Trip to New York
- Thread starter Casdawer
- Start date
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
I'll take Delta over Virgin any day. Virgin America are ok, Atlantic? No thanks!
Virgin Atlantic to NY are excellent
Decent IFE, decent planes? With Delta its total pot luck, might even end up on a 767 with no IFE?
I'll agree with what Fox is saying on credit cards, virtually every where takes them, even for what we'd consider minuscule amounts. The last time I was in the US for 3 weeks I took $200 cash and brought back $180, the $20 was used for tips everything else went on the credit card.
I didn't have the benefit of 0% on foreign purchases, but I only got charged 0.5%, which due to getting commercial rate on purchases still made it financially better than taking loads of cash.
I didn't have the benefit of 0% on foreign purchases, but I only got charged 0.5%, which due to getting commercial rate on purchases still made it financially better than taking loads of cash.
Ha! It surprised me the first time I went when I saw someone buying a 75c bottle of water on their card so I thought if that's how they all do it, I won't bother with much cash.
It's worth taking some for tips (something I hate but you have to do and that's a different story)
Oh and have a great time, the 24 hours I spent in transit through New York was awesome and that wasn't even a holiday!
It's worth taking some for tips (something I hate but you have to do and that's a different story)
Oh and have a great time, the 24 hours I spent in transit through New York was awesome and that wasn't even a holiday!
Might need to get this card then !
Closed to new applications so get a Halifax clarity instead. Same deal.
No they don't. They probably use the same base rate as Mastercard and Visa but all of their cards add a 2.99% loading unlike Halifax Clarity or the Post Office Mastercard.
Just to illustrate - two transactions settled on the same day (26th April) would cost:
Halifax Clarity: $100 = £61.74 (£1 = $1.619701 from here)
Any Amex issued card: $100 = £64.04 (£1 = $1.608 + their 2.99% fee from Amex's calculator)
Obviously the difference varies depending on the date but spend $1000 and you'd be £23 better off with a Halifax Clarity card over an Amex card
The rate itself is good, but it's then loaded with a fee and a percentage on top of the rate. So the published rate is good but isn't what you end up paying.
Oh, the rates you get even with the loading will be better than exchanging cash, but Amex (and MBNA) do charge you a 2.99% loading fee for transactions not in £. The absolute best way is to use a no loading card like Halifax Clarity.
So, only 7 days left till I fly out!
So, the GF and I have decided that we will split the cash & card 50/50.
The reasoning behind this is -
a) Credit Card gets blocked when I'm out there.
b) Credit Card gets stolen
I believe this is the best option but I would like to hear your thoughts on this!
So, the GF and I have decided that we will split the cash & card 50/50.
The reasoning behind this is -
a) Credit Card gets blocked when I'm out there.
b) Credit Card gets stolen
I believe this is the best option but I would like to hear your thoughts on this!
So, only 7 days left till I fly out!
So, the GF and I have decided that we will split the cash & card 50/50.
The reasoning behind this is -
a) Credit Card gets blocked when I'm out there.
b) Credit Card gets stolen
I believe this is the best option but I would like to hear your thoughts on this!
I've never had my card blocked when abroad - ring ahead and tell them you're going. If they do block it, you can always call and get it unblocked. Better still, take two or more so you have other options!
Surely cash is far more likely to get lost or stolen than a credit card, and the difference is that cash isn't replaceable but a credit card is.
Take some cash, but 50/50 seems stupid.