The 4 AMEX Points Earning Business Cards in Australia
TLDR: Steve Hui, The Points Whisperer covers the key features that matter.
American Express Business Cards are the workhorse in many businesses to earn points when paying for the company expenses.
In the Australian market, there are a total of 25 American Express (AMEX) cards available, each with different points earning rates, different airline partners, card benefits and annual fees.
13 AMEX personal cards are available to individuals,
4 AMEX Business cards are available to business owners (that earn points), and
6 AMEX corporate cards are available to companies with annual turnovers of $10m+.
This article is the TLDR (Too Long Didn’t Read) version covering the key card features and benefits that matter from my point of view.
1st TIP and a ‘plug’ for my service called The Tailored Points Guidance Session - We advise companies with turnovers over $1m/year with practical steps on how to earn more points by paying company expenses on the right business credit card and use points to fly Business Class.
Book your Points Optimiser Sesson with Steve Hui “The Points Whisperer”, to get a tailored card + points strategy for your business that will turn your company into a points-generating factory to get you flying Business Class everywhere on points.
*For transparency - when you apply for a card below via its link, you are helping me earn a promotional referral fee to keep iFLYflat & the team ‘flying’ - Thank you for helping!
The AMEX Business Cards you can get in Australia:
American Express Platinum Business Card
Type: Charge Card (Enjoy no pre-set spending limit)
Uncapped Points: Ability to accumulate uncapped & non-expiring AMEX points
Earn 2.25 points for every $1 spent, except spend on government where you will earn 1 point for every $1 spent.
Up to 12 Airline Partners flexibility: Choose to transfer AMEX points to 12 airline partners at a future date of your choice.
TIP: Knowing the number of post-conversion airline points is the most important point.
The 12 airline partners (and their AMEX: Airline transfer ratios) are:
Qantas (2:1), Virgin Velocity (2:1), Singapore Airlines (3:1) , Emirates (3:1), Etihad (2:1), Cathay Pacific (2:1), Malaysia Airlines (2:1), Thai Airways (2:1), Virgin Atlantic (2:1), Air New Zealand (200:1), and recent additions Qatar Airways (2:1) and Hawaiian Airlines (2:1).
Compared to the AMEX Business Explorer and AMEX Business Gold cards - the AMEX Platinum Business Card is the only card that can convert into Qantas Points as well as the other airlines.
2 Hotel Partners: Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
Comprehensive domestic and international Travel Insurance, Rental vehicle loss damage waiver cover, Card purchase cover, Buyers Advantage warranty cover and more.
You automatically receive complimentary domestic & international Travel Insurance simply for holding the Card (Please read the PDS for exact coverage and benefits)
The cover is available for you, your spouse and your dependent children (25 years of age or younger) as well as all your Employee Platinum Business Card Members
TIP: Potentially making this the cheapest & smartest way to get your employee’s travel insurance covered!
Lounge Access
Virgin Australia domestic lounges when flying Virgin Australia
International American Express Lounges / The Centurion® Lounge
Priority Pass Lounges (enrolment required) / Plaza Premium Lounges / Delta Sky Club® Lounges when flying Delta
Enjoy complimentary access to The Australian Premium Subscription. The Australian’s news coverage and analysis from here and around the world, including full digital access to The Wall Street Journal.
Cashflow: up to 55 days to pay for purchases
Annual Fee: $1,750
No additional fee for up to 99 Employee Cards
Thanks for your support - When you use this link to apply, you are helping me earn a promotional referral fee to keep iFLYflat & the team ‘flying’.
American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card
Type: Charge Card (Enjoy no pre-set spending limit)
Earns Qantas Points only
Earns up to 2 Qantas points per $1 spend (earns directly to your Qantas Business Rewards account),
2 Qantas points per $1 on Qantas products and services
1.25 Qantas points per $1 on everyday business spend
0.5 Qantas points on utilities, insurances and government bodies
PLUS - The Qantas Business Reward Points that your business earns when flying with Qantas will be tripled.
After a total of 500,000 Qantas Points is earned in a calendar year, the everyday business earn rate will change from 1.25 to 0.75 Qantas Points per $1 spent.*
(For Card Members who applied for the Card between 1 July 2023 – 9 January 2024, this change will come into effect from 10 July 2024.)
Transfer Qantas points (via Qantas business Rewards account) to anyone with a Qantas Frequent Flyer Account (eg. clients, employees, suppliers, investors, supporters, family)
Redeem for flights or upgrades (via Qantas business Rewards account) to anyone with a Qantas Frequent Flyer Account (eg. clients, employees, suppliers, investors, supporters, family)
Each year you receive two passes to domestic Qantas Club Lounges
Power up your business – Spend with Dell Technologies, Get up to $100 credit
Save the benefit to your Card and spend with Dell Technologies online at www.dell.com.au or via phone on 1800 880 855 to receive your purchase amount back as a credit, up to $100 back. Valid once per redemption period. That's a total of up to $200 back per Card Account. Benefit ends 31 August 2024. Exclusions apply.
Enjoy complimentary access to The Australian Premium Subscription. The Australian’s news coverage and analysis from here and around the world, including full digital access to The Wall Street Journal.
Complimentary domestic and international Travel Insurance
The cover is available for you, your spouse and your dependent children (25 years of age or younger) as well as all your Employee Qantas Business Rewards Card Members when you book and pay for your return trip with your Qantas Business Rewards Business Card
Cashflow: up to 51 days to pay for purchases
Annual Fee: $450
No additional fee for up to 99 Employee Cards
Thanks for your support - When you use this link to apply, you are helping me earn a promotional referral fee to keep iFLYflat & the team ‘flying’.
*From 10 January 2024, once you have earned a total of 500,000 Qantas Points on your Card Account in a calendar year, your earn rate of 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent will change to 0.75 Qantas Points per $1 spent on everyday business purchases. All other earn rates (Qantas products, services and government, utilities and insurances spend) will remain unchanged. For Card Members who applied for the Card between 1 July 2023 – 9 January 2024, this change will come into effect from 10 July 2024. The points threshold is based on eligible Qantas Points earned during a calendar year and will be reset on 1 January each year. Qantas Points earned by all Card Members on a Card Account contribute to the 500,000 points threshold each calendar year. Bonus points earned from Acquisition bonus offers and marketing campaigns are excluded from the threshold.
American Express Business Explorer Credit Card
Type: Credit Card (with a pre-set credit limit)
Earn 2 points for every $1 spent, except spend on government where you will earn 1 point for every $1 spent
The AMEX points convert at a 2:1 ratio into 1.0x airline points partner equivalent.
TIP: Knowing the number of airline points is the most important point.
Uncapped Points: Ability to accumulate uncapped & non-expiring AMEX points
Up to 10 Airline Partners flexibility: Choose to transfer AMEX points to 10 airline partners at a future date of your choice,
The 10 airline partners (and their AMEX: Airline transfer ratios) are:
Virgin Australia (2:1), Singapore Airlines (3:1) , Emirates (3:1), Etihad (2:1), Cathay Pacific (2:1), Malaysia Airlines (2:1), Thai Airways (2:1), Air New Zealand (200:1), and recent additions Qatar Airways (2:1) and Hawaiian Airlines (2:1).
Compared to the American Express Platinum Business Card with 12 airline partners - this card has 10 that excludes Qantas Points and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Two complimentary entries to the American Express Lounge at Sydney or Melbourne International Airport each year
Complimentary Travel Insurance
Cover is available for you, your spouse and your dependent children (25 years of age or younger) as well as all your Employee Business Explorer Credit Card Members when you book and pay for your return trip with your Business Explorer Credit Card.
Cashflow: up to 55 days to pay for purchases
Annual Fee: $149
No additional fee for Employee Cards (up to 99)
Thanks for your support - When you use this link to apply, you are helping me earn a promotional referral fee to keep iFLYflat & the team ‘flying’.
American Express Velocity Business Card
Type: Charge Card (Enjoy no pre-set spending limit)
Earns Virgin Velocity points only
Earns up to 2 Velocity points per $1
2 Velocity points per $1 on Virgin Australia services
1 Velocity point per $1 on other purchases,
0.5 Velocity points per $1 on government bodies
Each year you receive two complimentary single entry passes to the Virgin Australia Lounge at selected domestic airports when flying with Virgin
Complimentary Travel Insurance
The cover is available for you, your spouse and your dependent children (25 years of age or younger) as well as all your Employee Velocity Business Card Members when you book and pay for your return trip with your Velocity Business Card.
Cashflow: up to 51 days to pay for purchases
Annual Fee: $249
Employee cards $99 per Card (Up to 99 Cards)
Thanks for your support - When you use this link to apply, you are helping me earn a promotional referral fee to keep iFLYflat & the team ‘flying’.
Disclaimer: We’ve only covered some of the key features of each card. Please visit American Express to learn more about each card, its terms and conditions and PDS.
This is not financial advice.
Learn how to earn points in your business
In this exclusive training with Steve Hui - Australia’s ‘Points Whisperer’ you’ll learn how to turn your business into a points-earning machine and use points to fly Business Class everywhere.
Want to work with Steve?
Get expert guidance from Steve Hui — Australia’s Points Whisperer. Book a Points Guidance Call for your business and start flying Business class everywhere, everytime.
