It seems like all my cards are now MasterCard. I didn't intend it that way, but the renewals from my banks come, and the Visa logo is gone. My corp credit and purchasing cards are MasterCard too.

I have noticed that too with some of my card renewals... although I don't use them anymore.


My primary card is an AMEX and I have a Visa as a backup in case they don't take my first choice.

--Russ

Yes, I've noticed the same. Most Citi cards are now MasterCard, and you have to ask specifically if you want a Visa (no longer advertised for many consumer cards).

There must be some reason. Perhaps Visa charges the issuers and/or merchants more fees.

My university recently stopped accepting Visa as well. Now it accepts MasterCard and Discover only. The administration said it was because Visa charges too much for merchant processing.

Please continue to follow this thread in the Other Credit Cards Forum.
Thanks...
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

I think that Citi owns a good stake in MasterCard.

same thing is happening in the UK, all the major banks bar one (barclays) are switch to MC. Looks loike visa's time of dominance in europe is coming to an end..

And also seeing a similar set of moves from some banks in Australia. There must be reasons behind it - financial of course!

I'm not sure that Visa is disappearing, it's just that banks that used to have both are leaning toward just one or the other. Visa is most certainly not disappearing at the giant Chase (it's MC that's harder to find over there), nor have I seen it disappearing at BofA, but if you don't have cards from those banks, then, yes, at some other major bank families it's opposite with the move being toward MC.

Ie, each bank seems to have a preferred relationship with one or the other.

May be disappearing a bit from the banks, but I still see more merchants which accept Visa rather than MC.

True, but there seems to be less "good" Visa cards than MC cards. I found all cards in my wallet are either AMEX or MC too.

BTW, just curious - is there any retail/wholesale chain takes visa only? I know costco takes only AMEX and sam's club takes discover and MC.

I'm not sure how you define "good" cards.

Doesn't it depend a lot on the airlines/hotels you prefer?

You show UA as one of your airlines on the left, but which AMEX or MC earns you UA miles at 1mile/$ or better?

I have a Visa card from Chase (that I think it's impossible to apply for right now) that earns me over 4 UA miles/$ at gas, grocery, and drug stores. I don't know where I can get an MC or AMEX that earns me 4 miles/$ for any airline at these kinds of "everyday" places, month after month, year after year.

(Having said that, UA is not my primary airline, so I don't worry about earning UA miles from other kinds of card spending.)

Last year, Priority Club (one of my two primary hotel chains) had a bonus of 2000 extra points per stay only if you paid with a Visa. (This was stackable with lots of other bonuses.) So I don't want to be caught without a Visa in my wallet. My other primary hotel chain, Choice, also uses Visa (tho I use their card only for hotel stays).

Was in Peru recently and MasterCard had a much bigger presence than Visa.

I'm not too displeased with my Wachovia Visa Signature card. No limit + 1.5% back on everything. My Amex cards are still the first cards I reach for 'though.