Amex foreign spend charges on a BA reward card

[ajjones001@sky.com]

It seems strange that Amex have teamed with BA on a reward card that gives enhanced Aviva rewards on travel related spend and offers travel related companion vouchers yet charges foreign exchange fees…ie, when I travel!
I use the card to book my travel and, if possible, to pay for accommodation in advance but, if I can’t do that, I resort to my “grocery related” credit card to settle bills in non-sterling currencies with no exchange charges.
I believe that Amex does not charge US card holders in this way (happy to be corrected).
Maybe something BA/Amex could review for the £250 per year membership

[Rob]

Yes, that’s how it rolls.

Although comparing US cards (where shops pay 3% to accept Amex) to UK cards (where shops pay 0.3% to accept Amex) is not relevant.

The Virgin Atlantic UK cards are FX-free in the Eurozone but there are no UK travel rewards cards with 0% FX in the US, or indeed anywhere outside Europe.

Amex Gold and the HSBC cards offer double points for FX spend so your 3% is at least partially covered by the points. Amex Plat has no FX bonus.