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Banking Credit Card real-world rate "MEP" transaction repo (Dec2023)

AmericanExpress update from this week: i have never used an AmEx in Argentina because i heard it was terrible here (but maybe posts the correct MEP amount after a long delay?), but a family member visiting me used an AmEx credit card with no foreign transaction fees (Gold Delta American Express) and the rate it gave was 923 when it should be around 1212! (basically everything is 25% more expensive)

anyone know the current situation on AmEx credit cards in July 2024...anything changed? still advisable to just use Visa/MasterCard?

IIRC, @StatusNomadicus it charges initially at the official rate but then 7-10 days later you should see the MEP difference credit. I haven't used an AMEX lately but a few months ago that's what it did for me. Got about the same rate as MC/Visa.
 
IIRC, @StatusNomadicus it charges initially at the official rate but then 7-10 days later you should see the MEP difference credit. I haven't used an AMEX lately but a few months ago that's what it did for me. Got about the same rate as MC/Visa.
I asked my friend and she said she has been using her MC, Visa and American Express. She said the AMEX takes up to 2 weeks to credit back. But she does get it back but not sure what the exchange rate is. She said very close to the MEP rate like the other cards.
 
AmericanExpress update from this week: i have never used an AmEx in Argentina because i heard it was terrible here (but maybe posts the correct MEP amount after a long delay?), but a family member visiting me used an AmEx credit card with no foreign transaction fees (Gold Delta American Express) and the rate it gave was 923 when it should be around 1212! (basically everything is 25% more expensive)

anyone know the current situation on AmEx credit cards in July 2024...anything changed? still advisable to just use Visa/MasterCard?

@StatusNomadicus did you ever get the refund from AMEX? I charged a charge about 2 weeks ago and still didn't get the refund back for MEP rate. Does anyone know how long this takes to get the difference back?
 
@StatusNomadicus did you ever get the refund from AMEX? I charged a charge about 2 weeks ago and still didn't get the refund back for MEP rate. Does anyone know how long this takes to get the difference back?
It can take up to 1 month. A friend was here last month and she used her AMEX card. It never used to take this long but she said some of her charges took close to 1 month to get the refund back but she did get it on all her charges. Probably easier just to use a no fee Visa or Mastercard so you get it back ASAP.
 
@StatusNomadicus did you ever get the refund from AMEX? I charged a charge about 2 weeks ago and still didn't get the refund back for MEP rate. Does anyone know how long this takes to get the difference back?
Something changed because I was getting back AMEX refunds fairly quickly but a few months ago it started taking longer. I'm not sure what changed. When I stopped getting it back asap I switched to my Visa card. It took about 4 weeks to see the AMEX refunds but they did come through.
 
Something changed because I was getting back AMEX refunds fairly quickly but a few months ago it started taking longer. I'm not sure what changed. When I stopped getting it back asap I switched to my Visa card. It took about 4 weeks to see the AMEX refunds but they did come through.
I use my AMEX once in a while and it usually takes about 10 days to get the rebate. Sometimes as much as 15 days but none of mine have taken longer than that. But they have always come through ok.
 
I use my AMEX once in a while and it usually takes about 10 days to get the rebate. Sometimes as much as 15 days but none of mine have taken longer than that. But they have always come through ok.
Yeah I used my AMEX card a few times and I was worried at first that the MEP rate wouldn't come through. Some of my charges took almost 2 weeks to come through.
 
Yes, AMEX always takes longer. I usually just use my MC or Visa but a few times I use AMEX and it takes around 10 days for the credit to hit. But it always has hit.
Does anyone know why AMEX doesn't process the same way as Mastercard or Visa? I just saw this forex exchange URL that includes MC and Visa but not Amex.

 
@StatusNomadicus did you ever get the refund from AMEX? I charged a charge about 2 weeks ago and still didn't get the refund back for MEP rate. Does anyone know how long this takes to get the difference back?
i was testing with my father-in-law's card, so i never went back and checked, but i do want to. can you update me on yours??

why AMEX doesn't process the same way as Mastercard or Visa?
why do they limit bonus spending offers to once in a lifetime, unlike other cards that i have "churned" for a decade? (United Visa, American Mastercard, etc.)

another reason why AmEx is garbage and i try to not use them
 
i was testing with my father-in-law's card, so i never went back and checked, but i do want to. can you update me on yours??


why do they limit bonus spending offers to once in a lifetime, unlike other cards that i have "churned" for a decade? (United Visa, American Mastercard, etc.)

another reason why AmEx is garbage and i try to not use them
I used an Amex card as I got a signup bonus so I was using it lately. It has taken about 10 days sometimes to get the credit back. Amex seems to be picky on once in a lifetime bonuses. I don't churn cards too much but I will probably do it more once I move back to the USA. It was too difficult getting cards here in Argentina. I used to play the miles and points game.
 
I used an Amex card as I got a signup bonus so I was using it lately. It has taken about 10 days sometimes to get the credit back. Amex seems to be picky on once in a lifetime bonuses. I don't churn cards too much but I will probably do it more once I move back to the USA. It was too difficult getting cards here in Argentina. I used to play the miles and points game.
for anyone wanting to get some Delta miles or other things that Vince is talking about, i have been surprised when meeting some Expats who don't "Churn" regularly:


the big companies will try to make you think it's wrong or against policies. it is not...just lay low and be smart. THEY are the ones offering incentives and making arbitrary timelines and limits. i just follow the numbers and dates they provide. recently AmEx and Delta had an 80,000 mile bonus for spending 3000 USD in 6 months. fantastic!

i took an American Airlines flight and applied for a card in-cabin to get 60,000 AA miles just for paying the $99 annual fee and making one purchase (even a dollar). i used that to fly my father-in-law to Chile and back, which probably saved $600 USD if not more. when i fly back to the USA next, i'll hunt for dates that are 25k AA miles to get from SCL or EZE to the States one-way, which would save me many hundreds of dollars :)

 
i took an American Airlines flight and applied for a card in-cabin to get 60,000 AA miles just for paying the $99 annual fee and making one purchase (even a dollar). i used that to fly my father-in-law to Chile and back, which probably saved $600 USD if not more. when i fly back to the USA next, i'll hunt for dates that are 25k AA miles to get from SCL or EZE to the States one-way, which would save me many hundreds of dollars :)
I did that same offer on my flight down here last year. I also get my mom and dad to sign up for me and get their miles too. I just cancel the card after I get the points after the year is up. Great savings.
 
for anyone wanting to get some Delta miles or other things that Vince is talking about, i have been surprised when meeting some Expats who don't "Churn" regularly:


the big companies will try to make you think it's wrong or against policies. it is not...just lay low and be smart. THEY are the ones offering incentives and making arbitrary timelines and limits. i just follow the numbers and dates they provide. recently AmEx and Delta had an 80,000 mile bonus for spending 3000 USD in 6 months. fantastic!

i took an American Airlines flight and applied for a card in-cabin to get 60,000 AA miles just for paying the $99 annual fee and making one purchase (even a dollar). i used that to fly my father-in-law to Chile and back, which probably saved $600 USD if not more. when i fly back to the USA next, i'll hunt for dates that are 25k AA miles to get from SCL or EZE to the States one-way, which would save me many hundreds of dollars :)

Wow I wish we could get these deals in Argentina. That is a lot of points.
 
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