What is a Credit Card?

A Credit Card is a Card issued by a financial institution that offers you a line of credit that can be used to make purchases. From interest rates to the application process, here’s everything you need to know about Credit Cards.

View our full range of Cards

How do I apply for a Credit Card?

Apply for an American Express Credit Card online. You’ll get a response within 60 seconds.

How to apply

How do Credit Card limits work?

A credit limit is the maximum balance that you can have on your Credit Card at any time, including your purchases, interest charges, and fees.

Credit limits explained

How is interest charged?

Interest is applied to your closing balance at the end of each day and then totalled up to calculate your monthly statement balance.

Credit Card interest explained

What fees do I pay?

Some American Express Credit Cards charge an annual fee in return for rewards, features and benefits. The amount varies from Card to Card.

Learn about other fees

How do Credit Cards differ to Charge Cards?

A Credit Card will have a set Credit limit. A Charge Card comes with no pre-set spending limit¹, which means your spending limit can vary depending on a variety of factors

Learn the differences

What is surcharging?

A surcharge is a fee passed on from a business to a customer for using a Card to make a purchase. American Express opposes surcharging.

Learn about surcharging

Understanding Credit Cards – Useful Terms

Statement period: The period in which the transactions reported on your statement relate to. Generally, your statement period will be every 30 days, the actual dates can vary slightly from month to month.
Interest: When you use your Credit Card, you will be charged interest unless you repay the full closing balance by the Payment Due Date shown on your statement. Interest will be expressed as an annual percentage rate.
Interest free days: Interest free days are the time from when you buy something using your Credit Card to when interest is applied to that purchase.
Repayments: When your statement arrives, you’ll need to choose how you want to make repayments. You can choose to repay the entire closing balance on or before the Payment Due Date shown on your statement, in which case you’ll avoid paying interest. You also have the option of paying the minimum payment, however you will be charged interest on the unpaid balance.
Closing balance: The amount you owe at the end of a statement period.
Credit Card limit: A Credit Card limit is set when you’re approved for a Credit Card and is the maximum amount of credit you can use on your Card. All Credit Cards have a maximum and a minimum Credit limit.
Annual fee: An annual Credit Card fee is a fee paid once per year to a financial services provider, in return for access to benefits and services on the Credit Card product you hold. Not all Credit Cards have an annual fee and American Express offers a range of no annual fee Cards. An annual fee is however charged on some Cards in return for richer rewards, features and benefits.
Balance transfer: A balance transfer is when you move an existing Credit Card balance onto another Credit Card. If you have a high interest Credit Card balance you’d like to pay off, a balance transfer to another Credit Card with a lower interest rate can help you keep on top of your payments.
Membership Rewards: If you choose a Membership Rewards points earning Card, you’ll earn Membership Rewards points every time you use your Card through the American Express Membership Rewards loyalty program. Membership Rewards points that can be redeemed for your next travel adventure, a new outfit, concert tickets and more of the things you love.

Where can I use my American Express Card?

American Express is already accepted at hundreds of thousands of places around Australia, including the places you love to shop, so you can enjoy Membership benefits and rewards more often.

Find out where

Managing your Account is simple

Whether you’re just getting started, looking to pay a bill, use Membership Rewards points, or keep track of your spending, here’s how to get the most out of your Credit Card.

Manage your Account

What do you want from a Card?

Everyone’s different, so you need a Card that has benefits that best suit your lifestyle.
Choose the Card with benefits that best suit you.

Rewards

Earn Membership
Rewards points from
everyday spending

Frequent Flyer

Maximise rewards
for every trip

Platinum

Enjoy premium
benefits and service

No Annual Fee

Save more with no
annual fee

David Jones

Make your everyday
spend go further

View all Cards

Shop with confidence

At American Express, we take your security seriously. That’s why we have measures in place to ensure you can shop with confidence.

Learn more about security

Protection against fraud

Get more peace of mind through our Intelligent Security Systems, Secure Payment Process, and Fraud Protection Guarantee².

Learn more

Protection on purchases

Damaged a purchase or having trouble getting a refund? With eligible Cards, you can rely on us to put things right with 90 days’ Purchase and Refund Protection³.

Learn more

Protection against phishing

We’re continually updating our online security features, but there are also some simple steps you can take to protect yourself.

Learn more

Make payments with a swish of your mobile

Leave your wallet at home and enjoy the convenience of mobile payments. You can now make payments through contactless technology with your American Express^® Card using Apple, Samsung and Android^TM devices. To get started, all you have to do is scan your Card into the app and follow the prompts.

Find out how

Live life to the fullest with American Express Membership

As an American Express Card Member, you get to enjoy travel benefits that take you further, points that are more rewarding, and services that open more doors around the world.

Explore here

Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. Apple Pay and Touch ID are trademarks of Apple Inc.

Google Pay and the Google Logo are trademarks of Google LLC.

Samsung, Samsung Pay, Galaxy S (and other device names) and Samsung Knox are trademarks or registered trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Pay is available on select Samsung devices.

1. No pre-set spending limit. No pre-set spending limit does not mean unlimited spending. Your purchases are approved based on a variety of factors, including current spending patterns, your payment history, credit records, and financial resources known to us.

2. Fraud Protection. Provided that you don’t contribute to, or unreasonably delay, reporting any misuse of your Account, and you have complied with your Card Conditions, you won’t be held liable for any unauthorised charges.

3. Purchase and Refund Protection. American Express Insurances are underwritten by Chubb Insurance Australia Limited (ABN 23 001 642 020, AFSL No. 239687) (Chubb) and is subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions contained in the individual American Express Credit Card Insurances policy between American Express and Chubb. This website does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It’s important for you to read the Terms and Conditions and consider the appropriateness of that insurance in relation to your individual requirements.