Ever seen a fuel pump that doesn’t accept Amex?

kicktireslightfires

kicktireslightfires

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kicktireslightfires
Just curious if anyone has ever come across a 100LL self serve pump where the machine doesn’t accept American Express? I’m thinking about switching my dedicated “plane expenses” card to an Amex and just want to be sure I’m not shooting myself in the foot as I’ll plan on using it at all the FBOs and fuel farms I visit.
 
kicktireslightfires said:
Just curious if anyone has ever come across a 100LL self serve pump where the machine doesn’t accept American Express? I’m thinking about switching my dedicated “plane expenses” card to an Amex and just want to be sure I’m not shooting myself in the foot as I’ll plan on using it at all the FBOs and fuel farms I visit.
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Often. I'd say about 25% in my area (Great Lakes region) do not take my Am Ex. My Am Ex gives me double cash back on fuel (4%) so I try it first every time. For back up I carry a Capital One Visa that gives me 2%.
 
All the time, Phife.
 
Several in the southeast haven’t taken my AmEx.
 
I'm not sure about pumps, but I've encountered FBOs that won't do it.
 
I've never tried to use an Amex card for fuel, but until recently my corporate credit card was an Amex. When traveling internationally to visit some of our manufacturing sites, the company cafeterias wouldn't even take it.
 
Yes. In my experience back when I was using an AmEx for avgas, I would say about half the pumps didn't take it. Not sure now because I don't try anymore, but it seems like a lot less pumps accept AmEx now.
 
I've had problems with every card I own at one time or another at the same pump. That's why I carry one of each. And cash.
 
To travel successfully you need a Visa card or MasterCard at the ready. Use Amex as you can, if that’s your choice, but have the other at your fingertips.

When traveling internationally, add a substantial amount of Cash to that list.

And… IMO, leave Discover Cards at home for the most part. (Are they still a thing?)
 
GaryM said:
I've never tried to use an Amex card for fuel, but until recently my corporate credit card was an Amex. When traveling internationally to visit some of our manufacturing sites, the company cafeterias wouldn't even take it.
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When I worked for Schwab, the company card was a Diners Club! Talk about frustration.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
Dang that had to be a pain in the butt.

How you doing since your buddy Noah died. Sure wish you would tell us where he parked that boat he built.
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Haha. Believe it or not this was as recently as 1999. No one understood why Schwab used them.

I’m sure you’ll understand that all of us knew every single restaurant within walking distance of the office that took DC! Haha. Reference point is the SFO financial district.
 
Rgbeard said:
Haha. Believe it or not this was as recently as 1999. No one understood why Schwab used them.

I’m sure you’ll understand that all of us knew every single restaurant within walking distance of the office that took DC! Haha. Reference point is the SFO financial district.
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:)
It’s ok. I just started a new job and during the introduce yourself routine of the first day everyone looked at me kinda funny when I told them my first airline job was in the flight engineer seat. You would have thought I was telling a story about when I had lunch with the Wright brothers. Of course there are more than a couple in class born after I graduated high school. ..
 
Rgbeard said:
And… IMO, leave Discover Cards at home for the most part. (Are they still a thing?)
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It's good as the first card for a college student, and then continuing for a few years as a young adult. A credit card on training wheels.
 
Rgbeard said:
... When traveling internationally, add a substantial amount of Cash to that list. ...
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We have found that carrying a couple of debit cards (different banks) is adequate. In the last 10 years or so, cash machines have become very common and reliable even in 3rd world countries like Ethiopia and Myanmar. We do carry a handful of small bills to use for baggage handling tips, etc and we generally get a few hundred $ equivalent local cash at our destination airport.
 
For paying for fuel, there are better rewards available than the 4% mentioned upthread for an AMEX.

I reliably earn 5.25% on every purchase of aviation fuel using a no-fee BoA Cash Rewards Visa. I've used this card at automated fuel pumps at maybe 30 airports and never had a problem. To boost its reward for fuel by a factor of 1.75X, from the nominal 3% to 5.25%, one can keep a $100k balance at their discount broker, Merrill Edge. If $50k is more within one's reach, that will provide a multiplier of 1.5X to earn 4.5% on fuel purchases. (https://www.bankofamerica.com/preferred-rewards/details/
 
I use Amex almost exclusively for everything including SS and FBO fuel. Only rarely, very rarely, am I denied its use domestically. International is another matter.

YMMV


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Self serve avgas pumps will always be behind the times technologically, but Apple Pay solves my Amex problem where it is accepted. The merchant can’t tell what kind of card it is so they can’t deny it. There are a bunch 7-11s in my area that have the Amex sticker on the window but have figured out how to decline it at the register in violation of their merchant agreements. Apple Pay forces them to take it. Suckers.
 
I see it a lot. It’s a bit foolish and based on old data. Amex used to be much higher cost to take, the cost primarily coming from Amex itself. But anymore if I pull out my business Visa or MasterCard it’s about the same cost to the merchant.

I use a Bank of America Visa for ALL petrol purchases as I could set one category for 3% rewards and chose fuel. Automated AvGas dispensers all are recognized as fuel.

Keep the Amex for all else and get a good rewards Visa or MC…
 
Coincidentally yesterday I heard a pilot discussing with the FBO manager the Amex card issue he was having at our pumps. Seems that the actual hardware at the pump won’t read his “metal” card, but he can come inside and the manager will process it for him if he’s there. Manager said it costs $4000 to change out the pump card reader and operator won’t pay for that this yr, as upgrades are in next year’s budget.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Bill said:
Many vendors don’t like the higher transaction fees of American Express. So I always carry a backup, usually in an ankle holster
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How do you fit that backup with your fire extinguishers?

it’s not normal, but the company I was working with recently had AMEX fees at 2.5% and Visa at at 2.7. That is unusual, but sometimes there isn’t much of a difference.
 
Huckster79 said:
It’s a bit foolish and based on old data
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Huckster79 said:
it’s about the same cost to the merchant.
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FYI: only if the merchant uses the AM OptBlue price program and their CC processor supports it will the AM rates be similar but still not cheaper. Plus there is a possibility of a higher process rate if your AM volume drops or you accept CNP payments for which the AM rate has always been higher. I just went through this exercise last year last year and Visa is still by far the cheapest all around regardless of which CC processor used.
 
Rgbeard said:
When traveling internationally, add a substantial amount of Cash to that list.

And… IMO, leave Discover Cards at home for the most part. (Are they still a thing?)
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NoHeat said:
It's good as the first card for a college student, and then continuing for a few years as a young adult. A credit card on training wheels.
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Our Discover card is the oldest account we have. I don't remember the last time I saw a place that didn't take Discover, and we get cash back. I don't see any reason not to carry it. That said, we have other cards with better incentives so it gets limited use. AMEX is another story; I haven't had an AMEX card in decades and won't again.

I used to carry cash when traveling abroad, but the last couple of times I got strange looks when I tried to pay cash. In the UK especially... NOBODY uses cash, for anything. Ever. I still have some I need to get rid of the next time I'm there. I guess it depends on where you're traveling.
 
DaleB said:
I used to carry cash when traveling abroad, but the last couple of times I got strange looks when I tried to pay cash. In the UK especially... NOBODY uses cash, for anything. Ever. I still have some I need to get rid of the next time I'm there. I guess it depends on where you're traveling.
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You’re 100%. It does depend where you’re traveling. My international flying is limited to Canada and Mexico. In Canada I have used my Visa and Amex successfully but in Mexico I can point to stops where it was either Amex or Cash, Visa or Cash or just cash.

I haven’t flown GA to or in Europe.
 
Bell206 said:
FYI: only if the merchant uses the AM OptBlue price program and their CC processor supports it will the AM rates be similar but still not cheaper. Plus there is a possibility of a higher process rate if your AM volume drops or you accept CNP payments for which the AM rate has always been higher. I just went through this exercise last year last year and Visa is still by far the cheapest all around regardless of which CC processor used.
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I own a processing biz… yea if people aren’t using opt blue they are a decade or two behind. The processor rates should be the same on all cards IMO. But often processors mark up Amex extra being not many get used and they snag some extra profit off Amex swipes. Amex volume shouldn’t effect it unless the processor does something to cause that… the wholesale rates from the card brands themselves don’t differ greatly between visa and MC, there’s literally hundreds of different card types and wholesale cost under each brand. Amex is pricier than a typical consumer visa/MC but similar to visa/MC commercial cards, yes using opt blue. Correct not cheaper but similar to commercial cards of other brands. But if a processor isn’t using opt blue find a different one.

Iv had folks say they didnt want to do Amex till I show them that if they don’t want to pay Amex’s fees they would need to avoid any commercial card- which isn’t really feasible. It’s debit cards from decent sized banks on up that are the least expensive to run for most businesses. Regardless of visa or MC endorsed, as that’s the one rate in the credit card world that’s regulated.


the standard volume rate we tend to charge is $2.00 per $1,000 processed on top of the cards wholesale cost regardless if it’s visa or Amex, the only varying costs is the wholesale. There are times we go a bit above or below that but it’s always the same regardless of card brand. I’m Not soliciting just writing out an example. Policy varies from processor to processor- choose carefully as a merchant…
 
Huckster79 said:
It’s debit cards from decent sized banks on up that are the least expensive to run for most businesses.
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Curious, from a security standpoint with debit cards, do you know if when there is an unauthorized charge on a debit card do any of the branded (VISA, etc) fraud protections kick in or is it strictly dealt with by bank rules who issued the debit card?
 
I don't think I've ever had an issue with a self serve pump taking AMEX, though I think the only one I used outside California (where AMEX is heavily used and widely accepted) was in Salina, KS. I've not had an FBO refuse AMEX either.
 
This is a bit of a tangent but does anyone actually use Apple Pay?

A couple months ago I was out taking care of some stuff and discovered I forgot my wallet. I had my phone and remembered I had Apple Pay- turns out a lot of places take it but most of the employees seem to have never actually done it before.
 
cowman said:
This is a bit of a tangent but does anyone actually use Apple Pay?

A couple months ago I was out taking care of some stuff and discovered I forgot my wallet. I had my phone and remembered I had Apple Pay- turns out a lot of places take it but most of the employees seem to have never actually done it before.
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I use the Samsung and Google equivalents (actually, they're better and have been along longer) all the time. Again, widely used in CA and in airports. Widely used internationally as well.
 
cowman said:
This is a bit of a tangent but does anyone actually use Apple Pay?

A couple months ago I was out taking care of some stuff and discovered I forgot my wallet. I had my phone and remembered I had Apple Pay- turns out a lot of places take it but most of the employees seem to have never actually done it before.
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I use it fairly often. As mentioned above, I use it at the 7-11s that have blocked my Amex. It's nice to be able to use my watch or phone instead of taking out my wallet, and it is taken in a lot more places now than it was 5 years ago.
 
Rgbeard said:
When I worked for Schwab, the company card was a Diners Club! Talk about frustration.
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I am surprised Dinners Club is still in business, but it is now owned by Discover. I doubt Discover works at any FBOs.
 
Huckster79 said:
I own a processing biz…
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Thanks for the explanation. Buried in there was the comment that Amex is pricier than consumer Visa/MC, though, but that is not the point. The real point here is that many merchants, especially overseas, won't take the card. Maybe they are acting on old information or old experience, but it really doesn't matter to me. Since I only carry one credit card it will never be an Amex.
 
airdale said:
Thanks for the explanation. Buried in there was the comment that Amex is pricier than consumer Visa/MC, though, but that is not the point. The real point here is that many merchants, especially overseas, won't take the card. Maybe they are acting on old information or old experience, but it really doesn't matter to me. Since I only carry one credit card it will never be an Amex.
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good plan! Yea the “why” isn’t all that important in practicality…if ya only carry one that’s not the one ya want….

My biz is relatively boring so ya don’t get much chance to chat about it at cocktail parties so that’s probably why the explanation rambled on! :)
 
Is everyone too young to remember these old VISA ads?


NoHeat said:
For paying for fuel, there are better rewards available than the 4% mentioned upthread for an AMEX.

I reliably earn 5.25% on every purchase of aviation fuel using a no-fee BoA Cash Rewards Visa. I've used this card at automated fuel pumps at maybe 30 airports and never had a problem. To boost its reward for fuel by a factor of 1.75X, from the nominal 3% to 5.25%, one can keep a $100k balance at their discount broker, Merrill Edge. If $50k is more within one's reach, that will provide a multiplier of 1.5X to earn 4.5% on fuel purchases. (https://www.bankofamerica.com/preferred-rewards/details/
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You would have to pay me a lot more than that to do business with BoA.
 
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