28 Degrees vs Bankwest Zero Platinum for Foreign Exchange

[here2go]

Hi all
Both 28 Degrees Mastercard and Bankwest Platinum Mastercards have nil Forex Fees (and Bankwest Zero have no fees, or rewards).

28 Degrees has 44 Days Interest Free
Bankwest has 55 Days Interest Free, Travel and Goods protection insurance No Annual Fee Credit Cards

For travel OS, which in your opinion is the better option? Bankwest is looking like the better option to me - I was just wondering if your life experiences suggest otherwise. I also have Citibank Visa Debit for cash.

Cheers in advance!

 

[rweir]

Hi all
28 Degrees has 44 Days Interest Free

no, it's up-to-55-days, same as BW.

 

[here2go]

So it is just insurances then that differentiate?

 

[rweir]

no, there's also the cash advance fee that BW has and 28degrees doesn't.

 

[Cynicor]

Is there also an ATM fee? I have no idea, only have the 28 degrees.

The other thing I have not seen on this forum is a real life comparison of transactions. We have this for most other cards but I guess there are fewer people with the BW card for travel, at least on here.

Would be great if anyone has the card to post up some transactions.

 

[rweir]

it's a credit card, so yes it has atm cash-advance fees (28degrees is unique in that regard). exchange-rate-wise, it's always been within <1% of 28 degrees in my experience (sometimes slightly better, sometimes slightly worse).

 

[coolsteps]

it's a credit card, so yes it has atm cash-advance fees (28degrees is unique in that regard). exchange-rate-wise, it's always been within <1% of 28 degrees in my experience (sometimes slightly better, sometimes slightly worse).

you can get rewards points on the other bw platinum cards. the zero platinum card has travel insurance which is good for booking airfares and hotels while the 28 degrees doesnt. both have no fees for purchases overseas. not sure which one gives the best exchange rate for cash out at an Atm or purchases but i think BW do charge a $5 atm fee and not allow you to top up your card so that its in credit not sure if thats still the case but?

someone just needs to test all 3 by making a purchase and cash withdrawal using 28 degrees and BW zero and citibank visa debit on the same day within the same hour hopefully to find out . please do post results as im keen to know before my next overseas trip next year.

 

[toottifruitti]

We love our 28degrees card. We used it on our recent HK trip. Exchange rate was nearly spot on to XE rates. Hubby likes it so much he uses it all the time now. We also have a Singapore Air Gold Mastercard/Visa through Westpac and I use that to get points.

 

[NT2010]

I have applied for the 28 deg card, received the card but decided to cancel it immediately - customer service was way below standard, credit limit $3,500 was ridiculously low given my income (and virtually no debt).

I have used the Citiplus debit card overseas (in UK, Singapore and US) as both "credit" card for purchases and ATM cash withdrawal, the forex rate was very good and absolutely no fees (I have never paid the ATM 3rd party bank fee as I managed to find Citibank ATM most of the time). I have also had a linked Online Citibank account in which I "store" most of the fund there and earn interest. Whenever I need the cash, I just do an instant transfer via iphone or online from the online account to Citiplus and then do the cash withdraw. This works well for me so far.

 

[here2go]

I have applied for the 28 deg card, received the card but decided to cancel it immediately - customer service was way below standard, credit limit $3,500 was ridiculously low given my income (and virtually no debt).

I have used the Citiplus debit card overseas (in UK, Singapore and US) as both "credit" card for purchases and ATM cash withdrawal, the forex rate was very good and absolutely no fees (I have never paid the ATM 3rd party bank fee as I managed to find Citibank ATM most of the time). I have also had a linked Online Citibank account in which I "store" most of the fund there and earn interest. Whenever I need the cash, I just do an instant transfer via iphone or online from the online account to Citiplus and then do the cash withdraw. This works well for me so far.

My wife got the 28 degrees (she earns more) and likewise only got $3300. However, within a month, we pushed the button online to increase it to $5K. I don't have an issue with this - exposing oneself to high credit limits when travelling not a good idea, especially through less reputable countries. My brother has had his card scanned in both Turkey and Ukraine, and found it being "used" in Egypt and Germany in various ATMs.

Planning to use the Citibank card as a cash source, by transferring "just in time", although I do bank with another institution, so some fat will have to be there when travelling. I don't like the fact that the Citibank Visa Debit doesn't have a chip, let alone PayWave, so it will be ATM use only. I can deduce from all the discussion, that if you want to load the 28 Degrees like a travel card, then it is the best option. If you want purely a credit card with no cash advances, then BankWest Platinum Zero is worth pursuing.

Another thing I'm wanting to investigate as a little bonus on the side, is ING's 5% rebate on Visa Debit PayWave transactions up to AUD100. Works a treat here in Aus, but will it work OS? The 5% rebate will offset the 2.4% Forex fee quite nicely. Paywave and Mastercard PayPass seems to be bigger in A/NZ than anywhere else in the world, but am curious if anybody has tested this OS?

 

[aschmid]

I had the 28 degrees card for a number of years, in fact since it was the Wizard MC. I use it exclusive for overseas online and travel purchases. I think I never even spoke or heard anything from GEMoney as it was transferred over and from Wizard and they just send me new cards and I do everything else online.

I signed up once for a Bankwest card, not the Zero Plat but a different one and just had heaps of problems. First time my application was declined because they misinterpreted some information. I finally got the card but wasn't happy with the whole process. I used the balance transfer facility for a while until the raised the interest rate by a couple of points as the end. Also send me lot's of stuff and tried to cross-sell to other products all the time.

So for me GE Money 28 degrees means no hassle and they leave me alone, Bankwest cards means trouble and constant nagging. My Bankwest card lasted one year until the balance transfer interest special was up. My 28 degrees I had for years!