Holidays: 'Credit card charge' avoidance?

sanchosser · 18 July 2005 at 8:14PM

Hello -- my first post! I've had a look around the site first (and Google), but can't find an answer to this question:

Is there any way you can avoid credit card charges when paying for a holiday?

Maybe there is no answer, other than to pay with a debit card/cheque, etc, but I'm sure I heard a method for beating this charge (which can be up to 2%).

Thanks in advance...

scattycat_3 · 18 July 2005 at 8:18PM

Welcome,

One way to get the benefits of booking by a credit card is to pay the deposit with your card then pay the balance with debit card or cheque.

Careful_ly · 18 July 2005 at 9:20PM

Sanchosser,

If you dont mind changing credit card to do this you could use a Co-op Visa TRAVEL CARD. That would mean booking through Travelcare, and would earn you 1% as well off your next booking (or extras such as car hire) and give you 7 month interest free credit.(purchases and balance transfers)
They will also look at matching credit limit on existing card. Hope this helps

Chadsman · 18 July 2005 at 9:51PM

Sanchosser, try haggling with the travel agent saying Acme Travel Agents dont charge a fee for paying with a CC.

...and when you are abroad make sure you get a decent CC that does not charge a forex loading, ie: Nationwide, Lombard Direct or Liverpool Victoria (LV no loading within the EU only, 1% outside) and a very small number of branded/charity cards provided by the above.

realaledrinker · 18 July 2005 at 11:26PM

If you have a smile credit card you can blag the Travelcare fee-free deal by telling them you are a smilemore account holder.

JohalaReewi · 20 July 2005 at 12:48PM

Use a cashback credit card to offset the surcharge. Note you will get cash back on the surchage amount. For example, £2000 holiday with a 2% surcharge by the travel agent. Total charge to card £2040. If you use an Amex platinum card at the 2% cashback rate, your cash reward will be £40.80 so you have offset the surcharge (and gained 80p).

You can also try negotiating with the travel agent if they are a local company and you book a lot of holidays with them. Ours has been known to waive the credit card surcharge for regular customers.

Another larger 'telesales' company halved the surcharge if I took their holiday insurance which worked in my favour in this instance. If you don't ask, you don't get!!

Rafter · 20 July 2005 at 5:13PM

Another way of doing it is to use a super balance transfer card like Egg (not during intro offer) and transfer the money from your card to your current account and then pay by debit card from that.

Unfortunately you lose the benefit of the credit card protection this way that provides security if the travel agent goes bust. However, you might decide that ABTA or ATOL bonding gives you sufficient protection.

As scattycat says, if it is protection you are after, just paying the deposit is enough to make the credit card company liable for the failure of the travel company and any loss you incur.

R.

pin · 20 July 2005 at 5:26PM

I guess you could try paying by non credit card means. However this would mean losing any CC protection.

Note most travel companies will charge a bit higher if you use Amex (I know lastminute.com does this).

Also with airlines, if you book directly with them you sometimes don't have to pay for using your credit card (BA does this, but BMI and the budget airlines do charge extra).

Holidays: 'Credit card charge' avoidance?

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