The short answer is, most places. American Express lists more than 220 major brands that accept its card for payments, and a further 3,000 smaller businesses that will accept Amex. That’s just the ones listed on the Amex website – there are many more local businesses across Australia that accept American Express.

The reality is, you may have marginally less choice with an Amex card (having a back up debit or credit card on hand is a good idea), but for most spending, chances are you will be able to use an Amex card without much difficulty.

Below we've listed the well-known brands that American Express says accepts its cards for payments (as at April 2025).

The most noteworthy Australia-based merchants who do not accept Amex credit cards for payments are discount supermarket, Aldi, and wholesale retailer, Costco.

Fortunately for Amex cardholders, the vast majority of other major retailers and merchants do accept Amex, and most do not charge any extra to Amex customers.

Acceptance is slightly less consistent when it comes to small, local businesses. Some independent retailers and businesses choose to not accept Amex, as there tend to be higher merchant fees. In other words, it typically costs businesses more when a customer pays with an Amex card.

Alternatively, some businesses that do accept Amex add a higher surcharge when a customer pays using an American Express card.

For the small number of merchants that do not accept Amex, it generally it comes down to cost. American Express is typically more expensive as a payment method for businesses to accept versus its rivals, Visa and Mastercard.

According to data from the Reserve Bank of Australia, the average merchant fee charged to businesses on an Amex card transaction was 1.35% in the period between September and December 2024. In comparison, the average merchant fee for Visa and Mastercard in the same period was 0.96%.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the average merchant fees on Amex cards versus Visa and Mastercard.

If you think an Amex credit card is going to be a good deal for you based on the rewards, fees and customer service, then chances are the extent to which it's accepted or not should not be a dealbreaker. Most businesses will let you pay with Amex no problem at no extra cost to you.

The possible exception is if you are a particularly heavy spender with Aldi or Costco. Not being able to use your Amex card at these retailers will impact your ability to earn rewards with an Amex card.

Amex is known for the high levels of perks on its of rewards credit cards and its customer service. The fees on their cards can also be on the high side, but you tend to get a lot for the price (think lounge access and travel insurance included on some cards).

If you’re comparing credit cards and leaning towards American Express, it's no harm to check if any business or other merchant you tend to spend a lot of money at accepts Amex. That way you’ll have a clearer idea of how much you’ll be able to get from your card in rewards.

At most retailers and merchants, paying with Amex won't cost you any more than paying using another method. But some smaller businesses do apply higher card processing fees to customers who use Amex.

For small purchases, the actual difference in cost, if any, is unlikely to be large. But if you’re paying a tradie or mechanic for a large bill or booking a holiday, for example, that’s when you’ll really want to pay attention to any extra fees you’ll incur for using an American Express card.