A personal observation on this company. It is our corporate credit card, I have been a member since 2003ish and I really like their service. A good company.
However, there is one thing I do not like. If you ever use them with a small vendor or most small retailers (i.e. taxi), they look at you like you are robbing them of their hard earned money. I have had this happen to me more times than I can count (I actually feel guilty). It is clear that Amex charges retailers more than other credit card companies and it ticks them off. This leads to many retailers only carrying Mastercard or Visa. It has been such a pain in the past that my wife refuses to carry her card or try to use it.
AMEX, wake up. Lower your rates and go broad to the market.
The second observation is not necessarily AMEX only, but financial institutions and their systems. It still amazes me the lack of connectivity from system to system. Consider this story:
I now carry 4 AMEX cards (2 corporate, Canadian and UK) and 2 personal (Canadian, UK). The UK personal AMEX is new and was provided to me quickly. While moving over we purchased a few items of furniture that added up quickly to the £3K range. Not a crazy amount. I went to use my AMEX and it was refused.
Confused, the merchant called in and was told by the service agent that it was over my limit. Now, if you know AMEX, ‘no limit’ is a key marketing phrase (it is false advertising). Confused I got on the phone and asked what she meant.
Because I have no history on this card I have to start out with a low limit and it is slowly raised. Calmly I explained my broad history with AMEX, but she would not budge. So, I asked for a supervisor. Now it is getting a bit tense, children are getting a bit sick of sitting in a furniture store on a Saturday.
Supervisor comes on and will not budge until I have the idea of giving her my old card numbers so she can look them up on a different system. Seconds later, the apologies were flowing, approval processed, sorry for the inconvenience.
Wasted time? 35 minutes.
It annoys me to no end. Web services, Web 2.0 and architects that just love to talk about it but they are still challenged to get one internal system to talk to another.
Michael Weening: a few pictures 
Edward Noel:
Happy New Year Edward. Indeed, I did miss your comments as I have been travelling – and yes, I am Canadian.
Thank-you for our viewpoint Edward – that is the wonderful thing about the internet – people are allowed to share their views and disagree.
Your point on your family is well taken – which is why I published your comments – and have since removed any reference (including your comments) so that it is wiped away.
With regard to your point on heritage: while your brother and parents are – as you point out – hard working, charitable and one can surmise, worthy of your pride – I disagree with your point on meritocracy.
North America is built on the notion of merit where the UK is a hybrid which I find odd. True, there are the elected grocer’s daugthers like Margaret Thatcher and billionaires like Branson. But there are also Lords, Ladies, Barons and others who retain their titles regardless of merit.
Inherited wealth can be squandered and disappear forever with the next generation. It appears a title cannot.
I also disagree with your point on insulting your family. If the point was still there (I removed it) you will note that I was asking a question (not judging) AND after your comments I respectfully noted that it seems that your family is quite an impressive one. An important difference.
Best of the new year.
it’s not just high fees that make businesses that accept credit cards refuse american express. it’s a little known fact that, if a customer defaults on their american express bill, that the merchants they used that card at will not get paid. in a society where even people who don’t have drivers’ licenses are in debt and credit cards are as commonplace as cell phones, i can fully understand this dilemma. so don’t blame amex when you get denied trying to use that card; blame all the people that didn’t pay their amex bills.