Best Credit Card to use in Europe
Sep 10th, 2007, 05:43 AM
#41
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,420
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Also, at last check my USAA Mastercard did not charge the 3% markup. I haven't checked lately, but you might want to if you have a card. (And they still seem to have real humans on the phone and decent customer service)
Sep 11th, 2007, 11:32 AM
#42
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes B of A is great for debit cash withdrawls at BNP in France and Scotia Bank in Canada for no ATM fee and a good conversion rate.Amex for hotels etc charges 2% foreigh transaction fee but I do like the points. I may consider getting a Capital One for Europe if there is really no fee.
Sep 12th, 2007, 06:37 AM
#43
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
But, if you use BofA as your ATM card at any bank other than those (i.e. if you are in any other country), then they charge you ridiculous amounts --- I believe they charge you 2% transaction fee, plus the regular 5 Euro ATM fee, plus a small conversion (I think it is $1 or $2). Fortune had an article about six months ago listing the best and worst cards and banks for travel, and BofA was listed as the worst bank to use in foreign travel. Wachovia is supposed to be pretty good for international ATMs.
For our credit card, we use Capital One miles card and there are no fees charged.
For our credit card, we use Capital One miles card and there are no fees charged.
Sep 12th, 2007, 07:05 AM
#44
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
akila, before you say "then they charge you ridiculous amounts --- I believe they charge you 2% transaction fee, plus the regular 5 Euro ATM fee, plus a small conversion (I think it is $1 or $2), please check your facts.
They will charge you 1% currency fee, plus $5 transaction fee. Period. This is very similar to the vast majority of bank ATM cards.
Once again, I think you might be confusing a BofA CREDIT CARD with their ATM card.
Meanwhile you didn't mention what ATM card you use and what their fees are?
They will charge you 1% currency fee, plus $5 transaction fee. Period. This is very similar to the vast majority of bank ATM cards.
Once again, I think you might be confusing a BofA CREDIT CARD with their ATM card.
Meanwhile you didn't mention what ATM card you use and what their fees are?
Sep 13th, 2007, 07:48 AM
#45
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
NeoPatrick:
We use Bank of America as our ATM card when we are traveling abroad, which is why I said that they charge ridiculous amounts. We do not use their credit card for ATM amounts. BofA charged us a 2% conversion fee (not 1%) and a $5 transaction fee, plus the sponsoring ATM will charge you a several Euro fee for using their ATM. Perhaps they charged us more because we used a Check Card rather than a regular ATM card, but those are the facts.
Because of their rates, I am switching to a different bank solely for travel. Wachovia has also increased their rates and is now charging a 1% conversion fee. It appears that Fidelity has a SmartChecking program that avoids even the 1% conversion fee, and you only get hit with a $1 transaction charge.
We use Bank of America as our ATM card when we are traveling abroad, which is why I said that they charge ridiculous amounts. We do not use their credit card for ATM amounts. BofA charged us a 2% conversion fee (not 1%) and a $5 transaction fee, plus the sponsoring ATM will charge you a several Euro fee for using their ATM. Perhaps they charged us more because we used a Check Card rather than a regular ATM card, but those are the facts.
Because of their rates, I am switching to a different bank solely for travel. Wachovia has also increased their rates and is now charging a 1% conversion fee. It appears that Fidelity has a SmartChecking program that avoids even the 1% conversion fee, and you only get hit with a $1 transaction charge.
Sep 13th, 2007, 08:01 AM
#46
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
akla, either you are confused or two major errors were made on your account.
First of all NO European bank ATM will charge a penny for withdrawing from an ATM -- period. If you withdrew from a non bank one like at a convenience store, then yes you might be charged -- but NOT from any bank ATM. Period.
Secondly, BofA clearly adds a 1 percent conversion charge to the XE daily rate. If they added 2% on yours, they made a major mistake and you should have gone in to them and protested. Or else they simply don't like you (LOL)? I did about 15 ATM withdrawals in Europe this summer alone and I can assure you all were exactly 1% above the daily XE rates. And yes, mine is a BofA check card also.
First of all NO European bank ATM will charge a penny for withdrawing from an ATM -- period. If you withdrew from a non bank one like at a convenience store, then yes you might be charged -- but NOT from any bank ATM. Period.
Secondly, BofA clearly adds a 1 percent conversion charge to the XE daily rate. If they added 2% on yours, they made a major mistake and you should have gone in to them and protested. Or else they simply don't like you (LOL)? I did about 15 ATM withdrawals in Europe this summer alone and I can assure you all were exactly 1% above the daily XE rates. And yes, mine is a BofA check card also.
Sep 14th, 2007, 04:51 PM
#47
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One thing I didn't see mentioned amongst all the talk of rates- customer service. Amex is, in my experince, the best one if you lose a card. I had an unfortunate experience where I lost my purse one night (I was young and distracted). I canceled all my cards immediately and only Amex came right through for me with a replacement the next morning.
My purse and all it's contents were returned to me (God Bless honest souls) but I could only use the new Amex.
I always bring them with a low rate card too.
My purse and all it's contents were returned to me (God Bless honest souls) but I could only use the new Amex.
I always bring them with a low rate card too.
Sep 14th, 2007, 05:02 PM
#48
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That's particularly interesting, havepassport. We were leaving for New York once for two nights on our way to Europe when in the morning discovered my partner's BofA ATM card was missing. We could only assume that when we used it at the branch at home the night before it was left in the machine (which at that time did not beep when you do that). We flew to New York as the bank wasn't even open yet and called them and they send a new card to our hotel over night -- we had it in less than 24 hours.
Another time my partner lost his wallet in New York. This time we were there for a month, but called and cancelled and reordered all credit cards. The Citibank Visa and the BofA ATM card both came the next day. The American Express Card took about a week. (But it ended up we found his wallet IN the apartment after all).
Another time my partner lost his wallet in New York. This time we were there for a month, but called and cancelled and reordered all credit cards. The Citibank Visa and the BofA ATM card both came the next day. The American Express Card took about a week. (But it ended up we found his wallet IN the apartment after all).
Sep 18th, 2007, 07:53 AM
#50
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Job, I hate to tell you this but you talked to a person at BofA who doesn't know what he or she is talking about. (And frankly that is not unusual -- I once had a BofA person insist that if I put my BofA ATM card in any Italian ATM, I'd get US DOLLARS!) That no fee thing would have been true about two years ago, but since then they have changed their rules. I can assure you there WILL be a fee added at DeutscheBank or BNP in Italy. The DeutscheBank waiver of fee thing is only good in Germany. I don't know about Citibank or Bank Anotonia. I'm not sure I've ever even seen either one in Italy-- but if the BofA rep was wrong on the first two (and he/she was), my guess he/she was also wrong on the second two.
Sep 18th, 2007, 08:13 AM
#52
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes. I always speak the truth, and like to clear up mistakes.
Did your rep at BofA withdraw funds at one of those banks and NOT get charged this summer? I withdrew funds at them and DID get charged. I suspect experience counts more than some employee making outdated guesses at policy.
Did your rep at BofA withdraw funds at one of those banks and NOT get charged this summer? I withdrew funds at them and DID get charged. I suspect experience counts more than some employee making outdated guesses at policy.
Sep 18th, 2007, 08:15 AM
#53
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nobody's mentioned credit union credit cards. No 3% charge on those, just the usual 1%. Capital One is better, no 1%, but it might be quicker to get a credit card from your local credit union.
I've used my credit union credit and ATM cards all over Europe.
I've used my credit union credit and ATM cards all over Europe.
Jul 13th, 2010, 10:11 AM
#58
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is a little different but...
ATM machines in the US typically ask you whether a withdrawal is to be made from your savings or checking account. Not so in France where it is assumed that you are withdrawing from a checking account. We learned this the hard way at CDG when our ATM card from BoA (where we had only a savings account) kept being rejected. We then tried the ATM card from our Credit Union, where we had both savings and checking, it worked. I forget how we finally discovered what was going on, but we had little money in Checking and had a devil of a time on the phone with the Credit Union trying to get them to shift money from Savings into Checking.
ATM machines in the US typically ask you whether a withdrawal is to be made from your savings or checking account. Not so in France where it is assumed that you are withdrawing from a checking account. We learned this the hard way at CDG when our ATM card from BoA (where we had only a savings account) kept being rejected. We then tried the ATM card from our Credit Union, where we had both savings and checking, it worked. I forget how we finally discovered what was going on, but we had little money in Checking and had a devil of a time on the phone with the Credit Union trying to get them to shift money from Savings into Checking.
Jul 13th, 2010, 10:36 AM
#60
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,017
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
After decades, the national card "EC" has been merged with Maestro operated by Mastercard years ago. You "Maestro" debit card will work in Germany like it were the "national card". But there may be additional fees from your US bank.
