AMEX, how well is it accepted these days? (2026 Update)

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Ruari Callow 21 years ago

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Hi All,

Just looking for some advice. Here is some background first.

My primary credit card is a Co-operative Bank "Travel" VISA. I do pretty=20 much all my spending on it and pay off the balance in full each month. The= =20 reason I use it is because it gives 1 "travel point" for each =A3 spent.=20 These points are worth =A30.01 at Travel Care Direct (a travel agent run by= =20 the Co-op) if called via a particular phone number. Since my girlfriend=20 and I travel by plane several times a year (mainly flights to Norway) this= =20 works 'almost' as well as 1% cash back. I say almost because I do often=20 find cheaper flights with Opodo (though usually not a lot cheaper). Also I= =20 obviously can't use Ryanair, though I can access the flights of another=20 low cost Airline flying to Norway

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I feel fairly confident that the Co-op will continue to give me points=20 worth around 1% of my purchases. I don't however feel I could rely on the= =20 likes of CapitalOne (based on the experience of others in this=20 newsgroup) and most of the other 1% cashback offers seem to be limited=20 offers which switch to a lower rate after a few months (I don't want the=20 hassle of switching around all the time).

Anyway, unless I have missed something particularly good the only other=20 offer that looks good to me is the AMEX Platinum CC. For my usuage I=20 reckon I would get more cashback via this then the value of Travel points= =20 I'm currently getting. However, this calculation assumes I could use AMEX= =20 in all the same places as I currently use my Co-op VISA. I realise this=20 won't actually be the case. I'll likely need a second card for when AMEX=20 is not accepted.

If I was to use use AMEX the Co-op Travel Visa credit card looks less=20 compellig as a second option since I would generate far less points but=20 still lock me in to using Travel Care Direct to make use of these points.= =20 Perhaps a cash back card paying out 0.5%+ would be a better option as a=20 backup card?

What do people think? Is AMEX accepted at enough places to warrant=20 switching to them and using another card as backup or shall I just stick=20 with what I've got since it has worked quite nicely for me so far?

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Adrian Boliston 21 years ago

What do people think? Is AMEX accepted at enough places to warrant switching to them and using another card as backup or shall I just stick with what I've got since it has worked quite nicely for me so far?

At least 90% of my monthly spend goes via Amex (excluding monthly DD's for water gas etc). A few places don't take it and this just gets put on my debit card as it's not much.

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Ruari Callow 21 years ago

Really, so much?

Hmm guess more places accept it than I thought. I'll have to start paying more attention at shops and online.

Maybe it would be worth the switch then.

Anyone else out there with AMEX? Is everyone else finding the same as Adrian? maybe I should have switched long ago!

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Adrian Boliston 21 years ago

Most large stores seem to take it, but you get the odd chain store like Boots who still turn their noses up at it (as well as smaller independant stores, but they are going to be put off by the slighly higher fee I guess unless amex becomes more mainstream). I like the idea also of supporting a smaller card provider instead of the all-powerful ubiquitous VISA/Mastercard Duopoly.

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Jonathan Bryce 21 years ago

I find I am able to use it almost everywhere. There are one or two places that don't accept it, so I use my MoreThan Mastercard with 0.8% cashback there.

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Alex 21 years ago

Without a hint of irony, Ruari Callow astounded uk.finance on 06 Sep 2004 by announcing:

If you run a car, and do your main shopping in supermarkets, you could use it as your main card. I spend around 7500p.a. on mine. However, with the recent cashback reduction this will only work out at 0.8% cashback. There are several VISA/Mastercards which give this rate without having to worry as much about where they're accepted, or how much you'll be spending that year. There's also the Tesco card which, since I mainly shop in Tesco and use the points already, may work out as an even better deal what with giving effectively up to 6%* depending on where it's used.

3 points per 2 spent in Tesco, 1/2 point everywhere else. Points worth 4x value when spent on deals.

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GSV Three Minds in a Can 21 years ago

I find that many small places don't take it, quoting rip-off charge rates (6%-8%) from Amex. Places with mucho-clout (supermarket chains, garage chains, Amazon, etc.) appear to have no problem - one assumes they get a better rate from Amex.

I manage to put about 85%-90% of my plastic spend via Amex, normally, although I just bought an expensive lawnmower and got 'no we don't take that'd' by the dealer.

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Adrian Boliston 21 years ago

I work for a small'ish firm and we signed up as an amex merchant a few months ago and they said they charge the same % commission (I think it was

3% if I remember correctly) for all businesses with a turnover of (I think) less than 1M/year, so I think these places just don't like paying the extra 1% or so that Amex charge over visa/mastercard.

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AMEX, how well is it accepted these days? (2026 Update)

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