BA Prepaid Mastercard vs Starling in the USA
Jul 22, 2022, 8:53 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 74
BA Prepaid Mastercard vs Starling in the USA
Off to Disney World in 10 days and have all my spending money for food and merchandise saved up in my starling account which is my main bank and planned to just use that in the US as it gave wholesale conversion to $ and no fees. No point using my Amex as the 3% charge would wipe out any Avios bonus
Am I actually better just getting a BA pre-paid Mastercard and using that instead? It can be used on Apple Pay so I assume just as easy and when im probably spending $4000 or more, its a good amount of Avios back. Plus I believe the exchange fees would also be Zero?
Anyone had any experience with these cards?
Am I actually better just getting a BA pre-paid Mastercard and using that instead? It can be used on Apple Pay so I assume just as easy and when im probably spending $4000 or more, its a good amount of Avios back. Plus I believe the exchange fees would also be Zero?
Anyone had any experience with these cards?
Jul 22, 2022, 8:57 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: living near Malaga
Programs: BA Gold , Mucci recipient. Coffee Drinker, Blue Sky Thinker
Posts: 2,112
Off to Disney World in 10 days and have all my spending money for food and merchandise saved up in my starling account which is my main bank and planned to just use that in the US as it gave wholesale conversion to $ and no fees. No point using my Amex as the 3% charge would wipe out any Avios bonus
Am I actually better just getting a BA pre-paid Mastercard and using that instead? It can be used on Apple Pay so I assume just as easy and when im probably spending $4000 or more, its a good amount of Avios back. Plus I believe the exchange fees would also be Zero?
Anyone had any experience with these cards?
Am I actually better just getting a BA pre-paid Mastercard and using that instead? It can be used on Apple Pay so I assume just as easy and when im probably spending $4000 or more, its a good amount of Avios back. Plus I believe the exchange fees would also be Zero?
Anyone had any experience with these cards?
Revolut, Wise, Halifax and/or curve may well be a better bet.
Jul 22, 2022, 9:05 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,266
I've found Halifax Mastercard ex-rate is always very good, higher than Revolut and others. In south of France earlier in the year with friends, the rate charged varied by 3 / 4 cents - this would be significant in your case
Jul 22, 2022, 9:20 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, AA Gold, A3 Gold, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,251
Jul 22, 2022, 4:01 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,227
When I first started banking with Starling I used to check Google simultaneously as using my card, and it was as close as dammit. I therefore dropped my Revolut as there wasn’t any point. Chase is my second bank but has different strengths.
Jul 23, 2022, 12:37 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Around somewhere
Programs: Gold, Some red card and some hotel cards.
Posts: 709
Revolut uses the interbank exchange rate and you wouldn't get better anywhere else. The only exception is at weekends when they adjust the rate lower slightly so not to lose out if the rate tanks over the weekends.
Jul 23, 2022, 7:53 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Near Manchester
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 397
Was in the US in January and April. Used my Starling card all the time. Good to see what the GBP transactions are, and obviously no conversion fee.
I absolutely adore Starling! Been with them 2 years now.
I absolutely adore Starling! Been with them 2 years now.