Westpac Global ATM Alliance. What is it, how much do you save?

When you need to withdraw cash from an ATM within Australia, you commonly look for an ATM from your own bank to potentially save on fees. But what happens when you need to withdraw cash abroad? Westpac have thought about this dilemma and are partners of something called the Global ATM Alliance.

We’ll cover in this article what exactly this alliance is and whether it can help you save on some of those hefty ATM fees when travelling with your card.

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What is the Westpac bank Global ATM Alliance

The Westpac Global ATM Alliance is a network of partner international banks that have cost-effective ATM access across the world. Westpac customers that have an eligible debit or credit card can access any of the ATMs located on the network in Australia and when they are travelling.¹

What is the benefit of using the Westpac Global ATM Alliance

There are two main benefits of the Westpac Global ATM Alliance. You’ll have access to around 50,000 globally.² Customers will also not have to pay a withdrawal fee when withdrawing cash from any of these ATMS on the network.¹

What are the savings you get using this service

You will save on the withdrawal fee that many ATMs charge around the world. The best way to see how much you can save using an Alliance ATM is through comparing it with the fees attached to using your card in an ATM outside the alliance.

**NOTE: **Despite this saving, you will still be charged a 3% foreign transaction fee on all international withdrawals when using either a debit and credit card. If you need to make a cash advance withdrawal with your credit card abroad, there will also be a 2% fee incurred.³

Westpac Global ATM Alliance partner banks and supported countries

So you are probably wondering which banks are a part of the Global Alliance and which countries to look out for the ATMs in. We’ve made it easy with the below table.

Countries and ATMs apart of the Westpac Global ATM Alliance¹

There is also a separate network of ATMs for CIMB ATMs that is available in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia only available to Westpac customers rather than the above Global Alliance Partners.¹

How to locate a Westpac ATM Global Alliance ATM abroad

There are a few ways to locate a Global Alliance ATM that you can use abroad. You can¹:

• Use the Westpac App feature to find your nearest ATM
• Visit the Westpac ATM locator dedicated webpage

Getting to know which banks or ATMs you’ll have access to before you leave can also help make your trip less stressful if you do need to withdraw cash abroad.

What to know/do before going overseas with your Westpac bank card

There's nothing worse than travelling overseas and finding out your card does not work or you end up being charged extra fees. That’s why we’ve made a checklist for things to know and do before you head off abroad.

1. Check your cards expiry date

An expired card will not be able to be used in Australia or abroad. So to avoid the hassle that comes with not having access to your account, make sure your card is not set to expire when you’re travelling.

2. Let Westpac know your travel plans

Using your card in some destinations abroad can trigger your bank's fraud monitoring systems. This can result in your card being blocked for use. Letting Westpac know your travel plans including all destinations you will travel to will make sure your card will be ready for use.

3. Organise international roaming for your device

This can be a huge life saver and will let you access the Westpac app if you need to locate an ATM that is part of the Global ATM Alliance network. On top of this, if anything happens to your card overseas, you can quickly get in touch with Westpac or manage your card access through the Westpac app.

4. Get to know the fees that may be incurred abroad

We’ve covered some fees that may be incurred when using your Westpac card abroad when withdrawing from an ATM. It could be possible that you might be charged other fees when buying things at overseas merchants or from extra conversion fees.

5. Always carry a backup payment method

Sometimes things don’t always go to plan when you are travelling, so carrying other cards or cash for emergencies can be a lifesaver if your primary card doesn’t work or get accepted.

6. Keep an eye on your account

Although Westpac does have systems in place to help stop dodgy transactions, it’s always good to monitor your transactions and make sure they all line up. If you do notice something, report it to Westpac immediately.

Contacting Westpac bank

On that note, if you do need to contact Westpac for any reason you can:

• Call 132 032 from within Australia
• Call (+61 2) 9155 7700 from overseas

Phone lines are available Monday to Friday between 8am to 8pm.

Wrapping up

In summary, the Westpac Global ATM Alliance is a great service provided by this bank to its customers travelling abroad. There still are some fees to consider depending on your card and the currencies you withdraw though.

The Wise card may suit you better if you’re to spend money that you’ve stored in different currencies within an existing Wise Account, and benefit from 2 or less free cash withdrawals under $350 AU, or foreign equivalent, per month (keep in mind that ATM providers may charge their own fees). You can see our full fee breakdown for ATM withdrawals here.

You can register for a Wise Account in minutes and apply for a Wise card to spend this money in over 150+ countries at the mid-market rate. You can store your money in over 40 currencies with a Wise Account and start saving money on your conversion fees.

Join over 16 million customers currently enjoying Wise. It’ll only take a few minutes to register and see what’s inside.

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