Overseas ATM charges

NoodleDoodleMan

AFAIK, only Santander Select current account debit cards are fee free at Santander branded ATMs in the USA (and a few other countries) - but not any other type of their debit cards, the latter are only fee free in Spain, including the Balerics, and the Canaries, again only at their holes in the wall.

The Select account has one major drawback for the average punter - it needs a minimum £5 grand paid in each month, although if you have that in savings in an external bank you can do a same day standing order deposit and withdrawal crossover exchange between accounts.

The Barclaycard you mention is excellent for ATMs which do not add on their own operator fee - however. as Barclays correctly say, they (like all other UK banks) have no contol over that. Requires a bit of local intelligence gathering to know which ATMs do and don't.

londoninvestor

NoodleDoodleMan wrote: »

AFAIK, only Santander Select current account debit cards are fee free at Santander branded ATMs in the USA (and a few other countries) - but not any other type of their debit cards, the latter are only fee free in Spain, including the Balerics, and the Canaries, again only at their holes in the wall.

The Select account has one major drawback for the average punter - it needs a minimum £5 grand paid in each month, although if you have that in savings in an external bank you can do a same day standing order deposit and withdrawal crossover exchange between accounts.

The Barclaycard you mention is excellent for ATMs which do not add on their own operator fee - however. as Barclays correctly say, they (like all other UK banks) have no contol over that. Requires a bit of local intelligence gathering to know which ATMs do and don't.

I think that's right re Santander debit cards, but for anyone for whom a credit card is an option, Santander Zero is a useful one - and I know from experience this summer that it's free in Santander US ATMs.

Ballard

I had the same issue in Chile last year and The Philippines this year must be a Peso thing!). There's nothing that you can do to avoid it apart from paying by card as often as possible. It's still cheaper than exchanging cash so it didn't bother me.

jpolden

Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm off to Phoenix and will check out BoA ATMs with my Barclaycard. I don't think WAWA or Santander operate there. As many say, it's best to use credit cards rather than cash!

NoodleDoodleMan

I don't think WAWA or Santander operate there.

Santander only operates in the North Eastern part of the USA at this time, so you are correct, no ATMs down in Arizona, or anywhere nearby !!!

That apart, you need a Santander Select debit card to avoid fees there, and that has a significant practical obstacle of requiring a minimum £5000 monthly deposit to remain active.

stevenhp1987

NoodleDoodleMan wrote: »

AFAIK, only Santander Select current account debit cards are fee free at Santander branded ATMs in the USA (and a few other countries) - but not any other type of their debit cards, the latter are only fee free in Spain, including the Balerics, and the Canaries, again only at their holes in the wall.

The Select account has one major drawback for the average punter - it needs a minimum £5 grand paid in each month, although if you have that in savings in an external bank you can do a same day standing order deposit and withdrawal crossover exchange between accounts.

The Barclaycard you mention is excellent for ATMs which do not add on their own operator fee - however. as Barclays correctly say, they (like all other UK banks) have no contol over that. Requires a bit of local intelligence gathering to know which ATMs do and don't.

I have a Santander Select card... the ATM charges anyways (Newport Jersey City, NJ - August 2018). Had to call Santander and keep the receipts in order to get them refunded, which they did begrudgingly as a "one-off"!

Asked in-branch while I was out there and they said nothing they could do, and to call UK Santander to be re-imbursed!

NoodleDoodleMan

I have a Santander Select card... the ATM charges anyways (Newport Jersey City, NJ - August 2018). Had to call Santander and keep the receipts in order to get them refunded, which they did begrudgingly as a "one-off"!

Perhaps worth taking that up with Santander and asking them to explain why their official UK website description of the Select account clearly states that the USA is one of the countries in which there are no fees at a Santander branded ATM - and why your refund was a one off gesture ?

https://www.santander.co.uk/uk/select/products/select-current-account?icid=shp-r1_t2-Select%20Current%20Account-0718

"Cash withdrawal in a foreign currency outside the UK: we’ll waive the 2.75% foreign exchange fee and £1.99/1.5% cash handling fee when you use Santander-branded cash machines in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, USA, Brazil and Poland. Please choose the option to transact in the local currency to avoid being charged fees"

I had a similar(ish) issue a few months back using my Everyday account debit card at a Santander ATM in the Balearics and had to push them to refund the fee - after several requests to have them clarify the failing they came back and said they were unable to explain the reason.

A bank that can't advise why their publicised benefits are not forthcoming - that fills the customers with confidence !!!