Have an American Express (AMEX) card but don’t know which online stores will accept it? We’ve taken the guesswork out, so that you can use your American Express credit card during your shopping, earn points and receive the member rewards you’re entitled.
While the below list isn’t definitive, it does provide an idea of the scope of retailers that accept American Express. In this list, there may be some retailers, in particular aggregators and marketplaces, that only accept American Express for certain items. You will be informed of this during the checkout process. Some of these retailers may place a surcharge on ALL credit cards that go through their checkout. Again, you will be informed of this during the checkout process.
Retailers that accept American Express
You can browse through the store list below or do a search for a specific store or categories of stores (e.g. fashion, grocery etc.) to find just what you’re looking for.
American Express cards come in two formats: those issued by American Express itself, and cards issued by banks. Like other credit cards, American Express credit cards come in different variations including, high-income earner cards (Platinum, Black), low rate and fee cards, Frequent Flyer cards and store cards.
How does Apple Pay work with American Express?
As of October 2020, you can use your American Express card to pay via Apple Pay on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. Note that for now, only American Express cards issued by American Express (not a bank) are Apple Pay enabled.
Is there a fee for having an American Express card?
Annual fees for American Express cards vary depending on which card you choose to apply for. Some American Express cards have a $0 p.a. annual fee for the first year and will then charge you an annual fee thereafter. Details of your annual fee will be provided to you during the application process.
What are American Express rewards?
American Express Membership Rewards is the rewards program of American Express. Once approved for your American Express card, you’ll automatically be enrolled in American Express Membership Rewards. You accrue points with purchases which you can use to book travel, redeem shopping rewards or transfer to partners like Delta and Aeroplan. You can also use these points to access discounts at Ticketmaster.
How do I get an American Express card?
Eligibility for American Express cards varies between cards. However, an applicant must be 18 years or older, a Canadian resident or citizen, have a good credit rating and must meet the minimum income requirement for the card. You can compare and apply for an American Express card online.
Compare American Express credit card options
If you’re interested in getting an AMEX card of your own, browse through the different card options below to find the one that best fits your needs. You can click the compare check box beneath more than one card to compare their features side by side.
Are there any surcharges for using American Express cards?
Some merchants will charge a surcharge for using an American Express card. This surcharge is typically around 2% of the total cost. You will be advised during the checkout process whether a surcharge is included in your cost for using this credit card.
Why don’t some merchants allow you to pay by American Express?
Every time a customer swipes their card, merchants are required to pay that credit card company a fee for using their service. This is known as a merchant service fee and is why some retailers require a minimum spend in order to accept credit cards. American Express purchases are no different. Some merchants don’t want to pay these fees and hence won’t accept the card, while others will charge a surcharge to use it. However, as you can see from our list, there are plenty of stores that easily accept it.
Keep in mind that you can use PayPal as a clever workaround when buying from some places that don’t accept AMEX. Some places that don’t accept American Express might accept PayPal, which is a portal that allows you to pay for goods with your credit card. If you can link your AMEX credit card to your PayPal account, then you can essentially pay for your purchases with your AMEX card but through PayPal.
Stephanie Yip is the travel editor at Finder and has been writing about travel and lifestyle for over a decade. She has written for a range of travel publications including Thomas Cook Magazine and Showpo. Stephanie has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia, and has visited over 50 countries (and counting). She has a passion for sharing her experiences and knowledge of travel and helping consumers stretch their travel cash while on holiday.
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