How to Avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) when using Credit Cards

You just need to pay attention and be on the lookout for it, each time you pay for anything with plastic. That includes debit cards and even when withdrawing cash from an ATM. It's everywhere.

Just watch for anything that references "dollars" or "your home currency" or words like "convenience" and "courtesy". In the simplest setup, you will see a screen that offers two choices: Dollars or the local currency (Euros or in the case of Poland, złoty). Always, ALWAYS choose the local currency. Never, ever choose dollars. Sometimes the choice is buried or preceded by a long paragraph of text, sometimes not. You need to be on the watch for this. Everywhere and everytime you use any card to pay for anything.

It's really simple....you will be given a choice......to be charged in US Dollars or the local currency.

Choose the local currency.

I agree with the responses above, but will say that (at least for me) it's uncommon to find that choice in the last 5+ years. In fact, I think the only time I was offered a choice was at my hotel in Boppard, Germany in 2022. And when I was getting ready to hit the Euro choice, the woman behind the desk said, "You'll want this one," and tapped the USD option. I was extremely annoyed, especially since I had to wait while she revoked the transaction and then we had to do the whole thing again.

Regardless, I doubt if you'll have that option very option. FWIW, I use Apple Pay for just about everything as it's easier and it gives me more control over the payment.

I have to respectfully disagree with Mardee. In the past few weeks I've been offered DCC in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland and Finland.

but will say that (at least for me) it's uncommon to find that choice in the last 5+ years.

Not the case in Poland - when I was there last April, there were very few transactions which didn't offer DCC. In many cases the vendor will choose local currency for you - possibly to save them from having to explain the difference. So take your time - it's usually the first prompt on the screen.

As I recall, DCC not as prevalent in Budapest, and even less in Vienna when I was there in December.

I've seen DCC pretty much everywhere I've been in the past 5-10 years, probably longer. Everywhere from Turkey to Malta to Denmark to Colombia to Thailand to Japan. It is a scourge. If it hasn't reared its ugly head to you lately, how nice for you...but don't let your guard down.

The worst is when you are presented with a screen filled with lengthy text in a language you can not read (even worse if it's in non-Roman script - can you read Thai?), and you are just presented with two buttons, labeled "OK" and "Cancel".

Tip: Hit "Cancel" and see what happens...if the transaction goes through, congratulations, you just dodged the DCC bullet. If you have to start over, maybe just pay in cash...(or find someone to translate before you click "OK").

In the UK last month and saw the option one time—at an Italian restaurant in Bath.

It’s pretty common to see DCC in my experience.

I find that in touristy places the server will often choose local currency for you to speed things up. DCC is very well known about in Britain and so anywhere that gets a lot of British tourists tends to know that people want the local currency option.