Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Whether you have two or 22 credit card travel rewards in your wallet, you will most likely enjoy hitting the road. Unfortunately, it can be extremely frustrating when your card gets flagged while traveling and you suddenly can’t use it. While it’s great for an issuer to correctly flag unauthorized account activity as fraudulent, the opposite is true when the issuer inadvertently prevents you from swiping your card.
Thankfully, most major publishers no longer require users to set travel alerts ahead of time.
In this guide, we’ll go through the different types of passes in detail so you know what to expect before your trip.
What is a travel warning?
Before diving into the issuer-specific guide, let’s start with a quick overview of what travel alerts are and why they’re important.
Most credit cards these days have mechanisms to prevent fraud and abuse. When an issuer notices unusual account activity, they can flag the account as potentially fraudulent. This happened to me when a Unauthorized individuals known as Chase and enter my full 16-digit Chase Freedom Unlimited account number. I immediately requested a new card, preventing the thief from actually using the compromised card number—a minor inconvenience but not a significant one.
However, this protection may also be in effect if you attempt to use the card abroad or in an area of the United States that is far from your primary residence. Let’s say you’ve spent months (or even years) swiping your card only in a particular region, and then you suddenly try to use it in another state or country. In that case, the activity may get flagged — and that can be a significant barrier to continuing your trip. If you haven’t set up your mobile phone to work overseas — or if you’re in an area with limited service — there may not be a quick way to let the issuer know that the purchase (actually) valid and authorized.
If you notify the issuer in advance, an unexpected fee in another country or around the world (a fee that you specifically said you will arrive within a certain period of time) will not be covered. Flagged. This allows you to keep swiping your card and — most importantly — continue to enjoy your trip.
So how exactly do you do this? As noted above, many major credit card issuers no longer require proactive travel notices ahead of time — but let’s take a look at some of the biggest.
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Related: The best credit card with no foreign transaction fees
How to set an American Express travel alert
Amex does not ask you to set up travel alerts. In fact, if you log into your account at AmericanExpress.com, you won’t even see this as an option. Here’s why, according to the publisher FAQ page on topic:
We use industry-leading fraud detection capabilities that help us recognize when our card members are traveling, so you don’t need to notify us before you travel.
It is recommended that you update your contact information on your account and download the Amex app before your trip. However, you will have no trouble using the card while traveling.
Applicable cards include: American Express® Gold Card, Platinum Card® from American Express, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, Business Platinum® Card from American Express.
How to set a Bank of America travel alert
Like Amex, Bank of America no longer requires travel notices ahead of time. If you search the Help & Support center, you will see the following message:
You no longer need to tell us when you’re traveling. We monitor your account and will send automatic alerts if we detect suspicious activity. If you need us while traveling, call the number on the back of your card at any time.
TIP: It’s important that your email address and mobile phone number are up to date on your account record, so that we can quickly notify you of unusual activity.
Note that this applies to both credit and debit cards associated with your Bank of America login, which can be useful if you plan to withdraw money from an ATM with your debit card. .
Applicable cards include: Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card, Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card.
How to set a Capital One travel alert
Capital One uses the same approach as American Express — you don’t need to set these up first. When you log into your Capital One account and click the “I want…” button, you will see the option to set travel notifications. However, when you click on it, you will get the following message:
With the added security of the Capital One chip card, travel notifications are no longer required on your credit card. Right! You do not have to tell us when and where you will be traveling, within or outside the United States. Your credit card is 100% protected from fraud while you’re traveling, and we’ll notify you if we see anything suspicious.
Keep in mind that none of the Capital One credit cards impose a foreign transaction fee on purchases made overseas.
Applicable cards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card X, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Spark Miles for Business.
How to set Chase travel alerts
Chase offers a wide range of value credit cards, including many that you may want to use while traveling. Like the previous publishers on the list, you no longer need to proactively set up travel notifications before your trip. When you sign in to your Chase account, you’ll still see the “Travel Notifications” option in account services, but here’s the message you’ll find there:
We’ve got you covered! With our enhanced security measures:
- You don’t need to set up travel notifications anymore.
- We’ll send you a fraud alert if we see any possible identity theft.
- We’ll notify you if we notice any suspicious behavior on your account.
Applicable cards include: Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Priority Card, Hyatt World Credit Card, United Explorer card, Airplane credit card, Ink . Business Preferred Credit Card.
How to set Citi travel alert
Unlike previous issuers, Citi still allows you to set up travel alerts on your credit card. Here’s how to do so:
- Sign in to your account at citi.com.
- Hover over “Services” at the top, then click “Travel Services”.
- Click “Add travel notice”.
- Select the appropriate cardholder, enter your date, then click “Next”.
- Review the details, then click “Confirm”.
Note that you don’t even need to select the individual destination (or multiple destinations) you’re visiting. The only required information is that the cardholder will be joining the trip (including authorized user) and the date of the trip.
Applicable cards include: Citi Premier® Card, Citi Rewards+® Thẻ Card, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.
What if travel warnings don’t work?
Unfortunately, even today’s technologically advanced credit card issuers are not guaranteed. There can be some circumstances where a legitimate transaction is flagged as potentially fraudulent, especially when traveling. In addition, the issuer may require an additional step of verification before approving the purchase instead of being rejected immediately. This especially applies to many online transactions thanks to 3D card security measures.
This is one reason why it’s so important to keep your contact information on file with your card issuer and active mobile phone up to date while you’re abroad. This ensures that you can complete any verification requests in a timely manner.
It is also very important to always have at least one backup credit card in your wallet while traveling (or download alternatives to mobile wallet). Ideally, this card is from a different card issuer and works with a different payment network, which minimizes the chance that both cards won’t work.
bottom line
From packed flights to weather or traffic delays, travel can be stressful — and not to mention any financial problems. Fortunately, most major credit card issuers no longer require advance travel notices on your account. However, you should still carry at least one backup payment method in case your primary card is declined. It’s also important to have a working phone number to receive email or text alerts when something goes wrong.
If you want to keep swiping your favorite travel rewards credit card on your next trip, follow these instructions before you depart.
Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox and Madison Blancaflor.
