Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.

How to claim the money left on your travel card

Home from your holiday with cash left on your travel money card? Here's how to get it back.

If you've still got foreign currency on your travel money card after a trip or your card's about to expire, it's still possible to get your money back. Use this guide to learn how to get funds back and what mistakes to avoid so you can get as much value as possible from your prepaid travel card.

How to get the remaining funds off your travel money card

The way you get your unused money varies depending on the travel money card. In some cases, it can be as easy as Internet banking, while in others it might require a trip down to the bank. Here's how it works with the major Australian prepaid travel cards.

Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard

If you have a Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard, you can get your funds off it by logging in to your account at auspost.com.au/cashpassport or by visiting a participating Australia Post outlet and presenting the card along with a valid form of photo ID. You can get funds even if the card has expired (check the expiry date on the front).

Just take note that the Cash Passport charges a monthly inactivity fee of $0 if you haven't used your card in 12 months. So if you want to cancel your Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard instead of keeping it for another trip, you can move the remaining balance to your bank account for a fee of $10 by calling Customer Service at +44 20 7166 7822.

The Travelex Travel Money Card

The card attracts a monthly inactivity fee of after 12 months of no usage, which can whittle away at your balance. It also charges a 2.95% withdrawal fee on domestic withdrawals within Australia. There's a $20 negative balance fee which can easily occur if you withdraw more than your balance (which is difficult to ascertain given the foreign exchange rate at the time, and other incidental charges). You can close your card at any distribution outlet and move remaining funds to your nominated bank account for an extra fee of .

If your card has expired, you can still get your funds through one of these options. Or, if you want to continue to use the account, you can request a new and have the money transferred over to it.

CommBank Travel Money Card

Valid for up to 3 years with no monthly inactivity fee, you can use the CommBank Travel Money Card on your next holiday or close it off and empty the remaining funds into your account at no charge. If you have an everyday CommBank account, you can transfer the money in real-time through NetBank. You can do this up to three months after the card has expired.

If you don't bank with CommBank, you can get your money off the travel card by visiting a branch. You can also withdraw the funds from any CommBank ATM free-of-charge after converting the foreign currency to Australian dollars.

With the , you can withdraw your remaining funds from a local ATM or close your account and have the funds transferred into your nominated account. Do note that withdrawals within Australia incur a 2.95% fee, negative balances incur a fee and over-the-counter cash withdrawals incur a $10 fee. A fee is also charged for account closures and cashing out any remaining value. You can do this by logging into the Suncorp Bank Multi-Cash Currency portal.

Qantas Travel Money

The Qantas Travel Money card doesn't incur an inactivity fee or ATM withdrawal fees, but a foreign exchange rate will apply when withdrawal is made in Australia on funds that are not in Australian dollars. While there is no negative balance penalty either, you will be liable for any negative balance as well as costs and interests incurred by Qantas in recovering the amount owed. You can close your card at any time at no cost by calling Mastercard Qantas Cash Global Support on 1300 825 302.

Australia Post

If you have funds remaining on your , you can either exchange the money back into your Australian dollars currency wallet and withdraw the funds from an ATM or fill out the Load&Go balance redemption form to have the funds sent to you via an Australia Post Money Order. It doesn't cost anything to close the account, but you will be charged $1 every month a balance remains in your account following expiry. You can find the expiry date on the front of your card.Back to top

Some mistakes to avoid with leftover funds in your travel card

If you have money left over on your travel card, be sure to take note of and avoid the following possible pitfalls:

  • Leaving your card open. If you're not travelling anytime soon, you might want to close the card once you've withdrawn your funds. Otherwise, you may still have to pay any inactivity fees or annual maintenance fees attached to the card.
  • Expired cards. Most providers send a goodwill email to remind you of an impending expiry date. You can then request for closure, but failure to do so will unfortunately result in "Unclaimed Monies".
  • Unclaimed monies. While banks previously forfeited your money once your card expired, unclaimed monies legislation now dictates that balances above $500 (which are left untouched after three years or unclaimed after card expiry) must be transferred to the Commonwealth Bank and held in trust. You can run a free search of all unclaimed monies through the MoneySmart website. Amounts below $500 are essentially forfeited if you don't close your account and claim them.
  • Spending foreign currencies in Australia. Some banks charge domestic ATM withdrawal fees on your travel card, so be very careful reading the fine print. Since all fees are debited in Australian dollars, if you only have foreign currency on your card, that will incur more foreign currency conversion fees.

It is important to know the rules and conditions around your travel card. Depending on the fees and exclusions set by your provider, it may be wiser to withdraw remaining funds and close the account instead of keeping it for your next vacation. It is also worthwhile to factor in things like the card's loading and reloading fees as well as foreign currency trends when comparing your options.

Back to top

A comparison of prepaid travel money cards

1 - 9 of 9
Name Product Available Currencies ATM Withdrawal Fee Initial Load Fee Reload fee
Wise Travel Money Card
AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,JPY,NZD,SGD

2 free ATM withdrawals per month up to AUD$350, then AUD$1.50 and 1.75% per withdrawal

$0
$0
Hold and spend funds in more than 40 currencies, with competitive exchange rates and $0 fees for the first 2 ATM withdrawals (up to AUD$350) per month.
Revolut Travel Money Card
AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,CNY,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB,AED,IDR,INR

Standard: $350 per month, then a 2% fee applies per transaction

Premium: $700 per month, then a 2% fee applies per transaction

Metal: $1,400 per month, then a 2% fee applies per transaction

$0
$0
Load and spend money in over 30 currencies with mobile payments and a Visa card. Plus, a 3-month Premium trial.
Qantas Travel Money
AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB,AED
AUD $1.95, CAD $2.00, EUR €1.50, GBP £1.25, HKD $15.00, JPY ¥160, NZD $2.50, SGD $2.50, USD $1.95, THB ฿70.00, AED 6.50
$0
$0
Load up to 10 foreign currencies or pay in Australian dollars around the world. Plus, earn Qantas Points on all eligible purchases.
Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard
AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB,AED
USD $2.50, EUR €2.50, GBP £2.00, NZD $3.50, THB ฿80.00, CAD $3.50, HKD $18.00, JPY ¥260.00, SGD $3.50, AUD $3.50, AED 10.00
$0 (via online) or $0 (via branch)
$0
Travelex Money Card
AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB

Overseas and domestic: $0 but some ATM operators may charge their own fee

1.1% of initial load value or $15, whichever is greater
1.1% of transaction value or $15, whichever is greater
Lock in exchange rates for up to 10 currencies, pay no overseas ATM fees and get exclusive merchant offers.
Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard
AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB,AED

Overseas: $3.50 AUD or equivalent in foreign currency Some ATM operators may charge their own fee

Domestic: 2.95% of the amount withdrawn

$0
$5
Holds up to 11 currencies and with free global Wi-Fi.
Travel Money Oz Currency Pass
AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB
AUD $3.50, USD $2.50, EUR €2.50, GBP £2.00, NZD $3.50, THB ฿80.00, CAD $3.50, HKD $18.00, JPY ¥260.00, SGD $3.50
$0
1.1%
Offers $0 reload options and locked in exchange rates. Use the Currency Pass to spend in up to 10 currencies everywhere Mastercard is accepted.
CommBank Travel Money Card
AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,CNY,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB,VND,AED
AUD3.50 , USD2.50 , GBP2.00 , EUR2.20 , NZD3.50 , CAD3.00 , JPY220 , SGD3.50 , HKD17.00 , THB80.00 , VND50000 , CNY15.00 , AED10.00
$0
$0
Pay anywhere that Visa is accepted and lock in exchange rates for up to 13 currencies.
Westpac Worldwide Wallet
Westpac Worldwide Wallet
AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB,ZAR
AUD $2.00, USD $2.00, GBP £1.50, EUR €2.00, NZD $3.00, CAD $2.50, HKD $15.00, SGD $3.00, JPY ¥200, THB ฿75.00, ZAR R20.00
$0
$0
$0 transaction, loading and conversion fees, plus free withdrawals at Global ATM Alliance ATMs.
loading

More guides on Finder

Ask an Expert

You are about to post a question on finder.com.au:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com.au is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our Terms of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy and 6. Finder Group Privacy & Cookies Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

2 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    HeatherApril 27, 2016

    what about Post Office purchased travel Vis card?

      AvatarFinder
      SallyApril 29, 2016Finder

      Hi Heather,

      Thanks for your question!

      I’ve added some information regarding the Australia Post Load&Go card to this page.

      If you have money left on your Australia Post Load&Go card when you return from your holiday, you can either exchange the money back into your Australian dollars currency wallet and withdraw the funds from an ATM or fill out the Load&Go balance redemption form to have the funds sent to you via an Australia Post Money Order.

      Please note that while you won’t be charged for closing the account, you will be charged $1 every month a balance remains in your account following expiry.

      I hope this has helped.

      Cheers,

      Sally

Go to site