How to boost your Amex spend by using PayPal for online purchases (like BA First Class crockery!)

If you tried to buy some British Airways First Class crockery in the sale this week (which is still running – BA has now restocked), you will have noticed that Whatabuy, the sale site, does not take American Express.

Here is the checkout page:

Use Amex with Paypal

You will that there is no American Express logo. However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot use an Amex card.

Go back a stage on Whatabuy and you see this:

Use Amex with Paypal

Whatabuy accepts PayPal.

And PayPal DOES let you use American Express.

You do not even need a PayPal account to pay with PayPal – you can click on the ‘Pay with PayPal’ link and enter your card details directly. That said, it makes sense to open an account and link your American Express card as you do not need to remember your card details when paying.

Next time you pay a retailer who does not accept Amex but does take PayPal, click through to PayPal instead.

Boost American Express spend by using Paypal for online shopping

There are no extra fees for using PayPal with retailers.

Note that some retailers manage to block PayPal from showing the American Express option if they do not accept Amex themselves so this is not always a solution. In the majority of cases, as with Whatabuy, it will work just fine.

The only thing worth noting is that you lose some of your consumer protection if the retailer goes bust if you pay with PayPal.