Can i use an american express gift card on amazon

Q: Why cant I use my American Express Gift Card online?

Online merchants typically arent set up to do split payment transactions, which is why the card will be declined. You may be able to call the merchant directly and do a split payment over the phone to complete your purchase, but it depends on the merchant.

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Table of Contents Show

1. Register your Mastercard, Visa or Amex gift card with the issuing bank
2. Add your gift card as a payment method on Amazon
3. Swap your Mastercard, Visa or Amex gift card for an Amazon gift card
Why can't I use my American Express Gift Card online?
Does Amazon accept American Express?
Where can I use American Express gift cards?
What type of gift cards can you use on Amazon?

Trying to use a Mastercard, Visa or Amex Gift Card on Amazon can cause several headaches. First, simply registering the card as a payment method can be tricky. Amazon requires a name and billing address to register a credit card as a means of payment. Since many gift cards aren’t personalized to you, there is no name or zip code to enter, and Amazon won’t be able to validate the card.

Even if you get through that first hurdle, Mastercard, Visa or Amex gift cards aren’t well-suited to online purchasing. Since Amazon doesn’t allow you to split a purchase among multiple cards, if your gift card is worth $50 and your order is $70, there’s no way to make up the difference, and your transaction will simply be declined. On the flip side, if your order is $47, you’ll be left with a $3 balance on your gift card, which isn’t useful for anything.

However, there are a couple of tricks that will make using a gift card on Amazon a breeze. In fact, there’s probably no better place to use one of these cards than Amazon. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Register your Mastercard, Visa or Amex gift card with the issuing bank

If your card doesn’t already have your name and zip code associated with it, you’ll need to do that through the financial institution that issued the card. Sometimes there will be a registration URL on the back of the card. If not, look for the name of the institution on the card and then Google “[institution name] gift card registration”. That should get you to the right site. If it's an Amex gift card, use this link. Once there, you’ll be asked to verify the card info, and then you’ll have the option of registering the card with your name and address. This is also a good time to confirm the available balance.

2. Add your gift card as a payment method on Amazon

Next, go to Amazon.com and click on the Account & Lists dropdown to go to Your Account.

Click on the Payment options box to add your gift card as a new payment source. If the box doesn’t appear, but you'll find “Payment options” under the Ordering and shopping preferences list below it.

3. Swap your Mastercard, Visa or Amex gift card for an Amazon gift card

At this point, you could start using your Mastercard, Visa or for purchases on Amazon. The problem is, though, that Amazon doesn’t let you divide purchases among multiple cards. So if you have a $30 gift card, you can’t make purchases for more than $30. And if you make a purchase for less, you’ll be stuck with a small remaining balance that is even more difficult to use.

The trick to get around this is to use your Mastercard, Visa or Amex gift card to buy an Amazon gift card. With Amazon gift cards, the full amount can be credited to your purchase, and any additional funds required can be paid with your regular credit card.

Click on the Gift cards box in Your Account then click the Reload Your Balance Button.

On the next screen, enter in the balance on your Mastercard or Visa gift card (if you don’t know it, you can get the remaining balance from the issuing institution (see Step #1 above) and select the gift card you added in Step #2 as the Payment method.

Assuming you properly registered your card and entered in the correct balance amount, the transaction should go through and you will see the full amount reflected in your Amazon Gift Card Balance. Now, you're all set, and when you make a purchase, your gift card balance will be applied automatically until it’s gone. Try it for yourself.

Updated on 12/29/2021

[Image credit: Josh Kirschner/Techlicious, American Express, Mastercard, Visa]

Josh Kirschner is the co-founder of Techlicious and has been covering consumer tech for more than a decade. Before founding Techlicious, he was the Chief Marketing Officer for Inform Technologies, a start-up provider of semantic technology to media companies. Prior to Inform, Josh was a SVP and Managing Director in the financial services industry. Josh started his first company while still in college, a consumer electronics retailer focused on students.

Why can't I use my American Express Gift Card online?

Online merchants typically aren't set up to do split payment transactions, which is why the card will be declined. You may be able to call the merchant directly and do a split payment over the phone to complete your purchase, but it depends on the merchant.

Does Amazon accept American Express?

Amazon Pay accepts credit and debit cards. Credit cards currently accepted include Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Diners Club, and JCB.

Where can I use American Express gift cards?

What should I know about using a Gift Card? American Express® Gift Cards and Business Gift Cards can be used virtually anywhere American Express is accepted in the US. Your Gift Card may be declined if there aren't enough available funds to cover the amount of your purchase or a pre-authorization request.