fae

Have found that our credit card charges 3% foreign exchange rate for each transaction I charge.

Have found our ATM fees are covered by our checking account agreement. However, it addition to the ATM normal withdrawal fee, will there be another fee for withdrawing Canandian dollars in Cananda using a US bank's ATM card? That I have not figured out from reading posts here. Thanks.

LJ

Can't be specific about the reverse of our situation but with an Interac network transaction in the US (I am a Canadian) I pay $1.50. Therefore the fee works out, on a $500 withdrawal to less than .3% or 10% of your credit card fee.

bob_brown

I wish I could give you a definitive answer but the exchange game has been changing. For example, Bank of American charges $5.00 per card usage UNLESS the withdrawal is made at a branch of Scotia Bank, which is a partner bank. In the past, if I went to a bank ATM, I paid no extra charge other than the normal Visa 1% exchange fee.

If I went to a privately owned ATM, there was always a fee of $2.00 or more.
I found ATMs of those types around Lake Louise and the Icefields Parkway where there were no branch banks. Often these non-bank ATMs are either Cirrus or Plus but not both. That is, I was unable to use my ATM card at Lake Louise because it was the wrong type.

If you have traveler's checks, I found that they would be cashed at a bank for a fee. I recall I was in a branch of a major bank in Banff and the fees were posted.

I suggest you ditch the credit card, which sounds like Bank of America, and get one that does not charge that 3% fee. I got a Capital One card specifically for use outside of the US. I don't pay that ripoff fee.

toedtoes

I've used my Wamu ATM card and was normally charged $1.50 (usually) by the Canadian machine's bank PLUS the 3% foreign transaction fee PLUS the $2 charge for not using Wamu's ATM machine.

Now I'm using my credit union ATM card and pay $1.50 (usually) by the Canadian machine's bank PLUS the $1.25 charge by my credit union for not using their ATM machine. I only have to pay a foreign transaction fee of 1% if I go through the Visa or MC network - going through a bank ATM, there is no foreign transaction fee.

So basically, my credit union ATM costs no more than using it in the States.

fae

Judy suggested an ATM on way to Calgary but isn't there an ATM to use in the airport before we leave the airport? Found out our ATM will reimburse us for all other ATM fees as well as any foreign transaction fees.

Bob - thanks for the tip on Capital One card - I ordered a Capital One card today. Didn't want to carry around enough ATM cash to pay hotels, etc. Hopefully, it will get here before we leave on Aug. 6. Great suggestion, thanks again.

Judy_in_Calgary

>>>>>>Judy suggested an ATM on way to Calgary but isn't there an ATM to use in the airport before we leave the airport?<<<<<<

Yes, there are ATMs in the Calgary Airport complex.

I don't know when I mentioned ATMs on the way to Calgary. Also, I don't know whether I mentioned that to you or to another poster whose thread you read. Finally, I don't know the context in which I might have mentioned it.

Perhaps I was responding to someone who was going to be approaching from a different direction. Or perhaps I was responding to someone who was looking for an ATM that belonged to a specific bank and that was not available at the airport.