How to use and get the most from your Amex Explorer Card Points
What are Membership Rewards Points and how to get the most of 50,000 Bonus Points with the American Express Explorer Card
Membership Rewards is how American Express Card Members earn points and is a flexible program that allows you to redeem through major airlines and hotel chains as well as for Gift Cards and pay with points options for your individual lifestyle needs.
What’s more is that Memberships Rewards points don’t expire so long as your American Express Card Account is active and in good standing, which means you can earn points and flexibly redeem at your pace, and at a time that suits you.
American Express is offering 50,000 bonus Membership Rewards points when you apply for the American Express Explorer Card, are approved, and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card within the first3 months. T&Cs apply. New Card Members only.1 Offer subject to change without notice.
What can I get with American Express Membership Reward Points?2
In short. A lot.
Tapping into the Membership Rewards program and with a welcome offer of 50,000 Bonus Points with the American Express Explorer Card, you’re provided the flexibility to hold the points for as long as you need, or redeem across multiple options including:
- Transfer points to Airline Partners
- Transfer points to Hotel Partners
- Use points with American Express Travel Online
- Use points on Gift Cards
- Use points to pay for purchases
- Use points to top up your Account
We’ll take you through each option within the Membership Rewards program and what 50,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points with the American Express Explorer Card can get you.
Transfer Points to Airline Partners Frequent Flyers Programs3
Being able to use your Membership Rewards points and turn them into Frequent Flyer points of your choice is a major perk with the Membership Rewards Program. It gives you the option to transfer to multiple Frequent Flyer Programs with partner airlines including:
- Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Etihad Guest
- Malaysian Airlines Enrich
- Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
With 50,000 Membership Reward points, you’ll get 25,000 Frequent Flyer Points with any of these top airline programs3.
You might be pleasantly surprised to know where that 25,000 Frequent Flyer points can get you locally. As an example, with Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer program, your 25,000 Frequent Flyer Points4 plus taxes, fees and charges could get you Reward Seats domestic and international flights with Virgin Australia including:
- Sydney – Melbourne (15,500 points + Applicable taxes, fees and carrier charges in Business)
- Melbourne – Sunshine Coast (23,500 points + Applicable taxes, fees and carrier charges in Business)
- Brisbane – Perth (17,800 points + Applicable taxes, fees and carrier charges in Economy)
- Sydney – Nadi (17,800 points + Applicable taxes, fees and carrier charges in Economy)
- Adelaide-Auckland (17,800 points + Applicable taxes, fees and carrier charges in Economy)
Refer to Velocity Frequent Flyer Mileage Calculator for detailed and up to date information.
So, as the time comes to fly again, you can bank on your Membership Rewards points to keep you cruising at 30,000 ft.
While flights might not be on the top of everyone’s agenda now, and maybe international flights even more so, you might be pleasantly surprised to know where that 75,000 Frequent Flyer points can get you locally.
As an example, with Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer program, your 75,000 Frequent Flyer Points could get you up to 9 one-way short-haul flights in Economy or 4 in Business4 including:·
- Sydney – Melbourne
- Sydney – Gold Coast
- Adelaide – Melbourne
- Perth – Kalgoorlie
So, when it does come the time to fly again, you can bank on your Membership Rewards points to keep you cruising at 30,000 ft.
Transfer Points to Hotel Partners with Hilton Honors™ Points Program5
You can redeem Hilton Honors™ points at more than 3,600 locations within ten distinct hotel brands.
Hilton Honors points can be used for a wide variety of rewards in the Hilton Honors program, including free hotel nights, dream vacation packages, relaxing cruises or merchandise from an array of premier retailers!
Hilton Honors is the only guest reward program that allows you to earn both hotel points and airline miles for the same stay with any of more than 50 participating airline partners. It's what Honors calls Double Dipping™. Simply present your Honors and frequent flyer numbers at the time of reservation and at check-in for most any rate.
No Blackout Dates. Only Hilton Honors™. You won’t find reward blackout dates with Honors. If a standard room is available, you can redeem points for it.
Use Points with American Express Travel Online6
Take the stress out of booking your next flight, hotel or car rental with American Express Travel Online, a dedicated travel booking platform for Card Members. Book with points and enjoy no restrictions, no black-out dates, no booking fees, and exceptional service every step of the way.
To use Membership Rewards points at American Express Travel Online, you must first log in. Make sure you do this prior to making a booking. Once signed in, you can book flights, hotels and car hire.
At the checkout page, follow the prompts to pay with your Membership Rewards points. The full transaction amount will be charged to your Card. Following the transaction, you will receive a credit to your Account within 3 business days for any Membership Rewards points used.
Depending on when your Card statement is due, the credit may not appear until your next statement period.
Further, with the American Express Explorer Card, you can also receive a $400 Travel Credit7 each year for flights, hotels and rental car bookings, plus a hotel credit of $100 USD and a room upgrade (if available) when you book 2 or more consecutive nights with The Hotel collection8, an accommodation booking portal which features more than 600 hotels and resorts in over 30 countries worldwide – all easily redeemed through American Express Travel Online. As the $400 Amex Travel Credit is provided each year, it could effectively offset the $395 annual card fee.
Take the stress out of booking your next flight, hotel or car rental with American Express Travel Online, a dedicated travel booking platform for Card Members.
Book Travel through Helloworld Travel and Webjet9
50,000 Membership Rewards points with the American Express Explorer Card allows you to redeem up to $250 worth of Travel with HelloWorld Travel or Webjet.
- Why Helloworld Travel? Book for cruises, flights, accommodation and travel packages.
- Why Webjet? Booking platform for price competitive flights. Plus, if you don't have enough Membership Rewards points to make your preferred booking, you can make up the difference with your American Express Explorer Card.
Use Points for Gift Cards10
Not sure what to get as a gift? The American Express Membership Rewards Program has got your back with Gift Cards ranging from David Jones, Myer, JB Hi-Fi, Westfield, Freedom, Flight Centre, Rebel Sport, Uber, BP and more.
So, what does 50,000 Membership Rewards points get you? It can be used for Gift Cards ranging from $50 for 10,000 Membership Rewards points to $250 for 50,000 Membership Rewards points.
Select + Pay: Use Points to pay for eligible purchases11
Yet another little perk of the American Express Membership Rewards Program is to use your Membership Rewards points to pay for eligible purchases.
Available through the American Express app, Select + Pay allows you to redeem points for a purchase you've made using your American Express Card. Points can be redeemed from $5 per 1,000 points for the Select + Pay option.
All you need to do is Log in to your Account to use points to pay for eligible transactions by following 3 simple steps:
- Make an eligible purchase using your eligible American Express Card
- Wait for the purchase to appear on your account
- Redeem your points for a credit and that’s it! A credit will be applied to your account within 72 hours.
With the 50,000 Bonus Points you could get with your new American Express Explorer Credit Card, you have up to $250 up your sleeve to pay for any eligible purchases you like.
Use Points to top up your Account12
While travel, shopping or entertainment might be the first things that come to mind when you ask yourself what I can get with my Membership Rewards points, the American Express Rewards Program gives you the flexibility to use them for far more.
One of those handy and somewhat practical uses is in fact using your Membership Rewards Points for a credit towards your Account. That can be at any time to help shave an amount off your outstanding balance or even pay your monthly balance, be it the minimum or entire amount.
Working out how much you can pay with your Membership Rewards points is simple starting at $50 (10,000 points) up to $8,000 (1,600,000 points).
So, 50,000 Membership Rewards points could be worth up to $250 which could be used to top up your Account.
No doubt, it’s pretty handy to have when and if you need it. And just another way the American Express Membership Rewards Program lets you use your points your way.
Join the Membership Rewards Program that offers maximum flexibility
Don’t miss out on your chance to earn 50,000 Bonus Points with the American Express Explorer Card. Plus, a $400 Travel Credit each year and maximum flexibility on how you transfer or redeem your Points with the American Express Membership Rewards Program.
This exclusive 50,000 Bonus Points offer is only available to new Card Members only, are approved, and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months. T&Cs apply. Offer subject to change without notice.
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Cards are offered, issued, and administered by American Express Australia Limited ABN 92 108 952 085, Australian Credit Licence No. 291313
- Bonus & Eligibility. Offer only available to new American Express Card Members who apply online, are approved, and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases on their new Card within the first 3 months from the Card approval date. If you are an existing David Jones Card Member and don’t hold or have previously 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 preceding 18 month period are ineligible for this offer. Eligible purchases do not include Card fees and charges, for example annual fees, interest, late payment, cash advances, balance transfers, traveller’s cheques and foreign currency conversion. 50,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points will be awarded to the eligible Card Member’s Account 8-10 weeks after the spend criteria has been met. This advertised offer is not applicable or valid in conjunction with any other advertised or promotional offer.
- Membership Benefit Rewards. Subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards program available here. You will earn 1 point per dollar spent with Merchants classified as 'government', including the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Postal Corporation (Australia Post), Federal/State and Local Government bodies, including where you use a payment account, payment aggregator, services of a third party or online retailers that sell goods for another merchant.
- Partner Programs. Subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards Gateway program available at https://www.americanexpress.com/en-au/rewards/membership-rewards/terms. You must be a member of the airline partner program, joining fees may apply and points transferred will be subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable airline partner program.
- Transfer Membership Rewards points to Velocity. A minimum of 2,000 Membership Rewards points must be redeemed for Velocity Points at any one time and must be in increments of 2 Membership Rewards points during the Promotion Period and must be in whole numbers. For full details on points transfers, including eligibility criteria, minimum points transfer requirements, applicable conversion rate see the American Express Membership Rewards Program Terms and Conditions. The earning and redemption of Membership Rewards points is subject to the Terms and Conditions of the American Express Membership Rewards Program. The redemption of Membership Rewards points will be administered solely by American Express and will take up to 1 business day to transfer into your Velocity account and is subject to the Terms and Conditions of the American Express Membership Rewards Program in which you are enrolled. Once the Membership Rewards points have been redeemed for Velocity Points, they are governed by the Velocity Membership Terms and Conditions and cannot be reversed. Transferred Velocity Points will take up to 1 business day to be available in your Velocity account. Bonus Velocity Points will be administered by Velocity Frequent Flyer which may take up to 6 weeks to transfer into your Velocity Membership Account. Bonus Velocity Points are calculated on the total number of Membership Rewards points transferred to the Velocity Account (as converted to Velocity Points) in accordance with the offer.
- If you are enrolled in Membership Rewards Ascent, Ascent Premium, Gateway, Spirit, Corporate Ascent, Corporate Spirit or David Jones Membership Rewards program and are a member of Hilton Honors, you can transfer your Membership Rewards points for accommodation with Hilton properties worldwide. A minimum of 2,000 points may be transferred into Hilton Honors by the Card Member in his/her name only. HILTON HONORS™ Hilton Honors™ membership, earning of Points and Miles™, and redemption of points are subject to Honors Terms and Conditions. ©2008 Hilton Hotels Corporation.
- Membership Rewards Terms & Conditions. To earn or redeem Membership Rewards Points, Cards must be enrolled to the American Express Membership Rewards program, and your Card Account must be in good standing. To redeem Membership Rewards Points with American Express Travel Online, you need to have available limit on your Card for the full transaction amount of the booking. You will then receive a statement credit within 3 business days for your points redemption. If the credit isn’t on the same statement as the transaction, it should appear on your next statement. Please pay all amounts due each month. You will earn Membership Rewards Points on the full dollar amount charged to your Card. All bookings are subject to the terms and conditions of our Membership Rewards Program. For full Terms and Conditions, please visit the Membership Rewards website.
- Travel Credit. If your Card has a Travel Credit benefit, the Primary Card Member is eligible for an annual Travel Credit, subject to Travel Credit Terms and Conditions available at amex.com.au/explorer-travelcreditterms. The Travel Credit can be redeemed through American Express Travel Online on a single eligible travel booking by selecting the Travel Credit when you checkout. To redeem the Travel Credit, 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, please 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. You need to be able to spend on the Card to access the Travel Credit benefit and it should be credited to your Card Account within 3 business days but may take up to 30 days. Your account must be in good standing and you must have paid the annual fee and minimum payment by the due date. If you cancel your Card, change your rewards program or Card type, you will no longer be eligible for the Travel Credit.
- The Hotel Collection. The eligible Card Member will receive the credit as a deduction from the final hotel bill when checking out of the hotel; they will receive $1 for each eligible dollar spent up to $100 USD. Eligible spend includes dining, spa and resort activities. Eligible spend does not include charges for taxes, gratuities, fees and cost of room. Additional exclusions based on specific hotel restrictions may also apply (including without limitation purchases within the hotel that are unaffiliated and/or owned by third parties) - see hotel front desk for details. Credit must be used in conjunction with initial stay and cannot be carried over to another stay, is not redeemable for cash and expires at check-out. Credit is non-exchangeable and non-refundable and is applied in USD or equivalent in local currency based on exchange rate on day of arrival. Limit one credit per room, per stay. Three-room limit per Card Member per stay; back-to-back stays within a 24-hour period at the same property considered one stay. If an eligible Card Member cancels their room, any additional rooms will no longer qualify for benefits as the eligible Card Member must be staying at the hotel. Participating providers and benefits subject to change. Taxes, surcharges and additional fees are as supplied by the hotel at the time of reservation; however they are subject to change and will be charged as applicable at the time of settlement of your hotel account. Note that payments made in foreign currencies will be subject to a foreign currency conversion and fee at the time of payment upon departure.
A one category room upgrade is based on availability and eligibility at check-in to the hotel.
Valid only for new The Hotel Collection bookings of a minimum of two consecutive nights with participating providers made through American Express Travel Online (americanexpress.com.au/travel or americanexpress.com.au/thc), Platinum Travel Service or Centurion Travel Service. Available only for Eligible Card Members of the following American Express Cards: American Express® Rewards Advantage Card, American Express® Explorer Credit Card, American Express® Platinum Reserve Credit Card, American Express® Gold Card, American Express® Gold Business Card, American Express® Platinum Card, American Express® Business Platinum Card® and American Express® Centurion Card. Excludes Gold Credit Card Members who are not also Australian Rewards Advantage, Gold or Platinum Charge Card Members. Payment must be made in full with an eligible American Express Card in the Card Member’s name. Card Member must travel on itinerary booked to be eligible for benefits described. You may be able to use Membership Rewards® points and/or 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. Card Member must travel on itinerary booked to be eligible for benefits described. The eligible Card Member will receive the credit as a deduction from the final hotel bill when checking out of the hotel; they will receive $1 for each eligible dollar spent up to US$100. Eligible spend includes dining, spa and resort activities. Eligible spend does not include charges for taxes, gratuities, fees and cost of room. Additional exclusions based on specific hotel restrictions may also apply (including without limitation purchases within the hotel that are unaffiliated and/or owned by third parties) - see hotel front desk for details. Credit must be used in conjunction with initial stay and cannot be carried over to another stay, is not redeemable for cash and expires at check-out. Credit is non-exchangeable and non-refundable and is applied in USD or equivalent in local currency based on exchange rate on day of arrival. Limit one credit per room, per stay. Three-room limit per Card Member per stay; back-to-back stays within a 24-hour period at the same property considered one stay. If an eligible Card Member cancels their room, any additional rooms will no longer qualify for benefits as the eligible Card Member must be staying at the hotel. Participating providers and benefits subject to change. Taxes, surcharges and additional fees are as supplied by the hotel at the time of reservation; however they are subject to change and will be charged as applicable at the time of settlement of your hotel account. Note that payments made in foreign currencies will be subject to a foreign currency conversion and fee at the time of payment upon departure. A one category room upgrade is based on availability and eligibility at check-in to the hotel. - Webjet and Helloworld Travel. A minimum of 7,500 points must be redeemed at any one time. You can redeem points for prepaid travel of a nominated value through Webjet.com.au and helloworld with the point-of-purchase redemption capability. Travel bookings using points may be booked for any person, provided all your accounts are kept in good standing and are not overdue. Partner Terms and Conditions apply. Webjet is not available to Card Members enrolled in the Gateway program. Subject to the Membership Rewards Terms and Conditions and the partners' booking terms and conditions.
- Gift Cards. Gift Card or voucher rewards are not redeemable or exchangeable for cash or credit. Normal retailer gift card or voucher conditions apply, refer to the gift card or retailer website for details
- Select + Pay With Points. Subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards Gateway program available at membershiprewards.com.au. Minimum of 1,000 points required. Any credit to your Card Account cannot exceed the current outstanding balance on your Account. Points will be debited immediately and credit will take up to three business days to appear on your online statement.
- Points for Credit. Subject to the Membership Rewards Terms and Conditions. Minimum of 1,000 points required. Any credit to your Card Account cannot exceed the current outstanding balance on your Account. Points will be debited immediately and credit will take up to three business days to appear on your online statement.