Miles Without Surcharge
Mar 12, 2002 | 5:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Lifetime Platinum, AA
Posts: 420
Miles Without Surcharge
FYI, for those who are looking for cards that give miles without imposing ripoff foreign currency charges, a woman named Jeannie in the First USA Bank customer service department just told me that the British Airways Visa will continue to charge only one per cent (as opposed to Amex two per cent, United and AA three per cent, and Diners three per cent plus fees to cash the miles in.)
Mar 13, 2002 | 12:20 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: too far from the airport
Posts: 3,299
I thought that the BA VISA already charged the additional 2% (and the same for Marriott), and that only UA VISA didn't. At least that's what I was told when I inquired July last year. I don't doubt your accuracy Lindsy, but that of your source... I've been told the wrong thing so many times by FUSA...
Mar 13, 2002 | 7:07 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Lifetime Platinum, AA
Posts: 420
Honu, I also found the people who answered the phone/email at First USA often didn't know their assets from their elbows, and before I renewed last year, I went through a weeks-long process to get someone in authority to tell me in a letter that the BA card is excluded from the surcharge. (At the time there were several other affinity cards that were also "excluded," including United, Marriot, and one or two others.)
Mar 14, 2002 | 4:27 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Denver CO
Posts: 3,686
First USA does many things well but getting the phone reps accurate info on the foreign currency mark-up is not one of them. A while back I called 3 times in 15 minutes and got 3 different answers.
Also, I wouldn't switch to another First USA card if these charges are you concern. They bumped the UA cards and so might not BA follow?
Also, I wouldn't switch to another First USA card if these charges are you concern. They bumped the UA cards and so might not BA follow?
Mar 15, 2002 | 5:31 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Lifetime Platinum, AA
Posts: 420
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Mountain Trader:
Also, I wouldn't switch to another First USA card if these charges are you concern. They bumped the UA cards and so might not BA follow?</font>
Also, I wouldn't switch to another First USA card if these charges are you concern. They bumped the UA cards and so might not BA follow?</font>