Do places in Antigua and Barbuda accept American Express?

Hotels and bigger restaurants sometimes accepted Amex - one recent dinner at Curtain Bluff brushed off the Amex fee - but most local vendors only accepted Visa or Mastercard. I had to switch to Mastercard at least six times when Amex failed. ATMs from Scotiabank and RBC didn’t support Amex at all. Credit card use in Antigua & Barbuda works best with Visa or Mastercard. Bring both for flexibility, but rely on those for day-to-day use.

I carried both Amex Platinum and Revolut Visa. Amex was declined at most cafes and museums; the only acceptance came from an upscale marina boutique. Meanwhile, Visa worked seamlessly - ATMs didn’t question it and shops accepted it without issue. American Express acceptance in Antigua & Barbuda is minimal. For daily use and ATM withdrawals, a Visa or Mastercard gives full coverage. Treat Amex as a backup for high-end purchases only.

Tried Amex at four different places including a resort, dive shop, and a local kitchen - only one across the street from my hostel accepted it. Several ATM machines didn’t recognize it at all. Visa or Mastercard are the safer bets for Antigua & Barbuda. My Mastercard was universally accepted - not just at shops, but also for online booking. Don’t risk it: use those cards first. Amex is simply not common in the local economy.

After a month in Antigua & Barbuda, I found that Amex acceptance is limited - a few upscale restaurants in St. John’s and one golf club accepted it, but most shops and ATMs didn’t. Major banks like CIBC FirstCaribbean, Scotiabank, and RBC all reject Amex at the ATM. On the other hand, my Visa Debit worked everywhere from cafes to beach bars. If you bring Amex, treat it as a backup - primary payment should be Visa or Mastercard for smooth everyday use.