Regional Express (Rex) unveils new booking, credit card fees

Regional Express is the latest airline to implement new credit card surcharges, and when combined with a second “Booking/Handling Fee”, all passengers will now pay more to whip out their plastic than under the old system.

The new base credit card surcharge varies depending on the type of card used, with fees as follows (including GST), calculated on the total amount paid:

• Visa & MasterCard: 1.1%
• Diners Club: 2.772%
• American Express: 3.597%

On top of that, there’s the new Booking/Handling Fee – which curiously applies to online bookings too where credit card is the only method of payment the airline offers:

• Online bookings: 1.1%
• Travel agent bookings: 1.1%
• Telephone bookings: 2.2%
• Bookings made at airports: Waived

Combined, here’s what you’ll now fork out in fees and charges to use your credit card to book a flight via the Rex website:

• Visa & MasterCard: 2.2%
• Diners Club: 3.872%
• American Express: 4.697%

For Visa and MasterCard holders, that’s an increase on the previous surcharge of 2.145% (with no former additional booking fee), while Diners Club cardholders are also paying more than the outgoing surcharge of 3.74%.

American Express users continue to be the hardest hit, paying an even higher surcharge than the previous rate of 4.62%: approaching the fee amounts levied on card payments by Sydney taxis.

Also read: New hotel credit card fees could hammer your hip pocket

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Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.