Thomas Cook - New Card - Read the smallprint!

OverlandLandy

I have just got communication from Thomas Cook regarding the 'new' Thomas Cook Credit Card.

You have to apply for a NEW card as they are switching to Barclays from MBNA.

Please read the small print before doing so.

It appears that the rate of 1.5 TC pounds per £100 spend has now gone down to £1 TC/£100.

The new card is also not going live until APRIL 2007!!!

If you keep using your current MBNA card as of 1st Jan 2007 you will earn MBNA points (which are not really worth much).

You can do a 0% balance transfer, but they charge a 2.99% fee!

If you take out a NEW TC card (as an existing customer) you will get a bonus of £25 in TC travel Pounds (you need to spend on the card).

So overall (excluding the £25 Bonus) IMHO It looks like you will be as well cancelling the MBNA card, Don't take out a 'New' TC Card, but opt for a cash back card which will pay you the 1% (or more) but with no tie in to Tomas Cook.

I have just applied for an Amex Platinum cash back card!

nomoneytoday

There are other benefits. We use ours solely to save the 2% charge that Travel agents charge when booking a holiday, and for commission free foreign currency in the branch.

For cashback and BT's it is IMHO not the best option on the market..

OverlandLandy

nomoneytoday wrote:

There are other benefits. We use ours solely to save the 2% charge that Travel agents charge when booking a holiday, and for commission free foreign currency in the branch.

For cashback and BT's it is IMHO not the best option on the market..

Good point ref the 2% charge. But the last couple of times I have booked Holidays via TC I have had to take in better prices from other companies to get them to beat them - without pricematch TC were working out around 10-25% more expensive!

I'm aware of the commission free holiday money, but they are now applying a 'cash handling fee'! The last money i got worked out better @ My Travel as they had the 'branch' authority to beat any local rates - it was also commission free and guaranteed buy back.

It is a great pity about TC. I cant quite believe that they have downgraded what was a market leading product....and cant even launch the 'new' card from 1st Jan 2007! Why delay? Its not very efficient is it? I'm sure they will suffer....but then perhaps that is the idea?

vansboy

I've been fan of the old Thomas Cook card - agree with the points that it's new one isnt quite as good a deal, but it is certainly worth keeping in hand, I'd say.

The other cashback cards are all poor value, compared to what they once were, but if you travel much, this is still the best.

& as for price match, we used ours for the first ime in ages - holidays & doing up the house/building extensions/moving/doing up a new place don't go hand in hand - but the points added up & I can't praise the efforts of the girls in Luton Thomas Cook enough, in their efforts to price beat & a BETTER holiday too, when I made a surprise wedding anniversary break to Vegas, for us, a couple of weeks back!

So don't ditch it...YET!!

VB