Question about AMEX Credit Cards

[IncrsCreditScore1]

Thanks to all of you for your replies.  This has me rethinking strategy for obtaining a credit card.  How is the AMEX/Costco card viewed by you all?

[youdontkillmoney]

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@IncrsCreditScore wrote:

Thanks to all of you for your replies.  This has me rethinking strategy for obtaining a credit card.  How is the AMEX/Costco card viewed by you all?

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^^^

AMEX is AMEX and COstco will take anything AMEX

It depends on the card you want and for what reason, whether it fits your lifestyle. If you just want an AMEX to use at Costco, get the one that gives you the most value.

If you want one for travel and the luxe lifestyle, you move up to Gold and Platinum and Centurion.

[Gunnar419]

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@KennyRS wrote:
And I live in a very rural area and 99% takes my Amex.

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I live in a rural area and none of the grocery stores and many of the mom & pop businesses take Amex. Neither do the local utility services. All the gas stations do. Ironically, while many small, established businesses don't take Amex, tons of ad hoc one person businesses DO take it thanks to services like Square that enable anybody with a smartphone or a tablet to take ccs.

Best thing about Amex is the ability to backdate, which really can improve AAoA over time.

[ACsteel]

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@IncrsCreditScore wrote:

Thanks to all of you for your replies.  This has me rethinking strategy for obtaining a credit card.  How is the AMEX/Costco card viewed by you all?

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Well you heard a lot of praisers, here's my take on it.

Indeed AMEX is accepted at a lot of places in USA, but it depends as well, places like NYC have trendy neighborhoods with merchants that just refuse to deal with AMEX. Also I travel a lot and overseas while some places do accept AMEX, a lot of places do not.

I've had all their charge cards except the centurion, and honestly it never made a difference. Here in NYC people scoff at that card b/c most are financially savvy and know how ridiculous the AFs are, you will not get wow, you'll get a, "ouch 450, phew". Long are the days of AMEX being the prestige card to have, they have been on the news a lot lately for not being able to maintain the same satisfaction as they use to b/c all the competition matches them or beats them.

So in the end why do you want a card that has a possibility of not being accepted, has exorbitant annual fees, and not the greatest rewards? Also in this day and age AMEX just seems archaic and not exciting, it comes from a time where internet didn't exist and concierge service was praised, come on who calls an operator anymore to book flights. The only card I have left with them is the BCE and I'm not impressed enough to keep it around, for 3% I'll put groceries on my barclays for a solid 2% with a rotating 4% and minimize the sillyness of reaching for one out 20 cards for a single percent bonus.

[Gunnar419]

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@IncrsCreditScore wrote:

Thanks to all of you for your replies.  This has me rethinking strategy for obtaining a credit card.  How is the AMEX/Costco card viewed by you all?

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Do you mean the Amex True Earnings card? Most people love it.

I have a BCE, which I can't get much benefit from locally because of the problem mentioned earlier about rural grocery stores not taking it. I plan to get the True Earnings Costco Amex later this year and am looking forward to getting more use from it than the BCE.

[sexy_kitten7]

Yeah. This is a non-issue. Just carry a back up card (or 6)!

[longtimelurker]

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@sexy_kitten7 wrote:

Yeah. This is a non-issue. Just carry a back up card (or 6)!

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Well, as others have said, depends where you are, and certainly not a non-issue outside the US.

[DaveSignal]

I move around frequently, but currently live in England.  I can't, off the top of my head, think of a single place that takes Amex.  I am sure that there is a hotel somewhere that takes it though.

However, if you live in the United States and don't travel, most places will take Amex.

[mrlh1980]

Ha my American Express Premier Gold card holds a lot of weight. I spend between 24,000.00$ - 45,000.00$ a month with no issues. I like when I swap the charge doesn't take long to process. If a store doesn't want to take my American Express then they don't want my business. As a consumer I don't care if American Express charges the business a high percentages. That's the cost of doing business. If you care that much then accept cash only and see how much people want to spend money at your establishment. Credit is KING. As a business person I welcome American Express because I get more people who have them come to my spot.

[peaceonearth]

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@azguy13 wrote:

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@IncrsCreditScore wrote:

I see so many on here recommending a variety of AMEX credit cards.  I have always been told to forget about AMEX credit cards, because so many merchants do not accept AMEX  If that is so, why are there so many recommendations to apply for an AMEX card.  Also, is there a web site where I can find out what merchants do accept AMEX cards?

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I have only run into a few places that do not accept Amex. I think those places are generally gas stations in the middle of nowhere and some small businesses. Honestly, I see more people take Amex than Discover, and Discover is being accepted more and more.

I do not know of a website where you can see the merchants that take Amex. Honestly, I would not consider this to be an issue in apping for one.

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+1

Yes, AMEX Cards are more welcomed than Discover.

This happened to me less than 2 hours ago, I tried purchasing 5 airline tickets for $6,696.14 after entering all passenger names and DOB...I found out the website only takes VISA, MasterCard and AMEX and I had to use my AMEX Card.