Best AMEX Card in Australia for Earning Points & Travel Rewards

*Pricing claim based on comparative data for select airports and passes. Live pricing is subject to exchange rate fluctuations.
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One of the most attractive things about having a credit card is the perks and rewards points many come with. American Express is no different, offering a range of charge cards and credit cards that personal customers can use to access travel and shopping benefits, as well as earn rewards points.

In this guide we’ll cover the best AMEX cards for points in Australia, including Rewards Points, Qantas Points and Velocity Points. We’ll look at the fees, perks, eligibility and welcome bonuses, as well as introduce you to the Wise card, a handy tool for overseas spending.

What is an American Express (AMEX) Card?

American Express is a financial services company that offers credit cards and charge cards to personal and business customers. Unlike many other card providers, they don’t rely on Visa or Mastercard, instead acting as their own payment network and issuer.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an AMEX Card

There are a few things to consider when deciding which American Express card is right for you.

• Annual fees - Is the cost of the annual fee worth it compared to the points and perks you’d gain?
• Benefits - Do the additional benefits like airport lounge access, free subscriptions and travel credit work with your lifestyle, to make having that card worth it?
• Eligibility - Are you eligible to apply for the card?
• Foreign transaction fees - Is the card suitable for making payments overseas or in a foreign currency, or are the fees too high for you?

Best AMEX Cards in Australia for Points: Comparison of Earn Rate & Rewards

Before we go into each card in more detail, here’s an overview of the annual fees and key features for you to compare.¹

American Express Platinum Card: Best for a Wide Range of Perks

The American Express Platinum Card is a premium charge card with a high annual fee, but a number of perks. Customers can earn points on their spending, save on First and Business Class airfares, get up to $400 Global Dining Credit and gain complimentary travel insurance, ALL Accor+ Explorer Membership, airport lounge access, Hotel Elite Status.²

• Eligibility: 18 or older and an Australian citizen, permanent resident or long-term visa holder, with good credit history and no payment defaults
• Annual fee: 1450 AUD
• Welcome bonus: 200,000 bonus points if 5000 AUD is spent on eligible purchases in the first 3 months
• Points rate: Up to 2.25 points per $1 spent
• Points expiry: No expiry as long at the account is in good standing⁸
• Foreign transaction fee: 3.5% of the AUD equivalent of the foreign transaction amount⁹

While this is the highest fee card, it can be worth it to people who are able to claim the Welcome Bonus and take full advantage of the various perks.

American Express Essential Rewards Credit Card: Best for Low Annual Fees

The AMEX Essentials Rewards credit card focuses on points over perks, earning up to 5 points per $1 spent.³ Those points can then be transferred to an airline rewards partner program, redeemed for digital gift cards, used to book travel to American Express Travel or to pay for eligible account charges using Cover Charges with points.

• Eligibility: 18 or older and an Australian citizen, permanent resident or long-term visa holder, with good credit history, no payment defaults and willing to access statements online
• Annual fee: 9 AUD per month (108 AUD per year)
• Welcome bonus: 30,000 bonus points if 3000 AUD is spent on eligible purchases in the first 3 months
• Points rate: Up to 5 points per $1 spent
• Points expiry: No expiry as long at the account is in good standing⁸
• Foreign transaction fee: 3.5% of the converted amount⁹

The Express Essential card is a viable choice for those looking for a low-fee credit card, but be aware the opportunity to earn 2, 3, 4, or 5 points per dollar spent is limited to select retailers. Everything else is 1 point per $1 spent.

American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card: Best for Everyday Supermarket Spending

The AMEX Express enables people to earn 1, 2 or 3 Membership Rewards Points on their spending, depending on the retailer.⁴ On top of this, cardholders also get $200 a year Travel Credit, and complimentary travel insurance for eligible trips.

• Eligibility: 18 or older and an Australian citizen, permanent resident or long-term visa holder, with good credit history and no payment defaults
• Annual fee: 195 AUD
• Welcome bonus: $0 annual fee for the first year when applying onlineFiris
• Points rate: 3 points per $1 spent at major supermarkets and petrol stations
• Points Points expiry: No expiry as long at the account is in good standing⁸:
• Foreign transaction fee: 3.5% of the converted amount⁹

A good balance of price, perks and points, the Platinum Edge credit card may not have the highest point earning rate, but the $0 annual card free for the first year makes it an attractive option.

American Express Explorer Credit Card: Best for Mid-Range Travel Perks

A mid-tier credit card in terms of perks and annual fees, the American Express Explorer Card allows users to earn up to 2 points per $1 spent, and comes with travel perks.⁵ This includes $400 annual Travel Credit, complimentary travel insurance and two airport lounge passes per year for Sydney and Melbourne international airports.

• Eligibility: 18 or older and an Australian citizen, permanent resident or long-term visa holder, with good credit history, no payment defaults and willing to access statements online
• Annual fee: 395 AUD
• Welcome bonus: 75,000 bonus points if 4000 AUD is spent on eligible purchases in the first 3 months
• Points rate: Up to 2 points per $1 spent
• Points expiry: No expiry as long at the account is in good standing⁸
• Foreign transaction fee: 3.5% of the converted amount⁹

For those able to take full advantage of the $400 travel credit it already offsets the annual card fee before any bonuses or points are earned, but otherwise a lower fee, higher point earning card may be better.

Qantas American Express Ultimate Card: Best for Qantas Frequent Flyers

For those that travel frequently with Qantas, there is the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card.⁶ It earns up to 2.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent, with no caps. Cardholders also get access to some travel and Qantas perks, including complimentary travel insurance, $450 annual Qantas Travel Credit, two airport lounge passes per year for Sydney and Melbourne international airports and premium Qantas Wine membership.

• Eligibility: 18 or older and an Australian citizen, permanent resident or long-term visa holder, with good credit history and no payment defaults
• Annual fee: 450 AUD
• Welcome bonus: 50,000 bonus Qantas Points if 5000 AUD is spent on eligible purchases in the first 3 months
• Points rate: Up to 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent
• Points expiry: Follows the Qantas Points rules
• Foreign transaction fee: 3.5% of the converted amount⁹

Since the $450 Qantas Travel Credit is equal to the annual card fee, it makes sense for Qantas Frequent flyers to consider this card, but people who travel less may be better with an AMEX points card or one of the lower fee AMEX Qantas cards.

American Express Velocity Platinum Card: Best for Virgin Australia travellers

The other airlines rewards system AMEX has a direct relationship with is Velocity.⁷ With a American Express Velocity Platinum Card, cardholders earn up to 2.25 Velocity points per $1 spent, and get travel perks like complimentary domestic travel insurance, Virgin Australia lounge access, and up to 100 bonus Velocity Status Credits.

• Eligibility: 18 or older and an Australian citizen, permanent resident or long-term visa holder, with good credit history and no payment defaults
• Annual fee: 440 AUD
• Welcome bonus: 50,000 bonus Velocity Points if 5000 AUD is spent on eligible purchases in the first 3 months
• Points rate: Up to 1.25 Velocity Points per $1 spent
• Points expiry: Follows the Velocity Points rules
• Foreign transaction fee: 3.5% of the converted amount⁹

With an annual fee of $440, the points earning and perks would need to be carefully weighed up against general travel and spending habits, to see how much value it truly offers.

Summary: Which Is the Best AMEX Card for Points in Australia?

The best AMEX card for points in Australia really depends on your spending habits, travel preferences, and how much value you’ll get from the included perks. Premium cards like the American Express Platinum Card offer extensive travel benefits and high rewards potential, but come with substantial annual fees. Lower-fee cards like the Essential Rewards card may suit people who mainly want to collect points without paying for luxury extras, while the Explorer and Platinum Edge sit somewhere in the middle, offering a balance of rewards, travel benefits, and lower fees.

For airline loyalty, the Qantas American Express Ultimate and Velocity Platinum cards can make sense for travellers who consistently fly with those airlines and can maximise the included travel credits and lounge access.

One thing to keep in mind across the range is the 3.5% foreign transaction fee, which can add up quickly when travelling overseas. For international spending, some Australians choose to pair their AMEX card with a Wise card.

Bring along the Wise card to save on foreign transaction fees

While AMEX credit cards can be useful for collecting points on domestic purchases, spending overseas often comes with high foreign transaction fees and poor exchange rates. The Wise card is a simple way to save up to 4x when you're spending internationally. You can spend in 150+ countries at mid-market rate — basically the rate you see on Google. With no foreign transaction fees and low, transparent pricing, Wise usually gives you the best value for your money.

Simply create a Wise account for free, order a card and top-up AUD to get started. Having a physical Wise card allows you to make chip and pin payments, as well as make some free ATM withdrawals each month for when you're abroad. You can get digital cards and add to your Google or Apple Pay wallet for instant use. Spend directly with the Wise account in AUD and let auto-conversion do the trick or convert in advance to your desired currency. You can hold and exchange 40+ currencies in your Wise account and spend the currencies you hold for free.

Wherever your travel takes you, the Wise card makes spending money abroad cheaper and easier.

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Date: 24 May 2026