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American Express® Business Explorer Card
If you’re looking for a low-fee business card that earns a good rate of Amex Membership Rewards Points and comes with Centurion Lounge passes, the Amex Business Explorer Credit Card could be a good choice.
- Points Earned
- Earn 2 Membership Rewards Points per $1 spent on eligible business purchases except government bodies where you will earn 1 point per $1 spent
- Notable Benefits
- $0 Annual Card Fee (usually $149) in the first year Up to 99 employee cards at no additional cost
- Annual fee
- $0 Annual Card Fee in the first year, $149 p.a.
Australian Frequent Flyer is currently not accepting applications for this card offer.
Get notified when it’s live.
Why we like the American Express Business Explorer Card
With a low $149 annual fee, the American Express Business Explorer Credit Card could be suitable for businesses that want to earn flexible Amex Membership Rewards Points on business expenses. You’ll earn 2 Amex Points per $1 spent (except on government payments), which for example is equivalent to 1 Velocity point per dollar.
It’s possible to add up to 99 Employee Cards at no extra cost. You’ll also earn points at the same rate when your employees spend on their cards.
While this is a relatively simple credit card, it also comes with two annual complimentary visits to the Amex Centurion Lounges in Sydney and Melbourne. You and all Employee Card members will also receive complimentary travel insurance.
Key Information & How to Apply
Key facts about this card
- Card type
- American Express
- Annual fee
- $0 Annual Card Fee in the first year, $149 p.a.
- Interest rate
- 23.99% p.a.
- Interest-free days
- Up to 55 days
- Minimum monthly repayment
- 100% of outstanding balance
- Minimum credit limit
- No minimum credit limit specified
- Minimum income requirement
- Annual business revenue of $75,000 or more with a valid ABN registered for GST
- International transaction fee
- 3%
To apply for this card, you will need
- To be an Australian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 or over and a Director or controller of the business
- Annual business revenue of $75,000 or more with a valid ABN registered for GST
- No history of bad debt or payment default
- Your Australian driver’s licence number and proof of income
- 10-15 minutes to complete your application
Australian Frequent Flyer is currently not accepting applications for this card offer.
Get notified when it’s live.
Contents
Latest offer
The American Express Business Explorer Credit Card has $0 Annual Card Fee (usually $149) in the first year on offer for new Card Members who apply by 23 July 2024.
The card earns Amex Membership Rewards Points on spend which can be transferred to around 11 different airline and 2 hotel loyalty programs. You’re then free to spend those points however you like, including for reward flights and upgrades with an airline of your choice.
To learn more about which loyalty programs you can convert Amex Membership Rewards Points into, see our Credit Card Points Transfer Assistant.
This offer is not available to existing Amex Card Members, or if you have been the primary Card Member of an American Express card in Australia during the past 18 months.
Amex Business Explorer travel benefits
Here’s an overview of the travel benefits you can expect…
Airport lounge access
Holding an Amex Business Explorer Credit Card entitles you to two complimentary visits to the Amex Centurion Lounge in Sydney or Melbourne each calendar year.
These lounges are accessible when departing from Sydney or Melbourne on any international flight – regardless of which airline you’re flying. See the American Express website for locations and opening hours.
You can also bring in your children (aged 17 or under) with you for free, although additional guests are subject to a fee.
Complimentary travel insurance
This card comes with complimentary domestic and international travel insurance. This insurance is underwritten by Chubb and is available when you pay for your trip using your Amex Business Explorer Credit Card.
Before using this insurance, we’d encourage you to read the PDS here.
Hilton Honors Silver status
Amex Business Explorer Card Members are invited to enrol as a Silver member in the Hilton Honors program. This is one tier above the base level in Hilton Honors and comes with benefits including 20% bonus points on stays, free bottled water and the fifth night free on stays booked using points.
You can register for Hilton Honors Silver status here.
Earning points
With the American Express Business Explorer Credit Card, you’ll earn 2 American Express Membership Rewards Points per $1 spent on eligible transactions (excluding government payments). That’s effectively 1 airline point or mile per dollar, with most frequent flyer programs, once the conversion rate is considered.
This earn rate is not quite as good as the 2.25 Amex Membership Rewards Points per dollar you would earn with an Amex Platinum Business Card. But given the much lower annual fee on the Amex Business Explorer Credit Card, it’s still a very solid earner. This is especially the case when you consider the wide range of ways you can redeem or transfer Amex Membership Rewards Points and the equivalent point earning rates on other business cards in the Australian market.
There is no monthly or annual point-earning cap. You can earn an unlimited number of points at the full rate.
Amex Membership Rewards Points do not expire as long as your account remains active. Therefore, it would be a good idea to keep them in your Amex Membership Rewards account until you’re ready to use them (or wait for a good bonus offer before transferring them to an airline)!
Earning points for ATO & government payments
Payments made directly to the Australian Tax Office (ATO) or other government bodies in Australia with your Amex Business Explorer Card will earn points at a reduced rate of 1 Amex Membership Rewards Point per $1.
Using Amex Membership Rewards Points
Amex Membership Rewards Points earned on this card can be converted to 11 airlines and 2 hotel loyalty programs, generally at a 2:1 conversion rate. Here’s the full list of transfer partners:
| Transfer partners | 1 Amex Point equals… |
|---|---|
| Air New Zealand Airpoints | 0.005 Airpoints Dollars |
| Cathay (Asia Miles) | 0.5 miles |
| Emirates Skywards | 0.33 miles |
| Etihad Guest | 0.5 miles |
| Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles | 0.5 miles |
| Hilton Honors | 0.5 miles |
| Malaysia Airlines Enrich | 0.5 points |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 0.67 points |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 0.5 Avios |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 0.33 miles |
| THAI Royal Orchid Plus | 0.5 miles |
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | 0.5 points |
Note that Amex Membership Rewards Points earned on the American Express Business Explorer Card cannot be transferred to Qantas Frequent Flyer or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
See our Overview of Amex Membership Rewards Transfer Partners for more information.
Alternatively, you could redeem your points through the Amex Membership Rewards program for rewards including:
- Gift cards
- David Jones credit
- Amex Travel Online
- Helloworld travel gift cards
- Cash back
Summary
Pros
- A good card for earning uncapped Amex Membership Rewards Points
- The flexibility to transfer your points to many different airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Relatively low annual fee
- Two annual Amex Centurion Lounge visits
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status
- Issue up to 99 Employee Cards at no additional cost
- Complimentary travel and other insurances
- Compatible with Apple Pay, Google Pay & Samsung Pay
Cons
- International transaction fees apply
- Points are earned at a reduced rate when spending with government bodies
- Points Earned
- Earn 2 Membership Rewards Points per $1 spent on eligible business purchases except government bodies where you will earn 1 point per $1 spent
- Notable Benefits
- $0 Annual Card Fee (usually $149) in the first year Up to 99 employee cards at no additional cost
- Annual fee
- $0 Annual Card Fee in the first year, $149 p.a.
Australian Frequent Flyer is currently not accepting applications for this card offer.
Get notified when it’s live.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Both cards have similar features. But the personal Amex Explorer Card has a higher annual fee at $395, and also comes with a $400 travel credit and smartphone screen insurance. The Amex Business Explorer Card has a lower annual fee of $149 and includes the option to issue up to 99 Employee Cards, making it potentially more suitable for business owners looking to earn Amex Membership Rewards points.
You would need to be an Australian citizen or resident and be a director or controller of a GST-registered business with a valid ABN. Other criteria may apply.
American Express Business Explorer Card Members receive two complimentary visits to the international Amex Centurion Lounges in Sydney or Melbourne each calendar year.
Yes, but payments to government bodies including the Australian Tax Office (ATO) will earn points at a reduced rate of 1 Amex Membership Rewards Point per dollar (instead of 2 points per dollar).
Yes, the Amex Business Explorer Credit Card supports Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.
Yes, there is an option to issue up to 99 Employee Cards at no extra cost.
Amex Membership Rewards Points do not expire, as long as your account remains open and in good standing. This can be useful as it means you can store points in your Amex Membership Rewards account and then transfer points to a frequent flyer program of your choice as needed – preventing them from expiring in the airline’s program.
Yes, Amex Business Explorer Card Members receive complimentary international and domestic travel insurance. See the PDS for full details.