Travel briefs

WaMu raises fees on overseas purchases

Thousands of travelers who use Visa and MasterCard debit cards issued by Seattle-based Washington Mutual will pay higher fees on overseas purchases starting June 5.

Washington Mutual will raise its fee from 1 to 3 percent on debit-card purchases made in foreign countries, including Canada and Mexico. The fee for credit-card purchases and ATM/debit-card withdrawals abroad remains at 1 percent.

Visa and MasterCard International charge banks a 1 percent fee to process overseas transactions. Most banks pass that on, and some then tack on an additional 1 or 2 percent. The fees appear as a separate charge.

Locally, Frontier Bank, First Tech, Boeing and Watermark credit unions are among those issuing debit and credit cards with only a 1 percent foreign transaction fee. Most national banks, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citibank, charge 3 percent on both.

Pay $100, pass Customs quickly

Air travelers soon will be able to speed through Customs checkpoints at some U.S. airports when they return from trips abroad through the new Global Entry program.

People who pass a background check and pay $100 to enroll will enter a separate Customs line at Washington Dulles, Houston Intercontinental and New York's Kennedy starting June 10. They will swipe their passport at a kiosk instead of having it read by a Customs officer and electronically answer questions similar to those on a Customs declaration form.

The Global Entry program eventually will expand to other airports, but no timeline is set.

Customs lines at some major airports reached three hours last summer and could be as long this summer.

Global Entry is aimed at people who take at least four international trips a year. Applications can be submitted online beginning Monday at www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel.

Get wrapped up in Duct Tape Festival

In the small city of Avon, Ohio, duct tape isn't just for home repairs and sealing boxes, it's a way of life.

The self-proclaimed "Duct Tape Capital of the World," also known as the home base for Duck brand duct tape, hosts a celebration of the adhesive each year — the Avon Heritage Duct Tape Festival — with a festival timed for Father's Day weekend, June 13-15 this year.

The Avon Heritage Duct Tape Festival will include a duct-tape fashion show (last year, Adrienne Beiler of Salisbury, Pa., wore a prom dress made entirely of duct tape) and a parade with floats made entirely out of, you guessed it, duct tape. For information, call 866-818-1116 or go to www.avonducttapefestival.com.

High marks for Seattle hotel

Seattle's Hotel 1000 ranked No. 3 on Expedia's annual list of the top 10 hotels worldwide. The list is based on reviews by Expedia travelers and a rating system devised by the online travel agency.

The Hotel 1000 is a luxury boutique hotel on First Avenue in downtown Seattle. The Sofitel Chicago Water Tower in Chicago was ranked No. 1; second place went to the Marriott Cancun Resort and Spa in Mexico.

Fewer flying BA after Heathrow chaos

British Airways suffered a 7.9 percent drop in passengers last month after the chaotic opening of Terminal 5 at London's Heathrow Airport this spring.The number of passengers fell in April to 2.59 million from 2.81 million in April last year.

Travelers shunned the airline after problems with the new terminal's baggage system and employee familiarization caused 12 days of flight cancellations, lost bags and delays after it opened on March 27.

Terminal 5 is now operating normally, said British Airways, although it has delayed shifting some flights there.

Unleash your European films

The European Travel Commission is inviting travelers to show their inner Fellini and Truffaut. It's sponsoring a video contest for travelers who come back from Europe with video footage and a story to tell. Upload your film at www.visiteurope.com.

Videos can be submitted through Sept. 30, after which the judges will pick one filmmaker to win a trip for two to Europe.

Seattle Times staff and news services