Best flat-rate travel card: The Barclaycard Arrival World ...



Compare travel credit cardsTravel Meetup Program for Feb. 8, 2014 – led by Helen Flach Looking for free flights, hotel stays and constant rewards? With a travel card, you could take advantage of some awesome rewards like nights at top tier hotels, access to exclusive airport lounges, and free flights anywhere, any time. When searching for a solid travel card, make sure to look beyond the shiny signup bonus. You’ll want to pay extra attention to rewards rates and other perks that could really sway your decision. Here are our picks for the best travel cards that you should never leave home without!Best flat-rate travel card: The Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCardUse miles on: Any airline, hotel or car rental – redeem as statement credit for travel expenses The Barclaycard Arrival card is one of the best flat-rate travel cards out there, offering a killer signup bonus, versatile rewards and one of the best rewards rates in the business. You’ll earn 2.2% rewards on every dollar you spend when you redeem as a statement credit against any travel expense. It works like this: You earn a flat 2 miles on every $1 spent, which you can redeem as a general statement credit (against any purchase) or as a statement credit against travel purchases – that’s plane tickets, airline taxes and fees, hotels, car rentals and the like. If you redeem as a general statement credit, your miles are worth 1 cent each, so you get a 2% rewards rate. If you redeem as a statement credit against any travel expense, though, you get 10% of all the miles you spend credited back to your account. This raises your rewards rate to a full 2.2% – you pretty much can’t get rewards that good unless you commit yourself to redeeming at a certain hotel or airline. Its Earn 40,000 bonus miles if you make $1,000 or more in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. 40,000 bonus miles equates to $400 off your next trip! signup bonus only sweetens the deal – that’s a far higher signup bonus than the vaunted Capital One Venture Rewards. And, like any other travel card worth noting, it has no foreign transaction fee, effectively saving you 3% of all the money you spend abroad. So, if you spend about $3,000 abroad (which is hard not to), you’ll make up for the $89 annual fee, which in any case is waived the first year. One of the best cards in the business, it’s a real standout and a great card for the globetrotter in everyone. Best no annual membership fee travel card: The Capital One? Quicksilver? Cash Rewards Credit CardUse points on: Anything, it’s a cash back card If you want a no annual membership fee travel credit card, the Capital One? Quicksilver? Cash Rewards Credit Card is perfect. Not only does it have no foreign transaction fee (key for overseas travel) but it earns a full 1.5% cash back on every purchase that you make. This gives it an advantage over cards that offer bonus categories but just 1% base rewards, because it’s up to the individual merchant to categorize itself in a bonus category, and many overseas retailers don’t bother to list themselves on our American systems. The value of the Quicksilver is that it’s simple. No annual fees, no foreign transaction fees, and no unwieldy point or mile programs. If you travel often but desire a no-frills, no-hassle card, this one’s for you. Best airline miles credit card: The Chase Sapphire PreferredUse points on: United MileagePlus, Southwest, British Airways, Korean Air, Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Hyatt, Priority Club, Amtrak The Chase Sapphire offers one of the best signup bonuses in the business: A whopping Earn 40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.. Plus, that bonus is worth 25% more when you redeem for travel booked through Chase’s online tool. It has no foreign transaction fees, key for international travel, and its $95 annual fee is waived the first year. As for ongoing rewards, it gives 2 points for every dollar spent on travel and restaurants, and 1 point per dollar everywhere else. Plus, you get a 7% points dividend at year’s end, on points both spent and unspent. If you combine the 25% travel redemption boost and the 7% points dividend given at the end of the year, your base rewards rate could get bumped up to 1.34% and bonus rate up to 2.68%. Moreover, you needn’t worry that Chase is jacking up the prices on its booking tool – airfare and hotel stays are equivalent to what’s listed on Kayak and Expedia. Popular among NerdWallet staff, the Sapphire Preferred offers versatility and value. Best Hotel Card: The Starwood American ExpressUse points on: Starwood (obviously), as well as a number of airline partners including American Airlines, British Airways, United MileagePlus and Virgin Atlantic (see full list) If you like living large when you’re away, the Starwood American Express specializes in making a luxurious lifestyle just a swipe away. Its base rewards rate of 1 Starpoint per dollar spent may seem a little thin at first glance, but we value these points at about 2.3 cents on average and 5 if you play your cards right – that’s a better base rate than the famed Venture! If you redeem your points for hotel stays, your point value will skyrocket and make the Earn up to 25,000 bonus points: 10,000 after your first purchase and another 15,000 after you spend $5,000 within the first 6 months of Cardmembership. bonus even sweeter. You’ll get up to 5 Starpoints for every dollar spent at SPG hotels (1 base + 2 for elite status + 2 for having the card). You’ll be sitting on a mountain of points in no time! The various hotel perks are what really move this card up the ranks. If you stay at a Sheraton, your third night is free, you get credits toward elite status, and you’ll get gold status after spending $30,000+ each year. Unfortunately, there is a 2.7% foreign transaction fee and since it’s AmEx, it might not be as widely accepted as Visa or MC. If you’re just looking for an all-around travel card, look to the CapOne Venture, but if you frequent SPG hotels, the Starwood AmEx is the way to go. Top 5 Credit Cards for Travel Rewardsby The Points Guy on January 2, 2014 · 59 commentsin American Express, Barclays, Chase, Citi, Credit CardsSince it’s a new year, I’ve already started to hear from a lot of friends and family that they are sick of seeing my amazing travels and not being able to go places themselves. So they’re going to buckle down in 2014 and get into the points and miles game, starting with applying for the right credit cards to get their points portfolios in shape. If you’ve got good credit and can pay off your bills in full every month, travel credit cards can be extremely lucrative and are the main way that I’m able to fly first class internationally and stay at some of the nicest hotels in the world- often for less cash outlay than if I paid to fly coach or stay in a hostel.For anyone else looking to get in the action, here are my picks the top five current credit card offers for beginners. I chose these because the sign-up bonuses are easy earn, the points or miles are easy to use, annual fees are reasonable and the cardholder benefits are valuable. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to use points or miles, the key is having those points or miles to use when you need them. For a full list of top deals, visit our TPG Top Deals page.1. Chase Sapphire PreferredCurrent Bonus: 40,000 points when you spend $3,000 in 3 monthsSpending Bonuses: 2 points per $1 on travel (which includes flights, hotels, car rentals, subway, parking, taxis, etc.) and restaurants (basically any food establishment and catering) with no maximum caps.Benefits: Points are worth 1.25 cents when redeeming with pay-with-points for airfare, hotel, car rentals and cruises (that means the 40,000 sign-up bonus = $500 towards travel at the very minimum); 7% annual points dividend even on points already redeemed; no foreign transaction fees; extra earning potential through the Ultimate Rewards earning mall; Ultimate Rewards Exclusives experience redemptions, Visa Signature perks and protections, no foreign transaction fees and chip & signature technologyTransfer Partners: United, British Airways, Southwest, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, Hyatt, Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, Priority Club, Amtrak.Annual Fee: $95, waived the first yearWhy get it? A lot of people ask me what is the one travel credit card they should get, and while it really depends on what you’re hoping to use your points for, the core card I almost always recommend to friends and family is the Chase Sapphire Preferred. That’s because of its powerful earning potential, the ease of transferring to great partners, benefits like no foreign transaction fees (super important if you travel or use your card for foreign purchases), and the fact that even if you don’t use the transfer partners, that 40,000-point bonus is worth $500 in travel. But if you do maximize those travel partners, you can make out like a bandit. For example, I’m writing this post from my room at the newly opened Andaz Papagayo in Costa Rica, where rooms cost $600 a night or 22,000 Hyatt points (which transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio from Chase Ultimate Rewards). So once you spend the $3,000 and get the 40,000-point bonus, that would be enough for 2 free nights, or $1,200 in value- all from a single credit card sign-up on a card that even has the first year annual fee waived.2. Barclaycard ArrivalCurrent Bonus: 40,000 miles with $1,000 spend in the first 90 daysBenefits: Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases and receive 10% of your miles back when you redeem on travel. 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 months after account opening – after that, a variable APR, currently 14.99% or 18.99%,based on your creditworthiness. Receive a complimentary membership to TripIt Pro. No foreign transaction fees. For more information on this card, read my review here, and then check out this post for details on its Travel Bonus Category and Redemption Options, and this one for ideas on the Top 10 Ways To Maximize Barclaycard Arrival Miles.Annual Fee: $89 waived the first yearWhy get it? The sign-up bonus is worth $440 towards travel, simply put. Since there is no annual fee the first year, so it is literally like free money, which is great for covering costs like award ticket fees, train tickets, car rentals, and other expenses you can’t usually use travel points for like b&b’s, Airbnb, car rentals and more.3. Citi Hilton HHonors ReserveCurrent Bonus: Two weekend night certificates, each good for one weekend night (standard room, double occupancy) at most hotels and resorts within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio, after $2,500 in eligible purchases within the first 4 months.Category Spending Bonuses: 10 points for every $1 spent on hotel stays within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio; 5 points for every $1 spent on airline and car rental purchases; 3 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.Benefits: Automatic Hilton HHonors Gold status; Diamond status with $40,000 annual spend; no foreign transaction fees, SmartChip technology; Visa Signature benefits; cardholders who spend $10,000 annually get an anniversary free weekend-night certificate as well that can be used at any propertyAnnual Fee: $95Why get it? Those two free nights you get as a sign-up and spending bonus are good at ANY hilton in the world, which can be an amazing value if you redeem at Hilton’s top properties where award nights can cost 95,000 points (for a standard room at the best rates), like I recently did at the Conrad Maldives. That equates to a 190,000-point bonus, or nearly $2,500 in value in my case.4. Starwood Preferred Guest American ExpressCurrent Bonus: Up 25,000 Starpoints – 10,000 with first purchase and another 15,000 with $5,000 spend in the first 6 months of CardmembershipCategory Spending Bonuses: 2x points on Starwood purchases, 1x on other purchases.Benefits: Get 5,000 bonus Starpoints when you transfer 20,000 Starpoints to a frequent flyer program with more than 30 airlines; 2 stays/5 nights credit toward elite status qualification.Transfer Partners: 30 airlinesAnnual Fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65Why get it? This card is great for spend when you can’t get a category spending bonus on other cards because Starpoints are one of the most valuable currencies out there. Plus, Amex has great purchase protections.Current Bonus: 50,000 American AAdvantage miles after $3000 in purchases within the first 3 months of cardmembershipCategory Spending Bonuses: Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, 1 mile per $1 on everything elseBenefits: Your first eligible checked bag is free, priority boarding and 25% savings on eligible in-flight purchases, earn 10% of your redeemed AAdvantage miles back, reduced mileage awards, up to 10,000 AAdvantage miles each calendar year, earn a $100 American Airlines flight discount every cardmembership year when you spend $30,000 or more on eligible purchasesAnnual Fee: $95 waived the first year.Why get it? After the United award devaluation goes into effect in February, I think I’ll probably rank American AAdvantage miles as the most valuable miles currency out there. Plus, soon US Airways miles will be converted to AAdvantage miles, so it will be a powerful program to be a member of, even if you don’t fly American regularly. This offer is a no-brainer since the annual fee is waived the first year.For more information, check out these posts: Best Travel Reward Credit CardsBy Jason Steele. Last updated 16 January 2014. There are few things as alluring as the promise of free travel to exotic destinations. The banks know this, and have long offered travel rewards to their customers for receiving and using their credit cards. In turn, savvy credit card users have learned how to exploit these offers to travel in comfort and style well beyond their means. (See also: 6 Ways My Family Scores Free Travel With Credit Cards)Recently, I was explaining this to an European executive sitting next to me in Lufthansa’s Airbus A380 business class while returning home from a vacation in Italy. I told him that my family and I could not possibly have paid for our three, $7,000 tickets for this flight. But thanks to my travel rewards credit cards, my journey was all but free after some taxes and fees. Through careful selection and use of these product, these kinds of trips have become an annual occurrence for our family. While there are innumerable ideas, tips, and tricks to be gleaned from endless hours research, my mission is to do the work for you and deliver only the most valuable advice to busy people who lack the time and patience to discover and decipher these deals.Choosing The Five Best Travel Rewards Credit CardsIt would be nice to pick the best travel reward cards in a purely empirical manner, the way one would choose a card with the lowest interest rate. Unfortunately, each travel rewards card offers a unique mix of benefits and drawbacks, and rarely is one card ideally suited for everyone's travel aspirations. I have read thousands of blog and forum posts, written hundreds of credit card reviews, and personally held dozens of different travel rewards cards over the last twenty years. In the end, I judge these cards based on three criteria:Value –What is the most return you can expect from a credit card, in cents per dollar spent.Flexibility – Since everyone hates earning miles that they can’t redeem, how can cardholders redeem awards for travel services from multiple providers.Costs And Fees – A top travel rewards card should have reasonable fees that are more than justified by its rewards and benefits.Of all the travel rewards cards currently offered, these are the five I find most rewarding:Starwood Preferred Guest? Credit Card from American ExpressIf I had to choose only one travel rewards card, I would pick this one without hesitation. Hardcore travel hackers and newbies alike love this card as it combines exceptional hotel rewards with unparalleled options to transferring points to airline miles with 30 different carriers. Here are the updated offer details:Starpoints? bonus: earn up to 25,000 bonus points: 10,000 after your first purchase and another 15,000 after you spend $5,000 within the first 6 months of CardmembershipThat's enough for a weekend getaway to a Category 4 Hotel.Free Hotel Nights: redeem Starpoints at over 1,100 hotels in nearly 100 countries worldwide - with no blackout dates. Some hotels may have mandatory service and resort charges.Free Flights: redeem Starpoints on over 350 airlines with SPG Flights - with no blackout datesNo limits on the number of Starpoints you can earn$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65Terms and Restrictions apply.The Platinum Card? from American ExpressThis card is a must if you are one of the lucky few who enjoy frequent international travel. The Platinum card offers a list of features as long as the options on a high end luxury car. Perhaps that is why Mercedes-Benz just announced a co-branded version of this popular card.Here are the latest offer details:Get 25,000 Membership Reward? points after you make $2,000 in purchases with your new Card in the first three months.Plus, get one year of Amazon Prime after you sign up for a new membership with your Card and meet the spending requirement in the same time period.As an Amazon Prime member, you get unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items on .No foreign transaction fees. No matter what country you're in, when you use your Platinum Card there are no Foreign Transaction Fees.Premium Access- Gain exclusive access to unique experiences from special entry to food festivals to VIP packages at concerts.Terms and restrictions apply.Capital One? Venture? Rewards Credit CardThis innovative card offers two “miles” per dollar spent on all purchases. Capital One’s miles can then be redeemed for one cent each as statement credits against any travel related expense such as airfare, hotel, and rental car charges.2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every dayEarn 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $200 in travelRedeem your miles for any travel expenseNo limit on the miles you can earn and miles don’t expireFly on any airline, any time with no blackout datesNo foreign transaction fees$0 intro annual fee for the first year; $59 after thatChase Sapphire Preferred?Cardholders earn on point for most purchases, with double points for all dining and airfare transactions, and triple points for travel booked through Chase’s site. Points are then worth one cent each, or 1.25 cents for travel booked at their site. 40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months- that's $500 toward travel rewards!2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining at restaurants & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchasesGet 20% off airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you redeem through Ultimate RewardsSMNo foreign transaction feesReceive a 7% Annual Points Dividend on all new points earned on purchases - even on points already redeemed1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs - that means 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points equal 1,000 partner miles/pointsDirect access to expert service advisors anytimeIntroductory Annual Fee of $0 the first year, then $95PenFed Premium Travel Rewards American Express Card PenFed is the Pentagon Federal credit union, but anyone can join if they are not already eligible. Like all of their products, this card offers maximum benefits with few hassles or fees.Earn one point per dollar spent on most purchases, with five points per dollar spent on airfare. Points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for gift cards, but 1.6 cents towards airfare purchases. Use this card to purchase airfare and you can earn eight cents per dollar spent (5 points x 1.6 cents per point) towards future airfare purchases. 20,000 points available as a sign up bonus; worth $320 towards an airfare purchase.No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.ConclusionsNo discussion of rewards credit cards is complete without the warning that these products are only best for those who always pay their balances in full and never incur interest. Everyone else should use the card with the lowest APR. That said, if you do pay your balance off every month, and you love to travel, then you have much to gain by applying for and using one of these top travel rewards cards. Join me in the exciting world of those who regularly travel for free. You Leave Home Make copies of your passport, driver's license, credit cards, wallet contents, and travel documents (plane tickets, etc). You also should make a copy of the credit card "lost or stolen" notification phone numbers to include with this package. Leave one set of copies at home with a trusted friend or family member, and take the other set with you, packed separately from the originals.Credit. Make a note of the credit limit on each credit card that you bring, and avoid charging over that limit while traveling. Americans have been arrested for innocently exceeding their credit limit. Ask your credit card company how to report the loss of your card from abroad. 1-800 numbers do not work from abroad, but your company should have a number that you can call while you are overseas. \ more of the same above (Chase Sapphire, Starwood, BarclayCard Arrival) but also these:Chase British Airways Visa Chase British Airways Visa is a solid product even if you don't travel to Europe. British Airways Avios are great for short-haul redemptions on their oneworld partners like American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Flights 600 miles and under are only 4,500 Avios. No foreign transaction fees on this card either. The current sign up bonus is 50,000 Avios when you spend $2,000 within three months.5US Bank Club Carlson Visa My dark horse choice for one of the best cards is the US Bank Club Carlson Visa, which not only has a lucrative sign up bonus (85,000 points after $2,500 spend within 3 months, $75 annual fee), but one of the most valuable hotel credit card perks: you get a free night whenever you redeem points for stays of two days or longer. This is especially lucrative on two night stays since you only need the points to redeem for the price of one night and you get the second for free, essentially getting half off your award Part 1 of 4 – The Simple Dollar 2014 Rewards Credit Card SeriesUpdated: February 4, 2014This is the first part in a series of four posts on rewards credit cards. In the other posts, I focus on the more specific types of rewards cards, like cash back, hotel, and airline credit cards. I let you know what the best cards are and how to maximize your rewards earning potential.Part 1: General Rewards Credit CardsPart 2: Airline Credit CardsPart 3: Cash Back Credit CardsPart 4: Hotel Credit CardsFor this post, my goal was to identify the best overall rewards credit card. I wanted to find the best all-around card that offers rewards for all types of purchases, not just specific categories. If you’re signing up for a new card, you should plan on keeping it for a long time, and continuously use it to reap the most benefits.After comparing all the cards, I found a clear choice. The best rewards credit card is the Barclaycard Arrival(TM) World MasterCard? – Earn 2x on All Purchases.To come to this conclusion, I used a data-driven process to select the top rewards credit cards from a list of nearly 200. After comparing the data from all of the rewards cards, I eliminated the weaker cards until I was left with the top three.The three best rewards credit cards for 2014 are:Barclaycard Arrival(TM) World MasterCard? – Earn 2x on All PurchasesCapital One? Venture? Rewards Credit CardChase Sapphire Preferred? CardWhat makes these cards the best?Versatile rewards earning potential (2x on all purchases or 2x on important purchases)Unlimited rewards (no caps on earning)Consistency (no rotating categories, signing up to get rewards, or confusing offers)Redeem for anything (cash back, travel, exclusive events, and more)Long-term stability (quality financial institutions, no reason to close your account)Hefty, easy-to-achieve sign-up bonusesEarn points or miles back for redeeming rewards, not just making purchasesOther rewards credit cards close to the top 3The competition was tough in this group. The cards below didn’t make the top three, but don’t beat yourself up if you own one of them. These are still some of the better credit cards available, but they’re not quite as good as the ones mentioned above.BankAmericard Travel Rewards? Credit CardCard Highlights:Earn 1.5 points per $1 on every purchase every time, with no annual feeEarn 10,000 bonus points after qualifying purchases that can be $100 towards travel purchasesNo limit to the total number of points you can earn and points don’t expireWhy it didn’t make the cutYou only earn 1.5 points per $1 on every purchase, which is less than the top cards.The sign-up bonus is lacking, at only 10,000 bonus points.Capital One? VentureOne? Rewards Credit CardCard Highlights:1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and no annual feeOne-time bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 monthsNo limit on the miles you earn and miles don’t expireWhy it didn’t make the cutYou only earn 1.25 points per dollar on every purchase, which is is 0.75 less than the best cards.The sign-up bonus is only average at 20,000 bonus points.U.S. Bank FlexPerks? Travel Rewards Visa Signature? cardCard Highlights:Get 20,000 Bonus FlexPoints after the first $3,500 in net purchases in the first 150 daysAward travel starts at just 20,000 FlexPoints (up to a $400 ticket value) on over 150 airlines with no blackout dates or redemption feesEarn two FlexPoints for every $1 spent on gas, grocery, or airline purchases — whichever you spend most on each monthly billing cycle — and on most cell phone expensesEarn Triple FlexPoints for your charitable donations$0 Annual Fee* the first year, after that $49Earn 3,500 bonus FlexPoints each year when you spend $24,000 in Net Purchases. You can redeem these FlexPoints for your annual fee or combine them with other FlexPoints for travel.Why it didn’t make the cutThe sign-up bonus is half as much as some of the top rewards cards and you have to spend much more to achieve it.Earning two FlexPoints for every $1 spent on gas, grocery, or airlines is on par with the other top cards.You don’t earn 2:1 rewards points on everything, but these are big enough categories to capitalize on unless you eat out a lot. Here are my top three airline credit cards for U.S. consumers:US Airways Premier World MasterCard?Alaska Airlines Visa Signature CardTrueBlue by JetBlue you need to know about traveling with an ATM cardSo don't be afraid to use your card to access cash at a European ATM. If you're looking for a card to use in Europe, check out the Currency Conversion fees (current as of May 13th of this year) by using the link in the box to the right. Then use our ATM Finder links to make sure there's an ATM where you're going (they are numerous; I've never had a problem getting money in Europe). ATM tips and strategies Shorten your PIN. If your PIN is longer than four digits, you may need to get a new number. Many foreign machines don't like longer codes or letters in a PIN. You can get letters translated to numbers by asking your bank.Max it out. Making many small withdrawals increases the number of per transaction fees. Get as much as you can and stash it in a safe place.Don't get dependent. If you're nearly out of cash get replenished at the first opportunity-don't wait until you end up in a cute little burg with only 1 malfunctioning ATM. They do run out of money at times.Test it! Make sure your card works. Don't just rip it off its paper backing and stuff it in your money belt on your way to Munich--try it out in an ATM at home first.Know your numbers. Make sure someone at home who's accessible while you're on vacation has your credit card info. I mean someone you trust, of course. Make a copy of your card and take it with you--and keep it in a different place from where you carry your card.Take two, ya never know. Have a different card so that you have a backup. Make it a different bank so you'll have access to more machines.Watch out for weekends. There have been reports that some European banks don't update their databases over the weekend. That means that if you've withdrawn the max on Friday, you may not be able to get more money on that card until Monday morning.Alternatives to the credit or debit card: Prepaid or Stored Value Travel Cards One option that some people find attractive is the prepaid card. The principle is this: you plan your travel expenses, add a little for unseen expenses, and put that amount into an account accessible by the travel cards you order. You aren't borrowing the bank's money--you're just making your money available through ATMs. A popular card is the Visa TravelMoney Card. A variation of this card is also available through your local AAA. Advantages of a Stored Value Card:No credit check needed, since you're using your own money.You can get cards for the whole family, and have control over the spending limits of each.Uninterrupted access to your funds if your card is lost or stolen when you take a second back up card with you.The last word: What currency items I take to EuropeOk, so you're all set for your attack on European ATMs. You've got a couple cards and a plan. Doncha feel just a little shaky about the whole thing?I know I do. Sure, folks tell me there's always a functioning ATM in the airport. Why bring any cash at all? And traveler's checks--they're so, well, 90s!I tend to bring a couple hundred dollars of the first local currency I'll encounter. Sure, in my bleary-eyed, jet-lagged state I could amble over to the ATM while my bags tumble off the conveyor belt and get money. It's just nice to know I can function in a country right off the plane, without any surprises.I also take about 500 dollars worth of traveler's checks I get free of fees from my local AAA. I don't even try to cash them. They're just there for security reasons; it's a light backup. I usually end up spending them later in the US before they've gotten so soiled and wrinkled from being carried around you can't read them.Bring a list of emergency numbers. Because 800 numbers can only be used in the United States and Canada, be sure to get a local number for your bank that you can call if your card is lost or stolen on Using ATMs in EuropeHow to use a European cash machine: Insert card, pull out cash. By Rick StevesThroughout Europe, cash machines (ATMs) are the standard way for travelers to get local currency. European ATMs work like your hometown machine and always have English-language instructions. Using your debit card at an ATM takes dollars directly from your bank account at home and gives you foreign cash. You'll pay fees, but you'll still get a better rate than you would exchanging cash dollars at a bank.Ideally, use your debit card with a Visa or MasterCard logo to take money out of ATMs. Before you go, confirm with your bank that your debit card will work in Europe and alert them that you'll be making withdrawals while traveling — otherwise, they might freeze your card if they detect unusual spending patterns.ATM transactions made with bank-issued debit cards come with various fees. Your bank may levy a flat $2–5 transaction fee each time you use an ATM, and/or may charge a percentage for the currency conversion (1–3 percent), on top of Visa and MasterCard's 1 percent fee for international transactions. Most bank ATMs in Europe don't charge a usage fee, but watch out for "independent" ATMs, which have high fees. Run by companies such as Travelex, Euronet, or Forex, these machines are often found next to bank ATMs in the hope that travelers will be too confused to notice the difference.If your US bank charges a flat fee per transaction, make fewer visits to the ATM and withdraw larger amounts. (Some major US banks partner with European bank chains, meaning that you can use those ATMs with no fees at all — ask your bank.) Quiz your bank to figure out exactly what you'll pay for each withdrawal.Since European keypads have only numbers, you'll need to know your personal identification number (PIN) by number rather than by letter; to determine this, just take a close look at your hometown bank's keypad. Plan on being able to withdraw money only from your checking account. You are unlikely to be able to dip into your savings account or transfer funds between accounts from a European ATM.Bringing an extra ATM card provides a backup if one is demagnetized or eaten by a machine. Make sure your card won't expire before your trip ends. You do not need a chip-and-PIN card to use a European ATM — your standard magnetic strip card will work fine.Ask your bank how much you can withdraw per 24 hours, and consider adjusting the amount. Some travelers prefer a high limit that allows them to take out more cash at each ATM stop, while others prefer to set a lower limit as a security measure, in case their card is stolen. To avoid excess per-transaction fees, I usually go with a higher maximum. Either way, it's a good idea to monitor your account while traveling to detect any unauthorized transactions.Be aware that many foreign ATMs have their own limits. If the ATM won't let you withdraw your daily maximum, you'll have to make several smaller withdrawals to get the amount you want. Note that few ATM receipts list the exchange rate, and some machines don't dispense receipts at all.In some countries (especially in Eastern Europe), an ATM may give you high-denomination bills, which can be difficult to break. My strategy: Request an odd amount of money from the ATM (such as 2,800 Czech koruna instead of 3,000). If the machine insists on giving you big bills, go to a bank or a major store to break them.If you're looking for an ATM, ask for a distributeur in France, a cashpoint in the UK, and a Bankomat just about everywhere else. Many European banks have their ATMs in a small entry lobby, which protects users from snoopers and bad weather. When the bank is closed, the door to this lobby may be locked. In this case, look for a credit-card-size slot next to the door. Simply insert or swipe your debit or credit card in this slot, and the door should automatically open.Before you go:Call your bank to let them know your travel dates in Europe and to find out more about using your debit card abroad.Since European ATMs will only take funds from checking accounts — not savings — make sure you have enough in your checking account before you go.Bring at least one credit card and one debit card, ideally with a Visa or MasterCard logo.Make sure you have a four-digit PIN number (no letters) for all of your cards. Allow time for your bank to mail you a PIN if you don't know it.When making a withdrawal:Try to use ATMs at banks during banking hours. If there's a problem, someone in the bank can probably help.Avoid ATMs that are not provided by a bank. Independent ATMs charge outrageous fees.Grab your cash and card quickly; some ATMs suck back the cash after 30 seconds.Try to take out large amounts at one time to avoid frequent ATM trips and repeated withdrawal fees.Don't use your credit card to withdraw cash unless it's an emergency; you'll be charged a high cash-advance interest rate.If your card doesn't work:Try a different ATM. (Don't re-enter your PIN if the ATM eats your card.)Try a lower amount; the ATM may have a withdrawal limit.Try later. Your card's 24-hour withdrawal maximum is based on US time, or your bank's network may be temporarily down. Also, if a waiter or shopkeeper offers to charge your purchase in dollars rather than the local currency, always decline! This is almost always an opportunity for you to be ripped off with a very poor exchange rate. Buy things in the local GBP, euros, or kroons only and let the credit card company handle the exchange rate. ................
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