caseminole

Looks like Amex has followed suit like MC and Visa regarding offering the MUCH more favorable rate for card purchases in Argentina

But i havent seen anything official

Gaucho100K

I suggest you post this same question (ie start a thread) on the Argentina Forums. You will get the best & most updated information over there....

Cheers,
Gaucho100K

mia

I moved the existing thread from American Express to Argentina.

Gaucho100K

Any recent experiences with using AmEx in Argentina and getting the MEP rate....?

saint

Yes, they also get the better rate. It's not exactly the "MEP" rate but it's the same rate that Visa/MC gets. I charged my local internet bill for my apartment to test out and I got the better rate. The official rate was charged but then 9 days later I got the reimbursement for the difference.

If you look on this website - https://www.ambito.com/contenidos/dolar.html. You can see the "Dolar Turista" which is the exchange rate I got.

Zorak

There were actually already two positive DPs in the other thread from March and April:

malagajohn

I did 2 x 5 dollar Uber rides in Bs As yesterday and paid with my UK Amex Card . I will report on FX rates as soon as they appear on the web site

caseminole

Good to know, it does appear to be working.

I never saw an "official announcement" from AmEx explaining how it would work, but i do notice they charge the official exchange rate, then a refund appears later.

One very confusing part for me is that we use our AmEx card all the time in Argentina, and have been there 3 times since October.

My husband is there for the next couple of months and uses the card often

Its hard to match up transactions w/refunds though. The only way to do it (looks like) is to look at your charges for a particular day, wait until the next statement, and look for the same number of credits for the same day??

The refunds are coming from the Argentine government correct?

All it says in terms of refund is

REFUND USD TOURIST BCRA COMM A7630 CIUDAD AUTONOMA DE BUAR BUSINESS SERVIC

malagajohn

I can also confirm that AMEX appears to be working with a similar system that Mastercard uses.

My Uber charges were processed by AMEX on June 6 and the refunds were processed on June 8

The exchange rate to the GBP averaged out at 544 , which compares to a WU rate for cash of 606/607 during the same week.

BuySellBA

Yep. No problem using AMEX. I've been using it extensively the past few weeks with no problems. I'm getting about 6% less than MEP posted rate at:
Ambito's website.

Gaucho100K

Reviving this thread because I made a charge in Argentina with my US issued Amex and its been quite some time and the Exchange Rate adjustment has still not posted. From the last data points, it would seem that the correction/refund of the rate difference posts somewhere around 2-5 days after the full original charge posts.

To be specific, I made a AR$ denominated charge for purchase of Buquebus Ferry Tickets, the charge posted on October 3rd, with the horrible official exchange rate. One full week later (today is 10/10), I have yet to receive any adjustment/credit..... wonder if I need to call AmEx and ask...? I thought about calling Buquebus, but they arent responsible for this since it is a Government issued difference which should process directly to the original form of payment...... thoughts...??

Thanks,
Alex / Gaucho100K

OskiBear

Hi Alex - I only made one Amex charge on the last trip in Sept (a one-night stay at the Hilton). I checked out on the 4th, the charge posted on the 5th, and the credit posted on the 13th, so 8 days after the original charge posting. I'd give a couple more days and then inquire of Amex.

Gaucho100K

Thanks for the reply.... sounds like a plan, I will give it 1-2 more days and if nothing comes up lets see what AmEx USA has to say about this...... appreciate you !!

oneyedpirate

Was going to post as well.

Some of my transactions have now hit the 10 day mark on a Canadian Amex and I haven't received a refund.

Should I just assume that there will be no MEP rate adjustment?

Gaucho100K

OK, so I went back to review my charges and I have to correct myself... the original AR$ charge posted on October 3rd, so its now the 11th and still no adjustment. I called US Platinum Card Member Services and the agent (obviously) had no clue what I was talking about... she explained that Exchange Rates are calculated automatically and that there is nothing that AmEx can do about the exchange rate.... which all sounds kind of weird, as AmEx clearly is participating in this scheme. Im not sure where I can take this as a next step, perhaps there is some sort of delay and this will end up posting in a few days..... (sigh)