Knowing how to use your British credit card across the pond is important given how frequently Brits travel to the USA. Although Visa, Master card, and American Express credit cards are widely used in the USA, you should be aware that there are some slight differences between payment methods there and in the UK. Instead of the chip-and-PIN approach that many Brits are now accustomed to, the insert-and-sign method is the most popular mode of payment when making transactions in the USA.
Key points to keep in mind when in USA:
While the chip-and-PIN system has begun to spread throughout the USA, not all stores have yet adopted it. The insert-and-sign approach is frequently employed, so be ready to insert your card and then sign the printed slip that was provided to you by the retailer. If your card contains a magnetic strip and the store doesn’t take chip cards, you can swipe and sign instead. However, beginning in April 2018, a number of card networks, including Visa and Master card, opted to do away with the need for signatures when making purchases. This indicates that you might, in some locations, be able to simply swipe or insert your card to finish a transaction without needing a signature.
Key points of UK credit cards:
In comparison to the U.S., reward systems in the UK are far less attractive.
Regulations from the European Union (EU) place a limit on the amount that card companies can charge retailers, which means that less money can be used to reward customers.
Considering that American Express is free from the cap, it is without a doubt king of the U.K. rewards market.
American Express cards offer substantially more generous benefits in the United States than in the United Kingdom, even with the exemption.
Other than Amex, the majority of credit cards are provided by merchants directly or in collaboration with them and offer a negligible return on your purchases.
AMEX cards in UK and the US:
Annual fee in UK is higher s compared to US when it comes to American express cards.
Welcoming bonus is more attractive in the US as compared to UK.
Earning points is much easier in US Amex cards compared the UK Amex cards.
Various perks are noticed in the US credit cards as compared to UK credit cards.
Conclusion: You can surely use various cards from the UK in the USA. Things to keep in mind is that if you are going to the US for a few days travel than it would be preferable to use the same card that you use in UK but if you are planning to shift to US, it would be better to have a US Amex card or any other type of credit card from the US as the market of credit cards are more competitive, resulting in more attractive rewards and other bonuses, as compared to UK where the market is dominated by Amex.
