Travelers Cheques: AmEx or Visa or does it not make a difference?
Dec 5, 2004, 7:43 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,964
Travelers Cheques: AmEx or Visa or does it not make a difference?
I have always traveled with AmEx Travelers Cheques. They are getting harder and harder to find/buy at reasonable rates. ( AAA now carries VISA). I am hesitate to make the switch to Visa Travelers Cheques just because of habit....I was wondering if AmEx is still the best or am I just a "victim" of their good advertising.....and the others are no "less acceptable" worldwide.....
Dec 5, 2004, 8:26 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Brighton England
Programs: AA Plat, various hotels
Posts: 1,220
Originally Posted by david4455
I have always traveled with AmEx Travelers Cheques. They are getting harder and harder to find/buy at reasonable rates. ( AAA now carries VISA). I am hesitate to make the switch to Visa Travelers Cheques just because of habit....I was wondering if AmEx is still the best or am I just a "victim" of their good advertising.....and the others are no "less acceptable" worldwide.....
Ive never had a problem with either.
Some countries, such as Australia or the US, credit cards are all you need
Dec 5, 2004, 9:40 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: PDX
Programs: UA Nobody, HH Silver, PC Platinum
Posts: 996
My experience, in the past three years, is that you can get money from an ATM in almost every country, including Vietnam, Molodova, Thailand and ROmania. The only time I have had trouble was in Ireland, strangely enough. No trouble getting Euros in the airport in Dublin, but after that the connection timed out EVERY time we tried an ATM, for two weeks. Because our debit card has the Visa logo we could take money out at banks, with no fee. It also worked fine in stores, as a charge or debit card. I am still not sure why our experience in Ireland was so weird, but we got by just fine.
Have a good time!
Kate
Have a good time!
Kate
Dec 5, 2004, 10:08 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,964
I totally understand that ATM's are the way to go and I just got my first card a few weeks ago... but in Mexico where I go ( San Miguel de Allende) there are money exchange kiosks all around and the rates are very favorable.....the last time my father visited us there he had trouble with the ATM's ........... as I have heard other visitor's to San Miguel lament.
Dec 8, 2004, 1:02 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
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Originally Posted by Scandalous
I tend to believe that in this day and age, travelers cheques are a relic of a bygone era. Damn near anyplace you go these days you can either use an ATM card or a credit card and in the places where they don't have ATM's and don't accept credit cards, it is unlikely your travelers cheques are going to do you much good either.
Just my opinion.
Just my opinion.
Dec 8, 2004, 1:51 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: southern CA
Programs: CO Gold; Hilton Gold; PC/Ambassador Gold
Posts: 621
Originally Posted by Boraxo
..... As for myself, I usually stash a couple of $100s and $20s for emergency exchange. ....