american express travellers cheque card

[paulh]

the cost of getting the card is factored into the original rate they are oofing you before they give you the " FREE MONEY" dont forget the pound might go up as well as down.if you are going later in year will the intrest lost make upfor the differance (no such thing as a free meal!)
Paulh

 

[Amyrlin]

Does anyone know if this offer has an ending date?

 

[kristieuk]

I don't think so - the last time they did it, around Sept / Oct time, they kept extending it, with no official end date - we were told by Thomas Cook that there were so many free $, and once they were all taken, the offer would end. It ended just before Christmas, but on a random day (ie without much warning as I understand), and then started again a couple of weeks ago.

There is a similar offer on the Amex website (but $75 free with $1000 card or reload) - and that has no end date either - it's being promoted as a 'limited time offer'.

Sorry that that is no help at to you at all!

 

[kizzy212]

off to the travel agents this morning will let you know what deals i can find and buy

 

[jtlover]

I rang Thomas Cook for thing. It is a really good deal. I am going to get the 2,000 dollars and then you get 250 dollars activated on the card about 5 days later. There is an admin fee of £15 but that still gives you about £135 on exchange rates they are offering. It is almost too good to be true - but I am not going to turn down that!

 

[alisonbestford]

I bought one last week from TC with the free $250

The offer was still on yesterday in Sheffield.
I was told that the card cost £7.50 but, with the free dollars, I'm certainly not going to complain

 

[Deedee]

Hi Kizzy we have been told they are eventually doing away with cheques so we will have to use the card all the time. If you go into the bottom thomson(the one by M&S) go and ask for Danielle she will explain everything she is brill. When are you going sept we fly 21st sept - 5th oct

 

[Twinks]

Both DH and myself did this for our Christmas trip. Got the free $50.00 on each card and the great exchange rate. We used them all the time without problem. We were told that this card will replace the paper travellers cheques

 

[kizzy212]

hello everyone

just got back from my doller dealings.

the deal at thomsons is $1.81 plus $50 free

the deal at thomas cook is $1.68 plus $250 free (only when buying $2000)

thomas cook say there deal in there shop is only on till weekend..

so which one is the better deal?????

 

[kizzy212]

dee dee we are going 2nd sept with thomson. i would noot travel with anyone else. we got stuck in orlando 2004 when hurricane frances struck and i have never known such helpful people. we was left meesages, paper messeges, personally mesenges push through door of hotel
phone calls, every question we thought of the answer was there. our hotel was booked for the extra 3 nights without cost, they sorted our car etc everything.

without slating any other company off as i know they all have pro's and con's we did notice a lot of companies telling the customers after planes cancelled that they would have to find accomdation thereselfs having to pay for it themselves and claim back on insurance. and to top it off some were beeing told they had to go to shelters.

thomson were with us all the while. they have a big shop on international drive where you just walk in. plus when arriving home we had big cheque for the delay. and we didnt even have thomsons insurances

so as you can see we are going 1 week later this year to hopefully avoid the hurricanes

 

[Woodge]

Hi all,

My wife and I both had cards from last year. Can we get new ones to take advantage of the free money or do we have to load up our originals.

Thanks

 

[alisonbestford]

I'd guess it's worth asking but I think they're valid for 3 years

I've seen where you can 'load' them with cash, online, though and get 'free' money back - is it $75 for $1000?

 

[kristieuk]

I'd guess it's worth asking but I think they're valid for 3 years

I've seen where you can 'load' them with cash, online, though and get 'free' money back - is it $75 for $1000?

On the American Express website, if you reloaded an existing card with $1000, you got $75 free - but I just went to the site to check the link, and it's not there now : (

 

[kristieuk]

hello everyone

just got back from my doller dealings.

the deal at thomsons is $1.81 plus $50 free

the deal at thomas cook is $1.68 plus $250 free (only when buying $2000)

thomas cook say there deal in there shop is only on till weekend..

so which one is the better deal?????

If my maths is any good, the Thomsons deal would cost you £1104.97 for $2050.00 (giving an effective rate of £1.855.)

The Thomas Cook deal would cost you £1190.48 for $2250.00 (giving you an effective rate of £1.889)

Basically, the Thomas Cook deal is better value, as long as you are happy to spend the extra £85 or so - you would effectively get an other $200 for that.

Does that make any sense??!!

 

[kristieuk]

But just to clarify - that's for buying $2000. How many $ did you have to buy from Thomson's to get $50 free? If it's less than $2000, then that could be the better deal - unless you wanted to buy $2000 on one card, and only had 'one lot' of free $50.

 

[kizzy212]

kirstie - thats great looks like the thomas cook one then,

i am buying the thomsons was based on $2000

so thomsons just get you intrested by the wacking $1.81 thought it was to good to be true....

again thanks for all your help..... everyone

 

[mark&sue]

If it only lasts for three years. Would it not be better to just get another card rather than loading as it will last for another three years. The travel agent told me three years and this confused me. I have travelers cheques which I never dated so these last longer. I will try to us these up now I know they are going to be terminated and use the card.

I wonder where this 3 year expiry date comes from?



Susan

 

[Amyrlin]

This is from memory so I may be wrong. The card is valid for 3 years, but at the end of three years if there is a balance they will be happy to transfer it to a new card.

 

[Travelbug12]

Just some information on the American Express Check cards as I used one last year. They are closer to traveler's checks then American Express cards and really honored almost anywhere. Some interesting trivia though which will not affect you, they work like debit cards. That means that if they are authorized for a sale (like a rental car) it is slow to get your money back when the funds are released. So several hotels were reluctant to take it because they said some of my money would be frozen. I had enough money to cover it and insisted they use the card. I had no problem it did take quite a few days to get the refund. One hotel was nice enough not to take a bigger deposit than my room rate. As you have paid for your trip already this will not be a problem. You could even use it for your incidentals but remember you won't get your leftover money back right away. As everyone has said, in the end a lot more safer than cash, and I went so far as to use it as an ATM card and it worked everywhere.

 

[marv]

Just a warning when re-loading your Amex card. I tried on line with Amex today to reload, they gave a 170.4 rate i couldn,t do this. So i contacted first choice where i purchased the card they told me their excahnge rate was 1.65. I told them what the ex- change rate was with Amex and they came back to me with a rate of 169.
I called Amex and loaded on the phone with their 170.04 rate and recived $1704 dollars for £1000.
I wont be loading at the travel agents again i will just ring Amex and do it with them over the phone.

Just thought this may be helpful information for any one with a Amex card.

Marv