There are more credit card users in the US than there are anywhere else in the world so foreign visitors to America will certainly have very few problems finding places to accept their credit card – for the most part. Just as American Discover card holders find that they have a problem finding anyone outside the US and Canada to accept them there are certain “local” credit cards, mainly from Europe that are hard to get accepted in the US.
Most foreign to the US credit cards may look different, have different names and be branded with names of companies that people in the USA have barely ever heard of – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Nat West to name just a few – but the majority of them still carry the Visa or MasterCard logo so are very widely accepted in America anyway. A great many more European credit cards (especially in the UK) are American Express branded cards so may not quite be as widely accepted but that is the case for AMEX cardholders in general wherever they are from.
There are however some foreign cards that are better for US by tourists and business travelers from other countries. Here is a little about some of them:
Best UK Credit Cards for US Travel: The Virgin Atlantic White Card
There are a number of great travel rewards cards issued in the UK that work well for travelers to the US. The Virgin Atlantic White Card is an American Express branded card that offers a lot of benefits to travelers who go abroad, including to America on a regular basis. It offers a travel accident insurance that will pay out up to £250,000, a lost luggage insurance benefit that offers coverage of up to £1,500 and even £250 towards real meals (not from a vending machine) and accommodation if delayed up to eight hours, plus 6 months, 0% APR and balance transfers on purchases made at home or abroad.
The Virgin Atlantic White card also offers great travel rewards, especially useful to those headed to the US as Virgin Atlantic Airways offers such great transatlantic flight service. Rewards are earned at a rate 1 mile for every £1 spent on the card or for those who elect to pay an annual fee and 2 miles for every £1 spent. When it comes to redeeming those rewards they are doubled if you choose to use them to purchase a Virgin Atlantic Airways airline ticket so regular use of this card can really cut the cost of a trip “across the pond”.
Best UK Credit Cards for US Travel: The British Airways AMEX Card
Another airline that offers great service from the UK to the US is of course British Airways and by using this credit card UK travelers to the US can save money on their transatlantic travel and earn great rewards at the same time. Rewards are, like the Virgin card, earned at the rate of 1 BA Mile for every £1 spent. In addition new cardholders earn 1000 miles as a bonus as soon as they have charged £500 to their card as long as that figure is reached within the first 3 months of card membership.
Those using the British Airways AMEX card to purchase their British Airways airline tickets also then enjoy a great many additional perks. Upgraded in flight meals and beverage services, your choice of seat and double BA miles earned on the purchase are just a few of those benefits. Unusually for such a great rewards card there is no annual fee charged to cardholders either.
Best Australian Cards for US Travel: Woolworths Qantas Credit Card
If you are an Australian travel ling to the US this is a great credit card to take along with you on the trip, especially if you intend to fly on your own national airline which serves a great many US cities. This MasterCard branded credit card begins offering rewards right away as long as you make a purchase on your new credit card within the first 30 days you have it (just one purchase) you will be rewarded with 16,000 flyer points that can be redeemed against Qantas flights (amongst other rewards including hotels, car rentals and merchandise). After that card holders earn 1 Qantas mile for every dollar spent on most purchases. However if you use the card at Woolworths stores and supermarkets you earn double miles and the same holds true for purchases at Dick Smith stores as well.
As an everyday credit card the Woolworths Qantas Credit Card is a great choice as well as it offers a relatively low APR of 19.99% after an introductory 6.99% APR for the first six months as well as 55 day interest free period on every purchase you make which does allow for extra “breathing room’ if you need it occasionally by carrying a balance from month to month. The card also offers 24 hour a day, 7 days a week access to an elusive concierge service which will help card holders arrange a rental car anywhere in the world, book hotel, motel or resort accommodation, often with special discounts, or even make dinner reservations at a restaurant or purchase concert tickets in the US before you even leave for America (or while you are there)
There is an $89 annual membership fee attached to this card but that fee is waived for the first year of credit card membership.