# Least expensive ATM fees in Europe?



## KarenLK (Aug 9, 2015)

I have a Marriott Rewards Visa, Chase United Mileage Plus Explorer, AAdvantage Aviator and Delta Skymiles American Express. Which if any will have the lowest fees? The United card is the only one without a chip.


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## x3 skier (Aug 9, 2015)

Unless you have an ATM or other card from your bank or credit union, using the cards you mentioned will probably be treated as a cash advance at a horrible rate. 

I have three ATM / Debit cards from my various banks and they all charge 1% or thereabouts. 

Cheers


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## Passepartout (Aug 9, 2015)

What x3 said. DO NOT use any credit card to get cash. You will be charged the card's rate from day one as a cash advance. Use a debit card. You'll pay the local bank's ATM fee (usually 1.50 t0 2 euros). Your bank will charge you about the same, plus a 1.5% foreign transaction fee. If you have a Capitol One debit card, they don't charge the FTF. You can sidestep some of the charges by using the debit card and taking 'cash back' on top of the transaction, but most of us don't buy a lot of small items (or groceries) on a card in Europe.


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## Luanne (Aug 9, 2015)

My dd just got back from an extended trip to Europe. She was in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.  She said the Europeans are huge on using debit cards, not so much use of cash.  In fact she said in Sweden, especially Stockholm, it was considered very strange to use cash.  She found the fees to be less using the debit card directly for purchases than to use it to take cash out.


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## SMHarman (Aug 9, 2015)

Now if you pre load the credit card with cash then use it to pull cash from the atm it is not a cash advance.


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## KarenLK (Aug 9, 2015)

I called and my Delta Skymiles has no fees!


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## x3 skier (Aug 9, 2015)

KarenLK said:


> I called and my Delta Skymiles has no fees!



No fees when you use it to purchase something by using it as a credit card but huge fees if you withdraw cash from an ATM. It's two entirely different types of use. 

You asked in your original post about ATM's, not charging purchases. 

Cheers


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## Passepartout (Aug 9, 2015)

SMHarman said:


> Now if you pre load the credit card with cash then use it to pull cash from the atm it is not a cash advance.



I was not aware that a pre-loaded credit card would function as a debit card as long as you have a positive balance. This bears a call to the provider, 'cause it sounds fishy. Stay tuned, because this would eliminate the need for a debit card if true, and one pays off their CC balance monthly.

Jim


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## falmouth3 (Aug 9, 2015)

SMHarman said:


> Now if you pre load the credit card with cash then use it to pull cash from the atm it is not a cash advance.



This is what my bank told me as well.  If there is a cash balance on the card, there will not be any cash advance.

I ended up not withdrawing cash so I can't confirm if this is true or not.


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## meatsss (Aug 16, 2015)

Just got back from the UK and Ireland where we spent 2 weeks on vacation. We had notified our bank and Credit Card companies that we would be overseas  for these weeks, so they would not jump up right away and block the cards when transactions started coming in. I got 50 Pounds from an ATM at Heathrow when we landed just to have some cash. No ATM fee there , but the exchange rate was $1.77 per Pound. Ouch. 

I found that many of the banks offered no ATM fees and the best rate was at the Tube stops, at $1.68 per Pound. My bank charged $1.50 for each withdrawal, so I made sure to get 200 or 300 Pounds at a time to keep the fee cost as a percentage of the withdrawal low. 

We used cash most of the time, and when we had to use a card, we used the credit card with the chip. If there were an suspicious charges, they can be disputed. Not so much on a debit card. All of the restaurants bring the credit card machine to the table so you can see the transaction being handled. 

We made sure to use up most of our cash before we left the UK for Ireland and their Euro. 

If you do go from the UK to Ireland and plan to take some bus tours. Some of the tours go to Northern Ireland (The Giants Causeway for one) and you will need Pounds there.


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## Ken555 (Aug 16, 2015)

meatsss said:


> I got 50 Pounds from an ATM at Heathrow when we landed just to have some cash. No ATM fee there , but the exchange rate was $1.77 per Pound. Ouch.
> 
> [...]
> 
> ...




It sounds like you opted for the ATM to do the conversion rather than your own bank. To get the best conversion always decline this option and let the charge go through in the local currency, and your bank will then do the conversion (which will always be the least expensive option for you). Also, ATM fees in general can be waived by your bank for many...it all depends on what type of account you have at home - just be sure you're actually using a real bank ATM when abroad and not a speciality ATM at a venue (which can add extra fees).


Sent from my iPad


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## bellesgirl (Aug 16, 2015)

We have a Schwab debit card and a Capitol One debit card. Both have no fees and no FTF charges. But as Ken555 said, never allow the machine to convert currency for you! Always decline this.  I read that the ATMs at Heathrow are a rip off so I try to wait until I can get to a local ATM.  

Here is the article. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/...w-game-plan-for-airport-atms.html?id=21194088


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## bobpark56 (Aug 17, 2015)

*Stay in your debit card's network*

Before using a debit card at an ATM to get cash, be sure it's a *bank* ATM and that the bank belongs to the same network as the bank that issued your debit card. If you don't, you will be charged high exchange fees. 

If you stay in-network, your exchange fee will be as fair as any offered anywhere.

As I understand it, you must use a bank ATM if you want to stay in-network.


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## gresmi (Aug 20, 2015)

I have also been known to take cash with me and exchange at cambios recommended by the local friends you make on the ground. That's where you get the best rates.


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