Originally Posted by
Wpgjetse
I don't know about Chase, but Amazon Visa does not use the current trading rate. They use the exchange rate(no fee) set by Visa International, which is still higher than Amex. Rogers Plat MC also uses MC International exchange rate, which is higher than Amex.
Addition - Since I didn't know about Chase Marriott Visa, I phoned them for more info because this could be a great card for me. After talking to them, their exchange rate is still higher than Amex. It sounds like their "NO Fee" is just a marketing term.
I did some additional research based on Wpgjetse's comments. Both Visa and Mastercard have calculators on their websites to show you the exact exchange rates that are used. American Express does not.
When looking at straight exchange rates, it is true that American Express rates are consistently better...
However, it becomes a bit more complex when you want to compare all the available options in Canada:
1. Rogers MC (4.0% Cashback, however they charge 2.5% for foreign conversion)
2. Amazon Chase (1.0% cashback, with 0% foreign conversion)
3. American Express (MR's with a better exchange rate, however American Express charges 2.5% for foreign conversion)
https://www.visa.ca/en_CAsupport/consumer/travel-support/exchange-rate-calculator.html?fromCurr=CAD&toCurr=USD&fee=0&exch angedate=04%2F18%2F2017&submitButton=Calculate+Exc hange+Rates
https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/cons...-currency.html
Note: My comments are based on a simple USD transaction on a CAD card. I did not check the rates for other currencies. (i.e. I am not sure if Amex first converts the foreign transaction to USD, then to CAD or whether it's foreign to CAD immediately.)