I've only had one disputed charge with AmEx, and they took care of it immediately. Now they may act differently if someone had frequent disputed charges, I don't know.
Also had one disputed charge with FirstUSA, when a charge from the previous year mysteriously reappeared again on my statement. They resolved it with one phone call. I know a sample size of one doesn't make a trend, though.
Fatdog makes a good point about AmEx not being as widely accepted. AmEx will also charge an annual fee. I do think they have a credit card variant, though (called AmEx Optima?) and they have some deal with Delta Airlines for a Delta SkyMiles card that gives frequent flyer miles with purchases.
If you don't have a credit history, you might want to reconsider applying for cards online. If you are denied, it will show on your credit record. Starting with a preapproved card you get in the mail might be a better place to start, then after you establish a credit history you can move to a different card.
I didn't really need an AmEx card, but after watching that TV commercial with Judy, I kept calling them until somehow I luckily got Judy on the line. It turned out that, CONTRARY to what she said on TV, she really can't "take it right over the phone". Apparently, I was thinking about something different than what she was. Then I was kind of embarrassed, so I applied for a card.
