Below are some of the best travel credit card related news stories and tips and tricks as of March 15, 2018. Our lead article details the best travel credit cards hacks. We provide a good summary of the credit cards tips for cheap travel here, but you will want to check out the full article as well for all the details.
Our next article deals with the travel insurance features and benefits found on Chase credit cards. As we are heading into travel season, it is good to know what insurance is already covered for you as a Chase cardholder. If you are not already a Chase cardholder, now may be a good time to explore those options.
Our third article in this list details out the travel benefits and features found on Visa Signature cards. Although there may be some slightly different versions of these benefits on different cards as card issuers can make some changes to make the standard features even better, this article presents the main list of benefits and informs you of all the details. In our summary, we have hit the high points, but you should check out the full article for the finer details. If you are carrying a Visa card in your wallet and don't know if it is a Visa Signature card, look on the back and see if there is a phone number listed for Visa Signature/Concierge.
7 Credit Card Hacks For Travel Deals That Can Help You Jet Set On The Cheap
There are some essential travel hacks for credit cards that you've absolutely got to know before you cross country lines, because many travelers can promise you from experience that being prepared is going to save you a whole lot of stress.
You may have noticed a blocked order and receiving a message that the transaction did not go through if you have ever ordered online from a vendor in another country. Well, the same can happen in person when you go to another country. When traveling in another country, your card issuer may put a block on transactions. Usually, a phone call or a text response can correct these kinds of errors, but, it is wise to be prepared.
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Tell your card issuer you are traveling:
Notify your card issuer in advance for all the cards you plan on taking with you so they will be forewarned and less likely to block your “foreign” transactions. Most banks have online forms to notify them of travel plans — Western Union has a handy collection of links to popular banks' forms. That is just one thing to be aware of, but a little forward thinking and planning can help you to avoid a majority of credit-card related travel catastrophes. Bring cash and map out your ATMs:
Before you leave for your vacation, however you plan to pay for things, you should take out some cash to bring with you. If possible, you should get it converted to the currency of the place you're traveling to; your bank will likely be able to do that for you.
Be ready for issues that may arise:
Be prepared to run into places that don't accept your credit card — and may also not accept your debit card as a backup. Refer back to #2: bring cash. When traveling, it is always best to plan as much in advance as possible. This means: you should have backups for your backups.Have your I.D. handy:
Always keep some form of I.D. handy — driver's license preferred, but in a pinch a state I.D. will work, as will your passport. Sometimes, checkout clerks are told to verify your signature on their slip with the signature on the back of your card. For most of us, your signature is probably already long gone on the back of your card. Sign it again to keep your signature fresh, and don't be surprised if someone asks to see it and even compares the two.Consider prepaid cards:
Buying prepaid cards can be a solution to lots of traveling-with-a-credit-card woes. According to many credit card experts, prepaid cards are just as secure as credit and debit cards, since they also use a PIN. As is the case with many credit and debit cards, prepaid cards may have a fee for currency conversion, and that fee could be as high as 7 percent. That may not seem like much, but it adds up: If you spend $1,000, you'll be looking at $70 in fees. Take a look here for some of our top picks of prepaid cards.Check out potential rewards:
Before you go traveling, check out potential rewards your credit card company offers. You may be able to get loads of airmiles, discounts on hotels, and even cash back, depending on your provider, but in order to maximize your payoff, you need to know exactly what rewards you're authorized for.Know how much you are spending (in your own currency):
Especially when traveling, this is something you should always do with a credit card. On a credit card, it's easy to overspend. But when traveling, you can rack up even more expenses than you think. Currency conversion fees are part of that. Many currency conversion fees are in the 1.5% to 3% range, but some fees may go as high as 7%. Even at 3%, spending $1,000 costs you $30 in fees. That could be dinner! Also, watch out if you find yourself needing extra cash. You are much better off getting cash with your ATM or debit card versus taking a cash advance with your credit card. There are usually fees there and interest begins accruing immediately on cash advances.
Vacations can be fantastic and make for magnificent memories, but if you understimate your costs and/or go in unprepared, they can be huge headaches as well. Plan in advance, notify your card issuers and set a realistic budget, getting cash that you project you will need in advance. (And pack it safely, too!) Plan well, and your trip can make those wonderful memories for years to come.
Click here for the full article at Bustle.com.
The travel insurance from these Chase credit cards will cover you during this week’s nor’easter — here's how it works
By the time you are reading this, the nor'easter mentioned in this article will be long gone, but knowing your travel insurance information on your Chase credit cards is timeless. It is a fact of life that storms will come and go. For the big ones, thousands of flights can be canceled or delayed and there can be domino effects felt in other areas. Depending on when you are reading this article, we may still not be out of the Winter season yet, so more winter storms could be on the way. This article helps you to be more prepared for whatever storm may be heading your way.
- When a delay is caused by weather, airlines aren't responsible for reimbursing your expenses like food, clothing, toiletries, or hotel rooms.
- However, if you pay for your ticket with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you'll be covered thanks to the cards' trip delay protections.
In the event of storms and cancellations, you may be able to change your flight if you're flying into or out of an affected area. Airlines such as Delta and Southwest Airlines and others may issue travel waivers for a number of cities.
However, when there are large impactful storms and if your plans don't allow you to take advantage of travel waivers, or if your trip isn't flying out of one of the listed airports, you may face cancellations and heavy delays. This is especially possible because weather-related delays in one region can affect air travel across the country as aircraft pick up delays on various routes.
If you end up stranded or delayed, you can be re-accommodated on a later flight, but it is important to note that airlines generally aren't responsible for any expenses you incur because of weather-related service disruptions. That means you'll be responsible for expenses for food, toiletries, changes of clothes, and a hotel room if you end up in that situation.
If you paid for at least part of your airfare with the right credit card, though, you may be in luck. Cards that include trip delay coverage offer up to $500 of coverage for incidental expenses because of a delayed or canceled flight.
While several cards include the trip delay coverage benefit, two of the most popular are the Chase Sapphire Preferred and its sibling, the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Both cards offer the same benefit of up to $500 per person whose ticket was purchased with the card. The coverage kicks in when a delay forces an overnight stay, or when the delay lasts a certain amount of time — 12 hours in the case of the Preferred, six hours in the case of the Reserve.
Click here for the full article on Business Insider.
Visa Signature Benefits for Travelers
If your travel credit card is issued by Visa, it could very likely be a Visa Signature credit card. And if it is a Visa Signature then it comes with travel benefits that you may not be aware of.
Visa Signature credit cards offer secondary rental car collision damage waiver coverage but Sapphire Preferred cardholders get primary coverage instead.
So, if you're contemplating paying for a travel purchase with either a Visa Signature credit card or a non-Visa card like Mastercard or American Express, you should review the built-in travel benefits that Visa offers when the purchase rewards are a wash.
Below are some of the Visa Signature Benefits for the Traveler. We provide additional information on some of the bullet points below, but for more details, check out the original article from Forbes with the link at the end.
24/7 Travel Concierge Service
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
Emergency Cash Disbursement
If your credit card is stolen while traveling, Visa will wire money to the closest Western Union location or participating bank within two hours of contacting Visa. That way, you can at least have some cash to buy essential goods until you receive your emergency replacement card.
Extended Warranty Protection
Visa will automatically extend the warranty by one year on select purchases –almost anything except motorized vehicles and electronics– to reimburse you if the product fails. While this benefit will be most useful for your household belongings, it can theoretically cover some of your travel gear with qualifying warranties.
Travel and Emergency Assistance
Visa will help connect you with local aid to begin figuring out a way to solve your emergency. Unfortunately, you will still be responsible for any costs along the way for travel, medical, etc.
Winemaker and Food Events
The winemaker and food events benefit is your ticket to enjoying “the finer things in life” with world-class experiences. You may become aware of some very worthwhile events.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement
Luxury Hotel Collection
Purchase Discounts
Roadside Dispatch
Now, this is very handy to know, even when you are not traveling. When your personal automobile or rental car isn't operating as usual, you can call Visa 24/7 for the following circumstances:
- Standard Towing – Up to 5 miles included
- Jump starting
- Tire Changing – must have good, inflated spare
- Lockout Service (no key replacement)
- Fuel delivery – up to 5 gallons (plus the cost of fuel)
- Standard Winching
Travel Accident Insurance
Trip Delay Reimbursement
When your air travel is delayed at least 12 hours for a covered hazard, you will be reimbursed up to $300 for essential purchases like food, lodging, and clothing.
I know we are all probably guilty of ignoring all the benefits guide and other documents and small print that comes with our shiny new credit cards. Hopefully, this article will help shed some light on some of the benefits you are entitled to.
Click here to read the full article on Forbes.
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