American Express is a credit card network, the second most popular credit card network in the world. It has been around for over a century, established in 1850. American Express was established in Buffalo, New York. It issues all sorts of consumer credit cards, all of which are based on different packages. The three most popular packages are Green, Gold, and Platinum cards. It is less accepted in Europe than its competitors, while it’s the most widespread card network in the USA. Canada started taking Amex cards in 2017, and they’ve been gaining popularity since. In recent years, American Express has become more accepted worldwide, giving them more worth for consumers. It snatched second place from Mastercard, which is the most popular network in 22 countries, while Amex is the most popular network in 23, as concluded by a 2021 Google Trends research.
American Express Financial Services
The Amex Network offers a multitude of financial services, such as:
- Credit Cards
- Debit Cards
- Travelers Cheque
- eBanking & mBanking
- Unsecured Personal Loans
- Paycheck Protection Program Loans
- Cash Advance Program
- Different Financing Loans
- Multiple perks, benefits, and Bonuses
What Card Types AMEX Canada Offers
While American Express is a credit card network, it does offer Amex Credit cards. There is a card for any need, as different cards carry different properties, benefits, and perks. Amex offers standard, reward, charge, secured, business, student, BT transfer, prepaid, and limited-purpose cards. It is gaining popularity worldwide, and it’s just surpassed Mastercard to become the second most popular credit card network globally. In particular, Amex Canada has seen a skyrocket in popularity, making it a viable card network there as well. The Amex Network provides some fantastic perks for their policyholders. While all these cards carry unique perks, features, and benefits, they all share the following:
- No foreign transaction fees
- Flexible card properties
- Special discounts
- Insurance options
- Purchase protection
- Zero fraud liability
These perks dictate why American Express is such a popular card network. It offers arguably better perks than its competitors, while also having some particular drawbacks. While different card options might have their unique benefits – all Amex cards share the features mentioned earlier.
American Express Canada Advantages
Amex cards, while different, share quite a lot of their pros. Canadian Amex cardholders can benefit from the following advantages:
Bonus & Cashback Features. These cards are known for their fantastic cashback features. Most cards in Amex’s arsenal have excellent cashback features. The cashback features with most Amex cards can rack up to 5%, far more than most Mastercard or Visa cards. Aside from the cashback, there are multiple bonuses with most Amex cards.
Functional mBanking and eBanking. Other platforms have been slow to adapt to the new online banking methods. You can fully manage, overview, and use your American Express card through their fantastic online banking features. The service is simple, streamlined, and, most importantly, fully functional.
Amex Point System. Unlike Visa and Mastercard, the Amex point system is functional and beneficial. When you’re using an American Express card, you have much more potential to earn points, which can be redeemed for cash, gift cards, and multiple purchases.
American Express Canada Disadvantages
Nothing good in life comes without cons, and neither does Amex. It has some drawbacks with particular cards, such as:
Card Acceptance. While these cards are gaining popularity worldwide and in Canada, they’re still far behind Visa in acceptance. American Express cards aren’t as popular with merchants due to their high merchant fees, so a store might not accept these cards. They’re also less prevalent in Europe when compared to both Visa and Mastercard.
High Fees and Interest Rates. Another thing that most of these cards share is the very high maintenance fees and interest rates. General fees, account processing fees, and service charges are sky-high.
High Criteria. Not everyone can get an American Express card. They’re notorious for their high eligibility criteria, meaning they accept only people with proper credit. For Canadian users, this isn’t such a bad thing, as the requirements are slightly less strict than for American policyholders.
How to Contact AMEX Customer Support in Canada?
Below, we’re going to give Canadian Amex users a list of customer support landline numbers, and Amex Canada’s address. If you want the full list of numbers, click here. Amex does not use email. If you have a problem, you can contact them through the many landline numbers, or a live chat option for particular issues.
- Toll-Free Number: 1-800-869-3016
- Amex InfoAssist: 1-800-263-9222
- Corporate Office Address: 2225 Sheppard Ave E, North York, ON M2J 5C2, Canada
- Travel Accident Insurance Number: 1-800-231-8989
- Financial Services: 1-888-461-2639
- Personal Loans: 1-800-869-3016
- Line Of Credit: 1-800-263-3365
Bottom Line
American Express is a renowned, functional, and great platform – and it’s only getting better by the day. It has a vast selection of credit cards for different purposes and has numerous benefits attached to it. While there are some disadvantages associated with Amex cards, the pros outweigh the cons by a considerable margin. As long as you keep your eye on the money, and use your credit card responsibly, you can rest assured that the Amex network is here for you.