Traveling with an Amex - will I be able to use it widely in Belarusor should I carry a backup Visa/Mastercard?
Belarus doesn’t support Amex at all. ATMs wouldn’t process it, and even hotels in Minsk declined. I used my Mastercard debit to withdraw cash, and it worked fine. Meals were very affordable - 20-30 BYN - and I budgeted around 100 BYN per day. Amex had no use whatsoever in Belarus. If you’re planning a trip, carry Visa or Mastercard.
I travelled Belarus last year, and Amex was useless. ATMs didn’t accept it, and local restaurants and shops said no every time. Visa was smooth everywhere, even in smaller towns. Meals were cheap, and I spent about 90 BYN daily overall. Amex is not worth carrying for Belarus travel. Visa and Mastercard are the only reliable cards here.
My Amex card didn’t work anywhere in Belarus. Hotels, restaurants, and ATMs all declined it. Visa worked perfectly at supermarkets, metro stations, and museums. Meals cost 15-25 BYN, and daily spending was about 80-100 BYN. Mastercard was also fine. Amex is not part of the system there, so bring Visa as your primary card. You’ll need it for both payments and withdrawals.
In Belarus, American Express is rarely accepted. I visited Minsk, and ATMs from Belarusbank and Priorbank didn’t support it. Restaurants and shops mostly preferred Visa or Mastercard. Meals were inexpensive, around 20-30 BYN, and I budgeted 100 BYN daily including transport and attractions. My Visa debit worked without issue. Amex was basically useless in Belarus - always carry Visa or Mastercard if you travel there.