Is it still possible to purchase travelers checks without a fee as platinum card holder? Does it have to be done at a certain location or anywhere that sells travelers checks?
Also, is there anyway to earn points on these purchases (either MR or SPG)? I have seen some old post that touched on these topics, but they were all over two years old and these things tend to change.
(And before anyone says anything about using TC's in this day and age, I really do need them for a particular purchase in a foreign country).
Can I earn credit or debit card rewards points when I purchase Travelers Cheques?
Please contact your card service company. American Express Cardmembers are not eligible to receive points or miles when purchasing Travelers Cheques, per the Cardmember agreement
In practice you may earn rewards, perhaps more likely if using SPG card than a Membership Rewards card. On the other hand, checks my wife purchased at one Travel Service Office were coded as a cash advance.
beep88
Jun 4, 12, 11:16 am
(And before anyone says anything about using TC's in this day and age, I really do need them for a particular purchase in a foreign country).
Thanks.
Joe
Only posters on newbie websites like tripadvisor would say that. I buy TCs when travelling to certain countries or for certain purposes.
nrr
Jun 4, 12, 1:07 pm
Is it still possible to purchase travelers checks without a fee as platinum card holder? Does it have to be done at a certain location or anywhere that sells travelers checks?
Also, is there anyway to earn points on these purchases (either MR or SPG)? I have seen some old post that touched on these topics, but they were all over two years old and these things tend to change.
(And before anyone says anything about using TC's in this day and age, I really do need them for a particular purchase in a foreign country).
Thanks.
Joe
A long time ago, if your credit cards (not just Amex) were lost or stolen and your Amex travelers checks were also lost, they would handle notifying all of your credit card issuers of your loss--is this still true today?
If yes, just having one TC is a good form of "insurance".
mia
Jun 4, 12, 1:11 pm
Follow the link in post #2:
American Express Travelers Cheques also protect your passport and credit cards. If they are lost or stolen during your trip, American Express can help you replace them quickly.
PASSPORT REPLACEMENT ASSISTANCE
Whether you left your passport in a taxi in Rome or it was stolen at the airport, our Passport Replacement Assistance is there to help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With one phone call to a Customer Service Center, we can help you with the process of getting your passport re-issued.
MAJOR CREDIT CARD REPLACEMENT ASSISTANCE
With one phone call to our Customer Service Center, you can get the necessary phone numbers and support to expedite major credit card cancellation and replacement—24 hours a day, 7 days a week.**
HOW IT WORKS
Call us
Contact our nearest Customer Service Center as soon as possible. Use the search tool to the right to find the best phone number. This service is available to Travelers Cheques customers and recipients; proof of purchase may be required.
Get contact information
We help you get the replacements faster by:
Finding and providing the necessary phone numbers for replacement
Transferring your call to those numbers
Providing any other available information to expedite the replacement
whackyjacky
Jun 4, 12, 1:33 pm
IMBW, but I was under the assumption that free TCs were only available at Amex Travel Offices. Might be different for a Plat. Pretty sure all banks treat TC purchases as a cash advance for 3 or 4 years now. I only picked up about 10K miles before everyone shut it down. wj
AArdvark0
Jun 4, 12, 6:07 pm
You can still order them from Amex, $5k month/person, not a cash advance and points do post for amex cards by most other issuers, 5x points in one case as its coded as travel. Have to pay shipping though.
whackyjacky
Jun 4, 12, 6:56 pm
You can still order them from Amex, $5k month/person, not a cash advance and points do post for amex cards by most other issuers, 5x points in one case as its coded as travel. Have to pay shipping though.
Great news ! What cards are you talking about ? (& who gives 5 points/$) I'm sure SPG and Amex Gold shut me down around 4 years ago, just as I was starting out on the scam. It was $3000/month then. I did it 3 or 4 times. The cash advance was expensive too. LINK:http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onemileatatime/2008/11/06/the-end-of-the-travelers-checks-for-miles-era/ wj
AArdvark0
Jun 5, 12, 12:04 am
5x on Penfed but I went back to 2x aeroplan on the fidelity card, you will not get points on any card issued by amex itself.
kethee
Jun 5, 12, 9:50 am
You can still order them from Amex, $5k month/person, not a cash advance and points do post for amex cards by most other issuers, 5x points in one case as its coded as travel. Have to pay shipping though.
Maybe Im a total idiot, but can you post a link for this? The website keeps telling me to go into a physical store.
AArdvark0
Jun 5, 12, 5:09 pm
Not an idiot, they don't publish the link.
Like I tell Emmanuel Goldstein, information should be free, not $6.25, so:
Am I missing something or do they only accept Amex as well through this link?
Centurion
Aug 6, 12, 8:41 pm
I do not believe you can purchase Amex Travelers Checks with any Amex card and receive any points or rewards anymore. I think this was closed down years ago. Please pm me if I am wrong.
In practice you may earn rewards, perhaps more likely if using SPG card than a Membership Rewards card. On the other hand, checks my wife purchased at one Travel Service Office were coded as a cash advance.
b8b
Aug 6, 12, 9:11 pm
I do not believe you can purchase Amex Travelers Checks with any Amex card and receive any points or rewards anymore. I think this was closed down years ago. Please pm me if I am wrong.
I believe you are correct, I just thought you could use another card (Visa/MC) as seemed to be implied by these responses:
5x on Penfed but I went back to 2x aeroplan on the fidelity card, you will not get points on any card issued by amex itself.
oooOOOo, thanks a lot! ^
ned
Sep 16, 12, 4:45 pm
I understand that you will not receive points for purchasing Amex TCs with an Amex card. Would the purchases code in such a way that they count toward a spending threshold?
whackyjacky
Sep 16, 12, 11:48 pm
Cash advance I believe & expensive at that !
mrstraveler
Jan 5, 13, 10:43 pm
Not happy to hear this type of purchase counts as a cash advance as I need to purchase travelers cheques for an upcoming trip.
Not happy to hear this type of purchase counts as a cash advance as I need to purchase travelers cheques for an upcoming trip.
If you purchase travelers cheques at an Amex Financial Services office with an Amex card, the transaction counts as a (no-fee) purchase -- not a cash advance -- but you are limited to $1,000 every 14 days with no fee, the purchase cannot exceed the cash-advance limit on your card, and you will not earn any points or miles on the purchase.
I just purchased $1,000 in travelers checks in November, at the Amex office in Macy's Herald Square; no fee.
If you purchase travelers cheques at an Amex Financial Services office with an Amex card, the transaction counts as a (no-fee) purchase -- not a cash advance -- but you are limited to $1,000 every 14 days with no fee, the purchase cannot exceed the cash-advance limit on your card, and you will not earn any points or miles on the purchase.
I just purchased $1,000 in travelers checks in November, at the Amex office in Macy's Herald Square; no fee.
If you purchase travelers cheques at an Amex Financial Services office with an Amex card, the transaction counts as a (no-fee) purchase -- not a cash advance -- but you are limited to $1,000 every 14 days with no fee, the purchase cannot exceed the cash-advance limit on your card, and you will not earn any points or miles on the purchase.
I just purchased $1,000 in travelers checks in November, at the Amex office in Macy's Herald Square; no fee.
Did you earn points/miles?
No. It's been a few years since Amex travelers check purchases earned points/miles.
If you purchase travelers cheques at an Amex Financial Services office with an Amex card, the transaction counts as a (no-fee) purchase -- not a cash advance -- but you are limited to $1,000 every 14 days with no fee, the purchase cannot exceed the cash-advance limit on your card, and you will not earn any points or miles on the purchase.
I just purchased $1,000 in travelers checks in November, at the Amex office in Macy's Herald Square; no fee.
Thanks for responding. That location is not too far from my office. No points/miles but no CA fees. I would assume it does not count toward spending requirements since no points are earned?
If you purchase travelers cheques at an Amex Financial Services office with an Amex card, the transaction counts as a (no-fee) purchase -- not a cash advance -- but you are limited to $1,000 every 14 days with no fee, the purchase cannot exceed the cash-advance limit on your card, and you will not earn any points or miles on the purchase.
I just purchased $1,000 in travelers checks in November, at the Amex office in Macy's Herald Square; no fee.
Thanks for responding. That location is not too far from my office. No points/miles but no CA fees. I would assume it does not count toward spending requirements since no points are earned?
That would be my assumption as well.
Be forewarned that my last purchase did not go smoothly. My Hilton HHonors Amex card was initially rejected, and I had to spend almost half an hour on the phone with Amex reps to get the transaction OK'd. The first rep said that the 3% transaction fee would cause the ($1,000) purchase amount to exceed my ($1,000) cash advance limit. When I explained that there is no transaction fee when checks are purchased with an Amex card, I was placed on hold, and then transferred to another rep, who said that a supervisor had to approve the transaction. So it might save you some time if you called Amex before heading over to Macy's; perhaps Amex can pre-approve the purchase.
When I subsequently complained to Amex about their less-than-seamless process, they gave me 3,000 Hilton HHonors bonus points as a sop.
frogen
Jan 16, 13, 12:32 am
If you purchase travelers cheques at an Amex Financial Services office with an Amex card, the transaction counts as a (no-fee) purchase -- not a cash advance -- but you are limited to $1,000 every 14 days with no fee, the purchase cannot exceed the cash-advance limit on your card, and you will not earn any points or miles on the purchase.
I just purchased $1,000 in travelers checks in November, at the Amex office in Macy's Herald Square; no fee.
I have a legitimate need for travelers cheques within the next few days. At this point, I don't care whether or not I receive any rewards. I just don't want to be charged purchase fees. I always thought buying and using them were free, but after reading this thread, they apparently aren't. So I'm wondering, if you are simply walking into an Amex Financial Services Office, how do they know whether or not you purchased any travelers cheques in the past 14 days? Do they take down your ID each time you make a purchase?
If you purchase travelers cheques at an Amex Financial Services office with an Amex card, the transaction counts as a (no-fee) purchase -- not a cash advance -- but you are limited to $1,000 every 14 days with no fee, the purchase cannot exceed the cash-advance limit on your card, and you will not earn any points or miles on the purchase.
I just purchased $1,000 in travelers checks in November, at the Amex office in Macy's Herald Square; no fee.
I have a legitimate need for travelers cheques within the next few days. At this point, I don't care whether or not I receive any rewards. I just don't want to be charged purchase fees. I always thought buying and using them were free, but after reading this thread, they apparently aren't. So I'm wondering, if you are simply walking into an Amex Financial Services Office, how do they know whether or not you purchased any travelers cheques in the past 14 days? Do they take down your ID each time you make a purchase?
Assuming you want to charge the purchase to an Amex card, then when they swipe your card for the transaction, the computer will not approve a fee-free purchase if you have already had one in the past 14 days.
If you're willing to pay cash for the cheques, then I don't think that the 14-day rule applies, but you should double-check with Amex about this.
frogen
Jan 16, 13, 3:30 pm
Assuming you want to charge the purchase to an Amex card, then when they swipe your card for the transaction, the computer will not approve a fee-free purchase if you have already had one in the past 14 days.
If you're willing to pay cash for the cheques, then I don't think that the 14-day rule applies, but you should double-check with Amex about this.
Ah, I see. So the information is recorded within the Amex card. Looks like I'll need to split the cost between two different Amex cards and also use some cash. Super inconvenient, but if it means I don't need to pay a fee each time, I'm all for it. Thanks!!