How to Use Your AMEX Travel Credit: Step-by-Step Guide

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If you’ve got an eligible American Express card in Australia, one of the perks you may receive each year is AMEX Travel Credit. Depending on your card type, this benefit can be worth hundreds of dollars, all for you to put towards flights, hotels, or car hire.

In this guide, we’ll explain how AMEX Travel Credit works, which cards include it, and the step-by-step process for redeeming it. We’ll also touch on AMEX Qantas Travel Credit, as well as a few practical tips to help you get the most value from your American Express Travel Credit. You can also learn more about the Wise card, an easy way to stretch your dollars when paying in foreign currencies.

What is AMEX Travel Credit?

Each year, Australians who hold an eligible American Express credit card can receive an annual AMEX Travel Credit allowance as one of the perks.¹ This credit can be put towards flights, pre-paid hotels and car rentals, booked using the American Express Travel website.

Which AMEX cards include Travel Credits?

Currently, there are four American Express credit cards that offer Travel Credit to Aussie cardholders.¹

As long as the card is in good standing, the annual fee has been paid and minimum payments are made by the due date, cardholders can access their Travel Credit. This includes people who are new to American Express.

How to Check Your AMEX Travel Credit Balance

To check the balance and the expiry date of your American Express Travel Credits, all you need to do is log in to the American Express Travel Online website, and press ‘Show Travel Credits’.¹

How to Use & Redeem Your AMEX Travel Credit

Using American Express Travel Credits is a fairly simple process, but you do need to follow it carefully to ensure the benefit is correctly applied to your account. To make life easier, here’s a step by step guide on how to redeem AMEX Travel Credit.¹

1. Go to the American Express Travel Online website
2. Search through the available flights, hotels and car hire
3. Make a booking worth at least the full value your Travel Credit
4. Select your Travel Credit at the checkout
5. Pay for the booking using an American Express Card

If the process is followed correctly, the full amount of the Travel Credit will be applied to your AMEX account within 3 business days.

AMEX Qantas Travel Credit

Another American Express credit card perk that’s very similar to Travel Credit is Qantas Travel Credit.² This $450 allowance comes with the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card, and can be used to pay for a single international or domestic Qantas flight, valued at $450 or more.

Using Qantas Travel Credit is very similar to redeeming the general AMEX Travel Credits.

1. Go to the American Express Travel Online website
2. Search through the available flights
3. Make a booking worth at least $450
4. Select the Travel Credit at the checkout
5. Pay for the booking using an eligible Qantas American Express Ultimate Card

The amount will then be credited to your account within 3 business days provided the correct steps were followed.

AMEX Travel Credit Refund & Cancellation Policy

When using AMEX Travel Credits it’s important to know about the cancellation and refund policy.

• If you cancel your booking, and the Travel Credit has already been used and the benefit applied to your account, it unfortunately means you forfeit your annual Travel Credit benefit, and AMEX may reverse the statement credits that were issued.¹
• If you cancel your AMEX card, change rewards programs or change the card type, you lose your eligibility for Travel Credit on that card.

Given the policy rules it may be best to use your Travel Credit sooner, rather than later, and apply it to trips you’re certain you’ll take.

Tips on using your AMEX Travel Credit

Here’s a few tips on getting the most out of using your American Express Travel Credit.

• If you have multiple Travel Credits available, be aware you can only redeem one per booking. As such, you would be best using the one that is closest to the amount you intend to spend, or is going to expire earliest.
• You can use a combination of Travel Credits and Membership Rewards Points to cover the full cost of the travel you’re booking. The Travel Credit is applied first, then the Membership Points can be used to cover part or all of the remaining balance.
• Travel Credits can be used to book trips for family and friends, provided it’s not for promotion, resale or commercial use. The best part; you don’t have to be travelling with them to use the perk.

Travelling abroad with AMEX? Bring along the Wise card to save on foreign transaction fees

While premium 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.

🚀 Get your Wise card

Date: 11 May 2026