American Express

American Express Customer Phone Numbers

How do I get through the phone menu to a live person?

Let us call and talk to American Express for you

We can get a live person on the line for you

If you don't have an account, say no account.
I didn't hear you. Please say or enter your fifteen digit card number or your full Social Security number."

I didn't hear you. You can say hear account balance or press one.
Payments or press two, question a charge or press three, hear recent transactions or press four, more options or press five,."

What are the hours and when should I call?

Call when they- and you- are open

The least busy time to call

The shortest wait on hold

The best time to call American Express

Calling this American Express Customer Number

By Adam Goldkamp

Mar 18, 2024

Why Customers Call American Express

More American Express Customer Service Contacts

American Express Customer Phone Numbers

Corporate Cardmember

Just press 0 at each prompt (don't mind the messages), or state your card number to hold for a representative. So, in just a few words, how can I help you? We also have free tools like Talk for me, Skip the wait, and Schedule my call.

Gift Card Support

For help with American Express gift cards, call the Gift Card Customer Service Line. You'll need to enter your 15-digit card number. They've also got free tools: Talk for me, Skip the wait, Schedule my call.

Merchant Services Support

We're here to help with Merchant Services, Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm EST. When you call this number, please tell us why you're reaching out today. Don't forget our free tools: Talk for me, Skip the wait, and Schedule my call.

How do I get through the phone menu to a live person?

Try our free service: it calls and talks to customer service for you, then sends a report. Or, our free service can wait on hold and tell you when a human rep is on the line. If those don't appeal, our team has also mapped out the American Express phone menu below.

Let us call and talk to American Express for you

Want us to call and talk to American Express for you? Our AI can dial, navigate phone menus, wait on hold, and even speak with customer service on your behalf, completely free. You won't have to worry about figuring out the phone options. Learn more about us calling for you.

We can get a live person on the line for you

We can actually get a live person on the phone for you. That same free CallHelpdesk Phone can call, navigate the menus, and wait on hold for you, but you can always choose to do all the talking yourself. We'll let you know when a rep is on the line and ready to chat, so you don't have to worry about navigating menus or getting lost in the system. Want to learn more about skipping the hold time? Of course, we totally get it if you'd rather do all the dialing, waiting, and talking yourself. Remember, all these free tools are totally optional. Our CallHelpdesk researchers regularly call this American Express phone number to keep tabs on their phone system. Here's how our research team describes the American Express phone system's greeting: "How can I help you today?" (You'll need to respond to that question.) Here's our latest tip for getting through the phone menu to a real person super fast: When they ask "How can I help you," just say "Representative" (they'll probably ask you twice). Say "Representative" again. Then press 0, and next, press #. When they ask for your "Account Number," just press 0. Below, you'll find some clips we've pulled from American Express's phone menus, along with tips to give you an idea of what you'll run into when you call. We've also pointed out why they're important.

They may ask your reason for calling (instead of a menu)

Welcome to American Express! Just a heads-up, this call might be recorded, monitored, and analyzed for compliance and to help us improve our systems. How can I help you today?

They may ask you to enter information with the dial pad

"Sorry, I didn't hear you. Please enter the last four digits of your Social Security number." This was from an American Express call, Saturday, October 12, 2024 1:11 AM.

They may ask you to say or enter information

Welcome to American Express. We might record, monitor, and analyze this call for compliance and to help us improve our systems. Can you tell me your fifteen digit card number or your full Social Security number? If you don't have an account, say 'no account'. I didn't hear you. Please say or enter your fifteen digit card number or your full Social Security number.

The first phone menu

Welcome to American Express. Just so you know, this call might be recorded, monitored, and analyzed for compliance, and also to help us improve our systems. How can I help you today? Sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Could you please tell me in a few words how I can help you? For example, you could say 'account balance,' 'payments,' 'question a charge,' 'recent transactions,' or 'more options.' Sorry, I still didn't hear you. You can say 'account balance' or simply press one; 'payments' or press two; 'question a charge' or press three; 'recent transactions' or press four; or 'more options' or press five.

What are the hours and when should I call?

American Express operates the call center for this 800-528-4800 phone number, 24 hours, 7 days. The short answer is you should call on a Sunday. We've based this observation and the next section on analyzing 2,312 calls from the last 90 days, using our free, web-based phone (see above).

Call when they- and you- are open

When you use our free AI-powered phone to call, talk, wait on hold, or even navigate for you, you can also schedule that call with American Express. We'll make sure it's at a time when they're open and when it works best for you. We'll confirm you're ready before placing the call, just in case. That means you can pretty much "set it and forget it" ahead of time. So, when you're scheduling your call with American Express, here's an important note about busy times versus hold times, and how that relates to the best time to call. When we talk about "busy" or "less busy" times, we're really just referring to the volume of calls. The busiest times are when the most people are trying to reach this American Express phone number (and naturally, least busy means fewer people are calling). But high call volume doesn't necessarily mean you'll have a long hold time when you call. Companies like American Express staff their call centers differently depending on the time of day and day of the week. So, you might actually experience a shorter wait on hold even during the busiest times. And when we talk about the "best time to call," we're looking for that sweet spot: the optimal combination of lower call volume and shorter wait times.

The least busy time to call

Sunday's the quietest day to call American Express. Friday's the busiest, seeing 87% more calls on average. We've gathered this data from 2,312 calls on our AI-powered, web-based phone over the last 90 days. Sun Quietest Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Busiest Sat Sun Quietest Fri Busiest

The shortest wait on hold

We found that Sundays have the shortest hold times. On average, Mondays see the longest wait times in the queue – a whopping 341% longer than the minimum. Clearly, hold times fluctuate a lot more over the week than our call volume does. But with our free 'call and talk for me' or 'wait on hold for me' service, you don't really need to worry about average wait times at all. Call and talk for me. Wait on hold for me. Sun Shortest. Mon Longest. Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat. Sun Shortest. Mon Longest.

The best time to call American Express

So, the best day to call American Express is Sunday. It's a no-brainer because Sunday isn't just the least busy day for calling this American Express number; it also has the shortest hold times.

Calling this American Express Customer Number

I've been thinking about getting a new credit card, specifically one that offers awesome reward points. I've worked hard to build up my credit, and now I'm in a good spot where I should qualify for most credit cards out there. That means I can pick a card with excellent reward perks, and honestly, American Express seems like the perfect place to start. Not only does the name sound good, but they've got cashback and travel rewards that I'd love to start racking up. But before I do anything, I really need to chat with someone about their reward program and get the application process going. I'm a bit hesitant about just signing up online, so it just made more sense to call the credit card company directly. Naturally, with millions of American Express account holders out there, I was ready for a bit of a wait before I could speak to anyone. What with all the billing and fraud issues they likely handle, there are tons of reasons why it might take a while to actually get a customer service agent on the line. When I finally called, an automated voice popped up, saying, "Welcome to American Express. How can I help you today?" I told it I needed to "Talk to someone about a card," and the recording responded, "That’s new card question, is that right? Yes or No?" After I said "yes," it then rattled off a long list of options, including: "Okay, New card. If you calling to replace a lost or stolen card, say replace. To confirm a call you have already received, say confirm. To apply for a new American Express account, say apply. To check the status of an application, say status." I'd said "add a person" to the automated assistant, expecting to add someone to an existing card. Instead, I found myself telling it I actually wanted to apply for a card, and it promptly asked, "Will this new card be for personal or business use?" Once I confirmed "personal use," it replied, "Okay, please wait while I connect you to a representative." What was kind of amusing was the long message I then had to listen to, apologizing that it might take longer than usual to speak with an agent and suggesting I could use their live chat online if I preferred. But right after that message finished, a different voice popped on, announcing the wait time was just two minutes. So, naturally, I just waited through those two minutes of elevator music, and then an agent picked up. It was actually pretty quick, and the agent did a great job walking me through all the rewards and the application process, so it felt like time well spent. Adam, by the way, has been working tirelessly to help customers navigate tricky phone trees, uncovering the best tips and tricks, and writing tons of guides for those really prickly customer service issues. He's even been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Inside Edition, and Bloomberg.

Why Customers Call American Express

If you've got some time for a quick read before calling American Express, we'd suggest you look over some of our problem-specific articles. What Do I Do If My American Express Account Is Locked?

What Do I Do If My American Express Account Is Locked?

If your American Express account is locked, it could be because of suspected fraud or a past-due bill. To find out, contact American Express' customer service. What is American Express - Personal Savings?

What is American Express - Personal Savings?

American Express - Personal Savings is the online savings account from American Express, a well-known financial services corporation. It offers individuals a secure, convenient, high-yield way to save. Because it's an online platform, customers can easily open an account, access and manage their savings from anywhere, anytime. American Express - Personal Savings offers competitive interest rates, helping customers grow their savings over time. There aren't any monthly maintenance fees, letting customers save more and avoid unnecessary costs. Customers can set up automatic transfers for a planned savings approach, and they'll also get peace of mind with FDIC insurance up to the legal limit. Overall, American Express - Personal Savings aims to empower individuals with a user-friendly, efficient savings solution. Can I access my American Express - Personal Savings account online?

Can I access my American Express - Personal Savings account online?

You can definitely access your American Express - Personal Savings account online. American Express provides an easy, secure online platform for managing your Personal Savings account. Once you've enrolled in online banking, you can log into your account on the American Express website with your unique username and password. This online portal lets you view your account balance, transaction history, and interest earned. You can also make online transfers between your American Express - Personal Savings account and your linked external bank accounts. This convenient, user-friendly online banking feature lets you effortlessly manage and track your savings from home or on the go. Top American Express customer service problems

Top American Express customer service problems

Just click the link above for answers to nearly any American Express customer service question, even step-by-step guides for complex issues. You can also describe a new issue and get instant answers. Below, we've sampled recent calls to American Express and their purpose. Do any of these sound like why you're calling? Travel insurance benefits inquiry: "I was hoping to get some help with some travel insurance benefits." - This call was 41m 23s on Feb 1, 2025, 12:51 AM. Lost credit card: "Oh, I I lost my card in the grocery store." - That call was 10m 58s on Jan 21, 2025, 10:21 PM. Inquiry about cancellation policy: "I really can't hear you, but I'm not gonna make a reservation till I find out about the cancellation policy." - This was an 11m 25s call on Dec 24, 2024, 5:44 AM. We get information on why customers call American Express from issues they've reported to CallHelpdesk.

More American Express Customer Service Contacts

Of course, you've got other ways to contact American Express customer service besides calling. We've listed the best ones below, by medium.

American Express Customer Service on X (formerly Twitter)

American Express, like many companies, offers customer service through its X platform (formerly Twitter) feed. While you won't often chat live with a rep there, this channel can get you rapid response times and is a handy option if you've got an X/Twitter account.

American Express Customer Service on Facebook / Messenger

The American Express Company's Facebook page, facebook.com/americanexpress, is where their customer service team accepts inquiries through Facebook Messenger. It's a great option if you've got a Facebook account, and you might even chat live with an agent this way.

American Express Customer Help Desk / Web Support

For online customer service support, global.americanexpress.com is often a last — or sometimes only — resort for American Express. You'll likely dig through help articles just to find a form where you can submit a problem, and it rarely leads to a real-time conversation. That's why CallHelpdesk doesn't recommend this unless it's your only option.

Conclusion and closing notes

Here's American Express's best phone number, along with the current wait time on hold and tools to skip the lines and get right to an agent. This is their best number because 48,744 customers, just like you, used this contact info over the past 18 months and gave us feedback. When you call 800-528-4800, the customer care team usually handles common problems like updating account info, canceling an account, a declined card, restricted accounts, lost cards, and other service issues. Customers tell us the American Express call center you'll reach has employees in New Jersey, India, and the Philippines, and it's open 24 hours, 7 days. American Express has 4 phone numbers in total. It's not always clear how to best talk to American Express representatives, so we started compiling this info from suggestions by our customer community. Please keep sharing your experiences so we can improve this free resource. Just a heads-up, CallHelpdesk doesn't provide call center services or customer support operations for American Express. The two organizations aren't related. CallHelpdesk builds free tools and shares information to help customers of companies like American Express. For large companies, this includes tools like our CallHelpdesk Phone, which lets you call but skip waiting on the line for a live human rep. We're constantly working on these tools to help customers like you (and ourselves!) navigate messy phone menus, hold times, and customer service confusion. As long as you keep sharing it with your friends and loved ones, we'll keep doing it.