Discover is now accepted much more readily than in the past, but it is not as widely accepted as other cards. A Capital One card is the best choice, with low interest and no foreign-transaction fees. But there are a much wider range of cards without fees now, including some airline affinity cards like the British Airways Visa card from Chase. There are many other threads on this topic, so definitely search for more answers.

Capital One is a better choice than the affinity cards because there is no ANNUAL fee. However, for travel in Europe you may want a chip-and-pin card, as well as one with low/no international transaction fees. There are several recent threads on the Europe board that mention that the Andrews Federal Credit Union now offers such a card, with a 1% foreign transaction fee.

American swipe cards are not accepted in most automatic machines in Europe (e.g. for buying train tickets or tolls), although most hotels and restaurants will still take them there's no guarantee.

I would NOT take Discover abroad, at least not without a backup card.

I have used Capital One for many trips. Discover is not accepted in most places - I don't think I found one place in Ireland or UK that accepted it while I was there. Just not happening.

You can get a British Airways Visa Card that has no foreign transaction fees plus other benefits like smart chip technology and 50,000 bonus points after the first use of your card. However, the card does carry an annual $95 membership fee but could be worth it for international travel.

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/chase-avios-bonus/public/en_us?openxzoneid=310&openxcampaign=Chase-Acquisition-2012&openxbanner=11691&openxtype=click

Do remember to not get too caught up in the foreign transaction fee, look at the entire card benefits and not just the one fee.

Do you pay it off in full every month? If not, then you need to be looking at a card with a low interest rate as your priority.

How often do you travel internationally and how much do you spend? If you spend $3,000 internationally in a year that's $90 total at a 3% transaction fee. It doesn't make sense to get a card with a $95 annual fee to save $90, you have to look at the other benefits and you're planned usage as well.


I like my Capital One card. It has no foreign transaction fees (a concern in the last year or two with a couple large trips) and pays 2% cash back, no annual fee the first year.

The best credit card to use abroad is Chase Sapphire Preferred. The are no int. transaction fees, ever, when used as a credit card.It is no a debit card. If you have it, contact the bank and let them know where you are going and when and set a dollar limit for most transaction. The card is thick and heavier than most card. The number appear on the back, not the front so it is not easy to see the number and copy it. Fees are waived for the first year. BTW, i don't work for Chase but it is good card.

TD Bank does not charge transaction fees - we use it all the time when traveling to Europe.
Regards,
Andrea

Capital One has been nothing but a pain for our family overseas. My son lived and worked in India for two years and could NEVER use the card to buy something as simple as a train ticket. He lives in the UK now and still has a ton of problems using it there and all around Europe when he travels. It has been "unlocked" to use on foreign transactions but he still has to have us call to try and do every transaction which is a major pain.
My daughter who lives in the UK but works in South America just called and said she has had it with Capital One. She keeps calling them to have them know she lives overseas yet her card is always denied whether the fee is 12 pounds or 100. Capital One is only open to call from 8am to 8pm which is a royal pain if you don't call from the states.
I work for the airlines and try not to use a credit card overseas-only ATM's but recently got a Chase card with their no international fees and so far have had good luck!

@dutyfree - really surprised to hear that. I have Cap One credit and ATM cards, and have been very happy with them, in both Asia and Eueope. It is annoying that you can only tell them about travel for 60 days at a time, but now I can call collect on Skype it's just a minor problem.

My experience with Cap One CC has been good in Europe, in Israel and in Argentina. I wish they would begin the chipand pin system for Europe - but otherwise, it has been great.

I think the problem here is that dutyfree is conflating two different issues. U.S.-issued credit cards are meant for use in the U.S. primarily and travel outside the U.S. occasionally. They are not meant for permanent use outside the U.S., and their customer service lines are also organized for the convenience of U.S.-based card holders.

So it doesn't surprise me that someone using the card for its meant-for purposes (occasional, even extensive foreign travel) seems no problem with the cards while someone trying to use it while living permanently overseas has problems.

These are two different issues, and it doesn't (for meat at least) have much bearing at all on whether this is a good card to use when you are traveling. It is, and I've used mine very successfully over the years, as have other travelers. I specifically got this card for overseas travel and it's been very worthwhile.

Must be our family? Both of the kids never use credit cards as they live on cash/local debit cards and ATM's for daily living. They have tried to use Capital One periodically (as an occasional traveler would do even calling Capital One) but to no avail.

I would like to comment Doug that when you are an American using your Capital One card overseas, the card doesn't know where you are living if you have an American address for your bills? I travel to many continents every week for work as an airline employee and my credit card company/ATM card doesn't care where I use it as long as I have previously called them to tell them where to allow it.(One calls the credit card company and tells them where you travel to so that the ATM card works in that country.)

My daughter just called and after 8 overseas calls to Capital One in the last couple days and being told she doesn't know how to use ATM's overseas (duh?)she has solved the problem.

Customer Service at Capital One kept telling her it is because she is pushing SAVINGS on the ATM machine which she never has. Well, she finally got a representative that actually listened to the problem and realized that they sent her a card for a MONEY MARKET account(which she doesn't have) instead of a debit/ATM card. He apologized profusely for sending the wrong card and she is hoping to get the new card ASAP.