American Express Acceptance in Canada: Better Than You Think

If you’ve spent any time in the Miles & Points hobby, you’ve probably heard the refrain: “I’d love to use Amex, but nobody takes it.” It’s the single most common objection people raise when I recommend excellent cards like the American Express Cobalt Card or the American Express Platinum Card. And I get it – nobody wants to be that person fumbling for a backup card at the till.

But here’s the thing: in Anno Domini 2026, American Express card acceptance in Canada is at levels we could previously only have dreamed of. Does it have the footprint of Visa or Mastercard? No. But the gap has narrowed dramatically, and if you’re skipping Amex entirely over acceptance fears, you’re leaving serious value on the table.

American Express’ Canadian Renaissance

American Express has been quietly investing in merchant acceptance across Canada for years, and it’s paying off. The last time it updated its website to reflect having better acceptance was in 2023, when it stated it added 110,000 additional merchants. 

If you want to check their numbers yourself, the American Express Map tool lets you look up any merchant and check whether they take Amex, whether they offer contactless payment, and whether they’re currently open.

A big driver of this growth has been the expansion of tap-to-pay infrastructure. I think COVID and its push for both cashless and contactless transactions turbocharged it, and the infrastructure is now left over.

There’s also a business case for merchants. Amex cardholders tend to be more affluent and spend more per transaction. While the industry is opaque on exact basket sizes, people with higher credit scores and more money tend to spend more, to the consistent benefit of the company’s shareholders.

While many retailers have traditionally feared fees, many have found larger basket sizes and splurge-prone clients to be more to their business’s liking. If you’re looking to take advantage of this improved acceptance, the American Express Cobalt Card remains one of the best daily earners in the country, with 5x Membership Rewards on eats, drinks, and groceries.

Why Some Retailers Don’t Take Amex Cards

Now, does every merchant who insists they take Amex actually honour their payment services contract to the letter? Of course not, and this is in no small part due to the reality that Amex tends to charge merchants more (or at least this is the common perception).

Every time you tap your credit card, the merchant pays a fee to the card network. This is called the interchange fee, though in common parlance it’s often just called a “swipe fee.” For Visa and Mastercard in Canada, small merchant interchange rates sit around 0.95% for in-person transactions under the federal small business program. 

Amex, on the other hand, charges wholesale discount rates through its OptBlue program that generally fall between 1.6% and 2.4%, depending on industry and transaction size. That premium adds up fast for high-volume retailers like food services. Of course, many retailers opt for processors like Stripe or Square, or have individual deals with their terminal providers. But it’s no mystery the Centurion costs more.

The biggest holdout is the Loblaw Companies empire. Almost every retailer under the Loblaw umbrella does not take American Express cards: Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Zehrs, Fortinos, Valu-mart, Your Independent Grocer, and T&T Supermarket. 

Interestingly enough, the one brand under this umbrella that is the exception is Shoppers Drug Mart. Perhaps they want the business of customers earning that sweet, sweet 2x on pharmacy offered by the American Express Gold Rewards Card? 

Then there’s Costco. The warehouse giant ended its exclusive partnership with Amex in Canada back at the end of 2014, replacing it with Mastercard. Costco’s entire business model runs on razor-thin margins, so paying higher interchange fees was never going to fly.

When it comes to smaller businesses, it’s not just the additional swipe fees that sting. American Express is also seen as very pro-customer and likelier to side with customers during chargebacks and disputes, something that can make independent business people antsy.

There’s also just a historical distrust of Amex as costing too much, or not remitting cash quickly enough to merchants. This isn’t entirely founded, but it’s an emotional attitude of the owner that can, on rare occasions, be found in ludicrous places. For example, I once saw a “No Amex” sign at a bakery with a Square terminal, but Square charges flat fees for all credit card transactions.

What if a Merchant Doesn’t Take Amex?

Alright, here’s my favourite piece of advice, and I’m dead serious: whatever the payment terminal says, try your chosen method terminal anyway. If a payment processing device is modern enough to complete contactless payments, there’s a decent chance your Amex will go through even if the cashier swears up and down they don’t take it. Tap your card. If it works, congrats. If it doesn’t, or they start making a scene, pull out your backup card and move on with your life. No harm done.

The key is not to be deterred by the sticker on the door or what the cashier tells you. Some businesses have their terminals configured to accept all major networks, but simply don’t advertise Amex because they’d rather not encourage it. And frankly, two can play at the “I am in business for my own best interests” game.

If the service is so bad, or the anti-Amex proselytizing is so harsh that it negatively impacts your experience, American Express has a merchant reporting form for places that accept their cards but claim not to.

Can you imagine using your Amex Platinum $200 dining credit at a restaurant that’s listed as an Amex merchant, only to be told at the end of the meal that they won’t take your card? I’d be livid. It’s a good thing the company stands behind its customers like this. Fortunately, these situations are becoming rarer!

Conclusion

Is Amex the strongest issuer in the Canadian market? In terms of rewards, transfer partners, and cardholder benefits – absolutely. American Express Membership Rewards remains the most flexible points currency in Canada, with transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy, and many others all at your fingertips.

While acceptance isn’t universal, and it’s a good idea to have other credit cards in your wallet, it’s a much more pro-Amex world out there than when I started in Miles and Points. Don’t let that discourage you from keeping a stellar Visa or Mastercard, such as the Canadian Tire World Elite Mastercard, as a backup, though.

Until next time, tap that Amex with confidence – and remember, you can always vote with your wallet by taking your business to the merchants who actually want it.

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