What is the American Express GlobalTravel Card?

The American Express GlobalTravel Card is a prepaid, reloadable Card that provides you with a more convenient, secure way to manage your money while you are travelling. It’s not a credit or debit card. It’s a prepaid Card, which means you load funds onto the Card and can then use the Card to make purchases virtually anywhere American Express is accepted outside of Australia — including at ATMs to withdraw cash. Since it’s prepaid, there’s no risk of spending more funds than you have on the Card. Packed with travel-friendly features, the American Express GlobalTravel Card also includes free access to emergency assistance, if needed, during your journey. And it’s all backed with the world-class service offered from American Express.

Do I need to do anything before using my American Express GlobalTravel Card?

Yes. Some sellers will activate your Card at purchase. With other sellers you may be required to activate your Card by calling a toll-free number listed on the package, and the funds on your Card will be available the next business day. Check with your Authorised Seller to determine whether Card Activation will be required, and be sure to read the instructions on your Card envelope prior to your journey. Before using your Card, sign the back, where indicated. Memorise or change the 4-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) contained within the Welcome Pack, and then destroy the printed PIN information. To change your PIN, call Customer Service. To view your PIN online, log in to your account. Keep your Backup Card in its original packaging and store it separately.

What is my PIN? How can I change my PIN?

This is a unique 4-digit number assigned to your Card enabling you to securely withdraw cash from ATMs that accept American Express, outside Australia. This 4-digit PIN number should be known only by you, and it is important to protect the security of your Card and PIN at all times. To change your PIN to a more memorable number, call Customer Service. To view your PIN online, log in to your account.

How can I check my balance or view my transaction history?

You can check your balance and view your transaction history online at any time. To check your balance online now, log in to your account. To retrieve this information by phone, you may call Customer Service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Do my American Express GlobalTravel Card funds have an expiration date?

No. While there is a "valid thru" date indicated on the front of the Card, the available funds on the American Express GlobalTravel Card do not expire. The “valid thru” date is simply required to ensure that the Card can be used at merchants that request and/or require customers to provide a plastic expiration date during the transaction process. You may not use the Card after the "valid thru" date, but you can request a new Card be sent to you at no additional cost so you can use your remaining funds.

What should I do if my American Express GlobalTravel Card is lost or stolen?

If your Card is lost, stolen or used improperly, call Customer Service for assistance. Our Customer Service Centre, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, will assist in activating your Backup Card and blocking usage of the lost or stolen Card.

You will need to sign the back of your Backup Card immediately, and either memorise the enclosed PIN, or change it to a more memorable PIN. You will not need to re-register your Card online. We will do this for you upon activation.

In the event both Cards are lost or stolen, we can deliver a new replacement Card to any location at no cost, and if necessary we can arrange emergency access to the funds available in your Card account, anywhere in the world, via Western Union.

What should I do if I need help in an emergency?

Sometimes the unexpected happens when you travel. A passport is lost. You come down with a sudden illness. A lawyer is needed. Being a Cardmember can make things easier to handle. Global Assist^® Services help you prepare for your trip with customs information and destination guides. And while you’re travelling overseas, lost passport replacement assistance, translation services, lost luggage assistance, and emergency legal and medical referrals are only a phone call away. For a detailed list of our Global Assist benefits, download the Global Assist Services guide.

Note: While Global Assist coordination and assistance services are free benefits from American Express, Cardmembers are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Global Assist services are not meant to replace any travel insurance.

How can I close my American Express GlobalTravel Card account?

In the event that you decide to close your American Express GlobalTravel Card account, call Customer Service. You can visit a branch of the Authorised Seller where you purchased the Card and ask for a reimbursement of available funds. Once your account is closed, please destroy any Cards by cutting them in half and disposing of them securely.

To close your account if there is no balance remaining, call Customer Service. For more details on account closure, please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement.

Can the American Express GlobalTravel Card have a negative balance?

If a merchant authorises a transaction for an amount greater than your actual available balance, the American Express GlobalTravel Card will generally be declined. However, in rare circumstances, a merchant may process a transaction without prior authorisation, or an amount greater than a Card’s actual available balance may be authorised. If this occurs, you may be notified to load more funds onto the Card, or make a direct payment to cover the negative amount, but will not be charged an overdraft fee. While this does not happen often, it is important to keep track of your balance and reload funds as needed.

To check your balance online now, log in to your account. To retrieve this information by phone, you may call Customer Service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How can I purchase an American Express GlobalTravel Card?

You can purchase an American Express GlobalTravel Card at Authorised Sellers within Australia, or conveniently order online for collection at any of the 39 American Express Foreign Exchange offices Australia-wide (see locations). Choose the currency card that best matches your travel plan/destination and lock in the exchange rate. Please note that you will be required to show two forms of ID – photo identification and a proof of address – at the time of purchase (or collection, if ordered online).

Are there any fees associated with the American Express GlobalTravel Card?

Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for a complete overview of the fees associated with activating, re-loading and using the Card. The American Express GlobalTravel Card has no inactivity or monthly account fees. Card replacement and emergency cash access are fee-free also. With no unexpected fees, you get more value out of your travel money.

What currencies can be loaded onto the American Express GlobalTravel Card?

The American Express GlobalTravel Card can be loaded with either US Dollars, Pounds Sterling or Euros. However, even if you use your Card in a country with a currency other than the currency of the Card, it will still be accepted. For example, if you have a US Dollar currency Card and you withdraw funds from an ATM in Canada, you’ll receive the amount in Canadian Dollars, determined by our foreign exchange rate for that day. A foreign exchange conversion fee of 3% will be applied. This means that your currency options are global.  We have reduced the 3% Cross Currency Conversion fee to 0% from 28th October 2013 – 31st January 2015*.  You can spend your money without having to worry about the American Express GlobalTravel Card currency conversion fees during this time.

Are there any limits applied to how much I can load and spend on my American Express GlobalTravel Card?

Yes. Maximum and minimum limits do apply to your American Express GlobalTravel Card, specific to the currency of the Card. Information regarding all Fees & Limits is included in the Product Disclosure Statement.

Is there a limit to how many American Express GlobalTravel Cards I can purchase?

Yes. A maximum of one American Express GlobalTravel Card for each available currency (USD, GBP, EUR) can be held by a customer at any given time. Information regarding all Fees & Limits is included in the Product Disclosure Statement.

Where can I use my American Express GlobalTravel Card?

The American Express GlobalTravel Card can be used outside Australia to make purchases virtually anywhere
American Express is accepted, or to withdraw currency from ATMs that accept American Express Cards. Download the American Express ATM Network Listings to find ATMs worldwide.

Where can I not use my American Express GlobalTravel Card?

As the Card is intended for international travel, it cannot be used within Australia at any merchants or ATMs. Elsewhere, you cannot use the Card at merchants who do not accept American Express, or in countries where Australian or United States restrictions apply.

Restricted countries:

• Belarus
• Burma/Myanmar
• Cote d'lvoire
• Cuba
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Iran
• Iraq
• Liberia
• North Korea
• Sudan
• Syria
• Zimbabwe

Can I use my American Express GlobalTravel Card at hotels and car rental companies?

Yes. However, please note that in some industries a merchant may authorise a charge in advance and your available balance will be reduced by the amount of the authorisation. For example, when you hire a car, or check in to a hotel, the merchant will seek a pre-set amount, equivalent to the estimated final bill, to be reserved against your Card. This means that your available balance will be reduced by an amount that may be higher than the final bill, until after the end of your car rental period or hotel stay.

In some circumstances, this may temporarily restrict your ability to make further charges on your Card. In other circumstances, some car rental companies may not accept the Card for charges authorised in advance, although it may be used to settle the final bill.

To avoid these issues, we advise you to consider using a credit or charge card when making car rental reservations or checking into hotels and to use your American Express GlobalTravel Card to settle the final bill.

Can I use my American Express GlobalTravel Card at restaurants and petrol stations?

If you’re buying petrol with your American Express GlobalTravel Card, you want to prepay inside, not at the pump. When you pay at the pump, petrol stations, for security purposes, often temporarily charge more than the cost of your purchase. This temporary charge will be reversed in a few days and credited back to the Card. Prepaying inside will ensure that the petrol station will only charge the exact amount of your purchase, not more, so you have full use of the funds on the Card.

When using your American Express GlobalTravel Card to pay at a restaurant, they will check to make sure you have available funds on the Card, oftentimes, including the tip. If the total amount of the bill plus a 20% tip is more than the amount you have on your Card, you may be declined. To avoid this, simply tell the waiter exactly how much you’d like to pay from your Card, and if the total bill is more than that amount, pay the rest however you choose.

How can I reload my American Express GlobalTravel Card?

You may reload your American Express GlobalTravel Card via BPAY^® or at any participating branch of either the Authorised Sellers where it was purchased OR American Express Foreign Exchange Services in Australia. You will need to have your Card and an ID (valid drivers licence or passport) present with you if you choose to reload your Card at one of our Authorised Sellers or GFES locations.

To reload via BPAY use Biller Code 768895 and your 15-digit Card number as the Customer Reference Number. Reloads made to your Card via BPAY will be converted from Australian Dollars to the currency on your Card at the retail foreign exchange rate that applies on the day that we receive and process your BPAY payment. Reloads made via BPAY may take up to 3 business days to be processed. For information regarding Fees & Limits, please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement.

How much can I withdraw from an ATM using my American Express GlobalTravel Card?

The maximum ATM withdrawal allowed within a 24-hour period is specific to the currency of the Card. For information regarding Fees & Limits, please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement.

Please note that the maximum amount that may be withdrawn in one transaction can be dictated by the ATM provider and may vary by country and ATM provider. Your Card account balance will not be presented via an ATM transaction (either on screen or on a printed receipt). Register your Card online to ensure you always have easy access to your Card balance.

Do ATM withdrawal fees apply to my American Express GlobalTravel Card?

ATM withdrawal fee amounts are determined by the currency of the Card. For information regarding Fees & Limits, please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement.

Please note that some ATM networks apply an additional transaction fee — they usually display this at the beginning of the transaction to give you the opportunity to decide whether to proceed, but some networks may not disclose this. Please note that your Card account balance will not be presented via an ATM transaction (either on screen or on a printed receipt). Register your Card online to ensure you always have easy access to your Card balance

What if I don’t have enough available funds on my American Express GlobalTravel Card to complete a purchase — how do I combine other forms of payment?

If you wish to use your American Express GlobalTravel Card to purchase an item for more than the available funds, depending on the merchant’s policy, you may be able to use your Card toward a portion of the purchase price, and then use another form of payment to pay the balance. This is called a “split tender” transaction. It is helpful to know the balance of available funds on your American Express GlobalTravel Card when asking the merchant if a “split tender” transaction will be accepted for the purchase you wish to make.

Will I receive a statement for my American Express GlobalTravel Card transactions?

Statements are not issued, but you can check your balance and transaction history online or by calling customer service at any time.

What can I do if I think there has been an error?

If you believe an error has been made on your American Express GlobalTravel Card account, or our service does not meet your expectations, your feedback is very much appreciated. Please call Customer Service.

What about returns, exchanges or problems with merchandise purchased?

If you wish to return or exchange any merchandise purchased with the American Express GlobalTravel Card, you will be subject to the merchant’s returns/exchange policies. Such funds may not be available for up to seven days.

Purchases made with prepaid cards, such as the American Express GlobalTravel Card, are similar to those made with cash in that you cannot stop payment or lodge a billing dispute. Any problems or disputes you may have regarding a purchase should be addressed directly with the merchant.

Can I use the American Express GlobalTravel Card in Europe where they are moving to Chip & PIN cards?

Many countries in Europe are moving to Chip & PIN cards and the point of sale environment has been upgraded to include PIN entry pads. There should be no issue with using a magnetic stripe card like the American Express GlobalTravel Card, since all merchants routinely accept cards from global travellers without Chip & PIN. In the unlikely event that you are asked for a card that has a Chip & PIN, we advise you to let the merchant know that you don’t have a Chip & PIN card and that they call the American Express authorisation line for support.