American Express Explorer Credit Card

The American Express Explorer Credit Card has built a strong reputation as one of the most well-rounded rewards cards for Australian travellers. With a generous sign-up bonus, flexible Membership Rewards points, and a $400 annual travel credit, it offers a compelling mix of everyday earning and travel-focused perks.

Right now, you can receive up to 125,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points. That’s 75,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points when you apply online by 25 August 2026, are approved, and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases on your new American Express Explorer Credit Card within the first 3 months of your approval date. Plus, earn an additional 50,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points when you spend a further $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of your second year of Card membership. T&Cs apply. New Amex Card Members only.

In this review, we take a closer look at the American Express Explorer, looking at what it gets right, where it falls short, and who will get the most value.

Why We Love The Amex Explorer Credit Card

For starters, you can earn up to 125,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points*, which translates into 41,500 frequent flyer points when you transfer to the most important programs, such as Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. For transfers to Velocity Frequent Flyer, that bonus is equivalent to 62,500 Velocity Points.

There is also the generous earn rate of 2 points on (almost) everything, and the $400 travel credit you get every year. This credit basically wipes out the $395 card fee, so in any case, you’re always $5 up. The credit can be spent on flights, hotels, car rentals etc.

Amex Membership Rewards Transfer Partners

One of the biggest strengths of holding a card that earns American Express Membership Rewards Points is the enormous flexibility. In fact, Membership Rewards currently offers the most transfer partners of any flexible rewards program in Australia.

Rather than being locked into a single loyalty scheme, cardholders can transfer points to a wide range of airline, hotel and retail rewards programs.

Airline Transfers

• Velocity Frequent Flyer (2:1)
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer (3:1)
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club (3:1)
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (3:1)
• British Airways Executive Club (3:1)
• Malaysia Airlines Enrich (3:1)
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (3:1)
• Emirates Skywards (4:1)
• Air New Zealand Airpoints (200:1 Airpoints Dollar)

Hotel Transfers

• ALL Accor (5:1)
• Hilton Honors (2:1)
• Marriott Bonvoy (1.5:1)

Retail Transfers

• Everyday Rewards (1.25:1)

Key: Transfer ratios are shown as Membership Rewards Points : Partner Points.

The Hack To Transfer Amex MR Points To Qantas

As above, you can transfer your Membership Rewards to Woolworths' Everyday Rewards program. This also opens up a loophole which allows you to transfer your Membership Rewards Points to Qantas Points since Everyday Rewards can be converted to Qantas Frequent Flyer at a 2:1 ratio.

Here's how that would play out:

• Amex → Everyday Rewards: 5 MR = 4 ER
• Everyday Rewards → Qantas: 2ER = 1QF
• Effective Amex → Qantas: 2.5MR = 1QF

The Power Of A Flexible Reward Program

In the world of frequent flyer points, flexibility is power! The Membership Rewards program by American Express is a perfect example of this, why restrict yourself to 1 airline reward program when you can have 6 or more? When it comes to finding business or first class award tickets, it pays to have flexibility and plenty of options to chose from.

Even if you’re an avid Qantas fan, consider this example: Asia Miles which is the reward program run by Cathay Pacific, (A One World airline, just like Qantas) allows you to use their points to book Qantas flights, sometimes for fewer points than it would cost using Qantas’s own frequent flyer points!

The Kris Flyer program by Singapore Airlines is by far my favourite transfer partner, not only do they have some of the best business and first class seats in the sky, the taxes and points required for flights to Europe or Asia are much cheaper than what you could get with the local airline programs such as Velocity Frequent Flyer or Qantas Frequent Flyer.

Amex Explorer lets you earn 1 frequent flyer mile on pretty much everything. This ads up fast throughout the year!

Airport Lounge Access

If you’re in Sydney or travel through Sydney airport, this one can come in handy. The American Express Explorer Card gives you 2 access passes per year to The Centurion Lounge in SYD airport and the new Melbourne lounge. Passes are valued at $55 so it’s a pretty sweet deal if you end up using them.

The Hotel Collection

The Amex Explorer now has access to The Hotel Collection, it’s similar to Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts where you get extra perks by booking through the site. For most properties participating this is a US$100 hotel credit which you can then use on food, drinks or even a spa treatment. In addition, some properties also offer upgrades as part of the deal.

American Express Explorer Card Members can get extra perks at participating Hotels Collection properties every time they book two consecutive nights stay using their American Express Explorer Card.

You may be able to use Membership Rewards points and/or the Travel Credit on the American Express Travel website as payment towards The Hotel Collection, if the selected hotel and room type provides you the option to prepay in advance. Via this method, you can also use your annual travel credit to book and pay for The Hotel Collection participating hotels online.

$400 Travel Credit

A great benefit of the Explorer it the $400 travel credit (which completely offsets the annual fee). It’s available in your account and can be used for all travel-related services offered via the Amex Travel Portal within your online account. Best of all, when booking flights through Amex Travel, you won’t be paying any card surcharges typically added on by the majority of airlines when booking direct.

It’s worth noting that you need to use it all in one go. For example, you can’t split it up for multiple transactions and most importantly if the total falls under $400 you are forfeiting the difference.

The best use for the credit, in my opinion, is flights and hotels. Both these categories are usually more than $400 so it’s easy to find a great use for your credit. The travel credit resets yearly so this card is definitely worthwhile to keep around.

You can find the portal to book your travel here: http://americanexpress.com.au/travel

How The Travel Credit Works

If your card has a Travel Credit benefit, it can be redeemed through American Express Travel online on a single eligible booking by selecting the Travel Credit when you checkout. To redeem, the full value of the Travel Credit (or more) must be charged to the eligible Primary Card.

Eligible travel includes flights, hotels and car hire when you prepay in advance. The Travel Credit can be used for 365 days from the benefit anniversary date and cannot be used past the expiration date.

To check the expiration date of your Travel Credit if you have not already redeemed it, visit americanexpress.com.au/travel; log in and click ‘Travel Credit’.

If your booking is cancelled, and your Travel Credit has already been used and associated statement credit applied to your account, you will forfeit your annual Travel Credit benefit and American Express may reverse the statement credits issued.

Smartphone Screen Cover

Now, this is a killer perk!

Who hasn’t dropped their phone and accidentally cracked the screen? With the American Express Explorer Card, you can smash your screen twice per year! The best thing is, excess is limited to 10% of the repair cost so in most cases $20-30 will be all you end up paying.

The Smartphone Screen Cover is valid if you've paid your mobile plan for 3 consecutive months prior to the front screen breakage using your Explorer Card. It's also included if you bought the phone outright in 1 single transaction on the Card.

Complimentary Travel Insurance

Like most premium credit cards Amex Explorer comes with travel insurance, which offers cover for both domestic and international getaways. Cover is offered for you, your partner and your dependent children, when you pay for your return trip on your Explorer Card.

Some of the covers included are:

• Trip Cancellation and Amendment Cover
• Travel Inconvenience Cover
• Public Transport Accident Cover
• Personal Baggage, Valuables, Money and Travel Documents Cover
• Medical Emergency Expenses Cover
• Personal Accident Cover

Buyer’s Advantage Cover

Extends your manufacturer’s warranty by up to 12 months on eligible items purchased with your American Express Explorer Credit Card.

Card Purchase Cover

Stay protected with Card Purchase Cover providing cover should your new items be stolen or damaged. Refund Protection is also available should a store refuse to accept the return of a recent, unused purchase.

Fraud Prevention

Online Fraud Protection Guarantee means you won’t be held responsible for any unauthorised charges made without your knowledge.

Bonus Points Eligibility

American Express have a rule which dictates who can and can’t receive a sign up bonus for a new card. As it stands, both personal and business cards are classified under the same umbrella regarding sign up bonuses. Unfortunately, this means that if you currently hold or have held an Amex Card within the last 18 months, you’re not eligible for the sign up bonus.

There is 1 exceptions to this rule: Card Members who have or have held an American Express Corporate Card. Those members can still apply for a personal or business American Express and obtain the bonus offer when meeting all the other criteria.

Amex Explorer In Conclusion

Is this the best American Express card? Yes! In my humble opinion, this is the best all-round credit card and it does deserve a prime position in your wallet. Sure it’s expensive but never forget what perks you’re getting in return and the yearly travel credit makes it totally worth it.