Possible to use a credit card without pin?
Jan 17, 2019, 3:35 pm
#1
Formerly known as uclaboby
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The DC Area
Programs: DL, AS, Hyatt, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 62
Possible to use a credit card without pin?
I'm just looking at the confirmation for my March rental ( pickup in Berlin) and I see "When paying by credit card, it may be necessary to enter the PIN."
I'm planning to use my Chase Sapphire Reserve card for the auto insurance but it is not a chip + pin card. I'm appreciate any solutions to this - is it a local branch decision whether to use pin? ... will paying for the rental online remedy this? ...
Auto insurance is a major benefit of this card so I'm assuming some out there have dealt with this issue already?
I appreciate any insight.
I'm planning to use my Chase Sapphire Reserve card for the auto insurance but it is not a chip + pin card. I'm appreciate any solutions to this - is it a local branch decision whether to use pin? ... will paying for the rental online remedy this? ...
Auto insurance is a major benefit of this card so I'm assuming some out there have dealt with this issue already?
I appreciate any insight.
Jan 17, 2019, 3:39 pm
#2
Company Representative - AutoSlash and HotelSlash
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: autoslash.com | hotelslash.com
Posts: 5,665
It's only for non-US cards that support chip+pin. For US-based credit cards it's not applicable. The word may is the key here -- "it may be necessary to enter the PIN."
Jan 17, 2019, 8:10 pm
#3
Formerly known as uclaboby
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The DC Area
Programs: DL, AS, Hyatt, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 62
That's good to hear. I did notice in a post in this forum dated 18 June 2018, there was a link to sixt.de's general terms and conditions and the very last line in the following screenshot is also troubling. I hope that Autoslash is correct. ( for the record, I don't see this text in the terms of my own reservation, but I could be overlooking it. what's below is found here
I have an email out to Sixt and Chase but would still appreciate other thoughts. I will report back.
I have an email out to Sixt and Chase but would still appreciate other thoughts. I will report back.
Jan 21, 2019, 12:14 pm
#5
Formerly known as uclaboby
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The DC Area
Programs: DL, AS, Hyatt, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 62
The comments are encouraging! Thank you.
I checked with Sixt, who directed me to the particular branch where I would be picking up the car. That branch told me:
I would recommend to ask your credit institution for your personal pin or that they give you one.
Some payments with a credit card are without a pin but just to be safe please contact your credit card institution.
Unfortunately, we are not able to decide when to accept a credit card with a pin or without a pin. It is an automation of the card reader.
So, I guess I haven't made any progress with this - hopefully the card reader recognizes it is not a PIN card and doesn't ask. It if does ask for one, I follow Chase's instructions for what typically bypasses the PIN, and hope it does. Would love to hear any more instances of anyone using a card without a PIN at Sixt in Germany. Thank you!
I checked with Sixt, who directed me to the particular branch where I would be picking up the car. That branch told me:
I would recommend to ask your credit institution for your personal pin or that they give you one.
Some payments with a credit card are without a pin but just to be safe please contact your credit card institution.
Unfortunately, we are not able to decide when to accept a credit card with a pin or without a pin. It is an automation of the card reader.
So, I guess I haven't made any progress with this - hopefully the card reader recognizes it is not a PIN card and doesn't ask. It if does ask for one, I follow Chase's instructions for what typically bypasses the PIN, and hope it does. Would love to hear any more instances of anyone using a card without a PIN at Sixt in Germany. Thank you!
Jan 21, 2019, 2:26 pm
#6
Company Representative - AutoSlash and HotelSlash
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: autoslash.com | hotelslash.com
Posts: 5,665
You are overthinking this. US cards don't use a pin. European cards do. European cardholders will be prompted for a pin by the credit card terminal. US customers will not. It's as simple as that. There is no need to call all over the place. This is not something new. It's worked this way for years.
Jan 22, 2019, 11:54 am
#7
Formerly known as uclaboby
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The DC Area
Programs: DL, AS, Hyatt, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 62
I appreciate that, although the automated machines for the Brussels Metro made me put in a PIN (and subsequently rejected the purchase). Maybe that makes sense because it is an unmanned purchase point so it needs some verification, but that was the prior experience I am coming in with.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Jan 22, 2019, 3:08 pm
#8
Company Representative - AutoSlash and HotelSlash
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: autoslash.com | hotelslash.com
Posts: 5,665
I appreciate that, although the automated machines for the Brussels Metro made me put in a PIN (and subsequently rejected the purchase). Maybe that makes sense because it is an unmanned purchase point so it needs some verification, but that was the prior experience I am coming in with.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Jan 24, 2019, 1:11 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,507
You are overthinking this. US cards don't use a pin. European cards do. European cardholders will be prompted for a pin by the credit card terminal. US customers will not. It's as simple as that. There is no need to call all over the place. This is not something new. It's worked this way for years.
That said, it doesn't happen all that often (and likely won't at anywhere that sees a significant number of tourists, such as a rental car counter).
Yes, there are some unmanned kiosks that are designed for locals that may not accept certain card types but car rental companies deal with tourists all the time, so if they couldn't accept credit cards without PINs, they would be severely restricting their potential revenue.
