$100 Amex Gift Cards | Use Where American Express is Accepted Online & In-Store

How To Use $100 Amex Gift Cards?

1. Pre-Use Steps (Activation & Registration)

For a smooth online experience, especially, you should complete these two steps:

• Activation: While many cards bought in a store are activated at the time of purchase, check the sticker or packaging for an activation URL (usually amexgiftcard.com) or phone number.² If activation is required, complete it first.

• Registration (Crucial for Online Use): For security, many online merchants check the billing address you enter against the card’s records. Since a gift card doesn’t have a personal billing address, you must register a ZIP code or postal code to the card online:³

  1. Visit the official Amex Gift Card website (check the back of the card).⁴

  2. Find the option to “Register Card” or “Register ZIP Code.”⁵

  3. Enter the card details and link a valid ZIP/postal code (e.g., your home ZIP code) to the card.⁶

  4. Use this registered ZIP code as the billing address for all online purchases.⁷

2. Using the Card Online

Treat the card like a credit card during checkout.⁸

1. Select Payment: When checking out on any site that accepts Amex (Amazon, Walmart, subscriptions, etc.), choose “Credit Card” or “Debit Card” as the payment method.⁹

2. Enter Details:

   • Card Number: Enter the 15-digit number from the front.¹⁰

   • Expiration Date: Enter the month/year printed on the card.

   • CVV: Enter the 4-digit code (CID) printed on the front of the card (unlike other cards, the security code is on the front for Amex Gift Cards).¹¹

3. Billing Address: Enter the name and billing address associated with the ZIP code you registered in Step 1.

4. Finalize: The $\$100$ will be deducted from your total.

Tip for Partial Payments (Declines): If you are trying to buy an item costing more than $\$100$, the transaction may be declined. To avoid this, tell the cashier (in-store) or use a “split payment” option (online, if available) to pay the exact $\$100$ balance with the gift card first, and then pay the remainder with another card.

3. In-Store Redemption

1. Shop: Take your items to the checkout.¹²

2. Swipe/Tap: Swipe the card or add it to your mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay) for contactless payment.¹³

3. Debit/Credit: Select the “Credit” option if prompted (no PIN is typically required for most purchases, but some terminals like gas pumps might ask for a PIN—if so, you may need to set one up online first).¹⁴

 Key Card Facts:

• Fees: There is usually an upfront purchase fee when buying the card (e.g., $5.95 to $6.95 for a $100 card), but there are no fees after purchase (no maintenance or dormancy fees).¹⁵

• Expiration: The funds do not expire.¹⁶ However, the plastic card itself has a “valid-thru” date.¹⁷ If that date passes, you must contact Amex Customer Service to get a replacement card with the remaining balance free of charge.¹⁸

• Exclusions: Amex Gift Cards cannot typically be used for recurring monthly payments (like auto-renewing subscriptions) or for ATM cash withdrawals.¹⁹