What is the best card to use on a Europe trip?

[JoshNurse]

I leave on July 30 and want to take just 1 credit card to use over there.  What is my best option and is this a good idea?

I am not sure if I should take all cash or part cach for taxis and other needs and the rest credit card.

On my previous offshore trips it was all cash but it was such an inconvinience having to hold all that cash on me all the time.

[manwoot]

It's always a bad idea to only take 1 card with you (in case problems arise).  I'd take an AMEX, a Discover, and a Visa/MC just to be safe.  preferably something with no FTF if you have one (Discover, Quicksilver, CSP, etc.).

[mongstradamus]

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@manwoot wrote:

It's always a bad idea to only take 1 card with you (in case problems arise).  I'd take an AMEX, a Discover, and a Visa/MC just to be safe.  preferably something with no FTF if you have one (Discover, Quicksilver, CSP, etc.).

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I wouldn't use either of your amex overseas they have some pretty steep FTF. I would try and bring an visa/MC  card with no ftf so maybe cap one, CSP, Barclays Arrival+ or something like that. Also could look at the bank of america travel rewards card since it doesn't have an AF, but CSP and barclays AF are waived for first year. 

[JoshNurse]

Thanks I do have the CSP and quicksilver.  Are these my best options and are any transaction fees refunded or they just wont appear?

[heyarrnold]

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@JoshNurse wrote:

Thanks I do have the CSP and quicksilver.  Are these my best options and are any transaction fees refunded or they just wont appear?

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They will not show up Take both!

[physicist82]

If you don't want to carry a lot of cash with you but still want to have access to some, you should check with a credit union. 

When we went to Rome we checked all of our cards to see what would be the most convenient. For Cap1 with no FTF that was obvious but to access cash without carrying any we took our debit card. It has the co-op symbol on it that lets us use it fee free at co-op atm machines so whenever we withdrew money from the atm we were able to get it in Euros and our bank automatically converted using the best rate and then posted to our account in Dollars. There was no FTF when we did it that way to pull out cash, but if we used our card as a credit card over there they charged us 1.5% or something like that. 

[mongstradamus]

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@physicist82 wrote:

If you don't want to carry a lot of cash with you but still want to have access to some, you should check with a credit union. 

When we went to Rome we checked all of our cards to see what would be the most convenient. For Cap1 with no FTF that was obvious but to access cash without carrying any we took our debit card. It has the co-op symbol on it that lets us use it fee free at co-op atm machines so whenever we withdrew money from the atm we were able to get it in Euros and our bank automatically converted using the best rate and then posted to our account in Dollars. There was no FTF when we did it that way to pull out cash, but if we used our card as a credit card over there they charged us 1.5% or something like that. 

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Another option i think is charles schwab checking it has no FTF at all. I would just make sure it doesn't have any atm fees, it says none , but i don't know what their exceptions are. 

[lg8302ch]

Take any VI and MC with no FTF (stay away from Amex) and when the terminal ask you to select EUR, CHF, GBP, etc or USD never use USD - pay only in local currency.  If you are driving take your Discover card along. When accepted at gas stations you have no FTF and get the 5% bonus for this quarter.  Have a nice trip!

[CreditDunce]

If you have access to Penfed, SDFCU, Andrews, etc, a pin-and-chip EMV card might be worth while.  You will probably not need it, but it can't hurt to have.  The Penfed Promise card also might be useful for emergency cash advances.  The interest rate for cash advance is reasonable.

Another option would be to get a pre-paid debit card with EMV chip.  Some CCs offer them for a small fee.

But yes, at least 2 CC's and keep them in different places.

[carlosjgg]

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@JoshNurse wrote:

I leave on July 30 and want to take just 1 credit card to use over there.  What is my best option and is this a good idea?

I am not sure if I should take all cash or part cach for taxis and other needs and the rest credit card.

On my previous offshore trips it was all cash but it was such an inconvinience having to hold all that cash on me all the time.

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a card with no ftf is the best choice, try to pay with it as much as yo can, do not take much cash with you is better to take money out of a atm even for a fee obviously out of your checking account with your debit card not with your credit card,because when you take dollars and exchange then for euros the exchange rate is very high because the bank or money exchange agency will take a healthy profit,do not exchange your dollars for euros here in the states it is a a total ripoff do it over there, when you take the money out of a atm in euros you bank will charge you the official exchange rate take the most money the atm allows to avoid the fees every time you take money out . pay with cash only when there is no other choice. you credit card will also pay the official exchange rate and you will earn the reward if you credit card has any, this is what i have learned out traveling all over the world over 5 times a year for over 10 years.