American Express canceling most of its remaining services in Czechia

This article has been updated with a response from American Express.

American Express will no longer be issuing corporate credit cards to local customers in Czechia, and cards that have been issued will expire by the end of the year. AmEx is not entirely leaving Czechia as its cards issued in other countries will still be accepted by participating businesses. AmEx is used mainly by people who travel a lot internationally.

The AmEx card program, originally from the U.S., provides its services in the European Union from its Spanish and UK branches. In the Czech Republic, the company has an office in Prague.

Its payment cards were originally available in the Czech Republic for retail clients as well. The easiest way to get one was via an account with Komerční banka, which issued co-branded American Express Green and Gold cards. The cooperation with KB ended in 2009.

Since then, AmEx in the Czech Republic concentrated only on corporate clients with a turnover of at least CZK 30 million per year. For these clients, charge cards were issued to company owners and their employees on relatively favorable terms and often without fees.

Czech clients of AmEx have been sent notifications that the company is changing the way it does business, will no longer offer its products to Czech customers, and will be terminating its agreements.

AmEx payment cards issued by the Prague office will definitively be blocked as of Dec. 15, 2023. On the same day, travel accounts, which were primarily used for payment and an overview of travel expenses for corporate clients, will also end.

The company's website targeting Czech clients continues to offer products. Its main homepage, though, still mentions the Covid-19 pandemic, saying it cannot answer questions or complaints sent by mail.

Katie Robson, the American Express vice president of corporate affairs and communications for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, said that eligible international customers can still apply for an International Eurocard.

"We are continually focused on ensuring we operate as efficiently as possible while delivering world-class service and products to our customers. After considerable review, we have made the decision to change the way in which our commercial business operates in certain European countries. This includes the Czech Republic. Corporate products in the Czech Republic will be discontinued for our local customers, but eligible customers can apply for an International Eurocard product which will provide a more consistent customer experience," Robson told Expats.cz.

"We continue to support local corporate programs for our global customers (including those based in the Czech Republic) and are investing in our business to help meet the spending needs of businesses all over the world,”  she added. 

She emphasized that American Express continues to have a presence in the Czech Republic. The company is continuing to build its merchant acceptance network in the Czech Republic, she added.

Companies will have to contact American Express directly and agree on the individual conditions for issuing the card. This often requires having a corporate bank account in a country that still offers AmEx cards, such as Spain.