Fairmont gift cards have a great exchange rate
Jan 25, 2016, 12:37 am
#16
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Jan 25, 2016, 11:45 pm
#17
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I know this question has come up occasionally in other threads, so I wanted to post a data point. I stayed at Fairmont Le Montreux Palace this week and paid by Fairmont gift cards.
The rate used by the gift card terminal on Sep 3 when applying the cards was 1 CHF = 1.3738 CAD.
The live rate at the same time, obtained from xe.com, was 1 CHF = 1.3693 CAD.
Rates used by my Visa and Amex around the same time were all north of 1 CHF = 1.42 CAD.
From now on, for any of my international Fairmont stays, I plan to always pay with CAD Fairmont gift cards and not my Amex or Visa!
The rate used by the gift card terminal on Sep 3 when applying the cards was 1 CHF = 1.3738 CAD.
The live rate at the same time, obtained from xe.com, was 1 CHF = 1.3693 CAD.
Rates used by my Visa and Amex around the same time were all north of 1 CHF = 1.42 CAD.
From now on, for any of my international Fairmont stays, I plan to always pay with CAD Fairmont gift cards and not my Amex or Visa!
Goes to show what a ripoff AMEX is on FX. That's why I travel only with my Chase Amazon.ca visa. It's really amazing and I saved close to $1,000 in FX last year. Given that they are so great - you wonder why more people don't know.
Jan 26, 2016, 3:55 am
#18
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I've used the Chase Marriott Visa for a long time. No forex fee and a reward program I can use for travel!
Feb 22, 2016, 7:30 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2013
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I received a rate of 1.31 for both FPC dining certs (Feb 14) and my USD gift card (Feb 20). It was only 50USD so it's not a huge deal, but did I possibly get the wrong rate on the gift card?
Feb 23, 2016, 9:17 am
#20
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Maybe this is not the place but I have both the Canadian Amex Gold and Platinum (no forex fee) and I've recently compared the two during my recent trip to Boston and found there are no differences.
I'm beginning to think this no forex fee is BS.
I'm beginning to think this no forex fee is BS.
Feb 23, 2016, 10:12 am
#21
Join Date: Sep 2015
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The Canadian Amex Plat does have a 2.5% FTF.
Feb 23, 2016, 10:58 am
#22
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They clearly didn't redeem it properly. They're supposed to let the gift card terminal convert the gift card. At that rate, they clearly did not do that. Have you gone online to the fairmontgiftcard website to check the balance and transaction history of the card? For argument sake, say the gift card terminal rate was 1.40 and the hotel's posted rate was 1.31. If the hotel clerk didn't know what she was doing, and just took USD$50 x 1.31 = $65.55, and simply redeemed CAD$65.55 through the terminal, that would/should have redeemed at $65.55/1.4 = USD$46.82 from the USD$50card, meaning you may still have a balance of $3.18 still on the card to be used.
Feb 24, 2016, 8:14 am
#23
Join Date: Sep 2013
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They clearly didn't redeem it properly. They're supposed to let the gift card terminal convert the gift card. At that rate, they clearly did not do that. Have you gone online to the fairmontgiftcard website to check the balance and transaction history of the card? For argument sake, say the gift card terminal rate was 1.40 and the hotel's posted rate was 1.31. If the hotel clerk didn't know what she was doing, and just took USD$50 x 1.31 = $65.55, and simply redeemed CAD$65.55 through the terminal, that would/should have redeemed at $65.55/1.4 = USD$46.82 from the USD$50card, meaning you may still have a balance of $3.18 still on the card to be used.
Jul 16, 2016, 12:43 am
#24
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So a US Amex MR $500 Fairmont GC = $648.27 Canadian value today.
Jul 23, 2016, 9:28 pm
#25
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