Changing money at Shanghai airport rip off
#61
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 186
Where can I use my card in Asia?
Discover cards are currently accepted in mainland China at merchants displaying the Discover or China UnionPay acceptance marks; in Japan at merchants displaying the Discover or JCB acceptance mark; or everywhere you see the Diners Club International acceptance mark in the following countries:
Philippines
Singapore
South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
Discover cards are currently accepted in mainland China at merchants displaying the Discover or China UnionPay acceptance marks; in Japan at merchants displaying the Discover or JCB acceptance mark; or everywhere you see the Diners Club International acceptance mark in the following countries:
Philippines
Singapore
South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
#62
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: CLD
Programs: ua S, marriott P, hilton G, ihg P
Posts: 579
No. BofA still owns ~10% of 建行 (down from ~30%), but the free ATM party ended at least 2 years ago. This was a blessing in disguise IMO because it compelled BofA slaves to find better banks (e.g. walking around town on Sunday nights trying to find 建行 ATMs that actually had money was not cool!).
Copied from this link:
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What are some tips for using an ATM in foreign countries?
Check the network: You can use your Bank of America debit card or ATM card anywhere you see the CIRRUS symbol. In addition to CIRRUS, you can use ATMs with the MasterCard or Visa symbols. The symbol on the front of your card will indicate if your card is MasterCard or Visa. To find the nearest MasterCard/CIRRUS ATM, please visit http://www.mastercard.com/atm
To Find the nearest Visa ATM, please visit http://www.visa.com/ATMlocator
Understand the types of fees charged: The non-Bank of America ATM usage fee is $5. This fee is assessed for each withdrawal, transfer or balance inquiry performed at a non-Bank of America ATM in a foreign country. In addition, the ATM operator may charge an access fee for cash withdrawals.
Your deposit account statement will reflect the U.S. dollar equivalent of your foreign ATM withdrawal. Bank of America will assess an international transaction fee of 3% of the U.S. dollar amount for all ATM withdrawals processed in foreign currency.footnote3 International ATM operators may offer to do your currency conversion for you, but they may charge a higher fee for conversion. To insure that your currency conversion does not incur a fee higher than the one stated above, you may refuse the ATM operator's offer to convert the amount of the transaction. The fee is assessed as a separate transaction fee on the posting date of the withdrawal.
You can avoid the non-Bank of America ATM usage fee and ATM operator access fee by using one of our international partner ATMs in the corresponding countries listed below:
Barclays (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Channel Islands)
ABSA (South Africa)
BNP Paribas (France)
BNL D’Italia (Italy)
UkrSibbank (Ukraine)
TEB (Turkey)
Deutsche Bank (Germany and Spain)
Scotia Bank (Canada, Peru, Chile and the Caribbean including: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Saint Maarten, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands)
Westpac Bank (Australia and New Zealand)
China Construction Bank (Mainland China)
Santander (Mexico)
#63
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,058
#64
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: CLD
Programs: ua S, marriott P, hilton G, ihg P
Posts: 579
Seems that has been (conveniently) left out on BoA's website. But thanks for pointing that out.
I'm aware most credit cards will charge 3% foreign transaction fee (with the exception of a few Chase cards). So it would make sense for the debit cards to be in the same boat.
I really don't want to open a new bank account just for this.. So I might just eat the 3%...
I'm aware most credit cards will charge 3% foreign transaction fee (with the exception of a few Chase cards). So it would make sense for the debit cards to be in the same boat.
I really don't want to open a new bank account just for this.. So I might just eat the 3%...
#66
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
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#67
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#68
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
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#69
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,317
I realize this, but I have been guessing that there are similar institutions in other countries. I have had an even stronger hunch the small bank phenomenon is --more or less-- global. Speaking from my experience in the US again, in order to compete against BofA, Citi, and Wells Fargo and their massive ATM networks, regional banks (as well as online only banks) typically don't charge out of network ATM fees, and many reimburse fees charged by host ATMs.
#70
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Posts: 35
Prior to a 10-month stay (split between Kunming and Shangri-la) in 2010 I opened up a Capital One account. Transfers from our primary account were a little clunky, taking 5 days to clear, but we were charged no transaction fees (I even checked the rate to see if they just factored it in, but nope) and could use multiple ATMs. I think our usual bank was a China Construction Bank (i.e. "The Blue One") but we also use Bank of China, ICBC, and Agricultural Bank of China ("The Green One"). We are nearing the end of 7 months in Kunming again, and the only issue we had was up in the county town in Weixi. There was an ABC, but it did not accept foreign cards. It was way off the beaten track and not at all a tourism destination.
Plus, if you get the awards account, you get a point for every $20 you have in there each month and can combine it with rewards from a Capital One credit card. It adds up very quickly.
Plus, if you get the awards account, you get a point for every $20 you have in there each month and can combine it with rewards from a Capital One credit card. It adds up very quickly.
#71
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: HHonors Gold, Marriott Lifetime Gold, IHG Gold, OZ*G, AA Gold, AS MVP
Posts: 1,874
1. Eating at a Watami with some friends in a shopping mall in Shanghai. Swipe my Discover card and the terminal just shows "Restricted Card". Doesn't even ask for an amount, doesn't even ask for a PIN, just errors out like that and asks for another card. Discover says they saw nothing.
2. Computer accessories kiosk in Xujiahui. Same thing except this time the error was "C2- BIN Restricted".
#72
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: SIN/PVG
Programs: Basement Lurker Club
Posts: 237
I'll take that 7$ commission. The Guangzhou international arrivals area has an exchange and charges at 25$ fee. Cheapest to use ATMs or the illegal money traders everywhere. :-/