Amex acceptance issues

[rgd51]

Pretty much everywhere near me accepts Amex from what I've seen. I feel the cash magnet is a perfect way to dip my toes in with Amex due to no annual fee or categories to track. I know a restaurant near me doesn't take it but I'd just use my freedom flex there anyway.

[Aim_High]

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@rgd51 wrote:

Pretty much everywhere near me accepts Amex from what I've seen. I feel the cash magnet is a perfect way to dip my toes in with Amex due to no annual fee or categories to track. I know a restaurant near me doesn't take it but I'd just use my freedom flex there anyway.

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Right, they are pretty widely accepted so as long as you have one Visa or Mastercard backup you should be good-to-go.  And yes, Cash Magnet is a good way to get some AMEX experience since it's no AF and uncapped-uncategorized. 

[rgd51]

Apparently Amex has lowered its swipe fees in recent years to reach that 99% acceptance through some opt blue program. 

[sophiebelle]

I regularly use my Amex cards and I travel every week for work. I can think of 4 or 5 places I've been too that would not accept Amex in the past 3 years. The ones who didn't accept it were a few restuarants. It really is quite rare. Enjoy your new credit card. 

[rgd51]

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@sophiebelle wrote:

I regularly use my Amex cards and I travel every week for work. I can think of 4 or 5 places I've been too that would not accept Amex in the past 3 years. The ones who didn't accept it were a few restuarants. It really is quite rare. Enjoy your new credit card. 

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So is amex frequently not being accepted more of a myth than reality?

[rgd51]

If I end up deciding in the future that I want to PC it to a different Amex card such as the blue cash every day do they allow that?

[notmyrealname23]

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@rgd51 wrote:

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@sophiebelle wrote:

I regularly use my Amex cards and I travel every week for work. I can think of 4 or 5 places I've been too that would not accept Amex in the past 3 years. The ones who didn't accept it were a few restuarants. It really is quite rare. Enjoy your new credit card. 

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So is amex frequently not being accepted more of a myth than reality?

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It truly depends.

About 50-some miles as the crow flies from my home, there's a town about 15 miles from my favorite campsite where the gas station, restaurants and general store don't take AMEX. I've been in rural US locations where they don't take AMEX at the local bar or motel all the time. It just happens and that's why I have a Visa/MC backup.

If you're spending 99% of your time in big cities in the US you won't have a problem.

[rgd51]

If I ever wanna PC the cash magnet to the blue cash every day does Amex allow PCs or are they more like cap one regarding that?

[UncleB]

For what it's worth, the only places I frequent in the suburbs that don't take Amex is Great Clips and KFC.

In the rural area where my family lives acceptance is (suprisingly) nearly 100%, with the holdouts being a local small grocery store and a KFC that's around 20 miles from where they live.  Even the Mom/Pop places in their small town take Amex, and the little gas station (that's been there for ages) even takes contactless at the pump now. 

Acceptance will be really specific to where you're located (and where you shop) but in my experience it's not an issue.

[OmarGB9]

Haven't really had an acceptance issue anywhere, except for ONE local mom and pop supermarket that I don't shop at all that often anyway. Other than that, 100% acceptance. 

And yes you can PC to another cashback card such as BCE or BCP, though you'll forfeit any Signup bonus forever on whatever card you PC to, even if you close it out and try to apply for a new one.