Visa (credit card) Acceptance in China
Aug 25, 2015, 8:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 118
Visa (credit card) Acceptance in China
Hi!
I've been doing my best to research this but I can't seem to get a straight answer.
I'm traveling to China in around 2 weeks and am trying to figure out if my CapOne CC (Visa) will work in stores.
No foreign transaction fees, but from what I understand Chinese POS systems only accept UnionPay? But then I read that Visa has a agreement with UnionPay to make cards work.
I'm really curios to hear about real world experience. Can you just swipe and go?
I've been doing my best to research this but I can't seem to get a straight answer.
I'm traveling to China in around 2 weeks and am trying to figure out if my CapOne CC (Visa) will work in stores.
No foreign transaction fees, but from what I understand Chinese POS systems only accept UnionPay? But then I read that Visa has a agreement with UnionPay to make cards work.
I'm really curios to hear about real world experience. Can you just swipe and go?
Aug 25, 2015, 8:56 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,206
Visa Acceptance in China
Some places it will and some places it won't. Restaurants, hotels and stores that cater to foreigners will be no problem. Using it at a local hot pot restaurant in Zhengzhou will most likely cause problems.
Aug 26, 2015, 3:13 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: WORLD
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, Flying Blue (KLM) Platinum, Oneworld (BA) Sapphire, *A (Aegean) Gold, IHG Spire RA,
Posts: 555
My advise in China to ALWAYS bring cash..... at least for 1 day in case something suddenly doesn't work. I have been MANY times in hotels (mainly small) that advertise they accept a lot but then "suddenly" they have some connection problems with their devices. If you do not speak good Chinese, better to have a bit of cash at hand.
actually i would advise this anywhere....
actually i would advise this anywhere....
Aug 26, 2015, 3:40 am
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,983
My advise in China to ALWAYS bring cash..... at least for 1 day in case something suddenly doesn't work. I have been MANY times in hotels (mainly small) that advertise they accept a lot but then "suddenly" they have some connection problems with their devices. If you do not speak good Chinese, better to have a bit of cash at hand.
actually i would advise this anywhere....
actually i would advise this anywhere....
Aug 27, 2015, 11:25 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Northfield, MN (MSP)
Programs: UA
Posts: 383
When I've asked about using Visa at a couple places, they tell me that they had a 3% fee to accept it, which doesn't really make it any better than cash.
Sep 1, 2015, 4:27 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: WORLD
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, Flying Blue (KLM) Platinum, Oneworld (BA) Sapphire, *A (Aegean) Gold, IHG Spire RA,
Posts: 555
Sep 3, 2015, 8:11 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,418
Most large established restaurants/stores and all hotels will pretty much accept Visa. But always bring cash in China.
