Is American Express (Amex) accepted in Poland?

04 Apr 2023

The answer is Yes. In Poland, credit cards are widely accepted, particularly near tourist attractions. Europay International, MasterCard, Visa, and American Express are the most commonly used credit cards.

American Express in Poland

In 1990, an American Express office in Poland initially provided services to tourists using AmEx cards in Poland. Since then, the bureau managing a network of points with Amex cards has been accepted in Poland.

Additionally, the bureau issues American Express dollar cards to the wealthiest customers. Bank Millennium is the only Polish bank that issues American Express cards. Other banks act as intermediaries between the customer and American Express or offer an American Express product under their logo by signing a special issuing agreement.

Bank Millennium provides two types of American Express cards: Regular and Gold. Anyone with a net income of more than PLN 1,500 can obtain a green Amex card for PLN 70, which is reasonable. Unfortunately, the card must be linked to a Bank Millennium account, and the interest rate is 30%, but the loan can be repaid interest-free after 50 days. The Gold Card requires a net income of more than PLN 12,000, with an annual maintenance fee of PLN 400.

Both cards offer extensive additional services, much richer than the Visa or MasterCard cards issued in Poland. Amex cardholders can use the network of Amex offices and representative offices worldwide, including 24-hour travel, medical and legal services. The card also comes with a comprehensive insurance package, covering medical expenses abroad, car assistance, air travel inconvenience insurance (such as lost luggage or flight delay), car insurance, and cash robbery insurance.

American Express offices also issue dollar cards directly, like those offered by several banks that act as intermediaries. These banks include LG PetroBank and Fortis Bank. They offer three types of cards: Green, Gold, and Platinum providing similar additional services as Bank Millennium cards.

American Express cards are increasingly accepted in shops in Poland, and since Bank Millennium began issuing these cards, the number of outlets accepting Amex cards has increased dramatically. Today, 40% of the points accepting payment cards in Warsaw accept American Express cards. An additional advantage of the American Express card is that it does not always require authorization in shops with a non-zero floor limit.

This feature is important in light of recent changes in the payment card market, where PolCard has introduced compulsory authorization at all its payment terminals for all Visa and EC/MC payment cards.

The American Express card is worth considering today, especially for those who travel frequently, as it provides a comprehensive insurance package that can be helpful during any trip. The card is ideal for travelers to remote tropical destinations, where American Express has been accepted for years, while neither Visa or MasterCard is accepted. While it is slightly more expensive than its competitors, the card offers a comprehensive package of additional insurance and services to compensate for the higher issuing fee.

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