Questions about travellers checks (and AAA ones)

On an upcoming trip, I am considering bringing my gaming bankroll in mostly travellers check form, instead of cash. I am an AAA member and I understand that they will issue travellers checks without a fee to members.

Some questions I have about this. I know already from reading other posts that casino cages are willing to cash them. But my questions are:

1) Hassle? Easy to do? Just show ID, explain you want to cash them, sign, and get face value? Can I request cash or chips, or either?

2) Specifically for AAA, what forms of payment are accepted to buy them? I know I probably can't use a credit card (too bad, I would get mileage points with this). But would they take a personal check for purpose? I ask because I actually feel safer in Vegas (most places) than I do in my home city, and bringing cash to the AAA office defeats the purpose of this exercise, as I'm still cash-heavy.

3) Positive experiences doing this? Negative experiences? Any particular casino cages to avoid, or will all/most be OK for this?

Thanks for any replies.

 

I can only answer 1 and 3. It's very easy to do. I know some places don't even ask for ID, but I always just give them my license when I'm cashing them in.

I've never had a problem cashing them anywhere in Las Vegas.

 

I always carry half my bankroll in traveler's checks, though I can't remember how many years it's been since I've had to cash any. (Having extra funds just gives me a warm fuzzy.) Nonetheless, when I have cashed them (mainly because they were showing their age and I can get new ones without charge), there's never been the slightest hassle. And while waiting in line at the numerous cages, I've observed many folks cashing the checks with no more of a hassle than showing ID and signing them. The upside, of course, is they're a lot safer than cash. The only downside is spending a minute or so cashing them.

As far as I know, they only dispense cash at the cage – not chips, but maybe that varies with the casino. I suspect the pit critters like to know how much you buy in with. Overall, cashing TR's will probably be the smallest hassle you'll encounter!

As for AAA – sorry I can't help.

 

I have not used Travelers Cheques in many years and I can't remember where I read that banks don't carry them anymore; perhaps some do. I guess that debit cards kind of displaced them as a canvenience. If TC are not available at your bank and you don't want to carry a lot of cash into your local AAA center, consider getting a Bank Check from your bank and taking that into AAA.

When I did carry travelers checks, I used them anywhere I needed them, restaurants, stores etc. They are as easy to cash as giving them the cash with the exception that you have to sign them, and I dont recall having to show id.

Jimbo338

 

This from my local AAA office. You can charge as long as it not AMEX card.

Checks also OK.

No limit on amount of free traveler's checks you can purchase as AAA member.

But, policies vary office to office in other states.

 

Since I haven't seen it answered yet. To my knowledge you need to cash TCs at the cage. Which would mean you can't buy chips with them. You would be unable to use a TC at a table game, which I assume you knew already.

 

Joe, is spot on, check with your local AAA office as AAA is actually state run offices so policies will vary from state to state. And for a funny story, I used to work for AAA in Texas and I had a member come up one time and said he heard something but that it just couldn't be true. Did AAA really give out free traveler's checks? I said yes, there is no charge, so he asked can I just get a $1000 right now. I said yes sir, we take cash or check and he said but I thought they were FREE!!

 

Trying to figure out why people do not just carry cash. Are you taking a large amount - maybe $10,000 or more? We carry $4-5k in cash often. Just do not get why that is an issue.

 

I always take travelers checks to Vegas... never an issue cashing them at any casino cage for cash(never tried to get chips from the cage)... AAA does take Visa/MC...

 

The two AAA offices 50 miles from me do not carry them any longer (or so they told me). None of the local financial institutions do now. I was going to get some one morning & the company we dealt with had called the bank the day before & made them destroy them all. They were trying to get people to use their 'travel card' instead. That went over like a lead balloon because fees were so high. People just used their debit cards instead.

So just call ahead & make sure you can get them.