Credit card for the USA

Are you planning a journey to America? Make sure you get a credit card for the USA before you leave! We present the advantages and the best offers.

Credit cards for the USA: our recommendations

Whether you are a vacationer, frequent flyer, or expat — you are well- equipped for your USA adventure with these credit cards.

* It is required to spend €6,000 within the first six months.

Yet there are even more reasons why you should get a credit card for your trip to the USA:

No losses due to cash exchange

Although you can pay almost everywhere in America with your credit card, it is still recommended that you always have a little cash in your pocket, e.g., for giving tips. Withdrawing money in the USA is cheaper than exchanging cash on-site.

Exchanging cash is also generally not recommended, as swapping money in a bureau de change, hotel, or bank is usually very expensive. Depending on where you convert, you may have to accept currency losses of up to 20 % when exchanging money.

You can withdraw cash with your credit card at automated teller machines (ATMs). These can be found all over the United States. It is best to pull out $ 100 to $ 200 at an ATM as soon as you arrive, so you can make smaller purchases in cash. All other payments can be made with your credit card.

Booking a rental car

If you want to book a rental car in the USA, you must have a credit card. It is important to make sure that it is a “real credit card” (revolving or charge credit card). In most cases, only these types of cards are accepted by US car rental companies, as a deposit amount is blocked on the card when you pick up the vehicle. With a prepaid credit card, this is not possible, and you will probably not be given a rental car.

Tip: Make sure that your credit limit is high enough to allow you to block the car rental deposit without any problems, or get a second credit card for the USA that you can use for your everyday expenses.

Booking a hotel

You can easily book a hotel in the USA with a credit card. In fact, some hotels only accept credit cards, as they block a deposit on the card – just like car rental companies. The credit card is also a guarantee for the hotels regarding any additional costs (e.g., minibar, bar, and restaurant bills).

Booking a flight

Having a credit card is also a great advantage when booking flights and hotels in the USA. Depending on the airline, there are often other payment methods available for online flight bookings, but you may miss out on a cheap flight bargain if it is offered by an airline that only offers credit card payment.

USA credit card: things to keep in mind

Before you decide on a credit card for your USA travel, you should thoroughly check the various offers. In particular, you need to look at these three items:

Foreign currency fee

Make sure you get a credit card that does not charge foreign currency fees. This fee is due for payments in other currencies and amounts to about 1.5 % to 2 % of the turnover in a foreign currency.

Withdrawal fee

You should always have a little cash in your pocket for smaller purchases during your vacation in the USA. Inform yourself about the withdrawal fees charged by your bank and calculate how much cash you will need on your trip. As a rule, withdrawal fees are flat-rate, so you will be charged the same fee for both small and large withdrawals.

Note: Even if your bank does not charge a withdrawal fee, you may have to pay a so-called “local fee” or “ATM fee” of around three to five US dollars, which is charged for using the ATM on site. However, this is not always the case. Members of the Plus Alliance network, for example, have free access to thousands of ATMs. Ask your bank whether your credit card qualifies for Plus Alliance. Also, inquire whether there may be a partnership between your bank and an American bank that will allow you to save on fees.

Additional benefits

Many credit cards for the USA include additional benefits that help to ensure you are well-protected when traveling. These include, for example, insurance benefits such as travel cancellation insurance, international health insurance, or car rental insurance. But they can also be air miles, cashback, fuel discounts, or welcome bonuses. If you appreciate additional benefits, it may be worthwhile for you to choose a credit card with an annual fee that includes various extras.

The best credit card for USA expats

For immigrants, paying with credit cards is not only very practical but indispensable, as they need to build up their credit history in the USA as soon as possible after their arrival. However, American banks make it very difficult for new residents to obtain a conventional credit card. For this reason, American Express credit cards have been the number one choice of immigrants in the USA for a long time. You can apply for the card in your home country, have it rewritten in the United States, and start building up your credit score straight away.

How to become a USA immigrant

Are you dreaming of a life in America, but don't yet know how to achieve this goal? Your best chance is to take part in the annual Green Card Lottery, in which 55,000 permanent resident cards for the USA are raffled off to applicants from all over the world. You can find all the important information about the Green Card Lottery and immigration to the United States on our website:

• What is the Green Card?
• Green Card Lottery requirements
• Green Card Lottery guide
• Interviews with our Green Card winners