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the only advantage is the "no preset spending limit", which everyone mistakenly assumes means "no spending limit". in fact, you DO have a spending limit, it's just not "preset". meaning, instead of having a $5,000 or $10,000 credit limit that they tell you about up front, you have a secret credit limit that they don't tell you about until you hit it.
they adjust the credit limit periodically, just like regular credit cards do, but other credit cards tell you the new limit. amex just adjusts it without telling you. not much of a big advantage, more just smoke and mirrors if you ask me.
merchants hate amex because they charge twice as much per transaction.
20 years ago, amex was a life-saver for international travellers. but now, with visa and mastercard accepted worldwide, amex has no advantage there, either.
about the only advantage is that you can easily say "i'm on a business trip" and rack up some major expenses in a short time (provided your charges actually look like a business trip) when such charges would be way past what your personal credit limit would actually be. so i guess that would come in handy, e.g., if your young and don't have a hefty credit limit but do have a ton of business expenses. otherwise i can't see the point.
amex likes to pretend that you'll be looked at like a sophisticated business traveller if you use amex. to me, though, it make it look like you're a business traveller with insufficient personal credit to use personal, no annual fee credit cards.
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