joannnyc - at risk of being overly simplistic, did you notify PenFed that you would be traveling? If not, security procedures may have put a hold on it when foreign transactions showed up on the account.

Seamus - yes, I notify all all my cc and ATM card issuers before I travel. But, thanks for the thought!

joannyc...just out of curiosity although I am pretty sure I know the answer. You said your Pen Fed card worked in the USA before you left. I would wager a nickel (my highest bet) it either worked by swiping unless you were in Walmart or a very few other merchant where it worked by inserting it into the chip slot of the terminal but either the transaction just went through if it was under $50 or you were asked to sign (which of course no clerk every looked at or compared the signature with the signature on the card). You can send me my nickel via pen pal.

Xyz123, all of the US transactions were via swiping which is the common method here. Rarely do I see any other method of paying. None of my local stores have the ability to insert the card into a card reader such as Europe offers. My largest purchase was my dry cleaner which was over $100 USD.


So you can pay me via PayPal!

joannnyc; I don't disagree with you completely, but whenever I use my Visa with a chip, the establishment is able to insert my card into a chip reader.

I will say I don't use that card much, but I will try it at my super market soon and see what happens.

Whatever..... I am only reporting my credit card usage in the south of France.

I am sure I will survive. Supermarkets have not been a issue. It is unmanned gas stations and tolls.

joannyc: Even contacting the bank ahead of time does not guarantee either a cc or ATM card will work.

When traveling I usually carry 3 ATM cards and 4 credit cards (sometimes 4 and 5) for insurance. I always contact them all ahead of my trips - and travel overseas 3 to 5 times most years so 'unusual activity' isn't really an issue. Even so I've had various cards blocked. Sometimes the fraud departments algorithm will cause a temporary block and if they can't contact you or you don't contact them, they will shut the account down.

So do I, Janisj, as noted above.

My new American Airlines Aviator Red Mastercard recently arrived and is a chip and pen card. I believe the letter arriving with the card said that once it is used at a manned booth type transaction once overseas, that it will then work in all chip and pen situations. There are no overseas transaction fees either. Has anyone tried using this card overseas? Going to Netherlands, Belgium, and Paris this September.

The card is issued by Barclay Bank USA. All cards issued by that bank are signature preferred with pin capabilities so there is no reason to think this card is different from say Arrivals+. I do not think one can apply for this card; if you want an AA card you have to go through Citibank but I think this is a special arrangement because of the merger of AA and US although don't hold me to this. Now having said this, it is a normal part of setting up the backup pin to require a transaction in a chip and signature terminal where as part of the transaction the pin on the chip will be re-written. That usually means a trip to Walmart although from what I read, many Target stores have been performing emv chip and signature transactions. The good news of this card, is that some have reported they have gotten Barclay Bank to waive the annual fee after the first year but again all this is based on what I read.

Last summer used a swipe card as primary card in UK and France, it nearly always worked. Used USAA chip and pin for unmanned kiosks. Since USAA charges 1% foreign transaction fee it is a card of last resort.

Now in Denmark and can state swipe cards won't cut it here. Was able to use it twice where the cashiers said with a wink, "I know just how to set it up." You may be able to use a swipe card if you know the PIN when cashier doesn't know how to set it up for normal swipe and sign.

Now using Marriott visa chip and signature as primary card in Denmark, even then the signature part flummoxes the cashier or waiter.

I have never taken a trip with more than 2 cards.

Only tow CC for me, an AX and a VISA.

But we also carry an ATM card that is a Visa.

Perhaps three!

I haven't had a problem. Although know ahead of time that you need to purchased tickets for public transportation at the window, as the kiosks require the chip/pin cards.

I am surprised you don't have a chip/pin card. My bank and all my credit card companies mailed me new cards a few months ago with the chip/pin technology. Maybe it is worth giving your bank a call and asking?

Have a wonderful trip!

<i> My bank and all my credit card companies mailed me new cards a few months ago with the chip/pin technology. </i>

US banks are now only issuing chip credit cards. However, unless you bank at one of two or three banks issuing chip & PIN cards, your card will default to chip & signature acceptance.

I think vivi004 must be mistaken and received chip and signature cards? Because hardly any US institutions have chip and pin cards. I have cards from several of the major banks, and none of them do (B of A, Chase and Cap One). B of A and Chase have recently sent me a new card with a chip in it, but it is chip and signature. Cap One is rolling that out this year but I haven't gotten mine yet (I know some people have). Uou can't always just call and ask to get one because I tried that, even though they have a campaign to do that this year, Cap One would not send me one immediately when I asked, I have to wait until it happens under whatever schedule they are using (don't know). And I think some institutions are only doing it on certain credit cards, not all of them.

The only US institution I recall having chip and PIN are credit unions, eg, Andrews.

<i>The only US institution I recall having chip and PIN are credit unions, eg, Andrews.</i>


The Andrews card is a chip & signature card but it has a very liberal <i>card verification method (CVM)</i> and uses an off line PIN giving the card a greater deal of flexibility and a wider range of acceptance than what most cards offer.

The UNFCU and the Diner´s Club Matercard are the only two issuers of chip & PIN credit cards in the USA to my knowledge.

Also USAA has had chip and pin for a few years. Only good if you are a vet.

<i>Also USAA has had chip and pin for a few years. Only good if you are a vet.</i>

The last of the USAA chip & PIN cards have been replaced with chip & signature cards. Many of us who had USAA chip & PIN cards never received an explanation for this unfortunate change.

Several on Flyer Talk got an explanation. The explanation was it was a business decision. There is also a document floating around somewhere on their web site which explains they chose signature preference for the "convenience" of their customers. The reality is that for most who carry the card, it is a moot point. The vast majority of American merchants will be going signature preference and so there will be nowhere in the USA to use a pin preferred card. I get it about travelling but visa has been most emphatic that new regulations would be going into effect which they did as of 01 July 2015 prohibiting kiosks from rejecting emv compliant cards lacking pins for lack of a pin. Many kiosks that once automatically rejected chip and signature cards now accept them (for example the kiosks of SNCF at CDG). Does that mean there is a 100% these regs will always work? No but we'll have to see.

My whole point remains that liike it or not, there are only 2 American financial institutions offering cards which are pin preferred, namely UNFCU and now First Teach FCU (only recently) but the most important thing is not pin preference but rather no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. This is, unfortunately, the way it is.