topic Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas? in Credit Cards

What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 23:55:31 GMT

What’s your experience using credit card overseas?

Have you ever encountered a problem using EMV Chip & Signature credit card?

Were you ever able to use a magnetic stripe (non EMV) credit card?

Where did you use it and which credit card did you use?

And what are your favorite credit cards when traveling abroad?

Any tips you would like to share?

Thank you!

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 23:37:20 GMT

I took my first overseas trip in November (to Australia) and used my Chase Sapphire Preferred card exclusively. I did call well in advance to let Chase know the dates I would be in Austraila and I had no problems whatsover. I used the card for everything while I was there. It's a chip and signature card so it worked great there as I don't think they allow the use of traditional cards (without the chip). It varies by country, though.

I think the key is making sure the credit card company knows you will be abroad so that there are no issues. Anyway, thankfully, I had no issues at all.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

B335is — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 23:41:58 GMT

Last trip was also to Australia. I only took a couple cards: Amex HHonors, Cap1 Spark, Diners Club, Citi Executive AAdvantage. Only used Amex, Cap1 and Diners over there and the only thing with Cap1 Spark was they kept handing me the PIN terminal, but it's just a regular signature card so the CSR swiped it and I would hit a bypass button on the PIN terminal (I forgot what those are exactly called) and it would print a customer receipt for me to sign. No big deal.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 23:55:04 GMT

When I moved to Germany I notified my local bank (US) and informed them I would be using the card overseas. As I resided abroad I got a German bank Konto and have their credit card and "EC" card. When I traveled to Norway I had no problem using my American cards with the swipe and that trip took me through Germany,Denmark,Sweden,Finnland,Norway and then back south through Finnland (what a long ride south to Helsinki), over the Baltic Sea to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and then on to Berlin and back to Wiesbaden. Did this with ZERO issuses and even had to buy Motorcycle tires in Estonia (Tallinn).

So, you will incure what some call a "overseas" charge or "exchange" rate fee for all purchases or at least that is what happens to me when I used mine PLUS I still have my German bank account with my VISA and each time I use that card here in the US I get charged a small fee.

Anyway, hope that helps...BTW, I only have VISA and MASTERCARD

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 00:05:29 GMT

Make sure you have a card with no Foreign Transaction Fees as a perk.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

lg8302ch — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 00:20:10 GMT

I am using my no FTF cards worldwide and it does not matter chip & signature or magnetic stripe... both work the same way except the insert is slightly different at certain terminals. Just make sure you have VI and MC as this is accepted everywhere if CCs are accepted. As for AX or Discover acceptance lack outside the US. All my European cards are chip & pin and the reason why I like this better is that I hate the paperwork with the slips to sign ..... other than that it does not really make much of a difference. Once you use a card with FTF you will see how fast the 2-3% can add up.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

Kellan — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 00:28:11 GMT

Only problem I have ever had was with Discover. I gave use my CSP, United MiliagePlus, Capital One, and Amex card overseas. Just let the banks know when and where your going and you should have no probmems.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

amakol — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 00:46:10 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
What’s your experience using credit card overseas?
Have you ever encountered a problem using EMV Chip & Signature credit card?
Were you ever able to use a magnetic stripe (non EMV) credit card?
Where did you use it and which credit card did you use?
And what are your favorite credit cards when traveling abroad?
Any tips you would like to share?
Thank you!

I've recently been to Italy and Spain for around a month total.

Mag stripes were still doing the job in Italy, even in small towns where I wouldn't expect credit to be accepted. I didn't have any EMV cards at this time but did get asked for one by a few waiters. Once they understood I was American many of them they had an older machine they would return with to process the order. A couple places (metro kiosks, gas stations, a few restaurants) I was forced to use cash but cash usage this trip was maybe 10-15% of total expenses.

Also, Discover (Diners Club) worked at 1/3 of places in Italy. I handed it over and didn't ask if they took it. If the machine gave an error I sent out the VISA or AMEX. Discover was my only 0% foreign fee card at the time so I saved a little bit of money through this process.

Spain was much less mag stripe and generally credit friendly - cash was needed for about 25-30% of expenses. EMV was great even if it was chip/signature priority. Everyone - waiters, cabbies, etc - would have their handheld machines print out a slip to sign and it was easy. Chip/PIN backup was useful for metro kiosks and automated tellers - no problems there either putting the PIN in. Remember to call before you leave the country to set up a PIN if your card has this feature.

The card I used for EMV was Barclays Arrival+. I took a couple others as backup in case anything was lost/stolen but luckily the Barclays was the only one I needed all trip.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 01:03:57 GMT

Great thread and information. Today I did a product (card) conversion so I now have a real travel card and no FTF along with and EMV Chip.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

Anomalous — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 02:39:58 GMT

When I visited South Africa a couple of years ago, I only had my Cap1 Platinum, which obviously didn't/doesn't have a chip. I signed the receipts and showed my passport when asked. No problems. I'm looking to acquire a good travel card this year so I can have it when I go back to visit family soon.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

Kostya1992 — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 02:48:23 GMT

Brother uses Cap1 in Eastern Europe (Belarus/Ukraine) and it's taken pretty much anywhere. There is no foreign transaction fees and the interesting part is the way the currency conversion goes, he actually gets better deals than if he bought stuff for cash.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

nyancat — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 03:21:55 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
What’s your experience using credit card overseas?
Have you ever encountered a problem using EMV Chip & Signature credit card?
Were you ever able to use a magnetic stripe (non EMV) credit card?
Where did you use it and which credit card did you use?
And what are your favorite credit cards when traveling abroad?
Any tips you would like to share?
Thank you!

- Generally very good

- Yes, one bus ticket kiosk that required an OFFLINE PIN-capable card. Also from the opposite end, I've had to swipe my Amex card fairly often in Ireland, and once in Sweden (the Amex chip application wasn't loaded)

- Yes, it works fine the vast majority of the time

- I generally always use credit cards, anywhere that accepts them

- Amex Delta Gold and Discover - these cards have NO FTF and do NOT allow DCC. By using a card that doesn't allow DCC, you avoid the risk of being in a situation where you can't easily opt out of DCC. With Visa/MC be vigilent about DCC. Expect that some terminals will try to trick you (e.g. one in Ireland was "Amount US$XX.XX. Amount OK? Yes/No" - the correct answer, of course, was no, charging me in dollars isn't okay - but it's setup in a way you're so used to hitting yes instinct will be to hit yes. Hit no and it goes through in Euro).

The biggest tip is to be vigilent about DCC wherever you are, but it's especially bad in Ireland. If you have to hand the card over in Ireland make sure to proactively say "charge me in Euro." ANYWHERE you rent a car, be sure to READ the contract before you sign it and INSIST on crossing out any terms relating to giving up your right to be charged in the local currency - rental car contracts normally have a DCC provision in them. When you go to pay, it's too late, you've signed the contract - they get to add 3-10% to the amount they charge you and you said it's okay.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 13:43:25 GMT

I have always been using cash only when traveling abroad.

I'm going to start using my credit cards now.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

DieGo2SHAE — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 18:05:57 GMT

Mexico isn't overseas obviously, but I managed to use my Discover without issue there every time I went to use a CC. This ranged from using it at the airport in Guadalajra, Jalisco and in a small rural town seafood restaurant

Re: What’s Your Experience Using Credit Card Overseas?

Ghoshida — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 19:06:17 GMT

I'm in the middle of a trip right now. I'm visiting UAE and India. Of my US cards, I'm carrying three: CSP, Discover, Cap One Q/S - because they're all zero FTF. So far, I've used CSP and Cap One. I used CSP extensively at the Dubai airport. Every time, I declined the dynamic currency conversion and paid in AED. CSP (Visa) conversion rate is pretty close (if not better than) to the one that I can see through Google finance. No problem with CSP in Dubai or in India. Almost all of the terminals are chip-enabled. I need to sign the transaction slip. Automated kiosks in India are a rarity; so I didn't come across a situation where PIN was mandatory. My Cap One failed on my first transaction. I came back and checked online: there were one charge and one immediate refund. Secure message got me nowhere but from next day, it worked fine. Again, great rates. I'm yet to come across a regular merchant in India offering DCC. Anyway, all terminals can handle no-chip magstripe, so no probs. At that merchant, I didn't try my two other US cards; I used a local card instead. also have a few local (India) cards; they're chip and PIN. I use them sporadically (when the points yield is better). Unlike the US, you hand over the card to the clerk who inserts / swipes it and then turns the terminal towards you for entering the PIN. After entering the PIN, a transaction slip is printed where you sign (so it's a two-step verification rather than being a sig-or-PIN) like a regular CC transaction. All in all, no major glitches so far. I'll try the Disco at a place where I see Diner's logo next.