American Express Accepted Locations

If you have an American Express Card, you may be wondering where you can use it. American Express is accepted at millions of merchants, including major retailers, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, hotels, airlines, and online businesses.

American Express says its Cards can be accepted at 99% of places in the United States that accept credit cards, based on the February 2025 Nilson Report. However, acceptance is not universal, so it can be useful to check whether a particular business accepts Amex before you shop.

This guide explains how to find American Express accepted locations and provides links to more detailed guides about specific retailers.

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How Can I Find American Express Accepted Locations?

The easiest way to check whether a business accepts American Express is to use the American Express Maps tool.

You can search for businesses by name or location to find qualifying merchants that accept American Express. American Express also provides an online directory for qualifying businesses that accept Amex online or do not have a physical location.

If you are trying to determine whether a particular store or restaurant accepts Amex, searching for the business directly can be more useful than relying on a general list of accepted merchants.

What Major Stores Accept American Express?

Many major retailers accept American Express, although payment options can vary by business and between in-store and online purchases.

We are building individual guides for some of the most common American Express acceptance questions:

• Does Walmart Accept American Express?
• Does ALDI Accept American Express?
• Does Target Accept American Express?
• Does Publix Accept American Express?
• Does ShopRite Accept American Express?

These individual guides provide more specific information about using an American Express Card at each retailer.

Can I Use American Express Online?

Yes. American Express is accepted by many online businesses. The American Express Maps system also includes an online directory for qualifying businesses that accept Amex online or do not have a physical location.

When shopping online, check the payment methods shown by the merchant during checkout to see whether American Express is accepted.

Who Does Not Accept American Express?

Although American Express acceptance is widespread, some businesses still do not accept Amex. A business may accept other major credit-card networks without accepting American Express.

If you are unsure about a particular business, check the American Express Maps tool or ask the business directly.

For a more detailed look at businesses and situations where you may not be able to use an Amex Card, see:

Who Does Not Accept Amex?

American Express Acceptance by Store

As we add more retailer-specific guides, this page will serve as the central resource for American Express acceptance information.

If you are looking for a specific retailer, start with one of the guides above. If the retailer is not listed, use the American Express Maps tool to check the business directly.

Considering an American Express Card?

If you are researching American Express acceptance because you are deciding whether an American Express Card is right for you, you can also view our American Express credit card offers to compare the Cards currently available.

Bottom Line

American Express is accepted at a very large percentage of U.S. businesses that accept credit cards. American Express says its Cards can be accepted at 99% of places in the United States that accept credit cards, based on the February 2025 Nilson Report.

However, acceptance is not universal. The quickest way to check a particular business is to search for it using the American Express Maps tool or check the merchant's current payment information.