A perfect weekend with the American Express Essential® Rewards Card
The best weekends are chock full of experiences – catching up with friends over brunch, crossing tasks off the to-do list, recharging at home. With the Amex Essential Rewards Card, all the ways you make the most of your weekends are now more rewarding, because you can earn up to 5x Membership Rewards points for every dollar1 you spend.
Here's how to enjoy a perfect weekend of eating well, socialising, being productive and fitting in some down time, all while earning more points…
Earn rewards at brunch
Eggs benedict or an acai bowl? Whatever you order, you can’t go wrong starting a weekend with brunch. As you swap stories with your best friend over mimosas, you’ll be earning even more points with the Amex Essential Rewards Card: 5 points for every $1 spent on eats and drinks at eligible restaurants, cafés and bars in Australia, to be exact1.
Earn rewards while you shop
If you need an excuse to upgrade your smart TV, want to nab the new game your friends haven’t stopped raving about, or are keen to swap out your tired headphones for a fresh set, the Amex Essential Rewards Card has you covered: earn 2 points for every $1 spent at selected major retailers in Australia – including JB Hi-Fi1. If you’re more into gardening or DIY, the same rewards apply at retailers like Bunnings Warehouse, along with Kmart and Amazon.
Earn rewards for ordering in
You’ve had a busy day catching up with mates and enjoying retail therapy… now it’s time to head home and chill. The big question is: to cook or not to cook?
Lucky for you, it’s not just meals out that earn 5 points for every $1 spent – the same applies to selected food delivery services when using your Amex Essential Rewards Card1. Takeaway is a go, so all you need to figure out is if you want Chinese, Thai, Indian, sushi, pizza or… the options are almost endless.
Earn rewards while streaming TV, movies, music and sport
You chose a cuisine, but the decision-making isn’t over yet: it’s time to pick something to watch. Whatever you go for, from a new Netflix series or a childhood favourite on Disney+, to a Prime movie or even a match on Kayo Sports, you’ll be earning 3 points for every $1 spent on your Amex Essential Rewards Card for selected subscription services in Australia1.
That’s what we call a productive weekend.
All other spending earns 1 point for every $1, so any purchase pays you back1. Spend the afternoon stocking up on everything you need, and reap the rewards in the form of extra points back on your Amex Essential Rewards Card.
1. Membership Rewards® Program for The American Express Essential Rewards Card.Subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards® program available at americanexpress.com/en-au/rewards/membership-rewards/terms.
Earn 5 points per $1 spent at restaurants, fast food outlets, cafes, bars and selected food delivery services in Australia (“Eats and Drinks”). See the list of selected food delivery services here. Earning points at this rate is dependent on how the merchant categorises their business and provide us this information (directly or through their financial institution). Locations such as a bar in an entertainment venue or a restaurant in a hotel may not be eligible for accelerated points earn. Spend through an aggregator or intermediary platform for these transactions may not be eligible for accelerated points earn. The Eats and Drinks category does not include supermarket, grocery store or catering spend.
Earn 3 points per $1 spent on eligible streaming subscriptions at selected providers in Australia. The current list of streaming services is available here. Purchases must be made directly with the merchant on our list. Spend will not be eligible for accelerated earn if the product is bundled with another product or service or billed by a third party such as a digital platform or a TV, telecommunications or internet provider. Spend through an aggregator or intermediary platform for these transactions may not be eligible for accelerated points earn.
Earn 2 points per $1 spent at selected major retailers in Australia. The following merchants have been classified as Selected Major Retailers: Amazon, Kmart, Bunnings Warehouse, Uniqlo, Myer, The Iconic, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman. Purchases with these Selected Major Retailers are only eligible for additional points if the transactions are made online or in-store in Australia. Spend through an aggregator or intermediary platform for these transactions may not be eligible for accelerated points earn. The current list of selected retailers and corresponding terms and conditions are available here. The list is subject to change.
Eligible spend outside the accelerated earn rate categories will earn 1 Membership Rewards point per $1 spent.
American Express reserves the right to change this list of Eats and Drinks providers, selected food delivery services, selected streaming services and selected major retailers that earn points at an accelerated rate.
Monthly Points Threshold: You will earn points at an accelerated earn rate on spend at eligible Eats & Drinks, select food delivery services, select streaming services and selected major retailers up to a combined maximum of 10,000 points posted to your account monthly. After a total of 10,000 points is earned in a month, you will earn 1 point for every $1 regardless of credits, returns and adjustments until the threshold resets at the start of the next calendar month.
Refunds and returns: When the Basic Card Member or an Additional Card Member obtains a refund or reimbursement for items purchased on the Card or an Additional Card as applicable, Membership Rewards points will be deducted. Points are deducted based on the earn rate applicable on the day a refund or reimbursement transaction is processed.
2. Gift Cards or voucher rewards are not redeemable or exchangeable for cash or credit. Normal retailer gift card or voucher conditions apply, refer to the gift card or retailer website for details.
3. Airline Partner Programs.Subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards Gateway program available at americanexpress.com/en-au/rewards/membership-rewards/terms. You must be a member of the partner program, joining fees may apply and points transferred will be subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable program
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