[d2ncal]

I've been an AMEX user since 2002. I have a MasterCard also, and use it where AMEX is not accepted. However, I prefer using AMEX because:

1. It has a rock solid dispute system. I've disputed charges where the merchant didn't deliver on promise and AMEX took really good care of it. Same thing with a Visa card didn't go very well. You can do everything off the AMEX website and over email. With others, you have to call them and deal with lousy customer support.

2. They have a really good website and overall user experience. Its a pleasure to go to the website to see the charges, or to get a well laid out annual spending report. Their mobile app is also the best as compared to others.

3. They have stellar customer service. I rarely need to call them, but when I do, the wait times are in seconds.

4. They support mobile payments - Its the first one to be on Samsung Pay and I happen to have a Note 5.

FWIW, I just have the "American Express Blue Cashback" card, which no annual fees.

[exw]

> Same thing with a Visa card didn't go very well

I agree with the overall sentiment of your post, but unlike Amex, Visa does not issue credit cards, and relies on banks ("Issuing Banks") to deal with disputes. So if you had a bad experience with your Visa card, you should consider switching to a different issuer, vs. just assuming that all banks that issue Visa cards will act the same.

[brianclements]

Your experience point by point matches my own, the customer service feels exactly how it should. The premium product I need from Amex isn't the lounges and the prestige, just a credit card company that has my back and isn't trying to avoid me when I need to contact them.

Let me also note that since Amex has become a commercial bank, they offer a FDIC insured savings account[1] at an extremely competitive .9% APY. That was the highest I could find a couple years ago when I started looking. That product too, to me, feels very premium.

[1]https://personalsavings.americanexpress.com