Best card for foreign exchange?
#47
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 8,498
I have a Target Visa card that--like MBNA--doesn't charge anything beyond the 1% Visa FX fee. Every $1 I spend earns a point and every 1000 points earns a 10% off coupon for Target, which is pretty valuable if you go on a big shopping spree at Target every now and then. Not sure if Visa is dropping the 1% fee like MC or not, though.
#48
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Nashville,TN
Posts: 867
I recently went to London and used MBNA Amtrak VISA and Starwood Optima for most purchases. For cash withdrawals I used my Etrade ATM card since it does not impose ATM fees. I need to sit and analyze my charges to see where I got the best rates but I do have one question--the exchange rate applied is the one on the day the trasaction was posted not when the transaction occured,since there could be some lag time right ?
#49
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 112
MBNA's Fidelity, has a cap of $1500 cash rewards per year, past $100,000, look for another card. At the end of every quarter, if over 50 points has been accumulated, then the points are swept into your brokerage account.
AMEX has been known to pad their foreign currency exchange rates.
AMEX has been known to pad their foreign currency exchange rates.
#50
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 418
Sorry, but this is all very confusing to me! I have a MBNA Royal Caribbean Visa card. Would that get the same foreign ex. rate, and % fees as any MBNA mastercard or visa card? Also, is it correct that you never use visa card at ATM machine for cash, just for purchases at stores and restaurants? I am traveling to Italy and don't want to pay any more than I have to! Thanks
#51
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington
Programs: AA Exec Plat, UA 1K
Posts: 512
Capital One 1 %
All Capital one cards charge the basic 1% visa/mc imposed forex fee.
I typically use my cap one card or my AAA MBNA one.
I avoid using Amex overseas as I remember reading that they have 3% fee.
I typically use my cap one card or my AAA MBNA one.
I avoid using Amex overseas as I remember reading that they have 3% fee.
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: USA
Programs: UA Platinum, 1MM
Posts: 13,458
I use a MBNA Quantum Worldpoints card when I travel. The MBNA Fidelity Investment Rewards is a very good deal with the 1.5% rebate. Its tempting but I don't need another CC at this very moment.
#53
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: GRR
Programs: Delta Plat & Million Miler
Posts: 1,375
Thanks
Thanks to all the contributors on this thread.
I started checking all my cards....turns out my best bet from my array is my BankOne Visa debit card, charging only 1%.....I never would have thought to check had it not been for this thread and would have thoughtlessly used a credit card. Now, I only have to worry about ATM fees--but my account has fee-free ATM use--so I only have to worry about "the other end."
This is why I love Flyertalk
I started checking all my cards....turns out my best bet from my array is my BankOne Visa debit card, charging only 1%.....I never would have thought to check had it not been for this thread and would have thoughtlessly used a credit card. Now, I only have to worry about ATM fees--but my account has fee-free ATM use--so I only have to worry about "the other end."
This is why I love Flyertalk
#54
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 8,498
Originally Posted by adgtravel
Sorry, but this is all very confusing to me! I have a MBNA Royal Caribbean Visa card. Would that get the same foreign ex. rate, and % fees as any MBNA mastercard or visa card?
Originally Posted by adgtravel
Also, is it correct that you never use visa card at ATM machine for cash, just for purchases at stores and restaurants?
That said, Visa and Mastercard branded ATM cards (i.e., debit cards linked directly to your checking account) usually work well at foreign ATM's. Call your bank to double-check the fees associated with your card, but unless they charge you a foreign ATM transaction fee, using your ATM card to get foreign cash is often the cheapest way to do it. Most non-Visa/MC ATM cards (Star, Plus, NYCE, etc.) will not work overseas.
#55
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 6,790
Originally Posted by Karan97
I avoid using Amex overseas as I remember reading that they have 3% fee.
Every time I catch this, I call them to protest (as I just did today), and they credit back the excess they had charged. You simply have to watch your credit card bills (good advice no matter which card you use).
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,717
Originally Posted by Counsellor
AMEX purports to charge only a 2% ForEx conversion fee. For the most part, this seems to be correct, but sometimes they either use the wrong exchange rate, or pad the conversion fee.
Every time I catch this, I call them to protest (as I just did today), and they credit back the excess they had charged. You simply have to watch your credit card bills (good advice no matter which card you use).
Every time I catch this, I call them to protest (as I just did today), and they credit back the excess they had charged. You simply have to watch your credit card bills (good advice no matter which card you use).
Never use Amex - ever. They do not use the interbank rate and they won't stand by you in the event of merchant disputes. See Amexsux
#57
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Originally Posted by BruiserB
I've been very happy with the State Farm Bank Platinum Rewards Visa:
http://www.statefarm.com/bank/classic.asp
http://www.statefarm.com/bank/classic.asp
My homeowner's insurance is with State Farm, though I went and opened a checking account with them, too, as they offer 5 no-charge transactions a month at any bank, where my current bank charges $1.25 plus 2% when I'm out of the country. The 2% was something I just noticed this year (don't think they charged that before just for getting cash at an ATM outside the U.S.). They paid a better interest rate on interest checking, too. If it works out as good as it sounds, I'll close my local bank account entirely.
#58
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 6,790
Originally Posted by Boraxo
So let me get this straight - you use a card from a company that has attempted to defraud you by using the wrong exchange rate or an excess conversion fee?
I try never to attribute to malice what can adequately be explained as stupidity (or incompetence, or even human error).
#59
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 57
I have both Cap One mastercard (cash back if you want to take it that way) $19 a year, and a MBNA ebay anything points free mastercard (get anything points when you charge stuff). They are both supposed to charge 1% (vs the milage cards that charge 3%).
I also learned about the paypal debit card on a different thread. They only charge $1 for foreign ATM withdrawals (it's a free card) and I just upgraded to a free card that can be used as a debit or credit. If you use it as a credit card they give you 1.5% cash back on purchases.
My regular bank is Wells Fargo, but I keep transferring $$ out because paypal pays such a good money market rate (2.5%ish)
TTFN
I also learned about the paypal debit card on a different thread. They only charge $1 for foreign ATM withdrawals (it's a free card) and I just upgraded to a free card that can be used as a debit or credit. If you use it as a credit card they give you 1.5% cash back on purchases.
My regular bank is Wells Fargo, but I keep transferring $$ out because paypal pays such a good money market rate (2.5%ish)
TTFN
#60
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA PLT, 3MM, DL Plat, Hertz PC, SPG Gold
Posts: 601
Got a letter from Citibank yesterday advising that they will be adding 3% to charges in foreign currency