Best value card for use in USA?

readingfcstan

Hello

Im off to florida in early may for a two week holiday.

Could anyone recommend a credit card that wont charge big exchange rates or other hidden charges please.

Thanks

Paul

newfoundglory

Nationwide classic credit card for spending, and their visa debit card on current account for more spending and if you want cash from ATMs. There is little point going for nationwide cash back credit card since they no longer pay any cash reward for overseas transactions, but the classic card has up to 56 days interest free with the first 6mths at 0%.

I've always found the visa exchange rates on the nationwide card to be the best around. I have yet to find anywhere that beats the visa wholesale rate... so if anyone finds better, let me know!

grumbler

newfoundglory wrote:

I've always found the visa exchange rates on the nationwide card to be the best around. I have yet to find anywhere that beats the visa wholesale rate... so if anyone finds better, let me know!

Visa rate is almost the same as interbank rate. I can bet you will not find better rate.

omega27

Amex Platinum - no charges in the USA, plus 2% Cashback (if you spend enough in the year).

paulspenceley

rjlawson wrote:

Amex Platinum - no charges in the USA, plus 2% Cashback (if you spend enough in the year).

Amex levy a 2.73% conversion charge. Amex Terms and Conditions as follows:

Unless a specific rate is required by applicable law, you understand and agree that the American Express treasury system will use conversion rates based on interbank rates that it selects from customary industry sources on the business day prior to the processing date, increased by a single conversion commission of 2.73%. If Charges are converted by third parties prior to being submitted to us, any conversions made by those third parties will be at rates selected by them.

omega27

Amex don't seem to charge the levy on $US transactions, perhaps it's to do with them being American? "If the Charge is in U.S. dollars, it will be converted directly into Pound Sterling."?

I've paid for several things on my Platinum while in NY & over the internet, the rate is very close to that on XE.com & certainly not 2.73% (where do they get these figures from?!) different.

Galstonian

I'm sorry, you are wrong, Amex do charge for currency conversion, it varies by card and can all be found on the Amex site and under clause 5 of the T&C I have for my card.

I was in the US a couple of weeks ago, I got approx $1.92 to the £ with my Nationwide Visa but only about £1.84 using my Corporate Amex charge card.

Amex, like other card issuers, do not detail the surcharges they just get rolled into the conversion rate. Nationwide publish the rate against each transaction on your statement, Amex don't. Amex convert into dollars then to pounds for all non dollar foreign transactions which may mean worse rates again.

student100

mightymo wrote:

...My partner is going to Canada in a couple of weeks - can he use his Nationwide Flexaccount visa debit card to withdraw cash from ATM's. Presumably he will need his normal pin number for this?

Yes and yes. He should be able to withdraw cash from any ATM with the VISA logo on it. Nationwide will not charge although the owner of the machine might (I know in the US most ATMs, even bank-owned ones, charge; I'm not sure about Canada?).

dbhavnani99

readingfcstan wrote:

Hello

Im off to florida in early may for a two week holiday.

Could anyone recommend a credit card that wont charge big exchange rates or other hidden charges please.

Thanks

Paul

Have you tried the new American Express Travellers cheque card which was introduced this month? Basically I brought a Dollar card(the £20 issuance fees was waived as I am an AMEX credit card holder) and I got $370 dollars when I topped up my card with £200. This, I believe, is like a pre-paid card and when you exhaust the initial amount you can again top up in any branch of AMEX in USA. Has anyone else from this forum applied for this card?

newfoundglory

mightymo wrote:

Sorry if this sounds abit dim, but I see it was mentioned that you can use your nationwide visa debit cards abroad. My partner is going to Canada in a couple of weeks - can he use his Nationwide Flexaccount visa debit card to withdraw cash from ATM's. Presumably he will need his normal pin number for this?

Yes, definitely. Although, it would probably be better if you use the Visa part of the debit card to buy things as much as possible - rather than just drawing out cash. That way you won't risk getting a charge by the machine owner for using a machine.

Galstonian

And you get a lot longer before you have to pay for things too...