American Express credit cards not being widely accepted is a common misconception.
The truth is that you can use American Express credit cards at thousands of merchants across Canada. Except for one or two that we’ll outline below, most retailers in Canada accept American Express credit cards. This availability, combined with the unique benefits of American Express credit cards, means you should think twice before ruling them out as a useful credit tool.
Retailers that accept AMEX
American Express has recently expanded its acceptance rate, and since, most major retailers accept American Express credit cards, including those listed below:
- Clothing: Aldo, Ardenne, H&M, Hudson’s Bar, Marshalls, Mark’s, Sport Chek, Sunglass Hut, Winner
- Department: Canadian Tire
- Electronics: Apple, Best Buy, Canada Computers, Staples
- Fuel: Esso, Petro-Can, Shell, Ultramar, Irving Oil, Fast Gas Plus, Co-Op Gas Bars, Race Trac, Bluewave Energy
- Groceries: Safeway, Sobeys, Metro, Metro Plus, Longos, Whole Foods Market, 7-Eleven
- Hardware: The Home Depot
- Home Décor: Homesense, Hudson’s Bay, IKEA, Lowe’s, Marshall’s
- Hotels & Restaurants: Fairmont Resorts & Hotels, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Burger King, Oliver & Bonacini
- Hypermarkets: Walmart
- Online Marketplaces: Amazon
- Pharmacy: London Drugs, Jean Coutu, Rexall, Uniprix, Uniprix Sante, Uniprix Clinique
The lists above are just a small sampling of the thousands of retailers in Canada that accept American Express credit cards.
Compare the best Amex cards in Canada
Retailers that don’t accept AMEX
Unfortunately, the rumor that some retailers don’t accept American Express is not entirely unfounded. There are a few major retailers in Canada that don’t accept American Express credit cards. Many retailers don’t accept American Express because they have their own branded credit cards they’d prefer you to use. In addition, due to a higher fee AMEX charges its retail partners (than Visa or Mastercard), many opt out of accepting an American Express credit card.
Costco only accepts Mastercard (not even Visa), and their store credit card is a Mastercard. By only accepting Mastercard, Costco increases the likelihood that you’ll sign up for their branded credit card. Loblaws, with the exception of Shoppers and Costco, are excellent examples of large retailers that don’t accept American Express credit cards.
Other than these retailers, you should be able to use your American Express credit card everywhere you shop.
Why get an AMEX credit card?
American Express is consistently ranked as one of the top credit card providers in Canada, and one of the reasons they are so popular is the perks and rewards they offer their loyal cardmembers.
Insurance coverage
Many American Express credit cards offer a comprehensive suite of insurance coverage. Book your vacation with peace of mind knowing that American Express offers trip interruption and delay insurance, emergency medical insurance, and baggage loss and baggage delay insurance.
If you purchase merchandise such as electronics with your American Express credit card, you’ll likely qualify for purchase assurance, which insures your valuables against damage and theft for several months. Your purchase may also qualify for an extended warranty, which extends the manufacturer’s warranty up to one year.
Finally, if you rent a car, some American Express credit cards offer car rental collision and damage waivers, insuring your vehicle automatically so you don’t have to opt for expensive additional insurance.
Rewards
AMEX offers several excellent rewards credit cards that allow you to earn points on everyday purchases. You can redeem these points for free flights, hotels, or even merchandise and gift cards. One example of American Express’s most popular rewards credit card is the American Express Cobalt® Card. This credit card lets you earn 5x the points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery, 3x the points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada, 2X the points for every $1 spent on eligible transit & gas purchases in Canada and eligible travel purchases, and 1X the points on all other purchases. It also comes with a very lucrative welcome offer: In your first year as a new Cobalt® Cardmember, you can earn 2,500 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $500 in purchases on your Card. This could add up to 30,000 points in a year. That’s up to $300 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets. Conditions apply.
American Express offers a variety of rewards credit cards for different income levels and spending profiles, so no matter what your daily spending habits, there is a credit card that will suit your needs.
Get the Amex Cobalt: The Best Amex for Everyday Spending
Exclusive perks
American Express offers a variety of exclusive perks to their cardmembers, depending on which credit card you choose. If you enjoy attending exclusive concerts and events, the Front of the Line by American Express Invites will help you secure tickets to in-demand concerts, even if you miss early ticket sales.
If you travel frequently, some American Express credit cards offer great benefits at airports across the country. These benefits could include free airport lounge access, valet services, priority security line access to skip those long security lines, and priority check-in.
Using your American Express credit card with small businesses
While most major retailers in Canada accept American Express credit cards, not all small businesses do. American Express is committed to growing its network of small businesses that accept their credit cards, but there is still a chance you’ll find yourself at one of the few retailers that don’t.
Fortunately, you don’t have to avoid all mom-and-pop stores in your area. To help you determine whether a local retailer will accept your credit card, American Express has built a handy online map that is searchable by location – perfect for when you’re on the hunt for that perfect gift for a loved one.
What should I do if my AMEX wasn’t accepted?
If you do run into a situation where you can’t use your American Express credit card, it’s a good idea to have a backup credit card in your wallet. If you’re an avid Costco shopper, a backup Mastercard may be a good idea to maximize your rewards earning at that major retailer.
No matter what the situation, if you find yourself in a position where you can’t use your credit card, American Express wants to know. They’ve created an easy-to-use feedback form to help determine where American Express credit cards are not accepted.
The bottom line
The reputation American Express credit cards have for being unusable with many retailers is mostly unfounded. Most major retailers accept American Express credit cards, and more and more local retailers are being added to their network every day, small businesses included.
For any shopping necessity, it’s definitely a great idea to have an AMEX card fill one of your card slots in your wallet. Use your American Express card to get major bonuses and rewards during the biggest shopping season of the year.
Related articles:
- Best American Express Credit Cards in Canada
- How to Choose the Right American Express Card for you
- American Express Cobalt® card review
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. Conditions apply.
