Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.
No longer just the preserve of city mogul types, Amex now has a range of cards to suit credit card first-timers through to high-flying big-spenders. You can earn flights, holidays, hotel stays, gift vouchers and more with its numerous rewards programmes, which include American Express Experiences – bringing cardholders tickets to some of the most popular gigs, films and theatre shows.
American Express is also more widely-accepted than it used to be, has constantly-manned 24/7 customer service and has enhanced security measures for cardholders (including refund, purchase and fraud protection).
American Express offers many benefits for credit card customers and these are just some of them.
Fantastic redeemable points, with knowledgeable staff within customer services”
The quickest way to apply for an American Express card is online. You simply fill out an online form providing personal information such as name, address, income and work status.
There are basic eligibility requirements you will most likely need to meet to be accepted for an American Express credit card. The eligibility requirements are as follows:
American Express have a range of cards with several different requirements, so you will need to check your eligibility against each card when you apply (as they may differ). When you do apply, it can take as little as 10 minutes and you can get a response regarding eligibility in 60 seconds.
Typically you won’t be approved if you’ve got a history of bad debt or don’t meet the above eligibility criteria. If you’ve got an outstanding CCJ or are on an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) it is also likely you will not be approved. Equally, if you don’t have a credit record at all, you may be turned down.
A number of American Express cards let cardholders earn reward points via the Membership Rewards programme. When you activate your card you’ll be automatically enrolled into this, and you’ll be awarded points almost every time you use your card. From buying petrol to groceries, you can accumulate points almost anywhere, and redeem them on almost anything – from clothes to electronics. You can even use them to book flights, hotels or car hire while abroad.
American Express Experiences (formerly American Express Invites) is a rewards programme which offers exclusive pre-sale tickets, discounts and competitions.
Amex’s “Plan It” launched in the UK in February 2024, providing Cardmembers with the flexibility to pay off big purchases through fixed monthly instalments with no additional enrolment or credit checks.
You can select an eligible purchase of over £100 or a balance amount of over £100 to pay off in monthly instalments, and choose a plan duration of either 3, 6 or 12 months. Instead of being charged interest on the amount included within the plan, there is a fixed monthly fee. The instalment amount and fee is then added to the minimum required payment on your credit card bill each month.
You can have several instalment plans at the same time, depending on your card limit. Just remember, you must pay off all of these instalments within your specified timeframe to avoid extra interest or potential damage to your credit score.
If you don’t pay your monthly minimum payment for 2 consecutive statements, Amex will cancel any instalment plans on your account and add the instalment plan balance to your main account balance. This would mean it could start incurring interest.
Customers who use their Amex credit card to buy an item costing over £100 with “Plan It” are still covered under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
Yes, you can use your Amex card, including the American Express Platinum card, with a number of taxi companies in the UK, including:
No, although American Express encourages all customers to keep their contact details up to date in case it needs to contact you.
American Express was highly commended in the credit cards category of the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards 2024, with customers praising its rewards and customer service. An impressive 93% of customers in our survey said they’d recommend the brand to a friend.
One respondent cited the “industry leading rewards scheme” as a real benefit.
Amex cards aren’t as widely accepted as Visa and Mastercard, but for many customers, the rewards make it worthwhile. “It gives rewards which is better than most brands but it’s not accepted everywhere,” said another respondent.
For any queries, ring your card’s telephone number as found below:
| Centurion Card | 0808 100 50 50 |
|---|---|
| Platinum Card | 0800 917 8054 |
| Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card | 0800 917 8050 |
| The American Express® Card | 0800 917 8045 |
| British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card | 0800 917 8020 |
| British Airways American Express Card | 0800 917 8020 |
| Platinum CashBack Credit Card | 0800 917 8047 |
| American Express Rewards Credit Card | 0800 917 8047 |
| Nectar American Express Credit Card | 0800 917 8015 |
| Vitality American Express Credit Card | 0800 917 8047 |
| Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card | 0800 917 8019 |
| Harrods American Express Card | 0800 917 8047 |
There’s no doubt about it: American Express is one of the big hitters among credit cards but you’ll need a decent credit record to get one.
Amex consistently scores highly in our customer satisfaction surveys – customers love the service and rewards they get. There’s plenty to take advantage of with its cards, such as earning holidays, flights, hotel stays and gift vouchers. However, some cards come with a fee, and your finances will need to be in decent shape for you to get approved for an Amex.
| Representative APR | From 30.7% to 701.4% |
|---|---|
| 0% balance transfer offer | No balance transfer offer available |
| 0% purchases offer | No purchases offer available |
| 0% money transfer offer | No money transfer offer available |
| Cashback with brand | Up to 6% |
| Cashback elsewhere | Up to 2% |
| Cash advance | From 30.7% |
| Introductory bonus offer | Up to 80,000 |
Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We also show reviews from users, where we've received more than 10, with a score in yellow. We gather more reviews from customers every year in Finder's customer satisfaction survey.
To find out more, read our full methodology.
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