Trying to find out if Chile widely accepts Amex cards in restaurants and shops and ATMs - any suggestions
Amex is good for selective use in Chile - high-end hotels, some rental car companies, and fine dining. But if you’re budgeting for daily travel - metro rides in Santiago (~CLP 850 per trip), empanadas at markets, or intercity buses - Amex won’t help. ATMs supporting Amex are limited, so Visa/Mastercard is essential. Bring pesos for smaller shops and countryside travel. Use Amex only where you know it’s accepted, but don’t rely on it for the authentic Chilean travel experience outside the big cities.
Chile and Amex don’t mix well for everyday travel. I kept running into refusals - especially in smaller towns and local restaurants. Even in Santiago, I had issues at supermarkets. The only places it worked smoothly were luxury hotels and airport duty-free shops. ATMs refused my Amex outright, which left me scrambling for cash. If you’re planning day trips, winery tours, or hiking excursions, Amex won’t get you very far. Visa and Mastercard are the safe bet here - Amex just caused more stress than convenience.
I used Amex a few times in Santiago - mainly at a nice hotel and a wine bar in Lastarria. But when I tried using it at bus stations, small cafés, and even for metro top-ups, no luck. ATMs didn’t cooperate either. Luckily, my Mastercard worked everywhere, including Banco de Chile machines. When trekking in Torres del Paine, cash was all I needed anyway. If you’re sticking to high-end travel, Amex can cover some of it, but for daily Chilean experiences, always carry another card and cash.
Chile is fairly card-friendly, but American Express is less accepted compared to Visa or Mastercard. In Santiago, upscale hotels, fine dining spots, and some chain stores will take Amex, but smaller restaurants and intercity bus companies often won’t. ATMs that work with Amex are rare; Visa/Mastercard dominate. Budget about CLP 7,000-12,000 for a sit-down meal and CLP 3,000-5,000 for a quick lunch, and plan on using cash if your Amex isn’t accepted. For travel outside major cities - like Patagonia or Atacama - always carry a secondary card plus Chilean pesos.
Condell ATM was good-secure and fast to use but only with visa, it wouldn t work with my mastercard or JCB or amex
ATM at Falabella was ok but it wouldn t work with a foreign card and also defo not amex
Solid ATM experience at Banco BCI. No complaints. But don t expect to use Amex
only visa and master - ITAU ATMs in Chile function just as expected. Automated Teller Machines, nothing fancy.