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Need Chip/Pin card for travel (with no FTF)
Hey all–
I got the Chase Ink Business Plus Visa as a result of my reading here (though I’ve been so busy I haven’t made the time to upgrade to the new version of this card — the Preferred or Reserve?). The points have been good (5 on office supplies, a number for gas and dining and hotels) and a huge starting bonus). No charge on Foreign Transactions Fees (FTF) is nice too.
And I have a lousy Citibank Gold American Airlines Mastercard that I’ve had since late 80’s (though the card no longer states that start date (!). But I only get 1 point per mile and the damn thing charges FTF. I don’t even know why I keep it. Habit I guess, plus with that card my AA miles never expire. (I wonder if there’s a better card for AA miles)
Anyway — what has become a soon apparent pain on my last 3 week trip in Europe was that both my chipped cards are chip/signature rather than chip/pin, so I could not pay road tolls, rent bicycles in the city or pay for gasoline at highway gas stations.
I though the Chase Ink Business Plus offered this feature, but how do I get it? And what is a good card for American Airlines that offers it? And I’ve also used my Chase Debit Visa card for things (which is chipped) but does this debit card (That draws on a US bank) have a chip/pin option? Do I have to visit a Chase branch to get it?
Thanks for the insights on what the best CHIP/PIN cards might be. I find the signature option very annoying and a lot of small bars and restaurants don’t want to deal with it in Europe, I’ve found.
Welcome [USER=3486]@Salter[/USER] – I totally understand your feelings about your AA card but I wouldn’t get rid of it. If you’ve had the account that long it’s definitely helping out the average age of accounts factor in your credit score (unless, of course, you have several other cards that old). I’m holding on to mine for the same reason.
You could get one of the Barclays cards, either the AA card or the Arrival Plus as they’re both chip + PIN and are each $95/year (though I think the fee is waived the first year). There are probably a few other cards out there that are chip + PIN but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
Arrival Plus is my go-to for a Chip+Pin card!
Hey! I just logged on after a while. I had forgotten I posted this message. I’ll check out the Barclays, Arrival Plus for Chip+Pin. Any other suggestions?
I use my chip and sign cards at gas stations and toll booths in both Italy and France routinely without issue. Not sure in which countries you’re having issues. As for the Barclay AA card, it still generates a signature request at most retail places in Europe although it has an option to use a PIN. It’s a scary thought to be stuck at an unmanned toll booth with a card that can’t be used given that these don’t accept cash. I’ve never tried a debit card at a toll booth or gas station but perhaps they would work. One more thing to worry about!
[QUOTE=”Gia, post: 54318, member: 1566″]I use my chip and sign cards at gas stations and toll booths in both Italy and France routinely without issue. Not sure in which countries you’re having issues. As for the Barclay AA card, it still generates a signature request at most retail places in Europe although it has an option to use a PIN. It’s a scary thought to be stuck at an unmanned toll booth with a card that can’t be used given that these don’t accept cash. I’ve never tried a debit card at a toll booth or gas station but perhaps they would work. One more thing to worry about![/QUOTE]
Thanks Gia. I tried using my Citibank AA Card, Chase Business Ink, and Chase Debit visa (based on USA bank) all at France toll and gas stations and none have worked. I tried both 2017 and just this past month. I had let all cards know I would be traveling.
That said, I was able to use the Chase Debit at a train station for tickets in Germany last month so that was good.
Unfortunately, I’m getting dinged on FTF on the Chase Debit. And I would on the Citi AA card (if it worked)!
Anyway — I got to go over this all again. Confusing! (At least for me)
I’m currently in France and am using my AA Barclaycard at gas stations and toll booths. It’s so annoying that the US Banks either can’t or refuse to get their cards to work in Europe, especially travel cards. That’s one thing that should be guaranteed in a travel card, don’t you agree??!!! I have the Citi AA card with me on this trip and will try it in the next day or so.
The Barclay AA & Arrival+ cards are both chip+PIN. So [USER=1566]@Gia[/USER] are you able to use them without a PIN?
Yes, no PIN needed anywhere.
Interesting. I thought all pay station-type of transactions required the PIN. But now that I think about it further, when I was in England last year at the same McD’s I paid at the kiosk one day with a non-PIN card and it was fine and the next day I paid with a PIN card and it asked for the PIN.
[QUOTE=”MidSouth Skier, post: 36663, member: 184″]Welcome [USER=3486]@Salter[/USER] – I totally understand your feelings about your AA card but I wouldn’t get rid of it. If you’ve had the account that long it’s definitely helping out the average age of accounts factor in your credit score (unless, of course, you have several other cards that old). I’m holding on to mine for the same reason.
You could get one of the Barclays cards, either the AA card or the Arrival Plus as they’re both chip + PIN and are each $95/year (though I think the fee is waived the first year). There are probably a few other cards out there that are chip + PIN but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.[/QUOTE]
Does the Barclays Aviator Red use a PIN number? Also, what’s a good Citibank AA card that I could downgrade to without paying an annual fee? I’ve also had the AA/Citi Gold card since the 80s. I’ve moved on to a citibusiness (AA) card and Sapphire Reserve.
Yes the Barclays Aviator is a chip+PIN card.
I’d call Citi to see what you could downgrade the card to. Card issuers work differently and not all cards can be downgraded. But the Double Cash (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay) is always a good option as long as you don’t apply your cash back as a statement credit because that negates the 1% when you pay.
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