FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Any experience using Bluebird in foreign ATMs?
Old Mar 7, 2014 | 9:50 am
  #48  
DCBob
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 5,015
I just used my BB card at a Westpac ATM in Sydney, Australia. The ATM charges a AU$2.00 fee (in addition to the US$2.00 fee charged by BB). The exchange rate was the best market rate that day.

In contrast, I also used my SunTrust Debit MasterCard at the same ATM. This time the ATM charged NO fee (and neither does my bank for the type of checking account I have). But SunTrust adds a 3% surcharge to the best market rate, so the net result was nearly identical. I ended up using my SunTrust Debit MasterCard for the remainder of my ATM withdrawals.

I checked the ATM fees in Sydney at several banks. All charge a AU$2.00 fee for BB withdrawals. All (except Westpac) charge a AU$2.00 fee for SunTrust Debit MC withdrawals. Westpac has agreements with several foreign banks to not charge a fee for ATM card withdrawals using the foreign bank's debit card. Apparently, SunTrust must be one of them (although it's not on the list posted at the ATM).
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