Originally Posted by USAFAN
Dovster:
Most charges made overseas will be in foreign currency, not in US-$, even when the "advertised" price is in US-$.... and American Express will charge you 2%.
Whenever I buy an airplane ticket it is in dollars and the charge shows up that way. I also have the option, in Israel, of having my hotel bills in dollars. The Duty Free shop at TLV always charges in dollars (although you can ask them to convert to shekels).
In all these cases I have never had a conversion charge from either Amex or Visa. Visa, however, apparently is going to change that soon.