This is a general question, I know, and it doesn't have much to do specifically with airlines...

But I'm wondering, after being charged "conversion fees" by my CC company, what's the most effcient and cheapest way to pay abroad? One way is to use the ATM card to get local cash (at a certain conversion rate, of course). Or is a Credit card the best, even if there is a fee involved?

We have found the best rates paying with our debit card, and using the ATM for walking around money.

So you say using Debit cards is less expensive than using a Credit card?

I hate Debit cards, in general... And find them less secure...

Yes, I mean our debit, not credit card.

Why do think they're less secure? I work for a bank, and my husband works for a computer software company in the financial arena, and neither one of us has heard that.

I noticed that a lot of people in restaurants in France were paying with a debit card, I think. The waiter brought a small handheld device to the table (like rental cars use at the return), they slid the card, and then the customer typed in a pin.

I guess some credit cards could have a pin, but it looked like a debit card.

A debit card that can be used without a PIN is not very secure, since if you lose it someone could empty your bank account without you even knowing. Though your bank will probably restore the stolen funds, it is a big inconvenience to have to take care of the problem from five timezones away. An ATM-only card or a signature debit card with a very low point-of-sale limit (and high ATM withdrawal limit)is much safer.

The point of my question was, what's less expensive as far as EXCHANGE RATE + FEES...

CC companies charge both... Is using a Debit or ATM card involve a fee also? And is the exchange rate comparable to CC usage? Or do they charge a higher conversion rate to compensate...

At an ATM the rate of exchange is about 1% over the official/interbank rate. This 1% goes to the international exchance system. Your bank can tack on any amount it thinks it can get away with.

The European bank charges nothing for your use of its ATM, so the only per-use fee is the one set by your bank -- could be anywhere between zero and $5.

We were not charged any fees for using our debit card.

Our bank refunds any fees from using ATMs from other banks.