Is an American Express credit card much use in New Zealand?

Do many shops and services accept American Express in New Zealand? Do they tend to add an extra charge for accepting American Express? I used to have an American Express card in the UK but cancelled it because hardly any everyday shops seemed to accept it. I'm wondering if the situation is the same or different in NZ?

Public Comments

1. I don't know. Visit the site of American Express NZ. http://www.americanexpress.com/newzealand/homepage/default.shtml?location=globalsplash
2. It is a similar situation to the UK to be honest. Many places accept American Express but there are just as many who refuse to (due to their higher vendor fees). I think an American Express card can be very helpful to have, however, it would be easier for you to get a credit card by Visa or Mastercard - they are far more commonly accepted. I have never seen a place that accepted ONLY visa or only mastercard (it tends to be that they accept both) but a lot of places do not accept Amex or Diners.