Keflyer

Has anyone used this card in Europe with its chip n sign feature?

amolkold

Why would you use it in Europe? It has a 3% forex fee.

I don't think it's chip and sign either. The chip is form RFID PayWave machines in the USA

kebosabi

The US Bank FlexPerks carries both contactless RFID/NFC and contact chip EMV:

https://www.usbank.com/splash/credit...wards-emv.html

amolkold

Even then, I'd rather use a swipe card with no forex than a chip card with 3% forex.

sdsearch

+1. But if you have no chip card with 0% forex*, then it's nice to have a chip card as a backup when you hit one of those locations overseas where a swipe card won't work. On each of my last two European trips, there was exactly one place that took my chip card (in my case a Diners Club US card) and wouldn't take any of my swipe cards. In those particular situations, I still preferred using a card with 3% forex that earned me something useful rather than having to fish for cash (and maybe I didn't have the right change to begin with?). I did use my 0% forex swipe cards everywhere else (that took credit cards).

(*Chase Hyatt and now Chase Marriott Premier both are available with chips and both have 0% forex, and both have "net zero" annual fees. Though they might only make sense if you stay at those hotels at least occasionally.)

amolkold

Chase BA also has a chip. And with a Charles Schwab checking account, I don't have to pay any ATM or ForEx fees to withdraw cash, so if I'm stuck in a train station that requires 50£, I'd rather go to an ATM and withdraw it than pay an extra 1.50£ on my credit card.

Keflyer

Thanks everyone for ur opinion.
I hv the Ink card with no transaction fee - but it has no chip.
I hv the US flex card with chip but 3% fee.
I figured for limited uses at toll booth, ticket machine n gasoline station, I'll pay the 3% fee instead trying to get another card and I can pay the rest with the INK card with no fee. And I'll be getting Charles Schwab with no atm fee for my cash.
I read the thread abt the Andrew FCU n I m not sure if I want to go thru the hassle since my usage is limited.
So my thots r if the Flex card can handle the toll booth, unmanned gas station n ticket machine, that shld be good.

* will be using Ual explorer card for car rental for the primary insurance that comes with the card.

sdsearch

The Flex card is a chip-and-signature card, not a chip-and-PIN card. Thus it may not work in all unmanned machines/kiosks/etc that are set up for "offline" PIN verification. (It may work in some of them with either a dummy PIN such as 0000 or 9999 or your "cash withdrawal" PIN, but there are other machines which will require a PIN that's encoded into the chip and only a true "offline" chip & PIN card has that.)

Then again, there are some places in some countries that only accept local cards period, chip or not chip, offline PIN or no offline PIN. In those, no US-issued card will do any good (nor, necessarily a card issued even in just next country over!). Denmark is especially known for this, and I may have run into this a bit in Italy as well.

Keflyer

Ya I get what you mean. But I leave in 3.5 weeks - kinda last minute decision vacation. So just hv to deal with what I hv. Hopefully the Flex will come thru for me . Will make sure I hv always hv cash with me.

Bago'peanuts

Hi - I'm in a bit of a bind because I need to contact customer service from outside the US but don't have my card with me that lists the phone numbers. Could someone please post the number for contacting customer service that is a non-toll free number? Or PM me if you prefer. I can't seem to use my US cell phone in Australia for calling a toll-free US number. There is a number for calling collect from outside the US on the back of the cards - please pass it along. Thx! I searched up and down their website and couldn't find it, and can't currently log in.

MDtR-Chicago

(+1) 701.461.1552

Really surprised it's not on the website but I couldn't find it there either.

Bago'peanuts

Many thanks!!

Stripe

I successfully used it in some places in Europe that required a chip card. Example: machines that sell bus and ferry tickets in Helsinki. I do try to use my no-foreign-transaction-fee Capital One card whenever I can over there but I like to have the chip card available when needed.

Keflyer

That's good to know. Like you, will use the no foreign-transaction fee card Ink card 1st. But definitely good to hv a chip n sign card with me just in case.

gm9928

Finally received the last of my Olympic bonus points on today's statement! (Of 33,150 points, received 17.5K on 1st statement, then 15,650 on my third statement!)

Time to take a trip!