6 credit card tips when traveling internationally

I have been traveling a decent amount this year, and my credit cards have definitely been a huge convenience.

I do not have to carry as much cash, and I am comforted that I can get access to money when needed.

But since travel means I am using my credit card in a foreign setting, I make sure to take some safeguards and precautions before I head out.

Here are a few of the things I do for my credit card when I travel internationally.

1. Notify credit card company

This is an age old tip. You want to let your credit card company know you are traveling, so your charges in foreign locations do not look suspicious.

Before you had to call to notify them of international travel, often three days in advance.

Credit card companies have made the process easier. Most of my cards you can just put a “travel notification” when you login to your account online.

2. Double check fees

You can use your card all over the world, but you might have to pay a little when charging in foreign countries.

These international transaction fees are around 3 percent. So if you charge something that translates into $100, you would pay an extra $3 for the transaction fee.

If you travel a lot, CapitolOne cards do not have this fee. This article lists out credit cards with no foreign transaction fees.

3. Check rental car insurance

Credit card issuers often offer some sort of auto rental insurance in the form of a collision damage waiver (CDW). To qualify, you have to charge the entire purchase on your credit card, and decline the CDW from the rental car company.

But be careful when traveling abroad. Visa says this about its coverage to U.S. cardholders:

This benefit is available in the United States and most foreign countries. No benefit is provided for motor vehicles rented in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, or Northern Ireland. Additionally, this benefit is not available where precluded by law or in violation of the territory terms of the auto rental agreement or prohibited by individual merchants. Because regulations vary outside the United States, we recommend you check with your auto rental company and the Benefit Administrator before you travel to make sure Visa Auto Rental CDW will apply. (terms as of 4/1/11)

It can help to check if your own auto insurance covers rentals abroad. But otherwise remember to include insurance as a cost in auto rentals.

4. Carry a spare card

Did your card get declined for some reason? Did you lose your wallet?

I know some people are against taking out extra credit cards, but I have never found that advice practical. I always carry a spare card just in case.

And I would put that extra card somewhere else besdies your wallet: it hurts if you lose all your cards to one pickpocket.

5. Optional: have the cancellation numbers

In the old days I would have credit card account numbers and the phone number to the issuer in case I needed to cancel.

Physically carrying the numbers is less important nowadays–I can just log on to my account from any computer and report a stolen card.

6. Carry a bunch of cash anyway

Even when you take all these precautions, you can still run into trouble with credit card acceptance:

Another reason for taking some cash is that many European countries have adopted what is called “Chip and pin” technology, which requires credit cards to have an embedded chip and personal identification number in order to work. If you don’t have one of these new types of cards, you’ll need to have some cash on hand.

As of this writing, few if any U.S. credit cards come with the embedded chip needed to process at automatic kiosks. (Here is a discussion of a couple cards that have mixed results).

You can still get your card accepted at hotels and big places. But it’s best to carry some spare cash for automatic kiosks for train tickets and gas.