The Explorer Credit Card (New AMEX Card!)

[lovetravellingoz]

Yeah, probably. Although I figure that since a public step by step WIKI has now been created on how to game the Explorer sign on bonus, I might as well share my experience

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In your case that is the last thing I would have done.

There is often a fine line between maximising things, and maximising it to an extent that you know the promo provider will be pissed. In the latter case drawing attention to something where Amex clearly would not be at all happy is not a prudent move.

ie the mentioned promo on Flyertalk:

I got a letter in the mail they can take back points if you violated the T&C, but does not say clearly what I violated. I think someone posted that letter in this thread before. I closed the card and got the pro-rated annual fee back.

 

[Irishbazz]

In your case that is the last thing I would have done.

:

Considering Amex reps lurk in the forum, probably on a daily basis.

 

[adelee]

Long time lurker. Just wanted to let everyone know that you can get the bonus on this card multiple times (surely some of you must have worked it out, all though maybe people don't want to draw attention to it?). I have an Edge, and my Explorer came linked back in October last year. I de-linked to get the bonus points, then re-linked. Then, de-linked again in November and thought I'd have a crack to see if bonus points posted again with $1500 spend. Sure enough, 100,000 points came through.

I've linked / de-linked 3 times since. I'm now up to 500k bonus points, and will likely stop here Of course, there's always a chance that AMEX will work out what I'm doing and close the loophole (though none of the CSRs have questioned me when I call up with my link/delink request as yet) - hence my rule has been to transfer my bonus points out to SPG as soon as they hit my account.

I would be really skeptical of this claim. The T & Cs clearly state that you can only transfer programs once a year.

 

[Steady]

In your case that is the last thing I would have done.

I think the same

I would be really skeptical of this claim. The T & Cs clearly state that you can only transfer programs once a year.

I personally think it is very likely true, there are lots windfalls from system glitches discussed here that don't meet the T & C's.

 

[unfunkable]

Mrs Unfunkable rang last night at 11:30pm to unlink - operator was more then willing too. This morning accounts are seperate.
Going to hit the spend and see if bonus points post. This will test the system to see if 'current amex card holders not applicable for bonus points'

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Mrs Unfunkable rang last night at 11:30pm to unlink - operator was more then willing too. This morning accounts are seperate.
Going to hit the spend and see if bonus points post. This will test the system to see if 'current amex card holders not applicable for bonus points'

My wife's points hit this morning.

My daughter was specifically rung by Amex 2 days ago about her application to ask did she still wanted the the card as she would not get the 110K as she already had an Edge Card.

 

[unfunkable]

We didn't get a phone call..so points should post then fingers crossed.
Will find out soon enough. We don't really need to relink as we are linked on my account already...would be nice to get the higher conversion rate to airlines though...will give it ago later on and report back.

On another note, we got the card yesterday, her statement end date is also the first so we already have been billed the $395 fee ... if point's don't post, will def be cancelling the card

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I think the same



I personally think it is very likely true, there are lots windfalls from system glitches discussed here that don't meet the T & C's.

Very much so. I have benefited from a number and there are some that I would not post on, or at least not post on to that avenue was completely dead in the water. One where Amex can readily back-check on is one that I would not post on.

Glitches and loophole arise for the very simple reason that programmers and marketers simply do not put themselves in the mind of the Points Hunter who will try all sorts of crazy things to see what works. This includes booking of flights/rooms etc and paying cash and not just points. It just does not occur to them that these various scenarios may happen as what is not is done is not "logical" from their perspective. It is only "logical" from the perspective of the Points Hunter, Status Runner etc.

This is why new loopholes will always present.

I started on this path as a kid at primary school when I cracked the code printed on the outside of Jubillees (flavoured Ice Blocks) to know which ones were free (There was a message written on the inside which allowed you to redeem it for a free new jubillee) and so for a while I could just go into my local milk bar and select from the freezer a winner every time. So endless free perpetual jubillees. This became even better when they had doubles and triples!

 

[blingy90]

How long roughly has it been for fellow posters for accounts to merge post phone call?

I rang Monday night and had no problems linking with the CSR. However nothing on my accounts so far. Not going to call again to push the issue. If it doesn't happen that's life.

 

[glasszon]

Long time lurker. Just wanted to let everyone know that you can get the bonus on this card multiple times (surely some of you must have worked it out, all though maybe people don't want to draw attention to it?). I have an Edge, and my Explorer came linked back in October last year. I de-linked to get the bonus points, then re-linked. Then, de-linked again in November and thought I'd have a crack to see if bonus points posted again with $1500 spend. Sure enough, 100,000 points came through.

I've linked / de-linked 3 times since. I'm now up to 500k bonus points, and will likely stop here Of course, there's always a chance that AMEX will work out what I'm doing and close the loophole (though none of the CSRs have questioned me when I call up with my link/delink request as yet) - hence my rule has been to transfer my bonus points out to SPG as soon as they hit my account.

If this is true it could end very badly for everyone who applied for the Explorer Card, while Amex is very generous with promotions and their support is great (who else have live chat that can solve your problems?), but they also hit very hard on people or groups who they feel is abusing the system, in US they put everyone who applied for a 100k promotion under audit and lots of people got their bonus points reversed when it is proven they did manufactured spend, even for the innocent they did not release the point for use for many months...., I would say they could well do that for explorer applicants if they knew some people took advantage of the unlink/relink exploit to gain sign-up bonus multiple times. I hope it is just an isolated incident rather than something that's used widely to gain lots of gateway points.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

How long roughly has it been for fellow posters for accounts to merge post phone call?

I rang Monday night and had no problems linking with the CSR. However nothing on my accounts so far. Not going to call again to push the issue. If it doesn't happen that's life.

While for some it is quick, for others it has taken a week to sort itself out. Off the top of my head I cannot recall anyone who had problems not linking all ok after a while.

 

[blingy90]

While for some it is quick, for others it has taken a week to sort itself out. Off the top of my head I cannot recall anyone who had problems, not linking all ok after a while.

Cheers! I'm not going to call back and be like "why haven't they linked?!" Just wanted a ball-park of time frame.

 

[jetcam]

I only have an explorer car and have hit the min spend and received the points in Gateway. i was approved for a platinum edge this week (no annual fee, 5000 bonus ascent points). assuming the platinum edge comes attached to ascent, do you think it is worth a shot asking for the explorer to be linked to gateway to be able to transfer them out 1:1? Or is it pretty certain that plat edge comes linked to gateway because I already have an explorer?

I've never held an amex before so the 110k exlporer bonus is legit and i'm confident i will get them back if they disappear during this process. thoughts?

 

[rfc4eva]

T & C's also say you are not eligble for the points if you have held a card in the past 18 months.Theres clearly loopholes in there systems.

I would be really skeptical of this claim. The T & Cs clearly state that you can only transfer programs once a year.

 

[Irishbazz]

I only have an explorer car and have hit the min spend and received the points in Gateway. i was approved for a platinum edge this week (no annual fee, 5000 bonus ascent points). assuming the platinum edge comes attached to ascent, do you think it is worth a shot asking for the explorer to be linked to gateway to be able to transfer them out 1:1? Or is it pretty certain that plat edge comes linked to gateway because I already have an explorer?

I've never held an amex before so the 110k exlporer bonus is legit and i'm confident i will get them back if they disappear during this process. thoughts?

In my SO's case they were kept separate i.e new ascent account created on opening the edge.

 

[illumination]

A datapoint from me...
- existing gold credit card (ex BMW gold) in Ascent.
- applied on 20/1 using referral link
- approved on 24/1
- card posted on 25/1 and received and activated on 30/1. Explorer auto-linked to Ascent
- called amex on 30/1 to delink. When it was done I got a "we're sorry" message when I clicked on Your Points Balance. So I asked CSR to check. He did something and then I couldn't see points in either Gateway nor Ascent. He put me on hold and did something again, and it went back to the mode where I can see my Gateway and Ascent point balance on each of the card's landing page, but I still got the "we're sorry" message upon clicking Your Points Balance. He said that he is 100% sure everything is fine and may take a day to resolve the sorry message issue.
- did my $1500 by 31/1
- 110k gateway MR posted early 2/2

now... pondering whether to try relink. May try it late night or weekend.

Almost the exact same situation as a friend of mine, except he got scared and didn't apply for the Explorer at all. However, the key difference was that he is actually on MR Gateway with his Gold AMEX. How did you manage to stay on Ascent? I believe it used to be on Ascent right?

 

[MicoPico]

Almost the exact same situation as a friend of mine, except he got scared and didn't apply for the Explorer at all. However, the key difference was that he is actually on MR Gateway with his Gold AMEX. How did you manage to stay on Ascent? I believe it used to be on Ascent right?

Yes the gold was on ascent and supposed to be switched to gateway some time ago. I think it probably went to gateway at some point so I was surprised to see its in ascent. Don't know how or when it switched, but I am not complaining! Maybe it switched when I tried to cancel and reinstate the card last year.

 

[AndersK]

Got some good news! despite being explicitly told by the amex CSR (twice over two phone calls) that I wouldn't receive any sign-up bonus because amex had plugged the 'loophole' and upgraded their system I did receive my bonus this morning! just minutes after the final charge that pushed me over the $1500 was confirmed the 110,000 points hit. so relieved! points have already be transferred to my krisflyer account for safe keeping lol.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Got some good news! despite being explicitly told by the amex CSR (twice over two phone calls) that I wouldn't receive any sign-up bonus because amex had plugged the 'loophole' and upgraded their system I did receive my bonus this morning! just minutes after the final charge that pushed me over the $1500 was confirmed the 110,000 points hit. so relieved! points have already be transferred to my krisflyer account for safe keeping lol.

Congratulations!! I am glad my adivice to ignore what the CSR states has proved fruitful.

 

[maccaisking]

Update to this. 2 further late night calls this week to link were unsuccessful (one said the only way to link is to cancel one card!). Mrs Mac rang again today, got a USA call centre. The operator said request should be ok and put us on hold. When she came back she apologised and said Gateway points need to be xferred out first or forfeited.

We rang the number on the card a few hours later, (had been calling MR number) and linking was done on the spot. Gateway is gone and message where Gateway points used to be says refer to card xx_xx. Points haven't transferred yet but expecting that they will in next 3-5 days. Just hope I don't get anything about a forfeit.

I have to say the operators were all very nice and professional even when turning is down, the hardest part has been convincing my wife that if we keep trying eventually one will say yes.

Just had Mrs Mac call and try to link Gateway to Ascent, her accounts were not linked when cards arrived. I gave her a thorough briefing on what to say, we called the Membership Rewards number and got through to call centre in Phillipines (I think - def not Aus) and was told linking no problem but points have to be xferred out first or they are forfeited. Plan to try again each night this week and if no luck after the weekend will take out the points and then link. Will update with progress.

Does anyone know if US call centres can be reached early morning Aus time (ie 630am) through the week?

edit: I should add the reason given for needing to forfeit was because you shouldn't receive sign up bonus for two cards. The operator said the system will wipe them if it detects another card. It was nothing to do with point value.
As we had Explorer 1st, I might ask if we can forfeit the points from the Plat Edge instead as they are the ones we 'shouldn't' have received.