The Explorer Credit Card (New AMEX Card!)

[imipenam]

I also got that offer. Could purchase a $88 EFTPOS card and get a nice $10er back.

I bought a $30 woolies GC in store and got $10 back

 

[anat0l]

Well, almost reached my minimum spend requirement, a little faster and less painful than I expected, helped slightly by purchasing one very big gift card. (This is a bit like a Brewster's Millions challenge , if I should say so myself...)

Now I just have to re-check the earning on my Reserve and Explorer to check which one to use for different purchases, assuming I won't be re-linking my Gateway to Ascent (which I won't yet anyway as I have a few lingering referrals to be flicked in).

Interestingly enough on the topic of referrals, if this offer comes back (or even better, e.g. like the triple referral bonus points offer that happened last year with the Velocity Amex), will people be rushing back to unlink the card, and if so, will even the international office become suspicious of such activity?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

, will people be rushing back to unlink the card, and if so, will even the international office become suspicious of such activity?

History tells us that most loopholes get closed down the more people that take advantage of them. Bankwest being one exception that went on an amazingly long time.

That people actually have to actually call up and speak with a CSR in this instance means that the matter is constantly being brought to an every expanding number of Amex staffers. When the boom will lower, or whether higher-ups at Amex are in fact happy not to lower it, who knows.

 

[SOPOOR]

History tells us that most loopholes get closed down the more people that take advantage of them. Bankwest being one exception that went on an amazingly long time.

That people actually have to actually call up and speak with a CSR in this instance means that the matter is constantly being brought to an every expanding number of Amex staffers. When the boom will lower, or whether higher-ups at Amex are in fact happy not to lower it, who knows.

thats a great comment,

however does anybody know why amex would have so many differnet or confusing programs ???

seems counter intuivitve

 

[SOPOOR]

P.S just had a thought, imagine you could use your poitns towards signficant purhcases such as a car!!!

10,000,000 poitns for a $100k car!
imag
ine how that would change the game

 

[billbro]

In this scenario, I can't see this working for me at all so I don't think I will go ahead with applying for the Explorer to replace my Plat Edge. Does anyone have any other ideas for me?

The other one is for my friend - currently holds what was previously known as the BMW Gold AMEX which actually earns into MR Gateway. He is also intending to apply for the Explorer for the points, but I don't imagine this would work. I can see there was one reference in the past 134 pages of someone who cancelled it a few weeks before applying for the Explorer with the intention of getting the bonus points. I wonder whether he got the points? I don't imagine he would've, seeing as he previously had a MR Gateway account. Maybe I'll PM him to find out what happened as it seems he has not commented back to share the outcome!... although I can't find his comment anymore =/ damnit.

Not sure if it's already been answered, as I haven't made it to the most recent page.

Sounds like you've already considered the options but why can't you just transfer to the intended airline? Unless you are worried about the expiration of the points? Pretty sure I will flick mine into Krisflyer once my MR program card ends - but then I have a small balance.

In terms of BMW Gold - anecdotally it doesn't sound like he would receive it. However, it might be worth confirming whether it was linked to Gateway, e.g. I had CA Gold (which could have been linked to Gateway) but it was directly linked to QF instead and I was fine.

I have just had a read through every single comment in this post (all 134 pages) over the span of a few days. I did this for my own interest and also to learn about the intricacies of how people have been using this card. It was also partially out of fear of being criticised, as billbro did, for "not reading every single comment in this thread". I also did it because I was trying to see if anyone else has experienced what I am about to go through in terms of my intentions of this card.

What a read. Here are my observations/opinions on the billbro incident:

• People were unnecessarily hostile to billbro who asked a question and was told to "read a few pages - you won't have to look far to find your answer". It's not that this is not true - it's just that as he himself said, he's asking a question which someone probably has the answer to which can be answered in a more efficient way than trawling through 120 pages. I am fortunate enough to now have access to a wiki which ironically only came about because of that discussion and was made by him himself.
• On the point above, I didn't understand the need for such hostility when the question was asked in such an innocent way. Sometimes you get clowns who demand an answer as if you owe them something. billbro simply asked and as he said, if you didn't want to answer, you didn't have to and no one would've cared (including himself) - as long as I guess, one person answered him
• There were plenty other people that I saw asking repeated questions throughout the pages. Some, in fact, gave off a more expectant attitude than him, yet they didn't get any flak.
• I am a regular on another forum where plenty of people ask plenty of repeat questions. I only find it is necessary to berate them if it was something they missed in the title and if they ask in a demanding way (but as stated above, you could always simply choose to ignore them and not reply)

I'm glad at least one other person seems to understand where I was coming from

As for updating the wiki, seems like a regular who doesn't want repeated questions will need to update it - given the 90 day, 100 post count requirement.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

however does anybody know why amex would have so many differnet or confusing programs ???

People like and react to different things whether they be real or perceived and marketers respond to that by often having diverse product offerings

Most companies will tend to have a variiey of product offerings:
- Credit cards: Low fee, Reaards, FF rewards, Cashback etc
-Breakfast cereals: High Fibre to Coco Pops
-Plane Tickers: High like Suites to J to PE to Y to budget airlines
- Cars, Motorcycles: Need I say more?

 

[illumination]

Explorer card is best when paired with the Platinum Edge, perhaps get your wife to apply for the Velocity Platinum and cancel her Edge.

Can't - she doesn't earn regular salary (anymore) i.e. difficult to reliably expect an approval for a credit card now.

Then there is only one way you can keep the ascent points if you cancel the edge. That's to get the charge card and get the edge linked to the ascent premium program. Then you can get the explorer and get the bonus points in ascent and then get it linked to ascent premium after. You won't be able to get the reserve companion card though.

Yep thought of that too but not willing to pay $1200 p.a. =/
Great card, just not for me (yet)

Sounds correct to me.

But with not much time left it may not be possible to get the Charge Card and cancel the Rdge before the offer for the Exploer expires.

You might just have to hope that the Explorer deal gets extended, or resurrected.

Yea I think I will just have to hope the deal gets extended/resurrected..

You may wish to check with the insurers that you as a Supp Card would be covered. And not that you do need to pay for the flight with the card or Velocity Points to activate the TI.

https://www.aexp-static.com/intl/au/campaigns/velocity/pdfs/pds_platbenefits.pdf

1. ELIGIBILITY & ACTIVATION OF INSURANCE BENEFITS
Important: In order to be eligible for the complimentary insurancebenefits, You must first purchase the full fare for a Trip, or an EligibleItem, on the American Express Velocity Platinum Card Account. See thetable below for details about when You are eligible for cover:

ACTIVATION OF TRAVEL INSURANCE COVER:
Cover is effective when You pay the full fare for a Trip on theAmerican Express Velocity Platinum Card Account or with VelocityPoints.

An American Express Velocity Platinum Card Account Primary CardMember travelling on a flight booked as part of the ComplimentaryVirgin Australia Domestic Economy Return Flight benefit or BusinessClass Companion Fare benefit.

Important: Supplementary Card Members are not covered for TravelInsurance benefits (see table on page 5). If you are a SupplementaryCard Member or a Supplementary Card Member is travelling with Youon a Trip, You should consider whether these benefits provide adequatecover. The Supplementary Card Member may need to take out aseperate travel insurance policy.

I'm the primary cardholder.

Yep I am aware the flights need to be paid on the card and am fine with that.

But he has neither a Reserve or Charge and so has no other AMEX Points Warehouse for MR Points.

Yep precisely my scenario.

Not sure if it's already been answered, as I haven't made it to the most recent page.

Sounds like you've already considered the options but why can't you just transfer to the intended airline? Unless you are worried about the expiration of the points? Pretty sure I will flick mine into Krisflyer once my MR program card ends - but then I have a small balance.

In terms of BMW Gold - anecdotally it doesn't sound like he would receive it. However, it might be worth confirming whether it was linked to Gateway, e.g. I had CA Gold (which could have been linked to Gateway) but it was directly linked to QF instead and I was fine.



I'm glad at least one other person seems to understand where I was coming from

As for updating the wiki, seems like a regular who doesn't want repeated questions will need to update it - given the 90 day, 100 post count requirement.

Yea I definitely have considered the options. Don't want to transfer it to the intended airline because I do not currently have an intended airline to transfer the points to, which is why I would like to keep the points as Membership Rewards Ascent in the meantime. I am also worried about points expiration, as you've pointed out.

It's definitely currently linked to Gateway, but I'm not sure whether it was always linked to Gateway. I'm pretty sure the card was from <a href="https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/36090">this deal</a> years ago, and it seems like it may have previously been part of MR Ascent. Definitely not directly earning into QF.

Hahaha. I am fine with people criticising repeat questions, provided the person asking was a cough about it.. I just felt like you weren't?

Anyway - I've considered another option but I really only have one day to think about this (before the bonus points promo expires)

1. Apply for Explorer, cancel Plat Edge - have MR Ascent points reallocated to MR Gateway (i.e. points worth a little less now)
2. Spend $1500 within 2 months, get the 110k bonus
3. Some time further down the track apply for Plat Edge/Reserve/Charge - have MR Gateway points converted back to MR Ascent (Premium)

Risky though. This is dependent on still being able to re-link it in the future which I guess I can't count on.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Sounds like you've already considered the options but why can't you just transfer to the intended airline? Unless you are worried about the expiration of the points? Pretty sure I will flick mine into Krisflyer once my MR program card ends - but then I have a small balance.

.

KF is my favourite program, but points basically have a 3 shelf-life from when they arrive (though there are some ways to temporarily extend.

1/If you have a large points stash at Amex MR one may not want to dump them all at once to KF to start that clock ticking. I once moved 1.5 million MR points to KF to take advantage of a transfer bonus, but at that time I was flying a family of 5 around on holidays in J. These days it is mainly my wife and I and so I would have to think long an hard before doing that at present.

2/ Various airlines you can transfer Amex MR points to have transfer bonus or redemption specials. Keeping the points at Amex allows one to pounce as appropriate.

3/ If one's Amex stash is really large irrespective of the airline it is a big risk to transfer a lot of points there due to unknown future ""enhancements"" that may or may not occur. In addition vaious new routes etc can open in various programs that can make a redemption possible , or vice versa they might cancel a route (ie I had some points at MH set-aside for 2 J returns to Europe when they cancel the route I wanted and so I had to use the points to getvto Nepal instead).

 

[billbro]

Can't - she doesn't earn regular salary (anymore) i.e. difficult to reliably expect an approval for a credit card now.



Yep thought of that too but not willing to pay $1200 p.a. =/
Great card, just not for me (yet)

Might want to consider whether she will be approved based on household income, as one of the referral posts made a mention to it (though not sure what the terms of the Velocity Plat are).

The bonus points makes the $1,200 palatable (for me at least), as it was what allowed me to fund the bulk of our one-way tickets on Singapore for our return leg of a more or less round the world (also when I'll be proposing).

However, the explorer is amazing value if the MR loophole continues - interestingly enough, when I first called to de-link the cards I was told it wasn't meant to be separated as all your cards get tied to one program for simplicity.

KF is my favourite program, but points basically have a 3 shelf-life from when they arrive (though there are some ways to temporarily extend.

1/If you have a large points stash at Amex MR one may not want to dump them all at once to KF to start that clock ticking. I once moved 1.5 million MR points to KF to take advantage of a transfer bonus, but at that time I was flying a family of 5 around on holidays in J. These days it is mainly my wife and I and so I would have to think long an hard before doing that at present.

2/ Various airlines you can transfer Amex MR points to have transfer bonus or redemption specials. Keeping the points at Amex allows one to pounce as appropriate.

3/ If one's Amex stash is really large irrespective of the airline it is a big risk to transfer a lot of points there due to unknown future ""enhancements"" that may or may not occur. In addition vaious new routes etc can open in various programs that can make a redemption possible , or vice versa they might cancel a route (ie I had some points at MH set-aside for 2 J returns to Europe when they cancel the route I wanted and so I had to use the points to getvto Nepal instead).

Very fair points and if I had a large balance I wouldn't want to lock myself in either (I very much doubt I will ever amass 1.5 mil - my credit score needs a breather so I can actually apply for a mortgage at some point).

Personally, the 3 year shelf life is reasonable for the small balance I have and I would be worried about storing mine much longer given the variability in reward programs (plus we aim to go on at least one sizeable trip once every two years). Of course no expiration would be preferable (e.g. I have an extra 51k sitting in Krisflyer as they were meant to go towards a one-way Suites ticket, but the seats disappeared after I spoke to the CSR and now I have nothing to do with the extra balance).

 

[illumination]

Might want to consider whether she will be approved based on household income, as one of the referral posts made a mention to it (though not sure what the terms of the Velocity Plat are).

The bonus points makes the $1,200 palatable (for me at least), as it was what allowed me to fund the bulk of our one-way tickets on Singapore for our return leg of a more or less round the world (also when I'll be proposing).

However, the explorer is amazing value if the MR loophole continues - interestingly enough, when I first called to de-link the cards I was told it wasn't meant to be separated as all your cards get tied to one program for simplicity.



Very fair points and if I had a large balance I wouldn't want to lock myself in either (I very much doubt I will ever amass 1.5 mil - my credit score needs a breather so I can actually apply for a mortgage at some point).

Personally, the 3 year shelf life is reasonable for the small balance I have and I would be worried about storing mine much longer given the variability in reward programs (plus we aim to go on at least one sizeable trip once every two years). Of course no expiration would be preferable (e.g. I have an extra 51k sitting in Krisflyer as they were meant to go towards a one-way Suites ticket, but the seats disappeared after I spoke to the CSR and now I have nothing to do with the extra balance).

I am not so desperate for the Velocity Plat that I must have it - I think part of the reason why I am kind of unwilling to cancel it now, is as someone else mentioned about their dilemma, they haven't used their free flight yet (and in my case lounge access chances for the year). It feels a bit wasteful to cancel it before the flight in particular has been used. If I had already used it, I'd probably be more willing to cancel it.

Whilst the 120k bonus points is indeed sweet, it's hard for me to feel that it's good value for money from a relative point of view (relative to the Explorer's 110k, and ANZ QFF's 75k with no annual fee). I absolutely acknowledge it's a great card and the 120k goes some way to offsetting the cost, but rationally I do not believe it is worth it for me.

lovetravellingoz hits the nail on the hand - explained it in more detail than I did and is basically a great summary of why I want to keep the points in my MR Ascent.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I have an extra 51k sitting in Krisflyer

You can also redeem *A Redemptions and Partners Awards (including VA) through Krisflyer. Some redemptions on VA booked through SQ are cheaper than VA direct.

 

[AndersK]

I called AMEX on wednesday to change my explorer card from Ascent to Gateway. It's now monday and nothing has happened. Does this usually take a couple of days or should i follow up with them?

 

[Radio8tiv]

I called AMEX on wednesday to change my explorer card from Ascent to Gateway. It's now monday and nothing has happened. Does this usually take a couple of days or should i follow up with them?

Try making a small test purchase and see where the points end up

 

[bullz74]

I called AMEX on wednesday to change my explorer card from Ascent to Gateway. It's now monday and nothing has happened. Does this usually take a couple of days or should i follow up with them?

This is instant from my experience of linking and unlinking if you speak to the right person. I did speak to someone initially who claimed to have submitted a request that never came to fruition, I followed it up with another call a few days later and was unlinked instantly. Definitely worthwhile to call them back.

On a side note, spoke to a fantastic US based CS over the weekend who was only too happy to re-link my Explore to the Ascent account. I do find their US based CS to be better than other call centres (Aus included).

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I called AMEX on wednesday to change my explorer card from Ascent to Gateway. It's now monday and nothing has happened. Does this usually take a couple of days or should i follow up with them?

From what has been posted by various people it can be up to a week before it shows up on-line. Business Days wise it has been only 2 days so far.

Plus if the Australian Office was involved Thursday was a Public Holiday.

 

[crossbow]

I called AMEX on wednesday to change my explorer card from Ascent to Gateway. It's now monday and nothing has happened. Does this usually take a couple of days or should i follow up with them?

Same here too. I called up last Tuesday early evening, spoke to helpful Australian woman about some other matters and also requested to unlink from Ascent and back to Gateway program. She tried to talk me out of it since redemption for frequent flyer points is better value, but I explained I wanted to keep things separate for easy tracking of points from the different cards, and I would be using SPG transfer which is same transfer rate anyway.

She agreed to unlink and submitted a "back office request" explaining it would take 3~5 days. As of today, still not unlinked - logged in online the Explorer card reward points says "View your points balance under your other card" or such thing.

Anyone else have tips to getting a US-based agent on the phone? From reading this thread, I gather best to call very late nights on a weekend. Anyone know what particular times are best?

 

[coldecol]

Just want to say thank you to those that contribute to this thread. I have had a Platinum Edge for a while, and recently got the Explorer card. Got my bonus points and currently in the process of getting everything combined into the Ascent rewards. Took 3 phone calls for someone to be able to combine them, but will be worth it in the end.

I called up on Sunday morning to get it done, and i can see that the Explorer is now connected to the Ascent rewards, but the bonus points from the Gateway are still to be transferred over. Will give it another day or so and then call them again.

One thing i did which may save time for others, is when i activate the Explorer i created a seperate American Express login. This had the card already setup with Gateway rewards so didn't have to make a call to unlink it from Ascent to get the points. Once the bonus points came through, i removed the Explorer from Online services, logged into the login that contains the Edge, and added the card there. Then all i had to do was find the right person to join them.

I've noticed the $400 travel credit isn't showing in the Explorer anymore, but i haven't paid my annual fee so hopefully once thats paid it will reappear without me having to call and chase that up to.

 

[crossbow]

One thing i did which may save time for others, is when i activate the Explorer i created a seperate American Express login. This had the card already setup with Gateway rewards so didn't have to make a call to unlink it from Ascent to get the points. Once the bonus points came through, i removed the Explorer from Online services, logged into the login that contains the Edge, and added the card there. Then all i had to do was find the right person to join them.

I think that might be the key here. I activated the card under my existing login, and result was Explorer card linked to Ascent automatically. Not good if you want signup bonus.

For others still to activate their new card, I suggest creating a separate login. Although promo only lasts a day or two more. Can this be added to wiki (I can't)?

 

[Jonova]

I think that might be the key here. I activated the card under my existing login, and result was Explorer card linked to Ascent automatically. Not good if you want signup bonus.

For others still to activate their new card, I suggest creating a separate login. Although promo only lasts a day or two more. Can this be added to wiki (I can't)?

From my experience, I used the same login for both Platinum Edge and Explorer and they came unlinked. I spent my $1.5 and got the bonus points. I had to call 3 times but got them to link my accounts, the points transfer took about 24 hours to process.