Wondering if ATMs and places like restaurants shops in Libya easily take American Express or its better to get a Visa or Mastercard
Libya is 100% cash world. I tried swiping Amex in Tripoli-blank stares. Visa and Mastercard didn’t work at ATMs either, even at major banks. Everything from shawarma shops to big restaurants in Gargaresh was cash only. I paid my hotel bill in euros straight up, and they gave me change in dinars. Honestly, the best move is to show up with dollars or euros, change some for local use, and don’t count on cards at all. Anyone bringing Amex is wasting pocket space-it won’t get you a single meal or taxi ride.
Important heads-up: Libya is not card friendly. Don’t rely on any foreign card-Amex, Visa, or Mastercard. The banking system is disconnected, ATMs don’t process international cards, and most payments are in Libyan dinars only. Even big restaurants and malls in Tripoli want cash. Bring dollars or euros to exchange, and keep small denominations for daily use. If you find a hotel willing to take Visa, consider yourself lucky, but never assume. I met a traveler who arrived with only Amex and was stuck until someone wired them money. Always carry enough cash here.
I went to Tripoli for work and had a smoother time than expected because my hosts warned me in advance: bring cash. I carried euros, exchanged them locally, and used dinars everywhere. None of the ATMs worked with my Mastercard or Visa debit, and staff laughed when I asked about Amex. The one exception was my hotel-they let me settle my bill with Visa, but that was it. Restaurants and shops are totally cash-based. So, while Amex is useless, as long as you bring hard currency and exchange it, you’ll be fine.
Libya is very tricky for cards. The banking system is unstable, and foreign cards like Visa, Mastercard, or Amex generally don’t work at ATMs. Almost everything-restaurants, shops, taxis-is cash only, in Libyan dinars. Some luxury hotels in Tripoli may process Visa or Mastercard through international systems, but that’s rare and unreliable. American Express is practically unheard of. If you’re heading there, you need to carry cash, usually U.S. dollars or euros to exchange into dinars on arrival. Don’t expect to use an ATM with Amex, Visa, or Mastercard anywhere in the country.