I am going to Ireland in July and need to know if we need to bring euros with us and how much to bring. I have a Mastercard and they said they charge a flatfee of 3%. Does Capital One have a better rate?
Posted by
Haslett, MI, United States
26 posts
Certain Capital One cards (like the World cards) do not have any additional fees for using their card internationally. So yes, they would have a better rate. And yes, you'll need to bring euros with you. As with anywhere, credit cards are accepted most places in the bigger cities (like Dublin), but once you venture farther out from there you'll find it harder to use a card. How many euros you need depends on so many factors that it's hard to really give an estimate.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
You don't NEED to bring euros with you. You can just make a withdrawal from an ATM (using a debit card, not a credit card) when you arrive. If you feel more comfortable having a little cash on arrival, you can order some through your local bank or AAA (check the fees, though). You might also consider credit unions for debit and credit cards. My debit card from the credit union charges absolutely nothing extra, and my credit card charges 1%.
Posted by
NC, United States
970 posts
Buy one or two hundred Euros as your departure airport in the States. Don't worry about the rate. That's more than enough to get you out of the airport and to your hotel, and started the next morning. Use a ATM/debit card the rest of the trip. Be sure to tell your card issuer where and when you are traveling so they don't freeze your account when they see the overseas activity.