Trying to find out if Spain widely accept Amex cards in restaurants and shops and ATMs - any suggestions
Last May I spent two weeks in Sevilla and Córdoba carrying my Amex Green and a TSB Mastercard debit card. Upscale places along Calle Betis and hotel bars had no issue taking Amex. I used my Amex at a Renfe ticket office and also at a MAS supermarket in Plaza Nueva. But when I tried to buy street‑side churros I had to pay cash. I withdrew €200 at a Deutsche Bank ATM in Triana using Amex and it went through but came with about a 4% total fee including ATM operator markup. My takeaway is Amex works in big touristy or higher‑end spots but always carry a Visa or Mastercard just in case and avoid ATM cash advances unless essential.
During my spring trip I carried an Amex debit Mastercard and a Wise card. In Valencia most mid‑range restaurants in Ruzafa and El Carmen accepted Amex without issue and I used it to pay at El Corte Inglés for shoes. But I always asked before ordering. For cash I preferred withdrawing during daytime from ING or Deutsche Bank ATMs because even though Amex is part of the Eufiserv network here, I’m charged per withdrawal plus foreign transaction fees. It works but it isn’t cost effective or widely accepted at small cafés or bakeries.
I used an Amex Gold card while traveling three months ago in Spain and found acceptance varies a lot. In larger supermarkets like MAS and high‑end shops along Calle Preciados in Madrid I could swipe it easily. But I tried to pay at a small grocery near Plaza Mayor and they only took Visa or Mastercard. ATMs that work with Amex are mainly inside branches like BBVA or CaixaBank. I found a CaixaBank ATM in Raval and it let me take out €100 but charged me a fee twice for the advance and markup so I didn’t use it again.
I recently traveled through Madrid and Barcelona with my Amex Platinum and a backup Revolut Visa debit card. Most fine‑dining restaurants in Salamanca and Eixample took Amex no problem and I paid with it at a Cash Fresh supermarket in Malaga too. For everyday cafés or tapas bars in Gràcia or El Born I always checked for the Amex logo before ordering. Not all places take it. I used my Amex for a cash advance at a Banco Santander ATM in Valencia and it worked fine but they hit me with a cash advance fee plus the typical 2.99% foreign transaction charge so I only withdrew once.