Hi Story

Depending on where you are going will depend on how useful your amex card will be.
I used to travel with one as a backup but actually cancelled it a few months ago due to the silly charges.

You will always find somewhere that will take a visa card. Amex is not widely accepted unless you are going premier touring and staying in the very large hotels. If you think about it they charges are much higher than visa etc so many in poorer countries are not prepared to lose approx 4.5% of their sale

You will find it easier to get cash from an ATM using a visa card was my experience. The more remote you good, cash is king so always make sure that you are carrying enough. In the large cities you'll always find a atm so top up your cash there.

I use a few accounts when I travel and use a debit card which is automatically deducted from my balance. So no need to write a cheque out.

With reference to internet banking, be cautious here as most of the internet cafes etc are not secure and may have tracking software running in the background noting all your keystrokes.

So to conclude I wanted even bother with an Amex card, you can undercut their travel service by half, using the web, their insurance won't cover you for extreme biking. I would use your memebership fee for travelling rather than lining their pockets.

Regards

Julio