Traveling with an Amex - will I be able to use it widely in Hong Kong or should I carry a backup Visa/Mastercard?
I spent two weeks in Hong Kong and carried both an Amex and a Mastercard. The Amex worked in shopping malls like IFC and Pacific Place and for booking tours online, but not in many restaurants in Tsim Sha Tsui or in local bakeries. I also had to use my Mastercard at several MTR stations and for ferry tickets. Amex is useful but not nearly as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard. If you only carry one card, make sure it’s not Amex.
I used an Amex Platinum in Hong Kong and had mixed results. It worked for hotel payments at Dorsett and for dining at larger restaurants but smaller local spots and markets were all cash or Visa only. ATMs don’t support Amex for withdrawals so I couldn’t take out cash either. I had a Revolut Visa card which saved me multiple times. If you travel with Amex, make sure you have a backup that works in both shops and ATMs.
Just got back from a trip through Central, Mong Kok and Wan Chai. My Amex worked at places like Sogo, Watsons and Pret A Manger but it failed at a couple of MTR ticket machines and smaller cafes. I also couldn’t use it to top up my Octopus card anywhere. I had a Monzo Mastercard and that worked perfectly everywhere I tried. I’d say Amex is decent in big chains and touristy areas but not good enough to travel with as your only card. Of course if you have a CUP (China UnionPay) card that's ideal and accepted everywhere but I can understand this isn't possible for everyone.
I used my Amex Gold in Hong Kong last month and while it worked at most larger places like hotels, department stores and chain restaurants, it definitely was not accepted everywhere. Smaller shops and a lot of street food stalls either said no outright or just pointed to the Visa and Mastercard logos on their terminals. I carried a backup Visa debit card from Wise and used that for most everyday purchases. Amex is fine in malls and airports but don’t rely on it for everything. Also note -- a lot of ATMs don't even accept Visa or Mastercard, they will only accept Jetco or UnionPay.