American Express

American Express, usually shortened to Amex, is a card issuer and payment network best known in the UK for its charge cards and credit cards. It sells its own cards directly rather than through high street banks, and it runs its own payment network rather than using Visa or Mastercard, which is why acceptance is not universal. Its UK card range includes the British Airways American Express cards, the American Express Rewards Credit Card, the Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card and the Everyday Cashback card¹.

Because American Express is both the issuer and the network, the way its fees work differs from a typical bank card. The UK's interchange fee rules cap what a merchant's bank can charge a retailer on most consumer debit and credit card transactions, but some American Express cards are excepted from those caps². That is one reason some smaller retailers choose not to accept it.

This page covers what American Express offers, how its charges work, how to manage an account, what happens when a payment is late, how to complain, and what protection cardholders have. It does not list rates, fees or limits, because those change and are set out on American Express's own website.

American Express cards: charge cards and credit cards

American Express sells two broad kinds of card in the UK. Charge cards, the classic green, gold and platinum style products, are designed to be paid off in full each month rather than run as a revolving balance. Credit cards, which include the British Airways, Rewards and Cashback ranges, let you carry a balance and pay interest on it.

The distinction matters for protection as well as for how you pay. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act gives extra protection on credit card purchases, but that protection does not apply to charge cards or debit cards⁹. So a purchase made on an American Express charge card does not carry the same statutory cover as the same purchase on an American Express credit card.

The credit card range is built around rewards. The British Airways American Express Credit Card earns Avios points, and the Premium Plus version earns Avios at a higher rate on everyday spending and more again with British Airways or BA Holidays¹. The American Express Rewards Credit Card earns Membership Rewards points, and the Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card earns points at a higher rate on Amex Travel and with airlines¹. The Everyday Cashback card pays a higher rate of cashback for an introductory period and a lower rate after that¹.

For how these compare with cards from other issuers, see the credit cards guide.

How American Express fees and charges work

American Express cards typically carry an annual fee on the rewards and travel products, and no annual fee on the simpler cashback and rewards cards. The size of that annual fee varies by card and is set by American Express, so check the current terms for the card you hold or are considering. Annual fees are charged whether or not you use the card, so the value depends on whether you earn enough rewards to offset them.

Beyond the annual fee, the charges that catch people out are the ones attached to how you use the card. Interest is charged on any balance you carry on a credit card rather than clear. Cash withdrawals usually attract a fee and interest from the day you take the money out. Foreign transaction charges apply when you spend in a currency other than sterling. American Express sets these figures itself and publishes them with each card, so check the current terms for the card you hold.

One structural point is worth knowing. The UK's interchange fee rules cap the fee a card issuer can charge a retailer's bank on most consumer debit and credit card transactions, but some American Express cards are excepted from those caps². That affects what it costs a retailer to accept the card, not what it costs you directly, but it explains why acceptance is not universal.

Using an American Express card abroad

American Express cards work abroad wherever the American Express network is accepted, which in practice means most hotels, airlines, car hire firms and larger restaurants, but fewer small independent shops than you would find with Visa or Mastercard. Prepaid cards can be used abroad like a debit card, though they can charge for adding money and for cash machine withdrawals¹⁰.

Spending in a foreign currency normally triggers a foreign transaction charge, and withdrawing cash abroad usually costs more than a purchase.

For travel money more broadly, including how to compare the cost of spending abroad, see the money abroad guide.

Contactless payments and card spending rules

Contactless payments on an American Express card work the same way as on any other card. The limit is £100 per transaction without entering a PIN, and if the value is above the limit the payment defaults to Chip and PIN, or to a mobile wallet if you have one set up⁶.

Contactless has become the default way many people pay. Among adults who had made contactless payments in the 12 months to May 2024, 44% had made a payment by tapping a mobile device linked to a debit or credit card, up five percentage points on the previous figure¹¹.

Mobile wallets add a layer of their own. When you add a card to a mobile wallet, the wallet uses a token rather than your real card number, so the retailer never sees your card details¹². That does not change your underlying card terms or your liability, but it does mean a lost phone is not the same as a lost card.

Who can apply for an American Express card

American Express sets its own eligibility criteria for each card, and these vary by product. In practice, applicants need to be UK residents, usually aged 18 or over, and to pass an affordability and credit check. The rewards and travel cards tend to have higher income expectations than the entry-level cashback cards, because the annual fee and the rewards structure assume a certain level of spending.

Because American Express is the lender, it assesses your credit file directly. A credit reference agency holds your record and is licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority¹³. Before applying, it is worth checking your report for errors, since a declined application leaves a mark that other lenders can see.

If you are weighing up whether a rewards card is worth the annual fee, the credit scores guide explains how applications affect your file.

Managing your account: app, online and phone

American Express accounts are managed through its app, its website and by phone. The app is the main route for checking your balance, seeing recent transactions, setting up a Direct Debit and freezing your card if it goes missing. The website does the same job on a larger screen.

Opening an account is done directly with American Express rather than through a branch network, since it does not run high street branches in the UK. The general pattern for opening a current account, which applies to card applications too, is that you can usually apply online, using an app, over the phone or in person, depending on the account¹⁴. American Express uses the online and phone routes.

If you are switching your everyday banking rather than just adding a card, the current accounts guide covers how the switching service works and what it guarantees.

Late, missed and returned payments

Missing a payment on an American Express card triggers the same consequences as on any other credit card. You get reminder letters when you miss payments¹⁵. Extra charges are added if you miss payments, and interest continues to accrue on the balance¹⁶. If you miss one or two payments and then catch up, the missed payments may not be recorded on your credit file, but interest and charges, including late payment charges, will still be added¹⁷.

If the missed payment is not caught up, the consequences escalate. A default can be recorded on your credit file, which affects your ability to borrow for several years. Debt collection activity can follow, and in Scotland a creditor can apply for sequestration, where one of the grounds is having been served a charge for payment and missed the 14 days to make a payment¹⁸.

If you are struggling, free and impartial help is available. StepChange and National Debtline both offer free debt advice, and the debt guide sets out the options, including debt management plans and breathing space.

American Express customer service and complaints

American Express handles complaints through its own customer service channels first. The number to call is on the back of your card and in your online account. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can escalate.

The Financial Ombudsman Service is free to consumers. If a customer complains and the firm does not respond within the time limits, or the customer disagrees with the response, they can bring the complaint to the ombudsman⁸. The same applies where a credit card company is not helping: you can take your case to the free Financial Ombudsman Service¹⁹. Where a financial firm refuses a refund and the consumer disagrees, the ombudsman can look into a complaint²⁰.

For consumer disputes that are not about the card itself, such as a faulty product bought with the card, Citizens Advice can refer your complaint to local Trading Standards Officers, who may then investigate on your behalf²¹. For a purchase that went wrong, the consumer protection guide explains your rights.

How American Express cardholders are protected

The protection you get depends on which American Express product you used and what went wrong.

On credit card purchases, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act gives extra protection. It applies to credit card purchases, and it extends to point-of-sale loans, some store cards and catalogue accounts, whether you paid in person, online, by phone or by mail order²². It does not apply to charge cards or debit cards⁹. Paying by credit card also gives extra protection when booking a package holiday²³, and it is the recommended route for overseas online retailers for the same reason²⁴.

Chargeback is a separate scheme run by the card networks rather than by law. It exists for both credit and debit card purchases, and applies to purchases of any value, though it is not enshrined in law and each scheme, run by Visa, Mastercard and Amex, has its own rules²⁵. Card providers sign up voluntarily and the exact rules may vary between Visa and American Express, so it is not as strong as credit card protection⁷. It is not legal protection: Amex, Mastercard and Visa run their own schemes, though chargeback does cover mobile card payments¹².

On fraud, the position is more nuanced than most people assume. Some card providers have updater services that automatically send your replacement card details to retailers you previously saved your card with¹⁰. American Express calls its scheme Cardrefresher, and merchants can opt into it²⁷. American Express does let cardholders opt out, by calling the number on the back of the card, though one report found customer service denied this was possible when the reporter tried; American Express also uses a merchant block in cases of fraud²⁸. The practical effect is that cancelling a card does not always stop a fraudster, because the new details can be passed on automatically²⁷.

Where a payment goes wrong, your money is not protected unless you paid by credit card or Direct Debit³⁰. That is the single most useful rule to remember when choosing how to pay.

Where American Express sits in the UK market

American Express is one of the smaller participants in UK card payments by volume, because it runs its own network rather than operating on Visa or Mastercard rails. That has two consequences for consumers. First, acceptance is narrower, so it works best as a second card rather than your only one. Second, because it is both issuer and network, it controls its own rewards programmes directly, which is why the Avios and Membership Rewards schemes are tied to its cards rather than offered through high street banks.

In Which?'s 2026 survey, American Express, British Airways American Express and Barclaycard were all named Which? Recommended Providers¹. That is a service and satisfaction measure, not a statement about rates or value.

For a wider view of who issues cards in the UK and how they differ, see the lenders directory.