Credit cards hold hidden charges for holidaymakers

UK travellers are heavily reliant on their credit cards while on holiday, according to a new report. Throughout 2009, UK travellers spent £17.7bn on debit and travel credit card purchases abroad, and withdrew £7.8bn from overseas ATMs.

Card spending abroad has increased by 180 per cent during the past decade, the report revealed. The Post Office advises UK holidaymakers to do some quick checks before they depart, to ensure they are getting the best value from their travel credit card and to avoid commission charges levied by some travel credit card providers, and ensure that using their travel credit card overseas does not result in hefty commission fees.

The Post Office is also one of few travel credit card providers to offer 0% commission on overseas purchases. It is also helping its travel credit card customers’ travel money go further this summer by removing the cash advance fee when its travel credit card customers purchase foreign currency through the Post Office.

This new benefit join a range of advantages already on offer to the Post Office’s travel credit card customers, such as 0% on balance transfers for the first 12 months and 0% on new purchases for the first three months.