nukesafe

This site has been posted no this Forum before in response to similar questions. It discusses how credit/debit cards work and gives a chart of the foreign exchange fees charged by a number of banks and credit unions.

http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index...reign_Exchange

travelgourmet

<i>I just ordered an Amex Blue card for the chip and pin</i>

The (US-Issued) Amex Blue does not work with chip-and-PIN terminals. Indeed, I don't think the Blue even includes the chip on the card any more.

The older cards, with the chip, were meant to be used with a computer card reader - I forget what the purpose was, but I think it was intended to store passwords. This only caused confusion when foreign operators tried to use the chip. The chip offered no value.

If you want an Amex, I would suggest calling and converting your Blue to a SPG card, as I think it is the most valuable travel rewards card available.

sandicran

When I called I asked specifically for the purpose of using the card abroad. This is what they suggested . I guess I'll have to wait and see if / how it works.

travelgourmet

<i>When I called I asked specifically for the purpose of using the card abroad. This is what they suggested . I guess I'll have to wait and see if / how it works.</i>

The agent is wrong.

It won't work as a chip-and-PIN card. You will have to sign as you would with any other card. Sorry.

mforrest11

I have been reading a little bit about the Chase Sapphire card. It does not have any international fees. Does anyone have any knowledge on this card? Or is the Capital One still the best?

isabel

Does anyone know of ANY credit card available to US residents that has the chip and pin? It's getting harder to avoid using ticket machines, toll machines, gas stations, etc which require it. I'd be willing to get one even if it did have foreign transaction fees, and then only use it when I needed the chip and pin and use Cap One for everything else.

ssander

I also like Capital One without the surcharge or an annual fee. You might have to call Cap One and specifically ask for it. They probably have lots of different cards.

My CapOne card does NOT have a chip. Couldn't use it at a Metro ticket machine a few years ago.

SS

nytraveler

I believe the Cap 1 Visa now has an international exchange fee - like every other card.

Know nothing about Chase Sapphire - is this a regular credit card - or one of those advance debit cards that are giant frauds?

DebitNM

Andrews Federal Credit Union has a true chip and pin card. I used it successfully in several locations in France. It has no annual fee nor does it charge ANY foreign transaction fee.

We used it for tolls, unmanned gas pumps, stores, railroad tickets from machines, parking machines in unattended lots. The only time it did not work was with 2 different locations of InterMarche supermarkets in The Luberon. It had to be their system. IF there was someone there [clerk] we usually had to sign. BUT when there was no one there, it worked as true chip and pin.}

http://www.andrewsfcu.org/credit_car...k_rewards.html

Avalon2

Virgin Atlantic has also elimented the foreign transaction foo but t is an Amex card and excepted in fewer plac es. I had toget a new BA card and it has a chip.The French man at the metro office shiwed me that it worked in the automatic ticket machines and even without a pin!

ssander

Just went to the CapOne site -- they still have some cards with no international transaction fees...I'm still looking, trying to find out if any of their many cards have a chip...can't tell as of now.

SS

DebitNM

Dont think Cap One has chip and pin yet. Southwest / chase premium card has no Foreign fees either but no chip and pin. Be careful, some chip cards are not true chip and pin, they are chip and signature and won't work in unmanned situations.

travelgourmet

<i>I believe the Cap 1 Visa now has an international exchange fee - like every other card.</i>

There are scores of cards without international fees. Chase, alone, has 9 different ones.

<i>Dont think Cap One has chip and pin yet.</i>

None of the major issuers has chip and pin.

TPAYT

bookmarking

DebitNM

"None of the major issuers has chip and pin."

I don't know why it would matter if it were a "major issuer" - VISA is the true issuer, the bank is more an intermediary.

Again, the Andrews Fed Credit Union card is totally free and is a totally true chip and pin card, comparable to the ones issued in Europe.

travelgourmet

<i>I don't know why it would matter if it were a "major issuer" - VISA is the true issuer, the bank is more an intermediary. </i>

Not true. The issuer is the bank. Visa is the network. Next time you want your credit increased, try calling up Visa and let me know what they say.

DebitNM

That is true. But that still doesn't answer why you feel that it is important to have a major bank issue you a credit card? I have come to much prefer smaller local banks, and credit unions. Bigger isn't always better. I know the president of my local bank, see him all over town. Credit union along the same lines.

isabel

Deb - that sounds like a good deal. But if you aren't a member of one of the groups eligible to join Andrews Credit Union it seems kind of complicated - you have to join American Consumer Council, etc. Do you know of people who have done this, or is it your 'local' credit union?

elsiejune

Just had an email solicitation from a Marriott rewards credit card that advertises no foreign transaction fees AND chip and pin. Does anyone have info about this card? Are they really chip/pin compatible?

DebitNM

LOL, I live in New Mexico, so not my local credit union.

isabel, it was actually very easy to join ACC, and Andrews FCU. Everything was done either online or by email. I scanned some documents that they needed and emailed them. Some things needed to be electronically signed, also easy.

If you do a search on here using Chip and Pin as the key words, you will find that several others on here also applied and used the Andrews card with much sucdess. You can also look on TripAdvisor, I think I talked about it there as well. A google search would turn that up on the Paris board [my screen name there is a bit different - debits2000].