Paying by American Express in Cuba?

Here’s the scoop: Cuba doesn’t accept AmEx, and US-issued cards in general fail. Major hotels in Havana, like Hotel Manzana or Plaza, handle Visa or Mastercard, but skip AmEx entirely. ATMs and CADECA kiosks do cash and MLC transactions, not AmEx. You’ll need euros, Canadian dollars, or GBP in clean notes to exchange gradually. Bringing a backup Visa card is smart. AmEx? Just leave it at home-it won’t help.

When I arrived, I tried my AmEx at a fancy restaurant in Miramar-it didn’t go through. So I switched to my Visa and that worked at most tourist spots. Later I learned some shops accept foreign cards, but not AmEx, and the ATMs I found only allowed debit withdrawals-not AmEx. I ended up using small USD and EUR notes and exchanging as needed. Cuba’s just not set up for AmEx-it’s better to stick with cash and a regular Visa.

My week in Havana was incredible, even though I couldn’t use AmEx. I found a lot of places-like Hotel Nacional’s gift shop or a private paladar in Vedado-that took Visa or Mastercard, just not AmEx. I also got an MLC card at a CADECA booth near José Martí Airport, which was handy for MLC-designated stores. Overall, having cash and a working non-US card made things easy-even without AmEx, I had zero payment drama.

In Cuba, American Express is not accepted-full stop. Even Visa or Mastercard cards issued by US banks won’t work due to the embargo. Most restaurants and shops in Havana like those around Old Havana accept foreign cards, but not AmEx. And ATMs are tricky-only CADECA kiosks or official banks deal in cash or MLC cards, not AmEx. Bring euros or Canadian dollars in cash, and exchange small amounts as you go.