American Express statistics
Insights and analysis on American Express cards, costs, acceptance and more.
Key takeaways
- Amex transactions in Australia often represent higher value purchases (22.4% of total) despite lower transaction numbers.
- Amex cards attract higher merchant fees, averaging 1.35% compared to Mastercard (0.89%) or Visa (0.9%). That is what the business pays its bank, not a surcharge you are automatically charged.
- Amex allows earning points on ATO payments and provides access to over 40 Centurion Lounges worldwide.
How many people have American Express cards?
- $1.68 trillion was spent on Amex cards in 2023 (billed business and transactions).
- Worldwide spending on Amex-issued credit cards totalled $1,460 billion in 2023.
- The total number of Amex cards in use was over 140 million cards in 2023 (80.2 million Amex-issued credit cards and 61 million cards issued by third parties).
Where is American Express popular?
Amex has reported that the following countries and regions "represent a significant portion of our billed business outside of the United States".
- UK
- The European Union
- Australia
- Japan
- Canada
- Mexico
How many Australians pay with American Express?
RBA data shows American Express made up 9.5% of credit and charge card purchase transactions in July 2024, by number of purchases.
While Mastercard and Visa have the biggest share of transactions, American Express punches above its weight in terms of the value of each purchase.
According to the RBA data, Amex transactions are worth 22.4% of the total value of credit and charge card purchases.
Amex versus Mastercard/Visa spending in Australia
Chart shows the market share of credit card purchases by value between Amex and Mastercard/Visa.
American Express acceptance in Australia
American Express isn't as widely accepted as Mastercard or Visa in Australia but it is accepted at most major retail stores, as well as other service providers. It also proactively increases its acceptance, with over 610,000 new merchant locations added in 2024.
Some of the major businesses and brands that accept American Express in Australia include:
- Apple
- Bunnings Warehouse
- Coles
- Emirates
- IKEA
- JB Hi-Fi
- KFC
- Kmart
- 7/11
- Dan Murphy's
- IGA
- Uber Eats
- Menulog
- Officeworks
- BP
- McDonald's
- Qantas
- Target
- The Reject Shop
- Virgin Australia
- Woolworths
Popular businesses that don't accept American Express
- ALDI
- Costco
- Terry White Chemmart online (individual stores can accept Amex)
Government services
American Express is one of the major credit card brands that allows you to earn points for spending with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and other Australian government agencies.
But not all government agencies accept American Express payments. Here are some examples of popular government-related services that do and don't take Amex.
| Government agency or service | Example of payment | Amex acceptance? | Surcharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Taxation Office | Tax bills | Yes | 1.45% |
| Access Canberra | Vehicle registration, driver's licence fees | No | |
| Department of Transport WA | Vehicle registration, driver's licence fees | No | |
| NT.gov.au | Vehicle registration, driver's licence fees | No | N/A |
| Revenue SA | Emergency Services Levy | No | |
| Services NSW | Vehicle registration, driver's licence fees | Yes | 1.54% |
| Transport and Main Roads QLD | Vehicle registration, driver's licence fees | Yes | 1.40% |
| Transport Tasmania | Vehicle registration, driver's licence fees | No | N/A |
| VicRoads | Vehicle registration, driver's licence fees | No | N/A |
What about council rates?
Finder research has found that the payment methods accepted by local government councils also vary. For example, the City of Sydney accepts American Express payments while the City of Melbourne does not. Contact your local council to find out if it accepts Amex.
How many airport lounges does American Express have?
American Express has its own network of over 40 Centurion Lounges around the world. This includes 2 in Australia:
- The Centurion Lounge at Sydney International Airport
- The Centurion Lounge at Melbourne International Airport
American Express also has cards that offer Qantas or Virgin Australia lounge passes, similar to some other frequent flyer credit cards on the market in Australia.
How do Mastercard and Visa credit card costs compare?
While Amex has the biggest range for its annual fees, this is largely because of the high fees on the American Express Platinum Card and Amex Platinum Business Card ($1,450 and $1,750 respectively). The rest of its range has annual fees similar to other brands on the market.
The interest rates and foreign transaction fees on Mastercard and Visa credit cards are also similar. In fact, there are some credit cards with higher purchase interest rates than Amex, which currently go up to around 27%.
But Amex cards do typically have higher surcharges when businesses choose to pass on this cost, with the RBA reporting average merchant fees of 0.89% for Mastercard and 0.9% for Visa. That's around 45 basis points lower than the average merchant fee for Amex (1.35%).
Complaints and customer satisfaction
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) tracks customer complaints raised by financial firms. In the credit cards category, Amex had the 4th highest number of complaints in the second half of 2023.
| Financial firm | Complaints received |
|---|---|
| Citigroup Pty Limited | 967 |
| Latitude Finance Australia | 767 |
| Commonwealth Bank of Australia | 738 |
| American Express Australia Limited | 555 |
| Westpac Banking Corporation | 494 |
But a lot of Australians would still recommend Amex to their friends. Amex won in the most loved brand category at the 2026 Finder Credit Card Customer Satisfaction Awards, with customers giving it a score of 4.2 out of 5.
The number of American Express employees
- Australia and New Zealand: Over 1,500 employees
- UK: Over 5,000 employees
- Global total 2022–23: 77,300 employees
Want to compare a wider rate of cards? Check out the latest credit card offers on Finder.
Sources
More resources on Finder
Ask a question
More guides on Finder
-
Best credit cards for first timers
What to look for when choosing your first credit card, including insights and tips from Finder’s experts.
-
Wizitcard Review
The Wizitcard offers an alternative to traditional credit cards and buy now pay later, with no interest charges, a monthly fee and a virtual account – is it right for you?
-
Apple Card: Key details and alternatives in Australia
What Australians need to know about the credit card that integrates with your iPhone.
-
Gold credit cards
Gold credit cards are a step up from basic cards, with more perks like rewards, complimentary insurance and airport lounge invitations.
-
Visa credit cards – compare Australian cards that use the Visa network
With contactless payments, exclusive entertainment offers and online shopping benefits, Visa credit cards offer a wide range of benefits you can enjoy with most issuers in Australia.
-
Joint credit cards in Australia – your options
Learn which credit card issuers allow joint-account credit card applications so you can decide if this option is right for you.
-
Can a business refuse credit card payments?
Most businesses accept credit card payments, but some do not. Here’s why and how you can pay instead.
-
What is a credit card CVV or CVC number?
Shopping online with your credit card? Here's why you'll need your card's CVV – and where to find it.
-
Why is my credit card declined when I have money?
Understand why your bank may decline your credit card transaction and what you can to do avoid this embarrassing and inconvenient issue.
-
Credit card repayment calculator
Calculate how much you're paying in interest based on your current credit card repayments and discover how much you should pay each month to meet your financial goal.