My BofA card (and actually, my debit card when run through the credit networks, as I just found out) does that, but it's still not a perfect solution. Sometimes the authorized amount is different than the final charge, such as at gas pumps (which commonly authorized for just $1) or at the vending machine at my work (which takes credit cards; it places a $5 authorization for my $1.50 soda).

It just seems weird than in 2009, with all the computing power available to us, we still have a legacy banking system that isn't real-time. The steps and delays in the current credit networks are inherited from previous days when all the steps were done manually. The EDC authorization is just a computer doing what a merchant would have done with a phone call just a few years ago. The nightly electronic batch is just the electronic version of the merchant taking his/her credit card draft slips over to his/her bank (or mailing them in). The bank's ACH settling is just the next step beyond banks balancing their ledgers and physically transporting checks and money orders between them. For the whole process to take 3-4 days (and involve four or five intermediaries, all taking their cuts) is just insane.

And that I can't even send money to another person's bank account without spending $18 to wire it (and them $10 to receive the wire) is completely asinine. Why on earth that I have to write out a paper check (which, first off, God knows where my checkbook is), ruffle around in my stack o' stuff for an envelope, find a stamp (or, more likely, drive to the post office and buy one), and mail it to them seems so dumb to me.

PayPal is an OK intermediary, but that kind of stuff should be native to the banking system. Punch in their account number and boom, transfer the money to them. I think they can do this in Europe--I've read some stuff on Wikipedia about giros? Why not here?!

The delay in the credit card networks is just a symptom of the need to modernize the banking system, and I think that's why it bugs me so much!

Whats up with you guys hijacking my thread?

Can we stay on topic? Anyone know of a debit card that earns mileage for PIN transactions?

https://www.suntrust.com/portal/serv...heck_card/1905

Says it requires signature not PIN, yet continues in T&C saying "Only signature-based purchases, Internet purchases, phone or mail order purchases or automatic bill payments qualify for mileage earnings. Cash advances, ATM transactions, payments for stored-value cards and purchases made with a PIN do not qualify."

So internet, phone and mail order without PIN or signature are OK. Not sure if that meets your needs, OP.

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...t/default.aspx

The CO debit card through First Hawaiian Bank appears to award miles for all purchases, whether you use a PIN or not. If you compare the terms of this card to the nearly identical card through Chase (which I use), you will see a distinct difference in the benefits. The Chase card expressly excludes PIN puchases, while the FHB card makes no such exclusion. At the very least, this may be worth further investigation on your part.

Good find... from the web site "Is there a cap on how many miles can be earned per year on the card? There is no maximum amount of miles that can be earned on the card per year."