Open For Travel - Explore Australia With These Discounts

Things are looking up in Australia! Domestic borders are slowly opening up, and local tourism is slowly taking off with Aussies exploring their own backyard and even warming up to the concept of staycations!

American Express has kicked off a massive campaign to encourage Card Members to get out there and explore. How are they doing it? By providing fantastic offers (a credit on your statement) across a range of luxury travel brands in Australia. (tip: check out all the deals here)

To get you inspired, here are a few of my favourite offers available in the Open for Travel promotion:

Splurge at Ritz Carlton, Perth (Spend $300 get $75 back at Marriott Bonvoy)

As one of my favourite Marriott hotels in Australia, the Ritz Carlton, Perth ticks all the boxes for a luxury staycation. With $75 back on your stay when you spend $300 or more, now’s a perfect time! Of course, those who hold the American Express Platinum Card also enrol in Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status which should help you score an upgrade and maybe even a late checkout!

A Tropical Getaway at InterContinental Hayman Island Resort (Spend $300 get $75 back at InterContinental Hotels Group)

Earlier this year I spent a few days at the brand new InterContinental Hayman Island Resort. If you’re looking for tropical luxury, this is it! Until the end of November, you can get $75 back when you spend $300 or more at participating InterContinental Hotels Group properties so now’s the perfect time to lock something in!

Pro tip: combine the American Express offer with the mid-week promotion IHG is currently running. Need a little staycation mid-week? Beat the crowds and start your weekend early with accommodation, breakfast and dinner for two at participating IHG Hotels & Resorts, like InterContinental Double Bay, InterContinental Sanctuary Cove or Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach. You can find all the participating hotels via this page.

Go all out at Park Hyatt Sydney (Spend $400 get $100 back at Hyatt)

Park Hyatt Sydney is one of the most iconic hotels in the world, usually reserved for the rich and famous jet setting elite, the hotel is now catering to the Australian market with some fantastic prices. A night at Park Hyatt Sydney starts around $580 (they used to start at $1200 a night!) and of course if you’re a savvy American Express Card Member, you get $100 back when you spend $400 or more; win! That $100 you saved is probably well spent on some extra cocktails by the pool while you overlook the Opera House.

Hit the road in a GT (Spend $150 get $50 back at Hertz)

Why not stack some of the offers and make a road trip out of it? First stop: Hertz to rent something fun; Ford Mustang GT anyone (at selected locations)? Second stop Hunter Valley! Voco Kirkton Park is part of the InterContinental Hotels Group (see previous offer) so with an eligible transaction, you will get $75 back when you spend $300 on your stay. The hotel has had a significant refurbishment and makes for a picturesque weekend getaway. If you prefer Avis, there’s also a promotion for them; when you spend $300, you will get $75 credited back to your Card.

Get out there with Expedia (Spend $250, get $30 discount)

Now you literally have zero excuses! Expedia has pretty much every Australian hotel on their site, and all you need to do is head over to this page, find your perfect participating hotel and enter promo code EXPAMEXH30 to score a $30 discount on your eligible booking; easy!

What are Amex Offers & how do I get them?

If you’re already an American Express Card Member, you probably know about Amex Offers!? If not, it’s a dedicated section in your account where you will find offers and savings. The offers change all the time, and in order to get a credit back to your statement, you need to save them first.

This can be done via the Amex mobile app or online on your account page. Apart from the rewards, it’s my favourite American Express perk! If for some reason you’re not an American Express Card Member, check out the best deals on a new card here.

There are so many travel offers right now, we possibly couldn’t list them all! Head over to the Open for Travel page on American Express Australia to discover all the latest offers from the brands you know and love!

Disclaimer: This content was sponsored by American Express.