American Express

American Express, often called Amex, is a big company that helps people pay for things. It started in 1850, helping move goods from one place to another. Over time, it began offering financial services and travel help. In 1958, Amex made its first paper charge card, which was like an early version of today’s credit cards.

Today, Amex is one of the biggest card networks in the world. As of December 31, 2023, more than 141 million people used Amex cards. In that year alone, Amex helped handle over $1.7 trillion in purchases. Amex cards are accepted at almost every store in the United States that takes credit cards, though they are used less in places like Europe and Asia.

Amex offers many kinds of cards for different needs. Some cards give rewards for travel, others for eating out, and some give cash back. Popular cards like the Green, Gold, and Platinum cards have special benefits for people who travel or dine out a lot. Amex also runs airport lounges, where cardholders can relax before flights.

History

Early history

American Express started in 1850 as a company that moved goods from place to place in Buffalo, New York. It was created by three men: Henry Wells, William G. Fargo, and John Warren Butterfield. At first, the company’s office was in a building in Manhattan, near Hudson Street. Later, in 1874, it moved to a new place in the busy part of the city called the Financial District.

In 1891, American Express made a new kind of money card called the Traveler’s Cheque. This made it easier for people to travel and pay for things in faraway places.

National expansion

American Express grew to work with many different companies, like railroads and steamships, all over the country. During World War I, American Express helped people who were stuck in Europe by giving them money and sending packages to prisoners of war.

End of railroad express business

During World War I, the United States government took control of the railroads. This changed how American Express worked, and the company stopped moving goods for railroads.

1920s–1970s

In 1958, American Express started a new kind of card that people could use to buy things. This was the first charge card. Later, they made a special Gold Card for people who spent a lot of money.

In the 1980s, American Express bought many different companies to grow bigger, but some of these deals did not work out well.

1980s and 1990s

American Express kept changing and growing. They made new cards, like the Platinum Card in 1984, and the Optima card in 1987. In the 1990s, they stopped working with some restaurants that did not want to use their cards because of high fees.

21st century

In the 2000s and beyond, American Express kept changing. They made new cards, like the Centurion Card, and started new services. In 2008, they became a bank to help small businesses. They also bought companies to help with payments and travel.

In recent years, American Express has focused on helping small businesses and making new ways to pay for things. They have also made changes to their cards and fees to keep up with other companies.

Products

American Express offers special credit cards for business meetings and corporate purchases. These cards can be used by individual employees or whole departments, and the company provides services to help manage the accounts.

Several banks and credit unions issue American Express cards. These include Citibank, First National Bank of Omaha, USAA, Navy Federal Credit Union, Synchrony Financial, and US Bancorp. Some credit unions, like Pentagon Federal Credit Union, also offer these cards. Until August 2023, Wells Fargo issued American Express cards for itself and for Dillard's. JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo are the only Big Four banks in the U.S. that do not work with American Express.

Marketing and advertising

American Express has used many creative ways to advertise its cards and services. One famous logo shows a strong gladiator or centurion in the center of some cards, inspired by ancient designs.

The company has run many memorable ad campaigns. One popular slogan from 1975 was "Don’t Leave Home Without Them," featuring actor Karl Malden. Later ads asked, “Do you know me?” with famous people, but only revealed their name as it appeared on an American Express Card.

In the late 1990s, American Express created fun ads with comedian Jerry Seinfeld and the superhero Superman. More recent campaigns have included many well-known people like actors, athletes, and artists using American Express cards.

American Express has also supported good causes. In 1983, they promised to donate a penny to the Statue of Liberty for every purchase made with their card, which helped raise a lot of money. They continue to support community projects and sponsor events, like partnering with a football club and a racing series for female drivers.

Awards and recognition

In 2016, American Express won an award at the Corporate Art Awards for supporting important international restoration work. The company has also helped sponsor the "World Monuments Watch" program since it began in 1995, working with the World Monuments Fund.

Workplace

Offices

In April 1986, American Express moved its main office to the 51-story Three World Financial Center in New York City. After the September 11 attacks, American Express had to leave its office because it was very close to the World Trade Center and was damaged when the towers fell down. The company started moving back into its fixed office in 2002. The company has big offices in Sunrise, Florida; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Phoenix, Arizona, with its main data centers in North Carolina and Phoenix.

American Express announced its new top office at 2 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan on February 25, 2026. The company will be the only user of the new building, which is expected to be ready in 2031.

AMEX Bank of Canada was started in 1853, in Toronto. It has about 1,700 workers as of December 2020 in its main office at Sheppard, east of Highway 404 in Toronto (moved from Markham, Ontario, a northern town close to Toronto where it was from 1985 to 2015), and also an office in Hamilton, Ontario. The bank began doing business on July 1, 1990, after an order-in-council made by the Brian Mulroney government on November 21, 1988.

American Express has several offices in the UK, including a big service center in the Carlton Hill area of Brighton, England. The building was finished in 2012. It replaced American Express's old building, Amex House, a large white tower built in 1977 and around which were several smaller offices around the city. The American Express European Service Center handles card service, sales, and working with shops. The main office for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa is in the Belgravia area of Westminster, in central London, at Belgrave House on Buckingham Palace Road, SW1; other UK offices are in Sussex at Burgess Hill and Manchester.

The offices for Japan, Asia-Pacific, and Australia are together in Singapore, at 16 Collyer Quay, and in Sydney's King Street Wharf area. The main office for Latin America and the Caribbean is in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

American Express also has big offices in India. Its two centers are in Gurgaon, Haryana (Cyber City) and Bangalore, Karnataka (Bagmane capital). The Indian work for American Express focuses on helping customers, apart from the credit card business for India. The office in Gurgaon is one of the biggest for American Express and helps keep everything running smoothly, even during big problems like Hurricane Sandy. The center works all day, every day and has a second building close by which was recently given to another company but still does a lot of work for American Express.

Job satisfaction

The company has often been named as one of the best places to work by Fortune and Mediacorp Canada Inc.

List of CEOs

Here are the leaders who have guided American Express over the years:

1. Henry Wells (1850–1866)
2. William Fargo (1866–1881)
3. J. C. Fargo (1881–1914)
4. George C. Taylor (1914–1923)
5. Frederick P. Small (1923–1944)
6. Ralph Reed (1944–1960)
7. Howard L. Clark Sr. (1960–1977)
8. James D. Robinson III (1977–1993)
9. Harvey Golub (1993–2001)
10. Kenneth Chenault (2001–2018)
11. Stephen Squeri (2018–present)