Problems with Chase credit cards

Contactless is almost universal (I can't remember the last time I was presented with a card machine without it). There is though a limit of £100 where it is card based (rather than Apple / Google / Samsung etc). In these circumstances authorisation would fall back to PIN & for cards without one it would be signature.

There are very few places where cash is required in the UK. We've been here for almost 3 weeks and have spent no cash; everything has been tap to pay by either credit card or Google Wallet.

Travelers overseas are well advised to have a Schwab Bank account from which foreign currency can be secured without ATM fees. A few other banks and credit unions offer similar services. We never get cash unless there's a specific reason, like caddie fees in my case.

In the UK there is a £100 limit for contactless card transactions, hence chip and pin.
Whether this applies to foreign cards, Apple payI don't know.

The replies above may be true, but the question was about Chase and cash. I'm in the better-safe-than-sorry school. So considering the hassle with Chase, I dumped them and used another card with a PIN "just in case". Nobody ever asked for the PIN, but I was glad to have it. (I tried the Chase card once to satisfy my curiosity; the PIN wasn't necessary.) And if you want cash, I'd say use/take it. I used it for paying private guides and for donations in the church basket. Many people do get by with only a card, but I think there are still a few situations where cash is better and nobody has ever turned it down.

I have two Chase credit cards that I use when I travel to the UK. I never needed a PIN. Just tap and go. The only occasion that I need to sign for a purchase was paying for my hotel stay because it was over the tap amount.

I also have them loaded in my iPhone and Apple Watch. Last year I used my watch to pay for everything. I love not getting into my bag to get out a CC.

I rarely use cash. Like the other poster stated, I mostly use it for church and donations. I get cash before I go from AAA. I’m a member so the $15 fee is not much more than the charges I accrued at an ATM.

Traveled all across Europe and never needed a pin with Chase cards. Before the machines used to ask for a signature but now with touch and go, it just approves it.

I use my bank debit/ATM card for any ATM withdrawals in Europe.

First....you never want to use a credit card for cash withdrawals. You want to use a debit/ATM card attached to your checking/savings account. This will come with a pin to use at ATMs.

With a credit card, an ATM withdrawal is seen as a cash advance and you will be charged interest. With a Debit card, the amount you withdraw is withdrawn from the account it's attached to.

As for using the credit card as a credit card, contactless is the way to go. If for some reason you are over the allowed limit and you have to insert your card into a card machine, you won't need a pin. You will be asked to sign a receipt.

I mostlly use Google Pay on my phone. By using that I've never had to sign anything or been asked for a pin.

I used my Chase Sapphire Reserve all over London in April with no problems, both actual card and contactless.

Do not use a credit card for cash withdrawals!!! If you want cash, use a bank ATM after you arrive. Only get a very small amount of cash.

You probably won't need cash in most places in the UK. Many places are credit card only.

In the past 2 years in the UK I have only used cash at a laundromat, a church collection basket and at an honors box for some Scottish Tablet.

How much foreign cash do you need? Anything more than a nominal amount ($50 or so) is overkill.

Also, do you have an ATM card with your local bank? Just use it for your cash needs, on the ground in England. Don't use your CC for this purpose.

Also, do you have a smartphone? If it is Apple, you should start using Apple Pay now, at home, to see how easy it is. You load up your CCs, and for most transactions you will not need to produce the physical card. Apple Pay, or the similar google pay, is the way to go, don't sweat "chip and pin" - not a factor anymore.

Wanderlust58

And if you want cash, I'd say use/take it.

Don't count on using it, many places no longer accept cash at all, even for purchases under a pound.

In the UK there is a £100 limit for contactless card transactions, hence chip and pin.

I've charged pricier things with my Chase travel cards (Sapphire Preferred, Marriott Bonvoy and IHG) and have never been asked for a PIN in the last 5 years. Occasionally I am asked for a signature, but that's very rare and never a PIN.

In the past 2 years, I've been to the UK twice—once for 10 days and once for almost 6 week s, and only had to pay cash one time (and that was due to a mixup with a B&B I stayed at). Everything else was via Apple Pay (and that included gas for cars I rented).

I would not worry about Chase at all, Pamela.

And if you want cash, I'd say use/take it.

Don't count on using it, many places no longer accept cash at all, even for purchases under a pound.

I agree with jean. I'm finding more and more places that only use cards, not cash.

Thank you to everyone who messaged me.

I 2nd what many of the posters have said. DO NOT use a credit card for withdrawing cash or at an ATM machine. I've found that opening a checking account with fidelity and/or Schwab and then using their ATM cards to be the most cost-effective way of obtaining cash. Not having a pin #with me when using my credit card in France used to be problematic, but now that occurs infrequently. Only at gas stations. In France. I've had to go in to the gas stations office/store and get somebody to come out and make the card work. Which they did. A hassle but not impossible. Last couple years in France it was all much easier with the contactless cards. In any case, it sounds like England will not be a problem with contactless cards. That is certainly what I intend to do this fall. I also take more than one ATM card from different banks and 2 or 3 credit cards with no foreign transaction fees (a machine in Lyons ate 1 of my ATM cards so I was very happy to have others). Hope you have a great trip!

I travel often to Europe. I have a Capital One preloaded debit card that I use at the ATM for cash withdrawal. I don’t want to use my bank debit card in Europe.

I do have a Chase cc , and it’s on ApplePay. This is the method for about 97% of my transactions.

I brought about €200 Euros cash on my recent trip and used less than €100 of it, and that’s mainly because I pay cash for a few taxis & some smaller shops.