American Express Membership Rewards - Understanding Travelers Cheques

Hi All,

I know this is not an American Express MR related question, but I know everyone here is knowledgeable on Amex and their workings, so I thought here would be a good place to ask.

For my birthday, I received some American Express Travelers Cheques. They were given to me as I am planning an Around-The-World sort of trip, and the person who gave them to me thought this would be a great way to help me fund that trip, without having to worry about losing cash or losing a gift card or something of that sort. I've never used Travelers Cheques before, so I don't know exactly what to do with them; I would like to use some to buy a plane ticket. Logically, I can only buy my plane ticket online, and thus would need to use a credit card.

My question is; is it possible to use Travelers Cheques to pay my bill? Could I in any way exchange them for cash, deposit them into my bank account, and use that money to pay the credit card bill?

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Take them to your bank and deposit them into your checking account. They are checks. If you lose them the maker of the check (which is really amex) will replace them almost anywhere within 24 hours. They are not needed in todays society so you either recieved them from someone old or someone who wanted some miles for purchasing them.

Take them to your bank and deposit them into your checking account. They are checks.

+1.

Make it out to yourself, sign on top and bottom, endorse it on the back like a "normal check" and deposit.

What they said. So, you'll put your name on each cheque 4 times: Sign the signature and counter-signature lines on the face, print your name as the Pay To The Order Of party on the face, and sign the back to endorse.

Great! Thanks so much for your help!

They are not needed in todays society so you either recieved them from someone old or someone who wanted some miles for purchasing them.

Kind of off topic, but I disagree. When one has to travel to a country that still doesn't have an ATM on every corner - or no way to get money off a US card - they're mighty useful. Despite the modern accessibility of ATMs in Japan, for example, I still travel with several hundred USD in travelers checks just in case my card issuer decides to cut off my card...

Kind of off topic, but I disagree. When one has to travel to a country that still doesn't have an ATM on every corner - or no way to get money off a US card - they're mighty useful. Despite the modern accessibility of ATMs in Japan, for example, I still travel with several hundred USD in travelers checks just in case my card issuer decides to cut off my card...

I do what you do, but simply carry several hundred in cash. I've found that if I'm in desperate need of cash, getting someone to cash the travelers check is as big a pain as trying to track down an US friendly ATM. Midnight, Sunday, Holiday etc.

I don't keep it in my wallet, and it goes right in the safe at the hotel. I've never been mugged on the way from the airport to the hotel. :)

Kind of off topic, but I disagree. When one has to travel to a country that still doesn't have an ATM on every corner - or no way to get money off a US card - they're mighty useful. Despite the modern accessibility of ATMs in Japan, for example, I still travel with several hundred USD in travelers checks just in case my card issuer decides to cut off my card...

I just tried to use them in Barcelona and basically couldn't. No one would take them (even though they were in Euros) and I had to hunt for a place that didn't charge huge commissions (like the change shacks). I'm with the others who say to cash them in. CC's are best, followed by ATMs, followed by $ in a tight spot.

Yep, I used TCs for many years with good effect. But, they really are pretty much useless these days except in special situations.

For example, Thailand to avoid the new excessive bank charges for ATM use. I found I was able to use my Citi card in Japan though with no problems.

Still, I usually take a few hundred bucks in Amex TCs with me just in case. Amex got me out of a jam many years ago and I have not forgotten that. Remember when Nixon crashed the dollar?

I just tried to use them in Barcelona and basically couldn't. No one would take them (even though they were in Euros) and I had to hunt for a place that didn't charge huge commissions (like the change shacks). I'm with the others who say to cash them in. CC's are best, followed by ATMs, followed by $ in a tight spot.

Europe stopped using Cheques in the 80s. Let the US catch up please! :D

I agree that they're not very useful nowdays, but I still usually take $1k in TCs when traveling. I have this paranoia about being in another country and having my wallet lost or stolen. With no cash, credit cards & ID I'm hoping that Amex will bail me out with the TCs. I always send the country-specific Amex phone & cheque #s to my hotmail account along with a jpg of my passport 'just in case.'