FX transaction fees when paying in foreign currency

[winfred]

I am about to purchase 2 tickets HKG-MEL-HKG on the QF HK website. The total cost is approximately HK$56k. The only payment option is to pay by credit card.

If I use my Amex Plat I will need to pay 3% FX fees which equates to A$237. I tried to find another card that I have (Citibank Plat Visa, ANZ FF Plat & Westpac Ignite) that won't charge me the FX conversion fee but they all seem to charge about the same.

Would anyone know of a way to avoid paying the fee?

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

about the only card i know that doesn't charge teh forex is the Wizard Advantage Mastercard. I'm not sure if you can still get it though.

I think the Westpac Earth card charges forex fees now.

 

[Flashback]

See here: Wizard Clear Advantage Mastercard

 

[Aussie_flyer]

NAB have Gold Banking that gives a FX free gold visa DEBIT card.

 

[auriga]

Wow, $237 in conversion fees just to buy two air tickets!

 

[serfty]

Wow, $237 in conversion fees just to buy two air tickets!

I recently purchase 2xLONE4 tickets ex AKL for NZD8280 the Amex fee was almost exactly AUD200 - MR points ~13,300. Those MR points I value at around AUD300.

 

[thewinchester]

NAB have Gold Banking that gives a FX free gold visa DEBIT card.

+1 for NAB's Gold Banking transactional account with Visa Debit if you have the funds/overdraft to pay for it. Recently saved me in the order of AUD60 in FX conversion fees while on holiday in Singapore last month.

Added advantage is there's no additional fees from NAB for using overseas ATM's, you'll still have to pay the ATM service charge levied by an operator if applicable. I've thankfully not come across any operators in Asia yet who levy those fees like we now have to suffer here. Thank you very much Glen Stevens and the RBA board, great way to screw things up for Australians.

While you will avoid all FX conversion fees with this NAB a/c, you're not going to earn any points from the transaction with this option if this is another consideration you've not mentioned.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Added advantage is there's no additional fees from NAB for using overseas ATM's, you'll still have to pay the ATM service charge levied by an operator if applicable. I've thankfully not come across any operators in Asia yet who levy those fees like we now have to suffer here. Thank you very much Glen Stevens and the RBA board, great way to screw things up for Australians.

Thailand have started with a 150 baht fee for foreign cards, almost every ATM has them now.

 

[Mal]

Thailand have started with a 150 baht fee for foreign cards, almost every ATM has them now.

There are still some holdouts - forums that specialise in Thai lifestyle/expats etc (like thaivisa.com) list them.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

There are still some holdouts - forums that specialise in Thai lifestyle/expats etc (like thaivisa.com) list them.

hehe yes i know about those, thats why I said almost. Unfortunately UOB started charging, i think AEON is one of the only other ones left, and perhaps Govt Savings bank. sometimes neither is convenient... anyway, thats another story