Card comparison

Qantas Premier Platinum AU vs Amex Explorer AU

Qantas Points vs Membership Rewards

Verified October 2026

TL;DR — quick verdict

The Amex Explorer AU (A$395) undercuts the Qantas Premier Platinum AU (A$399) on annual fee. Pick the Qantas Premier Platinum AU for Qantas Points rewards; pick the Amex Explorer AU for Membership Rewards rewards.

At a Glance

Qantas Premier Platinum Card

Annual Fee
$399
Signup Bonus
Network
Mastercard
Points Currency
Qantas Points

American Express Explorer Card

Annual Fee
$395
Signup Bonus
Network
American Express
Points Currency
Membership Rewards

Category Breakdown

How they compare across key categories

Annual Fee

Amex Explorer Au wins

Qantas Premier Platinum AU A$399 vs Amex Explorer AU A$395

Perks & Benefits

Which Is Right for You?

Get the Qantas Premier Platinum AU if...

  • Premium benefits to offset the A$399 fee
  • Earns Qantas Points

Get the Amex Explorer AU if...

  • Lower A$395 annual fee
  • Earns Membership Rewards

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Qantas Premier Platinum AU or Amex Explorer AU better?

The Amex Explorer AU (A$395) undercuts the Qantas Premier Platinum AU (A$399) on annual fee. Pick the Qantas Premier Platinum AU for Qantas Points rewards; pick the Amex Explorer AU for Membership Rewards rewards. Both earn transferable rewards, so many points collectors hold one from each ecosystem.

Which has the lower annual fee, the Qantas Premier Platinum AU or Amex Explorer AU?

The Amex Explorer AU has the lower annual fee at A$395, versus A$399 for the Qantas Premier Platinum AU.

Which card earns points faster?

The Qantas Premier Platinum AU earns up to 1x base, while the Amex Explorer AU earns up to 1x base.

Can I have both the Qantas Premier Platinum AU and the Amex Explorer AU?

Yes. They're issued independently, so you can hold both and earn Qantas Points and Membership Rewards side by side.

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Need More Points?

Earn bonus points with these credit card offers

Can't find availability at your current points balance? These credit cards earn points you can put towards your next flight.

The Platinum Card from American Express

Personal · Annual fee $895

US only

175,000 points

after $12,000 in 6 months

  • Airline incidentals credit ($200)
  • Uber credit ($200)
  • Lounge access
Learn more & apply

American Express Gold Card

Personal · Annual fee $325

US only

100,000 points

after $8,000 in 6 months

  • Dining credit ($120)
  • Resy credit ($100)
  • Dunkin credit ($84)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Personal · Annual fee $795

100,000 points

after $6,000 in 3 months

  • Annual Travel Credit ($300)
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit ($120)
  • The Edit Hotel Credit ($500)
Learn more & apply

Chase Ink Business Preferred®

Business · Annual fee $95

100,000 Ultimate Rewards points

after $8,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

  • 3x points on travel & shipping
  • 3x points on advertising
  • 3x points on internet/cable/phone
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Personal · Annual fee $95

75,000 points

after $5,000 in 3 months

  • Hotel credit ($50)
  • DoorDash DashPass
  • Peloton credit ($60)
Learn more & apply

Capital One Venture Rewards

Personal · Annual fee $95

75,000 points

after $4,000 in 3 months

  • Capital One Travel credit ($300)
Learn more & apply

Credit card approval subject to eligibility. Terms and conditions apply. American Express cards shown are available to US residents only.

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