This is the reason why you can’t pay in Costco with your American Express card
There was a time when the only credit card you could use at Costco was American Express. However, nowadays they are no longer accepted. So, what happened?
Costco had nearly 137 million members globally as of 2024, almost 7% more than the previous year. The popular big-box retailer has something of a cult following willing to pay a fee for the deep discounts shoppers find at the Issaquah-based company.
However, just as it restricts in-store shopping to customers with a membership, it also only accepts limited payment methods and one of them is not American Express. But there was a time when the only credit card you could use at Costco was American Express. So, what happened?
The reason American Express is not welcome at Costco checkout
Starting in 1999, Costco entered into an exclusive partnership with American Express and only AmEx credit cards were accepted at the wholesale giant’s stores. However, that relationship ended in 2016 and the retailer struck a deal with Citi to be its exclusive credit card issuer.
Nowadays, you can only use Visa when you pay with a credit card at the bulk superstore’s checkout. It is possible to use a MasterCard credit card when shopping at Costco’s online store. But if you want to earn Costco rewards, you will have to use the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi.
Besides paying with cash or check, Costco warehouse locations also accept most ATM/debit cards, Costco Shop Cards (prepaid gift cards), mobile payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), and EBT cards according to the Costco Customer Service website.
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