--- title: "Linking American Express Main Cards to Payhawk" slug: "linking-american-express-main-cards-to-payhawk" description: "US-based companies can link their physical American Express Main Cards to Payhawk, use them to fund virtual Amex cards, and manage them all in one place." updated: 2026-10-27T15:59:54Z published: 2026-10-27T15:59:54Z canonical: "payhawk.com/linking-american-express-main-cards-to-payhawk" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://payhawk.com/help/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Linking American Express Main Cards to Payhawk US-based companies can link their physical Main [Corporate](https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/business/corporate-credit-cards/) or [Business American Express Cards](https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/business/business-credit-cards/?linknav=US-Acq-GCP-BusinessCards-ViewAllCards-Breadcrumb-BusinessCards) to Payhawk, use them as a funding source for virtual American Express Cards they issue from Payhawk, and then manage them again through the system. ## Applied American Express terms and conventions Payhawk's help desk articles apply the following conventions and terms related to American Express Cards and Cardholders: - Basic Card Member - The primary account holder of an American Express Card. The primary account holder is the person who had initially applied for and opened the American Express account. - Main Card - The physical American Express Card issued in the name of the Basic Card Member. - Additional Card Member - The Cardholder of an American Express Card that has been linked to the Main Card. - Additional Card Member's Card - The American Express Card issued in the name of the Cardholder of the linked American Express Card. ## Prerequisites To link your Main American Express Cards to Payhawk: - You must first [connect Payhawk with American Express](/help/connecting-payhawk-to-american-express). Once connected, you can view your linked cards under **Cards** > **Linked cards**, reached from the app switcher in the top-left corner. - Each cardholder needs to [log in with their credentials](https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/account/login?inav=iNavLnkLog) instead of the American Express @Work login used by program administrators. ## Eligibility - Only [Main Cards](/help/linking-american-express-main-cards-to-payhawk#h_45537a9d36) can be linked to Payhawk and used as a funding source for virtual Cards issued and managed through Payhawk. See the full list of supported American Express Cards [here](https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/business/business-credit-cards/?linknav=US-Acq-GCP-BusinessCards-ViewAllCards-Breadcrumb-BusinessCards). - A Main Card can be linked to Payhawk by any of your company's Payhawk administrators or by the respective [Basic Card Member](/help/linking-american-express-main-cards-to-payhawk#h_45537a9d36). - If a Main Card has linked Additional Card Members' Cards, the Additional Card Members' Cards cannot be linked to Payhawk. Instead, [the Additional Card Members' Cards can be assigned to their Additional Card Members](/help/assigning-american-express-additional-card-members-cards) only by a Payhawk administrator at your company. - The transactions of the assigned Additional Card Members' Cards will be visible to Payhawk administrators as part of the linked Card transaction history (**Cards** > **Linked cards** > **Additional Card Members**). - Main Cards can be linked and Additional Card Members' Cards assigned from the Payhawk web portal only. - Main Cards can be linked to Payhawk by [Basic Card Members](/help/linking-american-express-main-cards-to-payhawk#h_45537a9d36) only. The following diagram visualizes the setup for linking Main Cards to Payhawk. ![Diagram of linking American Express Main Cards to Payhawk and using them as a funding source for virtual cards.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/navigation-redesign-didi_20261009_ai/linking-american-express-main-cards-to-payhawk-01_20261009_ai.png) The following diagram visualizes the setup for assigning Additional Card Members' Cards. ![Diagram of assigning Additional Card Members' Cards linked to a Main Card to their Additional Card Members.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/navigation-redesign-didi_20261009_ai/linking-american-express-main-cards-to-payhawk-02_20261009_ai.png) ## Transaction history of your linked Main Cards - Payhawk syncs only settled transactions. As settlement may take up to 30 days, delays in updating the transaction history of your linked Main Cards are possible. - Payhawk will start syncing the transactions for your linked Main Card as of the day the Main Card is linked to the system. For example, if you link your Main Card on 17 August at 10am, Payhawk will start syncing its settled transactions from that moment on. For more information on the transaction history of your assigned Additional Card Members' Cards, see the [article on assigning Additional Card Members' Cards in Payahwk](/help/assigning-american-express-additional-card-members-cards). - The transaction history of your Main Card will include only the transactions made with it and not with any existing virtual cards in Payhawk that are using it as a funding source. - Payhawk receives information about authorized transactions immediately only for virtual cards, but it’s not available for physical cards; while the information about settled transactions syncs on every 6 hours and pulls the new clearings for both virtual and physical cards. > [!TIP] > For information about your American Express Cards other than their settled transaction history, contact your Card issuer directly. ## Before you begin During the process of linking your Main Card to Payhawk, you will be redirected to the vendor's platform. Therefore, make sure you have easy access to the following: - Your User ID and password associated with your online account at [americanexpress.com](https://americanexpress.com) where you manage your Card. Most Card Members set up their online account when activating their Card. Note that this is different from American Express @ Work® credentials used by Program Administrators. - If you have forgotten your password, [recover it](https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/account/password/recover). - If you don't have an online account yet, go to the [vendor's login page](https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/account/login) and select **Create New Online Account**. - The CID (that is, the 3-digit code) on the back of your Business, Corporate, or Corporate Purchasing Card. - Access to your email or phone if additional security questions on behalf of the vendor arise. ## Linking your Main Cards to Payhawk > [!TIP] > If you have a @Work American Express account, you need to log in to Payhawk with your personal credentials and, then, open the app switcher in the top-left corner, go to **Cards**, click on **New**, and select **American Express**. To link your Main Card to Payhawk and be able to use it as a funding source for any virtual American Express Cards issued through Payhawk: 1. In the [Payhawk Web Portal](https://portal.payhawk.com), open the app switcher in the top-left corner and go to **Cards** > **Linked cards**. 2. Click on the **Link a card** button. Alternatively, if you have already linked a Main Card, click on the **New** button to add another one. If you are not able to see your Main Card, [register this Main Card](https://online.americanexpress.com/myca/gce/us/action/home?request_type=un_Register&Face=en_US#/) with an existing or new account. Once done, you'll be able to link it. 3. In the dialog that opens, click on **Continue**. As a result, you'll be redirected to the American Express **Log In to My Account** screen. 4. Fill in your credentials to authenticate and link the desired Main Card to Payhawk. As a result, back in Payhawk, the system will display a confirmation that your Main Card is now linked. 5. Click on **Confirm**. As a result, you'll be able to see your linked Main Card under **Linked cards**. ![Linked cards with the Link a card dialog, the American Express login screen, and the confirmation that the card is linked.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/navigation-redesign-didi_20261009_ai/linking-american-express-main-cards-to-payhawk-03_20261009_ai.png) ## Useful resources - [Issuing virtual American Express Cards through Payhawk](/help/issuing-virtual-american-express-cards) - [Assigning Additional Card Members' Cards](/help/assigning-american-express-additional-card-members-cards) - [Managing linked Main Cards in Payhawk](/help/managing-your-linked-american-express-main-cards)