Exchange rate of 1.86 if buy over £500!

[tazz23]

Just posting incase this helps anyone!
Thomson are offering a deal with american express on dollars, where if you exchange £500, you get $75 free. This works out to an exchange rate of 1.86.
They are promoting the new travellers cheque card, so the dollars are loaded on a credit/debit type card and you can only spend the amount that is on the card.. hope that makes sense?!

 

[florida sun]

Thank you for posting this Sounds a great deal, I have heard a lot of people are now using these cards.

 

[kristieuk]

Glad to hear they are doing another offer again. Will have to see about getting another card now....Thanks for posting this

 

[DebIreland]

Just posting incase this helps anyone!
Thomson are offering a deal with american express on dollars, where if you exchange £500, you get $75 free. This works out to an exchange rate of 1.86.
They are promoting the new travellers cheque card, so the dollars are loaded on a credit/debit type card and you can only spend the amount that is on the card.. hope that makes sense?!

I never quite understand the credit card foreign exchange offers. Is the card on offer a regular credit card? In other words, do you have to go through the usual process of applying for it with bank statements and a long application form etc. etc. OR is it a one off card for travelling? Does my question make any sense? lol!! In any case Thomson aren't here in Ireland but I've seen similar offers here regarding Visa and Mastercard and they confuse my little brain!

 

[wilma-bride]

I never quite understand the credit card foreign exchange offers. Is the card on offer a regular credit card? In other words, do you have to go through the usual process of applying for it with bank statements and a long application form etc. etc. OR is it a one off card for travelling? Does my question make any sense? lol!! In any case Thomson aren't here in Ireland but I've seen similar offers here regarding Visa and Mastercard and they confuse my little brain!

Deb, it's not a credit card. To be honest, it's not even a debit card. It is a Travellers Cheque card. The best way to describe it is, instead of having several bits of paper (travellers cheques) you have one card which has an amount of money 'pre-loaded' onto it. Every time you use it, that amount is deducted from the balance on the card.

HTH

 

[cazzie]

If you have one of these cards do you need to have ID on you when you use it?

 

[DebIreland]

Deb, it's not a credit card. To be honest, it's not even a debit card. It is a Travellers Cheque card. The best way to describe it is, instead of having several bits of paper (travellers cheques) you have one card which has an amount of money 'pre-loaded' onto it. Every time you use it, that amount is deducted from the balance on the card.

HTH

Oh wow! That sounds fabulous. I never even knew such things existed! I still have to fight off my natural instinct to just carry wads of cash around when I'm on holiday but this year I want to be sensible! Here's hoping some financial institution or other have a similar offer here at the moment! Thanks a million for the explanation.

 

[Ju]

Sounds a great idea, but anyone have any ideas if the card offers "cash back" or it can be used widely in the US, Disney parks etc. What I'd hate to do is get one and then not be able to use it in the parks.

Cheers

Ju

 

[stal]

So will i be able to use this in any shop i go into in the US?

 

[Miffy2003]

So will i be able to use this in any shop i go into in the US?

Any shop that takes TCs normally, yes. So the absolute vast majority of places will take them.

Ju - I think you can get cash out at machines but there is a charge - can anyone else confirm??

 

[wilma-bride]

Deb, try going to www.americanexpress.com a couple of weeks ago they were offering $75 free if you 'loaded' $1000

Ju, you can withdraw cash - it costs $2.50 a go but you can withdraw the equivalent of £250 a day. Karen is right, though, in that the majority of places take the TC card with no problems.

 

[Nubbedy]

Does anyone know if you can have more than one of these cards? I got one in September when Thomson had the offer on last and had free dollars with it, and wondered if I could get another one this time?

Alternatively, could DH get one, different name, same address?

Sara.

 

[squitty]

If you have one of these cards do you need to have ID on you when you use it?

No we didn't when we used ours.

 

[Hilary]

Where did you find the info about the extra $75?

I've looked at the Foreign Exchange section on Thomson's site, but there's no mention of the offer - have I missed it?

 

[tazz23]

Hilary- We just walked into our local Thomson store on Thursday afternoon and asked what their USA dollar rate was. She said the deal was on until the end of January but they may extend it into February.

I'd also be interested to know if you could buy more than one of these? I'd probably guess its one per household?

 

[BRobson]

First Choice travel agents are offering $100 free if you put $1000 on a card and $200 dollars if you put $2000 on a card. You can only purchase one per household but you can have an additional cardholder. The offer finishes 28th Feb.

Jackie

 

[wilma-bride]

No, you can definitely have more than one. Not sure whether they have to be in different names but Thomas Cook offered me and DH one each when we went to get ours so it must be possible.

 

[Nubbedy]

Will definitely send DH in to get one then, now all I have to do is find the money to put on it!

 

[wilma-bride]

From American Express website - you can definitely have more than one card as long as they are in different names.

How many Travellers Cheque Cards can I order?
You can choose:

to purchase a Card for yourself, with or without up to 3 Cards for Additional Cardholders; or
to purchase up to 3 Cards for Additional Cardholders only and not for yourself.
Additional Cards may be issued to persons you know and have designated and consider suitable to use the Card. Additional Cardholders must be aged 13 years or older and can be ordered for both friends and family. There is a minimum initial load of £200 (or equivalent) per Card and a total maximum load amount of £3000 (or equivalent) across all Cards, irrespective of currency and including Additional Cards. A person may only have one Travellers Cheque Card per currency issued in their name at a time. You will be responsible for all Cards that you purchase, this includes loading and reloading, any shortages and any applicable fees or charges.

 

[Julia Ann]

just looked on Thomson website, foreign exchange bit and it states that you can have 4 cards per application/household. There is no mention of the $75 offer so it just looks like in the shop only. We are going in october but after seeing this i am going to phone thomson tomorrow, presumably it can be done over the phone? Also i wonder if i get 2 cards one for me and one for DH of £500 on each ($845) we would both receive the $75 dollars or three cards with 2 in one name with $500 on each 3 lots of $75.... i expect the offer is $75 per household - i shall find out tomorrow and let you know, either way just $75 free sounds good to me and if the exchange then works out at 1.86 i don't think we will get better - thanks for post!