simonjwestcott

I'm trying to avoid the possible problems/charges of paying for a flight with my sterling Amex card for a flight that is shown in $s. This because the first leg is from USA.

I cannot see a 'currency' option at the point of booking on the BA web site, anyone know a way to get to a sterling quote that is fixed?
Also is the Amex charge new- I have a BA Amex and I am surprised I have to pay the Amex fee when using it for BA purchase.

Thanks
Simon

Ldnn1

Welcome to Flyertalk, simonjwestcott.

There are two easy options for paying in £:

1- call BA - they will give you the price in £, but you'll have to pay the phone fee if not Gold, as well as the card fee
2- book through Amex Travel which quotes in £ for no fee

The BA charge for using Amex is not new, but it is changing (already changed?) from £5 flat fee to 1% capped at £20.

chistery

Yesterday I phoned to price up an ex-eu. Was told there was a £10 phone fee and a 1% fee if I used my amex. I booked online and avoided both.

Ldnn1

Yes but you'll have paid in the foreign currency, which is what the OP is trying to avoid.

You're right the credit card fee doesn't apply to many foreign bookings, so if you have a zero/low-commission card it's the best way to do it.

Calchas

Hmm. They have always waived the phone fee for me, usually without me even asking. I do hope this is not a change of policy.

Globaliser

I think that if you use the website to buy a trip that starts in the US and is priced in USD, you will not pay the UK credit card fee (that's the £5 flat fee which is changing or has changed to 1% capped at £20) even if you use a UK credit card. But you will be charged in USD, so you will have to pay your credit card's foreign exchange fee, typically somewhere between 2.5% and 3.0%.

You cannot change the currency of payment if you buy on ba.com.

If you want to pay in GBP, you will have to phone. Then you will be liable to pay the £10 offline (phone booking) fee and the UK credit card fee if you pay using a UK credit card. But you will then pay in GBP and not incur the credit card's FX fee. Depending on what you buy and how much your credit card's fee is, there could still be a saving if you book by phone.

Recently, the offline fee has been rolled up into the ticket price quoted to me, but before the credit card fee. I have to say that I haven't been bothered enough to query that and ask for it to be taken off.

Beaulieu

I was charged it on my last booking about 3 weeks ago - and was told that I should always have been charged it despite being gold...

As per Globaliser, this was included in the price quoted before CC fee so sounds like BA may have changed it.