Can I Purchase Travelers Checks With My American Express Card?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

At time of publication, American Express is the only source for obtaining traveler’s checks online.

Purchase traveler’s checks online by using your American Express Membership Reward Points and converting the points into traveler’s checks or with your American Express card

.

Where do I get Travellers Cheques?


Most bank branches sell travelers checks, and some banks, such as Bank of America, sell them online

. Try a pre-paid card. Travelers can purchase pre-loaded cash cards in the currency of the country that they’re traveling to in many major cities.

Are American Express Travelers Checks still good?


Travelers Cheques do not expire

. Unused Travelers Cheques can be used for future trips.

Can I cash old American Express Travelers Checks?

Traveler’s checks never expire, so if you have some that are unused,

you should be able to cash them at home, in your home currency

.

Can I deposit a travelers check in my bank?

We have learned

all major banks including BofA will let you deposit uncashed traveler’s checks that are in your name into your account

. Most banks like Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, no longer issue traveler’s checks, and many merchants will not honor them.

What replaced travelers checks?

If your traveler’s check is lost or stolen it can readily be replaced. Once widely used, traveler’s checks have largely been supplanted today by

prepaid debit cards and credit cards

.

Is American Express discontinuing travelers checks?


American Express (AMEX) has announced that it will no longer sell Travelers Cheques and Gift Cheques

. Effective December 31, 2020, UHFCU will no longer provide these products.

What are the disadvantages of using travelers checks?

Traveler’s checks are

expensive and time consuming for merchants to process, and they carry an inherent security risk due to a thriving black market

. Some merchants, particularly local small businesses, simply refuse to shoulder the burden of accepting traveler’s checks.

Does the post office cash Travellers Cheques?

Nevertheless,

you can still buy and redeem American Express travellers cheques at the Post Office

.

How much is a travelers check?

Typical costs: Although their use is declining, travelers’ checks are still available in a variety of currencies and denominations from

$25 to $100

. Purchasing travelers’ checks for non-bank customers typically costs about 1%-3% of the purchase amount, or about $10-$30 per $1,000, depending on location.

Do checks expire if not cashed?


Personal, business, and payroll checks are good for 6 months (180 days)

. Some businesses have “void after 90 days” pre-printed on their checks. Most banks will honor those checks for up to 180 days and the pre-printed language is meant to encourage people to deposit or cash a check sooner than later.

Are travelers checks traceable?

They can also be spent or cashed only by you, in person, when presenting a valid I.D. Further, because

they are not linked in any way to your bank account

, there is no risk of identity theft when using traveler’s checks.

What happened to travelers checks?

Traveller’s cheques are

no longer widely accepted and cannot easily be cashed

, even at the banks that issued them. The alternatives to traveller’s cheques are generally cheaper and more flexible. Travel money cards, for instance, provide features similar to traveler’s cheques but offer greater ease and flexibility.

Is it better to travel with cash or travelers checks?

The key advantage of

travellers cheques

is that they are safer to carry around than cash. Provided you have noted down the serial number of each cheque you were originally issued, you will be able to get them replaced should they be stolen or lost.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.