Alaska: Extra charge for Credit Cards, etc?
 

In Alaska, do you know if there's an extra charge added if payment is made with credit cards or traveller's checks?

No extra charges.

The ATMs work fine, too.

It is technically illegal for businesses to add a charge when they accept credit cards. Traveller's checks may be a different issue, but more than likely it will only be that places won't accept the TC's or you'll need to show 32 pieces of identification and leave a blood sample and finger prints!

I think it may depend on where you use your card. I seem to recall a relative saying there was an additional fee for the phone call at a remote gas station/convenience store that had to use a radio phone to process the credit card. We primarily visited areas most tourists go and did not pay any additional fees, however we did encounter one b&b that would only take cash.

Pay phones just about anywhere are outrageous when using a credit card.

ATMs charge fees in most places if the card is not affiliated with the owner of the ATM.

We did not have any additional charges on our credit cards in Alaska for lodging, food, etc, that you would not incur anywhere else in the US.

We no longer use traveler's checks.

Enjoy your trip! :)

Bayougal, I think you misunderstood the phone comment. Some places in Alaska only have radio phones. So when this person used a credit card to buy something, they got charged a fee for the radio phone call to get an authorization. I guess I understand that.

Sorry, Neo. I didn't even read the other posts, just listed what we've experienced ourselves with travels to Alaska and other places. Avoid using a charge card for pay phones if at all possible - I was shocked by our charge this past Sept in Wy. I'm not familiar with radio phones so couldn't help with that question, anyway.

I have heard that pay phones in airports are very expensive when charged to a credit card, and I know our last pay phone experience was exorbitant. If you need to use a pay phone, but sure to check.

Now I need to learn more about these radio phones. LoL

Sorry, I thought your phone comment related to the post above it.
Radio Phones are expensive -- and they exist simply because the place is out of range of any other kind of phone service. Those points are becoming very few and far between these days, even in Alaska.

NeoPatrick, your comment is interesting as when I first moved to where I live now I stopped at a gas station, filled up my vehicle and used my credit card (like the FF miles). Found out that this station charged 50 cents if the customer used a credit card to pay for gas or anthing. I complained and they told me they had a notice sign by the pumps. I never went back to that station. I never thought about an extra charge being illegal. I should check them out just out of curiosity to see if they still have this charge.

I don't think it's actually against the law, but rather, it violates the credit card merchant agreement - as a merchant, you have to sign that you will not charge a fee, and you will not deny use of a cc no matter how small the transaction.
The way around it, (as LoveItaly has seen with gas stations) is to post a price, then discount that price for cash payment. The cc company would have to agree to that.

And we've all seen those little cardboard signs in mom-and-pop shops "$10 minimum for credit card purchases". That's a violation of their agreement...problem is, not many folks will go to the trouble of finding out who their cc processor is, in order to report them, especially with an independent operator.

There is a law, but I'm not sure if it's a California law or the Federal law - the businesses cannot charge additional for paying with a credit card.

To get around it, some businesses advertise discount for customers paying cash.

Traveler's checks if issued in the US and accepted by the business, same as cash. If a foreign TC even in the US currency, may be refused.

Joan is correct. Not technically illegal, but does violate contract with card issuer. Unfortunately, most employees you deal with don't know/understand/give a hoot about this.