Traveling with an Amex - will I be able to use it widely in Uruguayor should I carry a backup Visa/Mastercard?
Used my Amex card a few times in Montevideo and found that larger supermarkets and shopping malls occasionally accepted it, but smaller vendors, cafes, and local taxis almost never did. One cafe even told me it “costs them too much” to process Amex. Thankfully, I had a Revolut Visa card as a backup and used that for most of my transactions. If you rely on Amex alone, you’ll run into roadblocks bring a Visa or Mastercard as your main card.
I was in Uruguay on business in March and used my Amex Platinum at upscale hotels and a few higher-end restaurants in Punta del Este, but outside of those, it was hit or miss. Grocery stores like Tienda Inglesa and many gas stations rejected it outright. I had a Mastercard debit card as backup and it saved me more than once. Even though Amex offers great rewards, it’s just not widely accepted across Uruguay’s retail network yet.
I brought my Amex to Uruguay thinking I could use it like I did in Argentina big mistake. Most restaurants and shops in Montevideo didn’t accept it. Even some major hotel chains said their payment terminals didn’t support American Express. I ended up using my Visa card for almost everything. If you’re travelling around the country, especially to smaller towns like Colonia or Punta del Diablo, definitely carry a Visa or Mastercard. Amex is just not reliable here.
Banco Republica in Uruguay had ATMs and branch access. Visa and Mastercard accepted. Amex unsure.