What is the activation fee for American Express gift cards?

As of 2014, the activation fee for an American Express give card ranged from $3 to $6, according to the Los Angeles Times. This fee is normally paid by the buyer at the checkout counter at the time the card is purchased.

While many credit card companies charge activation fees for the gift cards they sell bearing their logos, American Express was listed as one of the companies that charges the highest fees in the industry, according to a 2012 article published on CNN Money. In some cases, the fee is actually being charged not by the credit card company but by the sponsoring bank of the selling establishment.