Trip to the U.S.: the right credit card
A credit card is essential for a trip to the U.S. Which one is right for you?
Everything you need to know at a glance
For a trip to the U.S., you’ll need a credit card with a sufficient credit limit, wide acceptance, transparent foreign currency fees, and robust travel benefits. In the U.S., you can pay cashless almost everywhere. A credit card is generally indispensable, especially for rental cars, hotel deposits, and unexpected expenses. Debit cards are not accepted everywhere.
American Express Cards are accepted almost everywhere in the U.S. The Gold Card and Platinum Card offer additional benefits such as travel insurance, free airport lounge access, rental car and hotel perks, and the Membership Rewards bonus program.
American Express: widely accepted in the U.S.
Whether checking in at a hotel, as a security deposit at the rental car counter, at a trendy restaurant, or at the ticket counter: In the U.S., you’ll need a credit card almost everywhere. Even small amounts for coffee to go, the subway, or tips are usually paid by card. Some restaurants don’t accept cash.
With an American Express credit card, you can pay conveniently at millions of participating locations – either contactless or the traditional way with a PIN. In the U.S., American Express is one of the most widely accepted credit cards, with very high acceptance rates. The only question left is which card option is right for you.
Before your flight: Enjoy a relaxed start to your trip in attractive airport lounges
Your journey to the U.S. begins at the airport – for example, in Zurich or Geneva. With the American Express Platinum Card, you’ll enjoy complimentary access to more than 1,800 airport lounges worldwide thanks to the included Priority Pass membership.
Instead of waiting at a crowded gate, enjoy champagne, a buffet, and free Wi-Fi in a stylish setting. If your return flight goes through New York’s JFK Airport, for example, the exclusive American Express Centurion Lounge awaits you there.
You also get lounge access with the Gold Card: Entry is free twice a year. A small fee applies for each additional visit.
In the air and upon landing: comprehensive insurance coverage
The U.S. has one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the world. An unplanned doctor’s visit can quickly cost several thousand U.S. dollars. This is exactly where a credit card with premium benefits pays off.
The American Express Gold Card and Platinum Card include Foreign Travel Medical Expenses Insurance. Depending on the card type, you also benefit from Travel Cancellation and Curtailment Insurance, Luggage Insurance, Transport Accident Insurance, and Loss Damage Waiver for Rental Cars for Travel Abroad.
Good to know: Coverage extends not only to the cardholders themselves but also, as a rule, to spouses living in the same household and children up to age 25.
Hotel upgrades included
The U.S. is home to major hotel chains: Radisson Hotels can be found almost everywhere, from San Francisco to Miami. As a Platinum Cardholder, you automatically receive premium status in the Radisson Rewards program. The same applies to Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy.
Selected properties – particularly numerous in the U.S. – are also part of American Express’s Fine Hotels + Resorts program. With your Platinum Card, you’ll enjoy many attractive benefits at these hotels, such as:
- Free room upgrade (depending on availability)
- Complimentary daily breakfast for two
- A credit of at least USD 100 for in-hotel spending, such as at the restaurant or spa
- Early check-in and late check-out (depending on availability)
Ready for the road trip: rental car benefits with American Express
You can’t get very far in the U.S. without a car. That’s why Loss Damage Waiver for Rental Cars is so important. The American Express Platinum Card includes Loss Damage Waiver for Rental Cars. So you don’t need to purchase expensive supplemental insurance at the counter.
Shopping and culture
New York’s Fifth Avenue, the boutiques of Beverly Hills, the outlets in Las Vegas – the U.S. is a shopper’s paradise. With the American Express Platinum Card or Gold Card, your purchases are insured against theft, burglary, robbery, and damage for 90 days after purchase. You also profit from the Return Protection Insurance.
Exclusive to the Platinum Card is the Ticket Insurance, which reimburses the ticket price if you are unable to attend an event due to illness or accident. So if you’ve booked a night on Broadway and fall ill, you won’t lose the entire cost of the tickets.
Which American Express Card is your travel companion?
For your stay in the U.S.: the credit card that more than meets your needs
An American Express credit card is a smart choice for your time in the U.S. The Gold Card is ideal for anyone who wants to travel in style from time to time: You’ll enjoy comprehensive insurance coverage, two complimentary airport lounge visits per year, status benefits for car rentals and hotels, Membership Rewards points, and rewards – all for a reasonable annual fee.
With the Platinum Card, you get all the benefits of the Gold Card – but on a larger scale – plus additional perks. The Platinum Card really pays off if you travel regularly, enjoy fine dining, stay at upscale hotels, and want to travel with comprehensive coverage.
Frequently asked questions and answers
In the U.S., credit cards are the most common means of payment. On a trip to America, you’ll almost always pay by credit card – from a coffee to go to a rental car.
All over the world – and especially in the U.S. – you can use an American Express credit card to pay at millions of participating merchants – without any additional arrangements.
American Express Cards are accepted worldwide. With the Gold Card or Platinum Card, you also enjoy numerous travel benefits, such as hotel perks and insurance. For transactions in foreign currencies or abroad, a fee of 1.75 percent (Platinum Card) or 2.5 percent (other cards) applies.
