American Express (Amex) isn't universally accepted due to higher merchant fees, meaning you'll find it less common at smaller, independent shops, some government services, certain big retailers like Costco, and in some countries (especially parts of Europe and Asia) where Visa/Mastercard dominate, so always carry a backup card. Major Australian retailers like Aldi also famously reject Amex.
Costco is one notable business that does not accept American Express. Amex was once the sole partner with Costco, but now the warehouse only accepts Visa cards in-store and Visa or Mastercard at Costco.com. Costco members aren't just limited to the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi*.
The most noteworthy Australia-based merchants who do not accept Amex credit cards for payments are discount supermarket, Aldi, and wholesale retailer, Costco. Fortunately for Amex cardholders, the vast majority of other major retailers and merchants do accept Amex, and most do not charge any extra to Amex customers.
When you're out and about, it's possible to visit a restaurant or retailer that doesn't accept Amex card payments. 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.
We support the following payment methods for Pay & Go: Apple Pay (VISA, Mastercard & AMEX)
Quite a few big restaurant and fast food chains accept American Express, including Bill's, Costa Coffee, Dominos, Five Guys, McDonald's, Pizza Express and Starbucks. Greggs and KFC do not. Most big retailers accept Amex, including Amazon, Argos, B&Q and the Post Office.
Does Woolworths accept American Express (Amex) cards? Yes, Woolworths supermarkets in Australia accept American Express cards for payment.
Historically, American Express charged higher fees than their competitors, making their cards less attractive to merchants. Merchant funding was also a slow process.
Tesco accepts American Express for both in-store and online purchases.
No, Costco doesn't have any weird beef with American Express—it's just they happen to have a very strong partnership with Visa. But the decision is a little more nuanced than just that. “Amex's merchant fees are higher than Visa,” says Mark Tremblay, a professor of economics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The main reason Amex cards are so expensive is that many American Express credit cards offer generous rewards rates and high-end perks, which justify their steep annual fees. Amex cards are designed for people with good credit and a lot of income who are likely to charge large amounts to their cards every month.
Credit card currently accepted include Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Debit card currently accepted include Visa Electron, Delta, and Maestro. Direct debit.
Countries Where American Express Is Accepted the Most: Canada, Australia, UK, India, Singapore. Places Where American Express Is Not Accepted: Cuba, Sudan, South Sudan, Iran, Syria.
You can register Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover cards in the app. Payment cards registered must be issued by a U.S. bank.
Third-party credit cards: Visa®, Mastercard®, Discover®/Novus®, American Express®, credit cards from foreign banks (JCB Japanese Credit Bureau), Diner's Club International. Healthcare cards, including HRA, FSA, and HSA. For more information visit https://www.target.com/c/fsa-hsa-frequently-asked-questions/-/N-p14ra.
Key Takeaways. American Express has a 99% acceptance rate at U.S. merchants, matching Visa and Mastercard, but it has a lower acceptance rate internationally. American Express cards are generally harder to qualify for, typically requiring a good to excellent credit score.
What payment methods do you accept? We accept VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro cards, Google Pay, ApplePay & PayPal.
U.S. Costco warehouse locations accept:
There are a few retailers who don't accept them, but the only one in my own experience is Eurocarparts. Certainly ASDA, Lidl's, Aldi, John Lewis, Wilco all accept AMEX cards which I also use for most of my online purchases. This is certainly my main card now of preference.
Hardest Card to Get Overall
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.
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.
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.
Not Amex (anymore). Just Visa. Here's why: Costco negotiated an exclusive partnership. They guarantee Visa massive transaction volume across 500+ stores.
For a ₹30,000 monthly salary, a credit card limit between ₹60,000 and ₹90,000 is generally considered standard. Some lenders may offer up to 3 times your income, which could be ₹90,000, while the minimum might be double your income, or ₹60,000. A limit above ₹90,000 would be considered a "high" limit.
Whether an American Express card is worth getting depends on your spending habits and financial situation. American Express cards often come with significant rewards, including travel perks, cashback, and shopping protections, which can outweigh the annual fee for frequent users.