It is important that you choose the best travel credit card to take along with you whenever you are going to be traveling.
This is more important that just selecting your best shoes for walking. It pays, sometimes very well, to pack the correct credit card.
According to Curtis Arnold, founder of CardRatings.com, “most credit cards have great travel benefits that consumers just aren’t aware of”.
With that being said, some cards are clearly better than other to use. The best travel credit card to use will offer a wide assortment of different types of bonus rewards, extra travel insurance or better deals on purchases that are made overseas.
I am going to discuss how to figure out which of your current credit cards should make the packing list.
Leave the Debit Card at Home
Most people will automatically take their debit card with them on vacation. Scott Biker, founder of DebtSmart.com states that “You’re better protected away from home with a credit card.” Here are a few of the reasons why:
Zero liability
With your best travel credit card, you will have a much easier time resolving any unauthorized charges should you card happen to be lost or stolen. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, your credit-card issuer can’t hold you responsible for such charges. However, your liability for unauthorized debit card transactions is determined by individual bank policy and the Electronic Funds Transfer Act – depending on how quickly you are able to notify your bank and the circumstances of the charges, you may not be reimbursed at all.
Dispute of Charges
Have you discovered a twice-charged restaurant tab or perhaps a hotel bill full of sneaky fees? This is not a problem if you are using your best travel credit card. Disputing a charge is as simple as calling up the issuer. Until the dispute is resolved, you will not be liable for any charges. Charge disputes can carry hefty fees for merchants, so the mere threat of a chargeback is often enough incentive to resolve most customer service dilemmas.
Review Card Benefits
According to Arnold, one of the biggest best travel credit card rewards is the insurance coverage for car-rentals. Today, more and more cards are adding additional benefits for travelers in ways that the consumer should be aware of. For example, Discover cardholders automatically receive air travel accident insurance for airfare that is already booked. On the other hand, Chase reimburses you for the cost to replace essential items, up to $300. This is a great deal for you in case your baggage is delayed. American Express is famous for world-wide assistance that is offered through bureaus and the company’s hotline for everything from medical emergencies to lost wallets.
Search for Deals
When using your best travel credit card, it is not uncommon to be offered extra discounts when you use that particular card to spend money with a partner retailer. For instance, if you use your Visa card to book a trip with Celebrity Cruises, you will receive a two-category cabin upgrade and free travel insurance or prepaid gratuities. You can easily save 20% or more by scanning for these deals before you make travel arrangements. It’s also worth checking with your individual issuer. Citibank cardholders, for example, get discounts of 10% off car-rental rates at Hertz.
Figure in Fees
It is very important that you choose the best travel credit card to take with you especially when you will be vacationing abroad. The reason for this is that you can shave as much as 3% off of your vacation purchases – the equivalent to what most issuers charge for foreign transactions. It pays to shop around. Visa and MasterCard each charge a flat fee of 1% and Bank of America charges a total of 3%. Currently, Capital One and Discover are the only major credit cards that do not assess any foreign transaction fees.
Call Up Your Issuer
Once you have chosen which best travel credit card you are going to use on your vacation, get your credit card company on the phone and let them know that you are going on vacation and are going to be spending a lot of money. This will have great results for you. Representatives are eager to offer perks to their customers like a higher credit limit and a temporary lower APR. You may also be approved to receive 0% on purchases for a few months.
Get the Best Credit Card for You Today!
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