Amex is most accepted in the U.S., where 99% of credit card-accepting merchants take it. It has high acceptance at major retail brands, hotels, restaurants, and with large retailers in Australia (Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings) and expanding locations in Japan, the UK, and the Caribbean.
According to an American Express representative, 99% of U.S. merchants who accept credit cards also now accept American Express.
100,000 American Express Membership Rewards points are generally worth $1,000 to $2,000 or more, depending on redemption; you get about 1 cent per point ($1,000 total) using the travel portal or gift cards, but can achieve 2 cents per point or higher ($2,000+) by transferring to airline/hotel partners for premium flights, yielding significantly more value, according to Bankrate and WalletHub and The Points Guy.
Where Is American Express Not Accepted? While Amex is generally accepted by all major retailers in the U.S., there's one notable exception. While American Express used to have an exclusive partnership with Costco, the wholesale club currently only accepts Visa credit cards at its warehouses and gas stations.
The Amex 2/90 rule is a guideline limiting most people to approval for no more than two new American Express credit cards within a 90-day period, even if they meet other rules like waiting five days between applications (the 1-in-5 rule). This rule specifically applies to credit cards, not necessarily charge cards, and is a key factor in managing how many new Amex cards you can open and get welcome bonuses for.
The credit limit you can expect for a $70,000 salary across all your credit cards could be as much as $14000 to $21000, or even higher in some cases, according to our research. The exact amount depends heavily on multiple factors, like your credit score and how many credit lines you have open.
Centurion® Card from American Express
Why it's one of the hardest cards to get: The hardest card to get is the American Express Centurion Card, known simply as the “Black Card.” You need an invitation to get Amex Centurion, and only the super rich and famous can expect to get the call.
Historically, American Express charged higher fees than their competitors, making their cards less attractive to merchants. Merchant funding was also a slow process.
Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover Card, and Diner's Club credit cards. Also, contactless payments like Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Most big retailers accept Amex, including Amazon, Argos, B&Q and the Post Office. However, it's not accepted by Sky, or Virgin Media.
While 200K Amex points will typically only give you about $2,000 in value when you shop for flights in the Amex travel portal, you can sometimes find Business or First Class flights — that can normally cost over $10,000 — for only 200K points, when transferred to a frequent flyer program.
Membership Rewards® points have no expiration date.
The main cons of American Express (Amex) include limited merchant acceptance (due to higher fees for businesses), high annual fees on premium cards, and strict credit requirements, often needing good to excellent credit; plus, some traditional Amex cards are charge cards requiring full monthly payment, unlike typical credit cards, and points transfers can sometimes be slow, notes Investopedia, Finder.com.au, Credit Suite, Bankrate, Point Hacks, Half Past First Cast, and YouTube}.
The American Express Centurion Card, colloquially known as the Black Card, is an exclusive invitation-only charge card issued by American Express. It is reserved for the company's wealthiest clients who meet certain net worth, credit quality, and spending requirements on its gateway card, the Platinum Card.
Before you head out to Costco, make sure there is a Visa in your wallet if you're going to use a credit card because your American Express card won't work there. Whether you decide to go with the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi or another Visa card depends on your situation and interests.
That's because American Express charges merchants a higher fee than competitors do. All credit card networks charge processing fees for businesses to accept card payments from that network. But some fees are higher than others.
Again the majority of high street retailers such as H&M, Next, and New Look also accept it as well as mainstream restaurants such as Nandos, Pizza Express, and McDonald's. Even certain Government departments accept the method including the DVLA. However, even though there are many, there are always a few.
Does Walmart accept American Express? Yes, Walmart does accept American Express credit cards, debit cards and gift cards. In addition to American Express cards, Walmart accepts cards from the three other major card networks. It's also worth noting that Walmart.com is compatible with Click to Pay.
100,000 American Express Membership Rewards points are generally worth $1,000 to $2,000 or more, depending on redemption; you get about 1 cent per point ($1,000 total) using the travel portal or gift cards, but can achieve 2 cents per point or higher ($2,000+) by transferring to airline/hotel partners for premium flights, yielding significantly more value, according to Bankrate and WalletHub and The Points Guy.
Amex minimum income requirements vary significantly by card and country, but generally range from around $45,000-$50,000 for some standard rewards cards (like the Explorer card in Australia) up to higher amounts like $65,000 for premium cards (Qantas Ultimate), or even business revenue requirements (e.g., $75,000 for Business Platinum). Some Amex cards, particularly in markets like Canada, surprisingly have no stated minimum income.
This is likely because processing fees for Amex payments tend to be higher than for Visa or Mastercard, so many retailers don't accept it.
The "2/3/4 rule" refers to an informal guideline for Bank of America (BofA) credit card approvals, limiting new cards to 2 within 30 days, 3 within 12 months, and 4 within 24 months, helping manage lending risk. It's also a term used in baby sleep training for wake windows (2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours between naps) and in food safety (2-hour/4-hour rule for keeping food out of the fridge).
earn a sufficient income of at least $50,000 per annum to pay outgoings and living expenses, in addition to Card repayments each month without experiencing financial hardship; • are willing and able to pay an annual fee of $1,450; • have current employment or access to other income or repayment sources; and • generally ...
Transferring 30,000 points to our loyalty partners gives you between £300 and £900.