DCC: Dynamic Currency Conversion (2017-2025)
#976
Original Poster




Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,957
Another interesting difference is that the receipt showed (T) instead of (W) next to the card number.
#977
Original Poster




Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,957
Outside of the UOB ATM, I haven't seen any DCC prompts in Singapore, including the preauth on my World of Hyatt Visa at the Andaz.
Most of my credit card transactions have been contactless, which may be bypassing DCC still.
The UOB ATM quoted 93.48 USD for 120 SGD. The Visa rate was 90.32 USD, so this was the 3.5% that the ATM quoted. Usually the quoted % does not match the Visa or MC rate. The screen even had language about understanding the costs of currency conversion. I would say this is probably the most compliant implementation of DCC that I've ever seen. (I'm still not a fan of course.)
Most of my credit card transactions have been contactless, which may be bypassing DCC still.The UOB ATM quoted 93.48 USD for 120 SGD. The Visa rate was 90.32 USD, so this was the 3.5% that the ATM quoted. Usually the quoted % does not match the Visa or MC rate. The screen even had language about understanding the costs of currency conversion. I would say this is probably the most compliant implementation of DCC that I've ever seen. (I'm still not a fan of course.)
#978



Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Just a peon
Posts: 4,565
Last month I went back to Canada for the first time in 3 years. Stopped in a Canadian TD bank near the US border and was surprised the ATM offered DCC. Very easy to decline of course. Didn't encounter DCC anywhere else on the trip , but there were plenty of signs in Niagara Falls ON stating that US$ was accepted (at a worse rate of course)
Sadly, Desjardins didn't even give me the option of conducting the transaction in French (
), but Dynamic Language Conversion is another topic entirely.
#979




Join Date: Feb 2001
Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 4,343
The only examples I've encountered of DCC in the Philippines have been at SM Supermarkets. The cashiers tend to hold the device away from you and ask if you want to pay in pesos or USD, so it's very hard to see how bad the rate is. I don't know if they are deliberately being sneaky or are just clueless. From a distance, at an angle, I think it said 5% mark-up, but I can't be sure. (Metro Supermarkets don't do DCC, but they make you sign two receipts as part of some crazy, slow bureaucracy they have going.)
#980
Original Member




Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Gold
Posts: 15,009
As another Canadian data point, I'm in Quebec this week, used my US debit card to get cash from both a Scotia and Desjardins ATM, and no DCC at all.
Sadly, Desjardins didn't even give me the option of conducting the transaction in French (
), but Dynamic Language Conversion is another topic entirely.
Sadly, Desjardins didn't even give me the option of conducting the transaction in French (
), but Dynamic Language Conversion is another topic entirely.
#982
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 21,004
The only examples I've encountered of DCC in the Philippines have been at SM Supermarkets. The cashiers tend to hold the device away from you and ask if you want to pay in pesos or USD, so it's very hard to see how bad the rate is. I don't know if they are deliberately being sneaky or are just clueless. From a distance, at an angle, I think it said 5% mark-up, but I can't be sure. (Metro Supermarkets don't do DCC, but they make you sign two receipts as part of some crazy, slow bureaucracy they have going.)
Can't you ask for the terminal?
#983
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Eco Travel, Signatures




Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA, IHG & Marriott Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 51,855
#984
Original Poster




Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,957
I've been in Ireland this week, which is the origin of this whole mess of DCC. I hadn't seen it on payments until having dinner tonight at Madigan's. I actually noticed it since a customer was paying at the bar with a GBP denominated card. He tapped the payment, and I saw the EU and UK flag appear on the handheld terminal's touchscreen. The customer quickly walked away without selecting, but the bartender selected EUR proactively.
When it came time to pay, the bartender maintained control of the terminal when I tapped the card and pressed the softkey which I knew was the DCC opt out selection. I verified by asking for a copy of the receipt that it was in EUR.
Thanks to the bartender for helping customers opt out of DCC!
When it came time to pay, the bartender maintained control of the terminal when I tapped the card and pressed the softkey which I knew was the DCC opt out selection. I verified by asking for a copy of the receipt that it was in EUR.
Thanks to the bartender for helping customers opt out of DCC!
Last edited by Majuki; Apr 1, 2023 at 11:11 am
#985




Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: HA, UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,808
Is this a DCC Situation?
Im currently on a cruise ship, and received notice that onboard charges would be processed through a UK bank, but would be charged in dollars. The ship said that if we wanted to change the card on file to let them know.
Initially, I ignored the message, but started wondering whether this would somehow be a DCC situation, and whether I should change my card on file from JP Morgan to Amex.
Sound like a disguised DCC to the experts here? Suggestions?
Many thanks.
Initially, I ignored the message, but started wondering whether this would somehow be a DCC situation, and whether I should change my card on file from JP Morgan to Amex.
Sound like a disguised DCC to the experts here? Suggestions?
Many thanks.
#986
Original Poster




Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,957
BA processes (or at least did in the past) their US website transactions in the UK even though the transactions are in USD. This used to be frustrating before the days of 0% FTFs since you'd get hit with a FTF on a USD transaction.
#987




Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: HA, UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,808
Are prices on board denominated in USD? If so, I imagine this is like what BA does with their ticketing. It's fine to keep the current card on file in that case as long as it doesn't have a FTF.
BA processes (or at least did in the past) their US website transactions in the UK even though the transactions are in USD. This used to be frustrating before the days of 0% FTFs since you'd get hit with a FTF on a USD transaction.
BA processes (or at least did in the past) their US website transactions in the UK even though the transactions are in USD. This used to be frustrating before the days of 0% FTFs since you'd get hit with a FTF on a USD transaction.
#988


Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 111
I'll just add my $.02 (or .02 if it goes through UK
). Generally speaking, if you have a 0%FTF card, the only situation where you have to worry is when you're presented with a price in one currency, but the transaction runs in another. If you see a price that's posted in the card's currency, it's not DCC. In certain cases you may see prices posted in multiple currencies — then you can do your math and choose the one that's more beneficial. That was my situation when I was in Jordan — there were places that had prices in both US dollars and Jordanian dinars and in some cases they ended up being slightly better (a few cents) in $$. So if you chose the $$ price and paid in $$, you knew the exact amount and you could see what the dinars would convert to, so that wasn't a DCC situation either. Now if you chose to pay in dinars and THEN they would charge you in $$, that would have been DCC, but they never tried that.
). Generally speaking, if you have a 0%FTF card, the only situation where you have to worry is when you're presented with a price in one currency, but the transaction runs in another. If you see a price that's posted in the card's currency, it's not DCC. In certain cases you may see prices posted in multiple currencies — then you can do your math and choose the one that's more beneficial. That was my situation when I was in Jordan — there were places that had prices in both US dollars and Jordanian dinars and in some cases they ended up being slightly better (a few cents) in $$. So if you chose the $$ price and paid in $$, you knew the exact amount and you could see what the dinars would convert to, so that wasn't a DCC situation either. Now if you chose to pay in dinars and THEN they would charge you in $$, that would have been DCC, but they never tried that.
#989
Original Poster




Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,957
There are destinations where there's a local currency but transactions are primarily in another currency. Two such examples are the Cayman Islands and Aruba. Unless you have a local card, payment processors will process credit card transactions in USD, regardless of the currency denomination of the card. Menu prices in the Cayman Islands usually reflect a KYD price with 1 KYD = 1.25 USD even if the official exchange rate is 1 KYD = 1.2 USD. In Aruba, most menu prices where tourists would be are denominated in USD. Some show AWG at the official exchange rate and others show < 3% markup to USD. However, these are all disclosed before you give payment, so, like with your examples in Jordan, you can decide if you want to pay cash or whatever the merchant decides the USD price would be if making a card payment.
#990



Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Just a peon
Posts: 4,565
I'll just add my $.02 (or .02 if it goes through UK
). Generally speaking, if you have a 0%FTF card, the only situation where you have to worry is when you're presented with a price in one currency, but the transaction runs in another. If you see a price that's posted in the card's currency, it's not DCC. In certain cases you may see prices posted in multiple currencies then you can do your math and choose the one that's more beneficial. That was my situation when I was in Jordan there were places that had prices in both US dollars and Jordanian dinars and in some cases they ended up being slightly better (a few cents) in $$. So if you chose the $$ price and paid in $$, you knew the exact amount and you could see what the dinars would convert to, so that wasn't a DCC situation either. Now if you chose to pay in dinars and THEN they would charge you in $$, that would have been DCC, but they never tried that.
). Generally speaking, if you have a 0%FTF card, the only situation where you have to worry is when you're presented with a price in one currency, but the transaction runs in another. If you see a price that's posted in the card's currency, it's not DCC. In certain cases you may see prices posted in multiple currencies then you can do your math and choose the one that's more beneficial. That was my situation when I was in Jordan there were places that had prices in both US dollars and Jordanian dinars and in some cases they ended up being slightly better (a few cents) in $$. So if you chose the $$ price and paid in $$, you knew the exact amount and you could see what the dinars would convert to, so that wasn't a DCC situation either. Now if you chose to pay in dinars and THEN they would charge you in $$, that would have been DCC, but they never tried that.

