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American Express credit cards

American Express, commonly known as AMEX, is a multinational financial services corporation headquartered in New York.

AMEX is the world’s largest credit card issuer by purchase volume. Alongside AMEX credit cards, the company provides personal financial products such as travellers’ cheques, as well as business and corporate financial services.

American Express has a corporate office in Sydney and various currency exchanges around Australia, but no dedicated customer service branches. ATM access is available through AMEX’s network of partner ATMs.

Nick Bendel

Property & Personal Finance Writer

Content updated

17 Apr, 2023

Product data updated

16 May, 2024

Why choose American Express

Benefits

Variety of rewards programs
Low interest rate option
Low-fee option

Drawbacks

Interest-free days may be moderately low
No balance transfer offer on some cards
High rates on some cards

About American Express credit cards

American Express offers a variety of credit cards, ranging from standard credit cards to platinum credit cards. Within its range, AMEX has low-rate credit cards, low-fee credit cards, frequent flyer credit cards and rewards cards.

AMEX credit card rates and fees range from low to high based on the type of credit card. For example, its low-rate credit card has a low interest rate and no annual fee, while its Qantas and Virgin Velocity frequent flyer cards come with high interest rates, and fees tend to be higher.

American Express frequent flyer cards allow cardholders to earn frequent flyer points for spending, and its other rewards cards enable customers to redeem earned points for rewards such as David Jones gift cards and cash back.

Some American Express credit cards come with an introductory 0 per cent balance transfer rate and allow free supplementary cardholders.

American Express credit cards review

Despite not having bank branches in Australia, American Express is nonetheless a well-known and relatively widely-used credit card provider. As such, it provides a diverse range of credit cards to suit different needs.

The two types of customers who are likely to be drawn to American Express credit cards are those looking to cut down on interest rates and fees, and those looking to earn rewards or frequent flyer points for spending.

While some AMEX cards offer value for money through lower rates and fees or rewards, keep in mind that many retailers in Australia add a surcharge to purchases made with American Express cards - which may end up costing you more in the long run.

In terms of rewards, though, AMEX offers plenty of flexibility, as different rewards programs are tailored to suit different types of rewards, such as frequent flyer points, gift cards and cash back.

Frequently Asked Questions

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About our expert

Nick Bendel

Property & Personal Finance Writer

A property and personal finance writer, Nick Bendel covered property, loans, credit cards, superannuation, and other bank products. Nick has previously written for The Adviser, Mortgage Business, Lifehacker, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, and InvestorDaily, and loves getting elbow-deep in the latest ABS, APRA and RBA data.

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^Words such as "top", "best", "cheapest" or "lowest" are not a recommendation or rating of products. This page compares a range of products from selected providers and not all products or providers are included in the comparison. There is no such thing as a 'one- size-fits-all' financial product. The best loan, credit card, superannuation account or bank account for you might not be the best choice for someone else. Before selecting any financial product you should read the fine print carefully, including the product disclosure statement, target market determination fact sheet or terms and conditions document and obtain professional financial advice on whether a product is right for you and your finances.

American Express credit cards

Why choose American Express

Benefits

Drawbacks