Location: Northern Virginia - IAD is my home airport.
Programs: Alaska MP Gold - United Premier Executive - Starwood Platinum
Posts: 11,380
Orbitz/Cheaptickets playing games with exchange rate
For an upcoming trip in Germany, I booked a terrific rate at Le Meridien through Orbitz (owned by Cheaptickets). I have a receipt showing my total with all applicable taxes.
The charge went through to my credit card last week on October 29. On that date, the exchange rate between EUR and USD was 1.484 percent on October 29. Orbitz charged me at an exchange rate of 1.657 percent which is a little over 13% more.
It's a $30 difference that I see as nothing more than profiteering. I haven't called yet to complain and think perhaps they will adjust it after the stay.
Any comments or suggestions?
__________________ Hotel Deals Forum Moderator - FlyerTalk Member #215 (Original Member)
Was the charge processed against your credit card in euros or dollars?
If it was in euros and for the number of euros you approved, the fault is with your credit card.
If it was quoted to you in euros but posted to your credit card as dollars, you may have fallen victim to "dynamic currency conversion", where the seller does the conversion at an unfavorable rate. What's worse, if it's posted as outside your home country, your credit card may still add on a "foreign" fee.
If that's what happened, you can try demanding it be billed to your credit card in the actual euros. You are supposed to have the right to decline the dynamic currency conversion.
Location: Northern Virginia - IAD is my home airport.
Programs: Alaska MP Gold - United Premier Executive - Starwood Platinum
Posts: 11,380
Sounds like I got hit with dynamic conversion. The hotel website shows the charge in euros. The credit card charge shows up as USD without any sort of conversion info or fee.
__________________ Hotel Deals Forum Moderator - FlyerTalk Member #215 (Original Member)
My experience with Expedia.ca was that if the hotel was quoted in my currency (C$) and was prepaid, they charged me exactly the quoted amount. Where it was quoted in C$ and was not prepaid, the reservation stated that I would be charged in the local currency by the hotel. This happened exactly as described. In the latter case, my credit card did the conversion and tacked on its fees. Where I was able to use Priceline (and bid), the price was always in US$ as quoted, no matter what the official currency of the hotel is (or where my credit card is from).
It was in euros before I was charged. Now the receipt at Orbitz shows USD.
You didn't answer KVS's question. Was it prepaid? If not, then I am afraid you got caught up in the dynamic currency conversion. I am sure to read everything I sign these days - hotel check-in forms, rental car contracts, etc. Yes, it takes an extra minute or two but that is time well spent when it saves $15-$20 each time or more. I am afraid that "dynamic currency conversion" is final and can not be reversed, at least that is what most companies make you sign. Normally there is an "opt out" box on the form you sign to opt out of this "feature."
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