Where is American Express Accepted?
Key takeaways
- American Express is accepted widely across the U.S, especially at most major stores and restaurants.
- It’s more likely that small or local businesses won’t accept American Express due to its high merchant fees, so you should always have a backup card.
- If you’re traveling abroad, you should also carry a backup card, since American Express acceptance can vary.
- Costco is a major retailer that doesn’t accept American Express in any locations.
American Express is currently accepted by 99% of U.S. merchants that accept credit cards, according to a 2023 issue of the Nilson Report. However, if you’re traveling abroad or shopping at a small business, your American Express card is less likely to be accepted than a Visa or Mastercard. That’s because it typically costs businesses more to accept American Express payments.
We’ve rounded up which retailers, restaurants, countries and more accept American Express — and which ones don’t — so you can be prepared wherever you go.
Is American Express accepted everywhere?
American Express is accepted at most large retailers, grocery stores, restaurants and gas stations in the U.S., including the following:
| Retailers | Grocery stores | Restaurants | Gas stations |
|---|---|---|---|
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Small businesses in the U.S. may be a hit or a miss. To make sure a small business accepts American Express prior to shopping there, check out this interactive map of small businesses where American Express cards are accepted.
Where is American Express not accepted?
One major retailer that doesn’t accept American Express is Costco. In addition, American Express may not be accepted at some small businesses.
American Express (as well as Discover) also tend to be less available outside of the U.S. than Visa and Mastercard. That said, American Express also typically limits earning grocery, streaming service and gas rewards to U.S. merchants.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, for example, lets cardholders earn 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Terms apply.
*Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Why isn’t American Express accepted everywhere?
American Express isn’t accepted everywhere because it costs merchants more in fees than Visa and MasterCard.
What are merchant fees?
Merchant fees are what businesses are required to pay to accept different payment processors. Some fees go toward the payment processing companies (American Express, Visa, Mastercard and Discover) — and some go toward the banks that issue credit cards (Chase, Capital One, Wells Fargo and more).
Here are some of fees merchants pay:
- Interchange fees: This fee goes directly to the credit card issuer. It’s usually the largest fee a merchant has to pay. It includes a percentage of the transaction plus a small fixed fee. Interchange fees vary depending on factors like the type of business and the transaction size.
- Discount rate: This is the fee paid by the merchant to the credit card processor (i.e., the company that supports the credit card reader, like Square or Stripe) to simply accept the card.
- Assessment fees: This fee is usually smaller than interchange fees and is paid to the credit card network (American Express, Visa, Mastercard or Discover).
- Voice authorization fees: A merchant is charged a voice authorization fee when they’re required to call a payment processor representative to accept a card payment. This may happen if a merchant’s point of sale (POS) system is unavailable.
Other payment networks like MasterCard and Visa usually charge merchant fees between 1% to 2%, while American Express typically charges 2% to 3%. While it sounds like a small difference, it can quickly add up for business owners — which is why some opt not to accept American Express cards.
Looking for a low-cost credit card? See our picks for the best credit cards with no annual fee.
American Express vs. Visa, Mastercard and Discover
How does American Express match up against other major payment networks? The chart below shows approximately how many U.S. and international merchants each network has available.
| Payment network | International merchants | U.S. merchants |
|---|---|---|
| American Express (OptBlue) | 44 million | 10.6 million |
| Discover | 48 million | 10.6 million |
| Visa | 46 million | 10.7 million |
| Mastercard | 37 million | 10.7 million |
Source: Nilson Report
Even though American Express has lower acceptance internationally, it’s still available at over 10 million merchants. So depending on where you’re visiting, your card is probably still worth packing — but bring a backup card just in case.
Types of American Express credit cards
American Express offers several types of cards that cater to people with different spending habits and rewards preferences, including the following:
Luxury travel rewards
American Express has several travel cards to choose from — but The Platinum Card® from American Express offers the most luxurious benefits for frequent travelers. The downside, however, is its $695 annual fee.
Apply Now Dining rewards
The American Express® Gold Card lets you earn up to $120 per calendar year in dining credits (enrollment required).
Cash back on everyday purchases
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers a generous rewards rate in popular spending categories, like U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming services, U.S. gas stations and transit.
Business credit card
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is one of the best cards for small business owners for a few reasons. It has no annual fee, a year-long intro APR offer and rewards on everyday business purchases.
Found a card you’re interested in? Learn more about how to apply for a credit card to improve your chances of being approved.
Pros and cons of American Express credit cards
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Plenty of options to choose from, like balance transfer, cash back, travel and business cards Renowned for premium travel benefits Offers generous rewards and welcome offers on many cards | Limited acceptance abroad and at small businesses Some cards have a high annual fee Limited options for people with bad credit |
Frequently asked questions
No, but it is accepted at most places in the U.S. However, it’s less likely to be accepted by merchants outside of the country than Visa and Mastercard.
No. However, Costco accepts all Visa cards. Costco provides a list of acceptable payment methods in their U.S. warehouses, gas stations and website.
Yes. Square provides a list of all the payment methods it accepts, including American Express.
You don’t have to choose one or the other — you can have both Visa and American Express credit cards. The best credit card for you depends on factors like your credit score, travel frequency, upcoming purchases, rewards preferences and more. If you’re a frequent traveler, though, it may be worth it to have a Visa card on top of your American Express card, since the former is more likely to be accepted abroad.
That’ll depend on what you’re looking for in a credit card. American Express offers a variety of cards — including cash back, rewards and balance transfer cards — that may align with your financial goals and standing.
To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- American Express® Gold Card
- The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
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