Has anyone used the new American Express Cards.?

Question

are they cheaper abroad than changing Cheques.e.g commision fees.i know there is a £1.50 charge on cash machines is there also a hidden charge on shop/bars

Answer 1

we had a nightmare with ours. They double charged us for every bill when we were in Rio. When we came to pay the hotel bill it was rejected- supposedly I had withdrawn everything and I knew I had at least £1000 still in it. Luckily we had other means and paid it. When we got back it took weeks to sort out. One customer services person we spoke to admitted this was happening with other people as well.

By the way the ATM transactions were ok- just when we used it as you would a credit card.

Answer 2

You will probably find that the exchange rate is widened, but the spread is much wider with cash.  If you were told about cash machine charge you would have been told about any fees per usage.  

Of course, it depends what currency you have on the card and where you are going.  if you have bought $ card and going to the US, you have already paid the spread on foreign exchange.

Answer 3

Went to the bank inquired about the AE cash cards,  so many hidden charges on the American Express Cash Cards, best to use a credit card or traveler's checks.

Answer 4

A LOT OF SHOPS DON'T LIKE TO ACCEPT THEM AS THEY PAY A SMALL FEE TO AMEX.THEY PREFER VISA,BUT IF YOU TELL THEM IT'S THE ONLY CARD YOU HAVE,THEY CHANGE THEIR TUNE.BUT YOU ONLY PAY THE PRICE YOU SEE.