Since I hadn't bothered with credit until about 4 years ago I have a short, thin file. My Amex is a year old and I found it more flexible than other CCs. However, my Amex is a charge card since I never run balances. The first month I had it I charged over 5k. On a few occasions I have made purchases in the low to mid 5 figures, usually phone or internet orders.I rarely prepay before a statement cuts and just let autopay do it's thing. I've never shopped at Nordies with my Amex nor have I been to Starbucks with it. Unlike some of my other cards that seem to have a hair trigger (Falcon score set too tight?) I've never had the card shut down due to spending pattern problems that trigger their anti-fraud algos. While I do not like not knowing what my spending limit is that actuality is that Amex has never balked. Even when I charged more than all my other CLs added together.
I really "dislike" it when these kind of discussions pop up. I am already a nervous wreck about Amex from all the things I have read on here too. I just opened two credit cards with them last month. I have no problem sending in tax records if they ask because I told the truth on my application but I really do not want to get shut down at a register. I have tried to used them at almost all the places I shop at within the first month but even though I am a creature of habit like they probably like, I do go out of the box time to time and shop at other places. I'm not a big spender so it would never be a huge amount but still. Also, we are planning on a vacation across Florida this summer and I was wanting to use one of their cards for the rental car and hotels and probably many other things but I am terrified!! They say you don't have to tell them when you are leaving on vacation so that makes me feel even worse about it. I do believe that people have problems with Amex but I would like to think that people are not telling the full story when they tell it. I'm hoping some of you will chime in and tell me that you have went on vacations once a year and never had a problem when using Amex out of state 
@jsickz32 wrote:
I always see the please call us if you are using your card out of state. If you going out of state just give them a call.
I was thinking I should do that. I want someone to note somewhere that I will be all over Florida this summer. 
@Creditaddict wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:I'll admit, I jumped on the Amex bandwagon with the Delta card to get my foot in the door. So I'm reading about Amex policies more and more these days about people being declined at stores or buying something nice and getting a financial review. Then there's the whole "breaking the card in" you have to do when you first get it so that you can show them that you shop at Nordstrom sometimes. Also the story of the guy who used his card to pay a lawyer and got shut down.
I just have to say, I wish I could cuss on these forums because I would say that Amex's policies are horse manure. But I wouldn't say it nicely. My guess is that this Delta card will be used to buy a couple of donuts from time to time and then sit in my drawer. Yes, I should have known better and shouldn't have even applied. Talked to a few people about Amex on the business side and everyone I talk to is like, "Oh I hate Amex." They cite varioius reasons from having their spending limits cut to having to fax all sorts of crap.
Amex as a company can do what they want to do but running a business like a stuffy old miserly grandpa is not really going to make their products last as far as I'm concerned. I'm pretty sure that this company will eventually go the way of Diners Club. When you have your foo foo snout up in the air and don't trust your own customers with the limits YOU GAVE THEM, that's going to make people just not even want to use your card.
Oh yeah they give you great customer service supposedly. Big whoop. So you get a nice rep who tells you you've been declined at your family dinner at Olive Garden because you bought Ravioli when you normally order the Lasagna.... no thanks. I don't mind being watched by a card company for marketing purposes but I don't need some stuffy old company rep breathing down my neck, looking over my shoulder and seeing what I'm buying to judge whether or not they're going to approve me.
Rant over. And I feel better. haha.
I'm confused... Did you actually have something that you consider negative from Amex happen to you? I have been reading and commenting on Amex "stories" for the last 8+ years.... I think 99% of it is "FLUFF" and over rated... Very few have been able to demonstrate that it was without a shadow of a doubt that it was because of "what ever reason they cardmember thought" Believe me I have had more than a few declines at counter or payment requests mid cycle on charge cards and up and down credit lines, number of cards, and internal limits but in the end they have always been VERY nice and have told me what they need in order to change what the issue is at the moment and have had multiple times that I had cards released in under 60 seconds back to full charging privelages.
I have been on a business trip and planned to use my Macy's Visa that had $12k limit and $0 balance when I left... After breakfast in the layover airport location, when landed at destination and tried to rent the car DECLINED. call and give travel plans and verify to unlock... next charge couple hours later, Declined... call get unlocked, go back in to store and pay, walk 10 feet and make another purchase about 5 minutes later DECLINED.... call and unlock go back in store and okay... next store DECLINED... now yes I am glutten for punishment sometimes, most wouldn't spend the kind of time on the phone it took me especially while at stores or standing outside but sometimes I just can't help myself.
Chase Southwest had $15+k Credit line also $0 balance, even called about traveling and granted first purchase on the trip was for $8k in Coach and they had to call for authorization (Which is at the check out which many of you all know is in the middle of the store (I'm kind of a who cares person if declined or needs authorization) but the cashier had to have a lengthy verification with Chase about 10-15 minutes and then I ended up having almost a 30 minute verification with Chase... I have to say out of ALL banks I have ever worked with I have NEVER EVER had such a thing happened... I mean I just don't eve know how to explain how many and how far back in life the questions were and it just got so so so crazy and finally she was like one more and then okay hand phone back and it was approved in seconds but that WORKED me and especially Coach! LOL
so yes I got off on a thing for a minute but the thing is I'm not sure Amex is that much odder and mostly I find them EASIER to fix what ever they want that caused it.... I think between seeing or hearing about famous wealthy people slap down a platinum or black card and paying for private planes over $100k we hold amex to much higher thoughts of amazement then other cards and banks and therefor we over analyze a single "FR Story" I personally think paying for taxes via Amex being a no no is silly because they are the ones advertizing or at least was back when I had a retail store... they offered bonuses to pay my quarterly state taxes and yearly federal.... If anything they probably have a way to run the numbers in the seceret formally in that computer of theirs to say okay taxes paid = oh yes this person has the income! LOL (kidding!) but still!
Here's a good example from FICO of what banks are missing out on that Amex specializes in:
Many banks have automated rules in place that decline card transactions indicative of high fraud risk. In so doing, they block a large portion of fraudulent transactions. But they are also declining legitimate purchases from high-spending cardholders, who may decide to take their card business elsewhere.