual fee of $395, it also has a purchase rate of 20.74% p.a., and a minimum annual income requirement of $65,000.
If any of that makes your eyes water, then this baby is most definitely not for you.
So, on the basis that we understand exactly what – and who – this card is designed for, let’s move on to what we love about this card.
First off, we couldn’t go far without mentioning the card’s awesome sign-up offer. As a cardholder, you’ll receive 50,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points on sign-up. Yep, 50,000 points to spend as you like. All you have to do is apply online, get approved and spend $3,000 on your card within the first three months.
On top of that, you have a pretty decent balance transfer offer, giving you 0% on balance transfers for 12 months. Any drawbacks? Check out the next section for more.
Aside from the intro offers, the card has some fantastic extras. Cardholders receive $400 Travel Credit every year, which can be used towards flights, hotels, experiences or car hire booked online through American Express Travel. That $395 annual fee ain’t looking so bad now, is it?
Another interesting extra for frequent travellers is the card’s special airport lounge access. Cardholders can live it up with two entries per year to the American Express Lounge, located at Sydney International Airport or Melbourne International Airport.
What’s not so great...
Back to that balance transfer offer. It’s worth noting that there is a one-off credit plan establishment fee of 1% applied to any balances transferred. In addition, there is a maximum balance transfer of $10,000, or 70% of your approved credit limit, whichever is less.
Why should you choose this card?
As a premium card, the Explorer offers plenty of premium features. Just take a look at all the complimentary insurances on offer. Yes, you get all the ‘standard’ premium card insurances, including travel insurance, car rental insurance, purchase protection, refund protection and extended warranty. But you also get smartphone screen insurance too. Handy.
As for the rewards program, you can earn up to 2 Membership Rewards points for every $1 spent on the card, with no points cap. These points can be redeemed online for gift cards, or transferred to a choice of eight airline rewards partner programs including Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines.
| Program name | Conversion rate |
|---|---|
| Air New Zeland Airpoints (NZ) | 200 MR = 1 Airpoint Dollar |
| Cathay – Asia Miles | 2 MR = 1 Asia Mile |
| Emirates Skywards | 2 MR = 1 Skyward Mile |
| Etihad Guest | 2 MR = 1 Etihad Guest Mile |
| Qantas | 2 MR = 1 Qantas Point |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 2 MR = 1 KrisFlyer Mile |
| Malaysian Airlines Enrich | 2 MR = 1 Enrich Mile |
| THAI Royal Orchid Plus | 2 MR = 1 Royal Orchid Plus Mile |
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | 2 MR = 1 Velocity Point |
| Virgin Atlantic | 2 MR = 1 Flying Club Mile |
| Hilton Honors | 2 MR = 1 Hilton Honors Point |
| Marriot Bonvoy | 3 MR = 2 Marriot Points |
Other extras include access to 24/7 Priority Service, Amex Invites and Amex Offers. Cardholders also benefit from Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, up to 4 free additional Card Members, Emergency Card replacement and Online Fraud Protection Guarantee.
Overall Rating
The American Express Explorer Credit Card is a premium card with premium features. If you are looking for a card that offers amazing rewards, intro offers, features and extras, this is well worth a closer look.
User reviews
Rates and fees
Interest rates
Purchase rate 20.74% p.a.
Cash advance rate N/A
Interest free period on purchases up to 55 days
Balance transfer
Balance transfer rate 0% p.a. for 12 months
Balance transfer revert rate 20.74% p.a.
Balance transfer from personal loan N/A
Balance transfer fee 1% one off
Balance transfer limit $10,000 or 70% of approved credit limit
Banks you can't balance transfer from American Express
Credit limits
Minimum credit limt $3,000
Maximum credit limit N/A
Fees & repayments
Annual fee $395 p.a.
Additional card holder fee Up to 4 at no extra cost
Foreign transaction fee 3%
Minimum repayment 2.5% or $30. Full closing balance for the Amex Platinum Charge Card
Cash advance fee N/A
Late payment fee $30
Rewards and points
Rewards program
Rewards Program 
Amex Membership Rewards
Bonus points 50,000 points
Annual points cap uncapped
Bonus points spend criteria Spend $3,000 in first 3 months
Earning points with this card
Amex Rewards points 2 points per $1 spent
Points cap per month N/A
Overseas earn rate same as standard earn rate
Additional features
Complimentary insurance
International Travel Insurance Yes - up to 6 months
Flight Inconvenience Insurance Yes
Transit Accident Insurance No
Smartphone Screen Insurance Yes
Purchase Protection Insurance Yes
Extended Warranty Insurance Yes
Rental Vehicle Excess In Australia Insurance No
Extras
$400 Travel Credit every year
Eligible with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay
Two entries to the AMEX Lounge at the Sydney or Melbourne International Airport each year
Overview
American Express Explorer Credit Card
Delivering premium rewards with 50,000 Membership Rewards® Bonus Points when you apply online, are approved and spend $3,000 on your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. This offer is available to new Card Members, as well as Bank-issued American Express companion cardholders. $400 Travel Credit every year, Smartphone Screen Insurance and enjoy two complimentary entries per year to the American Express Lounge, located at Sydney International Airport or Melbourne International Airport. Points can be transferred to the following partner programs: Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles™, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, THAI Royal Orchid Plus, Malaysia Airlines Enrich, Air New Zealand Airpoints™. The Hotel Collection includes hundreds of curated properties from trusted brands like Hyatt and Hilton Hotels. When you book two consecutive nights’ stay using your American Express Explorer credit card, you can enjoy a hotel credit up to US$100 and a room upgrade, when available.
Key features
- Receive 50,000 Membership Rewards® Bonus Points when you apply online, are approved and spend $3,000 on your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. This offer is available to new Card Members, as well as Bank-issued American Express companion cardholders.
- $400 Travel Credit every year
- 0% p.a. on balance transfers for the first 12 months - A one-off credit plan establishment fee of 1% applies
- Annual fee of $395
- Enjoy two complimentary entries per year to the American Express Lounge, located at Sydney International Airport or Melbourne International Airport
- Earn 2 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent, except on Government purchases where you will earn 1 point per $1 spent. No cap on earn rate.
- The Hotel Collection includes hundreds of curated properties from trusted brands like Hyatt and Hilton Hotels. When you book two consecutive nights' stay using your American Express Explorer credit card, you can enjoy a hotel credit up to US$100 and a room upgrade, when available.
- Transfer your points to a choice of 8 airline rewards partner programs: Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles™, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, THAI Royal Orchid Plus, Malaysia Airlines Enrich, Air New Zealand Airpoints™.
- Smartphone Screen Insurance for up to $500 for screen repairs to your Smartphone when you pay for your phone or contract with your American Express Explorer Credit Card
- Eligible for use with Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay
Minimum criteria to apply for this card
Be over 18 years old
Good Credit and have not applied for multiple credit cards recently
Australian citizen or permanent resident or hold a current Business Long Stay Visa (subclass 457)
Minimum income of $65,000 p.a.
You have your personal details ready to complete the online application
Roland B Bleyer founded Creditcard.com.au in 2005 and has extensive knowledge about credit cards. He personally answers all questions and write the editor reviews for each card here. Always keen to share his passion to educate consumers and help you select better suited credit cards.
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2 November 2018