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Reviews 3.6.

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Spend restriction

Wasn’t made aware of any restriction to how much I could spend of my own money, this should be removed. You have sent a reply requesting more information, the email address you have supplied does not exist, please send an address I can reply to.

Date of experience : June 28, 2024

Reply from Post Office Travel Money Card

Hi Roderick, thank you for your review. So we can understand and explain further please can you contact us on 0207 937 0280 or email us at [email protected]. Thank you

Never again

Purchased the post office card which was fine. Topped up money ready to use when we went on holiday. While we were away, the card worked okay the first day. After that it declined all the time even though I could see from the app that there was more than enough money in the account. Had to use our credit card (which I got charged for). Called customer service and was put on hold or spoke to a robot. When we came home, I went to the local post office to close the account and withdraw the money that was still in the account. I got charged and ended up losing £100 once the money exchanged from euros to £. Will never use this card again

Date of experience : July 17, 2024

Thank you for your review, we’re sorry to read that the Travel Money Card hasn’t met with your expectations on this occasion. We would like to understand more so we can understand what went wrong. Could you call us at 0207 937 0280 or email us at [email protected]. Thank you.

Excellent option for travellers....

Simple process to set up the card which was obtained over the counter at my local Post Office. Activated the card via the App the following morning. Card works as any other bank card with Mastercard recognition. Ability to top up card via App or withdraw cash from an ATM. Excellent option for travel cash....

Date of experience : July 01, 2024

Hi Steve, thanks so much for your review!

An absolute winner from the Post Office

Well the Post Office have an absolute winner here. The TMC and its app are very easy to use. We switched currency to Euros when heading for Europe and switched back to Sterling on our return. Very easy. And while abroad no additional charges are made when making purchases. Also, Post Office staff locally (Staffordshire) very knowledgeable about the card and helpful re its acquisition and use. 10 out of 10.

Date of experience : July 19, 2024

Hi John, thank you so much for your review and feedback!

Everything was great but...

Everything was great. Only worry was activating card abroad. It worked but I was worried it wouldn't when it was declined at Heathrow on the way to my destination.

Date of experience : July 14, 2024

Hi Neil, Thank you for your review! If you do have any further worries please contact us on 0207 937 0280 or email us at [email protected]. Thank you.

Ordered card on 27th online

Ordered card on 27th online. Now 6th and still not arrived. 4 calls to ‘customer service’ or lack of and a trip to local PO to buy another card with more money. Day of departure and cannot activate card I purchased yesterday and customer service no help at all. Didn’t even listen to what I was saying…. Original card still not arrive. No spending on a travel card for me. Thank goodness I got a bit of local currency from elsewhere. WOULD NEVER USE AGAIN. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. Currently I have £250 of Krone I cannot access. Fuming

Date of experience : July 06, 2024

Thank you for your review, we’re sorry to read that the Travel Money Card hasn’t met with your expectations on this occasion, we would like to understand more so we can help resolve this. Could you call us at 0207 937 0280 or email us at [email protected]. Thanks - Katie

The card/app did everything that I needed.

The card/app did everything that I needed and did it well. I was able top top up, swap currencies check transactions and balance almost instantly at home and abroad as well as using as a debit card and withdrawing cash, really useful and dependable.

Hi Trevor, thank you very much for your review!

Would give no stars if I could

Would give no stars if I could, problems problems problems from start to finish, loaded €500 euros on to card, prob 1: did not activate in the U.K. 2: the card was frozen due to a security issue abroad/ rendering it useless until I called 3-4 times to try explain the situation 3: many ATMS would not accept the card and kept receiving a message to contact the bank or card supplier, I then tried to use it to buy a bottle of water and it was declined (how embarrassing) in the end the problem was rectified after i was finally told to find an ATM and input a balance enquiry and this would activate the card, low and behold this finally worked but I had such low confidence in using the card for what it was originally intended for ( small purchases on chip & pin in shops & restaurants) I just withdrew the full amount out the ATM over a 2 day period, totally pointless, un needed stress, swerve this like the plague.

Date of experience : July 11, 2024

Hi there, thank you for your review, we’re sorry to read that the Travel Money Card hasn’t met with your expectations on this occasion, we would like to understand more about what went wrong. Could you call us at 0207 937 0280 or email us at [email protected]. Thank you.

Avoid getting this

Avoid getting this. I have the latest app and cannot top up my card. It just keeps on saying "Sorry, something went wrong. There seems to be an issue with our system". It's been like this for days. There are superior travel cards out there. What a waste of time.

Thank you for your review, we’re sorry to read this, we would like to understand more so we can help resolve this for you. Could you call us at 0207 937 0280 or email us at [email protected]. Thank you

Very easy to use

Very easy to use. Prepaid so you know exactly what you have to spend and no credit card/bank fees to worry about. Simple app and keeping track of transactions and spending was convenient Can top up whenever you want to. I will be topping up for my next trip abroad and using again

Date of experience : July 18, 2024

Hi there, thank you so much for your review! We hope you continue to enjoy using your card for those future trips you have planned!

All in All my 2nd time of Using the…

All in All my 2nd time of Using the Post office Travel Card....... I used this card some years ago when I travelled to Canada & the USA in 2019. It was useful then. So, as I was now going to Europe in May 2024, I was indeed moved to use It again as I was able to save money that I spent by uploading at least £50 to the card when I had it. I also needed the Travel Insurance as it was affordable since my bank account did not have Travel Insurance included this time around. I am still using it now as I would be travelling again unexpectedly and it is helping me to be able to start saving for it now. This card has been very useful for me as explained above. I would recommend it to anyone who cannot afford to pay for Hotel and or Spending money at once........

Date of experience : May 17, 2024

Had no trouble using the card and the…

Had no trouble using the card and the staff at my local post were absolutely great in helping me to sort it out and how to transfer between currency and can be used anywhere even on air planes

Hi Karen - Thank you for your great review and feedback, it really helps us. It’s really good to hear that you have been able to navigate the transfers between currencies, when using on air planes and cruise ships it's not recommended as the payment would be offline but can be used everywhere else - Margaret

Card declining…

Card was fine for the first 5 days of my holiday, then started randomly declining for the last 3 days, despite having funds in my account which I could see via the app! Couldn't get through to anyone as you're on hold. Wanted a separate form of payment to my debit card which I wanted to keep in my hotel so pointless if you don't know if it will be accepted or not. The declines also cause embarrassment.

Date of experience : June 22, 2024

Hi Nick, we are really sorry to hear this and apologise for the inconvenience this caused while you were away. We would like to understand what went wrong, so please can you contact us on 020 7937 0280, or you can email us at [email protected]. Thank you.

Fantastic product

Fantastic product , easy to use, top up and safe with out fees for use accept when taking money from an atm or using stirling transactions in the uk.

Hi Alan, Thank you for your great review and feedback, it really helps us. It’s really good to hear that you are enjoying your Travel Money Card - Margaret

Easy to use travel card.

Easy to set up. It’s as easy to use abroad for purchases as it is when paying by credit/debit card in the UK. Top up is easy and exchange rates are clearly shown. Have had other travel cards however the Post Office Travel Money Card I find easier to use.

Hi Colin, thank you very much for your review! It really does help us!

I was told about this card by a family…

I was told about this card by a family friend and I am glad I had one so easy to use anywhere like having a debit card easy to track in app

Date of experience : June 24, 2024

Hi Adrian, thank you very much for your review!

App won't work for Cooperative Bank Customers

I'm a Cooperative bank customer. There's an issue between Cooperative Bank and the post office Travel App. I'm informed by Post Office customer Services that this has been "going on for months" No sign of this being resolved anytime soon. Considering that customers are strongly recommended to use the App this is very inconvenient and VERY poor service to say the least

Date of experience : July 02, 2024

Thank you for your review, we’re sorry to read that the Travel Money Card hasn’t met with your expectations on this occasion, we would like to understand more so we can help resolve this. Could you call us at 0207 937 0280 or email us at [email protected]. - Katie

This holiday to the US was the first…

This holiday to the US was the first where I'd used a travel card as opposed to a credit card. It was very useful and saved me about £20 in commission fees. I loaded it daily so that, if it was lost, all I'd lose would be a day's spending money. A very useful card to have.

Date of experience : June 29, 2024

Hi Rob, thank you so much for your review!

Continuing problems with the App

As several other customers have reported I have been unable to add money to my account using the App on my phone. This happens with any credit card and is not restricted to one bank. I can top up using my computer but this is not useful when travelling and I would like an App that works for me. I have notified The Post Office a year ago and again earlier this month and been told the problem has been escalated by helpful folk on the phone. It is a competitive arena and there are other cards out there.

Date of experience : June 03, 2024

Thank you for your feedback, we’re sorry to hear that the Travel App hasn’t met your expectations on this occasion. We recently updated the Travel App to a new version although it sounds like you may have experienced the same issue with our previous App also. We would love the opportunity to help get this resolved for you, please contact us at 0207 937 0280 or email us: [email protected] where we will be happy to help, thanks

The Post Office Travel card the secure…

The Post Office Travel card the secure way to Travel with your Currency it’s an absolute Winner a very Happy Customer 😃✅👍!!!

Date of experience : June 15, 2024

Hi Andrew, thank you for your review, from a very happy Post Office we hope you continue to enjoy your card for any future trips!

Post Office Travel 4+

Travel money card & insurance, post office limited.

• #63 in Travel
• 4.5 • 7.7K Ratings

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Description.

Buy, add, and manage your Travel Money Cards, travel insurance, holiday extras and more all in one place. Take the new-look Post Office travel app on your adventures today.  Combining all the travel features our loyal app users love, this refreshed version’s now cleaner and simpler to use. So, it’s even easier to relax on your travels.  Do all this on the move   Manage your Post Office Travel Money Cards  · Buy and activate new cards in the app   · Add existing Travel Money Cards   · Top up with any of 22 currencies, including US dollars and euros  · Swap funds between different currencies   · Check your PIN, balance, spending, and daily exchange rates  · Freeze your card for security or to limit your spending  · Add your cards to your Apple Wallet   Buy and check your travel insurance  · Get a quote and buy cover – plus any add-ons to tailor it to your trip  · Link the app to your existing Post Office Travel Insurance policy  · View and download your policy documents  Get those holiday extras sorted  · Book parking at 60 UK domestic airports  · Find great deals on airport hotels  · Check into lounges at 100+ airports  · Fast track your security checks at 11 UK airports  · Book airport transfers to your holiday accommodation  · Hire a car with leading brands in over 60,000 locations  What to do now  Download the Post Office travel app today. Order or link your existing Travel Money Card and Travel Insurance policy.  Or order a Travel Money Card at your nearest Post Office branch. 

Version iOS App version 461.2

Bug fixes and performance improvements, all to make your experience the best that it can be. Recent updates include fixes to Apple Wallet, sign up and login journeys.

Ratings and Reviews

7.7K Ratings

Post office travel application

Now, the post office application has been very useful, as one can top up money whilst travelling as well as check ones balance on the travel money card. In conclusion, lastly, I found the travel money card particularly useful on 16th November 2019, evening time as one can search for useful tips and questions that one maybe concerned about before travelling, during and after travel, and for me, I found this application extremely useful, as there was information I needed to know before my travel, such as the currency of the country I am travelling to, and where to obtain the currency of the country I am travelling to shortly. Moreover, I thank the developers for making this useful, and appropriate travel application as I believe it is a safe as well as secure method of travelling with money, to the country of ones choice instead of carrying loads of cash around in different currencies, and risking theft issues or lost issues. Also, I found the help and advice section on the website useful, as I had forgotten my PIN number as I never used my travel money card for a while, and I was able to call up a number from the travel money website, and follow the on phone instructions to retrieve my PIN number once again. Next, thank you developers for making this travel application once again. Many thanks Hannah Boyce

Developer Response ,

Thanks very much for the fantastic feedback, glad you like the app and the product.

Dreadful new App not working for 3 days now

Rang customer services 3 days ago now as newly downloaded App top up button gives an error that it can’t fetch the rates right now so have to go on main website to do that. Then when you use the card it doesn’t update the balance. It retrieve the pin either. The card was then unsupported in an ATM when I tried doing a balance enquiry. Different information from service staff who told me I needed to load another £50 minimum on card and buy something using chip and pin to use card for for first time. However that’s £3 commission just to load on £50 of your own money ! I don’t even need sterling on the card as the whole point is for using it abroad to TRAVEL!! So I had already bought Euros. The lady in the post office said I can’t use the card at all for online purchases however I managed to pay for my holiday eventually over the phone in euros once they had removed the security 3 times! A smarter assistant also said I don’t need to add sterling to buy something in U.K. - the euros will auto convert- which they did. Still stuck with a non working app and took 3 hours to finally get the card loaded and working to pay for holiday. Agh. Why so complicated

Thank you for your feedback. This will be shared with our development teams who are committed to improving the app experience for all.

No problems at all

I have had and used this Post Office Travel Card for the last eight years with no issues whatsoever, it expired earlier this year and a replacement arrived in good time for this year’s use. I did have a little hiccup with the first login online for the first use but very soon sorted out and hay presto of and running again, brilliant. I did have a lot of issues with another company travel card whereby EVERY TIME I tried to login on the app or online it wouldn’t recognise me and had to reset password wasted six and a half hours, still getting no results so cancel the subscription 😡. Update to review April 2024 I have been away from UK to USA and CANADA this time and have had no end of problems trying to login into the app on my phone or Laptop, issue with the app freezing on my phone or going round in circles on laptop with password/security reset issues I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled all to no avail it would not let me use face recognition ID Very disappointed after such a brilliant service the first time around until the new card and updated app 😡😡😡 I to like so many others am looking for an alternative card & app.

Thank you for your feedback. It looks like you might need more help here, please contact us directly at [email protected]

App Privacy

The developer, Post Office Limited , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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The Post Office Travel Money Card Review: Key Features, Rates and Fees

If you’re heading overseas, a travel card could be a handy solution for covering your spending. They tend to be cheaper to use than your ordinary bank debit card, and can even offer better exchange rates compared to buying currency.

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There are lots of travel cards out there, but here we’re going to focus on the Post Office Travel card. We’ll run through what it is and how it works, along with fees, exchange rates, supported currencies and how to apply for one.

You are watching: The Post Office Travel Money Card Review: Key Features, Rates and Fees

And while you’re comparing spending options ahead of your trip, make sure to check out the Wise card. This international card can be used in 175 countries worldwide, automatically converting your pounds to the local currency at the mid-market rate. There’s only a small fee to pay for the conversion¹, or it’s free if you already have the currency in your Wise account.

But for now, let’s focus on the Post Office travel card.

¹ Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing: Only Pay for What You Use for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

What is the Post Office travel card?

The Post Office Travel card is a prepaid Mastercard that you can load up with up to 23 currencies. You can use it for spending and ATM withdrawals in over 200 countries, in 36 million locations².

Simply top up with your chosen currency before you travel, then spend overseas without needing to convert currency.

The card is contactless and can be managed using the Post Office Travel app.

Key features and benefits

Here’s your quick at-a-glance guide to the main features and benefits of the Post Office Travel card ²:

• Contactless for making fast and convenient low-value transactions
• Available with Google Pay and Apple Pay
• Manage, top up, transfer between currencies and freeze your card using the Travel app
• Reload whenever you need to, with up to 23 currencies available
• Can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted
• 24/7 call centre help is available if you need it
• Wallet-to-wallet feature – where you can transfer any leftover currency to a new currency of your choice
• No charges when you spend abroad using an available balance of a local currency supported by the card (although there are some fees to know about – we’ll look at those next).

Post Office travel card fees and charges

Post Office travel cards are free to order and there are no charges for paying retailers in the currencies held on your travel money card. So, you can spend in shops, bars and restaurants without any charge – as long as you’re paying with an available balance of a currency supported by the card².

If you do use your card in a country with a local currency that isn’t supported by the card, you’ll be charged a cross-border fee of 3%². For example, if you go to Brazil and use your card at a local restaurant, you’ll be charged the cross-border fee of 3% as Brazilian real isn’t supported by the card.

You’ll also be charged for withdrawing cash from any ATM, even in currencies supported by the card. These ATM fees vary depending on the currency used. For example ²:

• Euro – 2 EUR
• US Dollar – 2.5 USD
• Australian Dollar – 3 AUD
• Pound Sterling – 1.5 GBP + commission of 1.5%
• Swiss Franc – 2.5 CHF
• Canadian Dollar – 3 CAD.

One last thing to note on the subject of fees. All Post Office Travel cards are valid for up to 3 years. Exactly 12 months after your card expires, you’ll start to be charged a monthly maintenance fee of £2².

Here is also a list of the European countries that charge the highest ATM fees.

Exchange rates

The Post Office offers exchange rates that move up and down according to the demand for currencies. So, the exact amount of travel money you’ll receive on your travel card will depend on the rate at the time of your purchase.

You can check the Post Office exchange rates on its website, travel money card app and branches. Keep in mind though that rates may vary whether you’re buying online, via phone or in-store.

The Post Office exchange rate is also likely to include a margin or mark-up on the mid-market rate. This is the rate you’ll find on Google or currency sites like XE.com, and is generally considered to be a fair rate. A margin added on top of this makes the rate worse for you, so you’ll get less EUR, USD or whatever other currency you’re exchanging.

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Wise only ever uses the mid-market exchange rate, with no mark-ups or margins. This means that your pounds go further, wherever you’re travelling to.

Currencies supported

You can load your Post Office prepaid travel card with funds in any of these 23 currencies²:

• EUR – Euro
• USD – US dollar
• AUD – Australian dollar
• AED – UAE dirham
• CAD – Canadian dollar
• CHF – Swiss franc
• CNY – Chinese yuan
• CZK – Czech koruna
• DKK – Danish kroner
• GBP – Pound sterling
• HKD – Hong Kong dollar
• HRK – Croatian kuna
• HUF – Hungarian forint
• JPY – Japanese yen
• NOK – Norwegian krone
• NZD – New Zealand dollar
• PLN – Polish zloty
• SAR – Saudi riyal
• SEK – Swedish kronor
• SGD – Singapore dollar
• THB – Thai baht
• TRY – Turkish lira
• ZAR – South African rand

You can top up your card with between £50 and £5,000 in any of the currencies listed above. The maximum you can hold is £10,000, plus you can load and spend up to £30,000 on your card each year².

Cash withdrawal limits vary from currency to currency. For example, you can withdraw a maximum of €450 euros or $500 US dollars² in a single transaction.

App overview

The Post Office Travel app is free to download from the Google Play and Apple App stores. You can use it to order and activate your card, monitor your balance and top up with currencies. Using the new wallet-to-wallet feature, you can also transfer leftover currency to other currencies of your choice in just a few taps.

You can also buy Post Office travel insurance, book airport parking and access other features through the app.

How good is the Post Office prepaid travel card?

The Post Office travel card is handy to have if you’re travelling and want to keep your money safe. You won’t need to carry cash around with you, or have to take time out of your trip to change currency.

Paying in local currencies is quick and easy, especially as it’s a contactless card. Plus, you can only spend what’s on it, so this can help you to budget.

As you can store 23 currencies on it, the card is convenient if you travel regularly or are taking multi-destination holidays. If you love visiting far-flung places, however, you might need a card that supports more currencies.

One drawback to consider is the exchange rate. While rates may be competitive (compared to changing money at the airport, for example), the Post Office is likely to include a margin or mark-up on the mid-market rate. There are also charges for using your card at an ATM.

So, it’s important to shop around and compare other travel money cards, as some could offer you a better deal.

Take the Wise card, for example. With this contactless international card, you can spend in 175 countries and manage over 50 currencies in your Wise account. There are no ATM fees¹ for withdrawing up to £200 a month (2 or less withdrawals) and you’ll get the mid-market exchange rate on every transaction. Note, that Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

The Wise card will automatically convert your money to the local currency at the mid-market rate when you spend, for just a small conversion fee¹.

How to get and use a Post Office travel card

You can only get a travel card from the Post Office if you’re aged over 18 and a resident of the UK.

Ordering your card

There are three ways to order a Post Office Travel card:

• Download the Post Office Travel app and place an order there.
• Apply online at the Post Office website.
• Pop into a local Post Office branch to apply for a card. You’ll need to take a form of photo ID with you, such as a passport or UK driving licence.

If you’re applying in a branch, you should be able to pick up your card there and then. For applications made online or in the app, you’ll need to wait 2-3 days for your card to be delivered.

Card activation

You’ll need to activate your travel card before you can use it.

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You’ll be given instructions on how to do this in the welcome letter delivered along with your new card.

Using your card

You can use your Post Office travel card anywhere that accepts MasterCard, online and at ATMs³.

If you’re buying something in person, you’ll need to enter your PIN. If you’re in a country where Chip & PIN isn’t as widely available (such as the USA), you may be asked to sign to verify your purchase instead.

You can also make contactless payments for small amounts, although different countries have different rules and limits for this.

The Post Office’s terms and conditions list a handful of situations in which you shouldn’t use your card. These include the following³:

• Self-service petrol pumps
• Car hire or hotel check-in deposits
• Transactions on planes or cruise ships.

How to top up your card

The easiest way to top up your Post Office Travel card is using the app. If you prefer, you can also top up at the Post Office website or in a local branch³.

Buying back currencies

If you have unused currency on your card, there are a couple of options available. You may be able to withdraw it at a local Post Office branch or ATM, although fees may apply³.

Alternatively, you can use the new wallet-to-wallet feature in the app³. This lets you transfer unused balance in one currency over to another. For example, you can transfer unused USD to EUR, ready for your next trip to Europe.

How to contact the Post Office about your card

You can call the contact centre on 0344 335 0109 when you’re in the UK or +44 (0) 20 7937 0280 when you’re overseas³. Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can also contact the Post Office Travel Card Customer Services department via the following methods³:

• By post at Post Office Travel card, PO Box 3232, Cumbernauld, G67 1YU
• By email at [email protected].

Post Office Travel Card: troubleshooting tips

Here’s how to deal with some common problems you might have with your travel card.

How do I report a lost or damaged card?

If you lose your Post Office currency card or discover that it’s damaged, just phone the contact centre. They’ll block it and send you another. You can also freeze your card using the app.

What should I do if my card is declined or blocked?

Firstly, check your account via the app to make sure you have enough money in it. If you have enough to pay for your item or have less than you should have in your account, call the contact centre.

What if I’ve forgotten my PIN?

If you can’t remember your travel money card PIN, phone the contact centre. They can issue you with a new one.

What happens when my card expires?

You should receive a new card automatically³. If it hasn’t arrived after the expiry date, call the contact centre and they’ll issue you with one.

And that’s pretty much it – everything you need to know about the Post Office Travel card. It’s handy if you don’t want to carry cash around or exchange currency while on holiday. And you can use it in multiple countries, as it supports 23 currencies. The app is another great feature, letting you top up and manage your money on the move.

But just remember to compare exchange rates and fees (especially for those all-important ATM withdrawals) before choosing a travel card for your trip – as you could be getting a better deal elsewhere.

Sources used:

• Wise – terms and conditions & pricing
• Post Office – Travel Money Card
• Post Office Travel card – Terms and Conditions

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Sometimes, it just helps to speak to a local expert about your specific mail sending or receiving situation. Talk to a trained retail associate at the counter.

USPS Location Types

Post office.

A Post Office is staffed by a USPS® Service employee and has window service hours. Many Post Offices have open, after-hour lobbies with self-service kiosks and PO Box™ access.

Collection Boxes

Most collection boxes are freestanding mailboxes such as the familiar USPS Blue Box, special white mailboxes for prepaid Priority Mail Express® items, lobby drop-off slots, or office building mail chutes. Pickup times are posted on the box label.

National Retailer

A National Retailer is an Approved Postal Provider® that provides shipping and mailing services as well as sells stamps.

gopost units are automated, secured, self-service parcel lockers placed in convenient locations where you can pick up or ship packages. Find a gopost location near you.

Contract Postal Unit

Contract Postal Units (CPUs) are located within existing businesses. While not freestanding Post Office locations, CPUs provide a full range of USPS retail products and services at regular USPS prices.

Self-Service Kiosk

A few kiosks are in large shopping malls. Most kiosks are in Post Office lobbies and offer many of the services available at the full-service Post Office counter. You can buy stamps, weigh packages, and print Priority Mail® and Priority Mail Express shipping labels at kiosks. Bring packing tape and you can ship your items in our free boxes.

Village Post Office

A Village Post Office™ (VPO) sells a limited selection of Postal products and services. Village Post Offices are not stand-alone buildings but areas within existing businesses such as a store or library.

USPS Online Services

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USPS offers many online services to help you get your shipping and mailing needs covered from the comfort of your home or business.

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Don’t waste your money while traveling internationally. How to save when going abroad.

• Don't use your debit card to pay for anything but ATM withdrawals.
• Both cash and credit are useful for different transactions.
• You can get foreign currency from your bank, a currency exchange kiosk or an ATM.

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You’re finally taking that big trip abroad.

For as much time and energy you’ve spent saving up and searching for the best deals on flights or cruises, places to stay, and travel experiences, it would be a shame to blow extra money at the last minute. But that’s what you’ll be doing if you don’t use your cash and credit wisely.

“The thing I never, ever, ever recommend doing abroad is (using) your debit card to pay for things unless you're withdrawing money from an ATM,” said consumer savings expert Matt Granite, who’s known as The Deal Guy on YouTube .

Here’s why and what else travelers should know before visiting another country:

Learn more: Best credit cards of 2023

Can you use debit cards internationally?

Yes, but Granite strongly discourages using it to pay for anything but ATM withdrawals.

“You've just given a terminal that you are unfamiliar with access to your bank account with a pin. You've absolutely no idea what happens beyond that point,” he warned. 

Is it better to travel with cash or credit?

“You generally want cash on you, always, in case of an emergency,” Granite said. 

Cash is also useful for gratuities and small purchases. For larger transactions, he recommends credit, provided there are no foreign transaction fees.

“You're more likely to encounter fraud or operators not necessarily giving you what you've paid for when you're in a remote area where you don't know where you are, you don't know who you're dealing with. The potential for a ripoff is a lot higher than where we're on our own territorial ground,” Granite said. “So always use your credit card because if there is a problem, you are not responsible for your purchase. You have coverage. You have fraud investigations. They'll put a hold on a suspicious transaction. You have everything in the world working for you.”

How can I avoid foreign currency transaction fees?

Call your credit card company or look up their policies online before leaving for your trip, and avoid using any cards that charge fees.

How much cash should you travel with internationally?

“I would say that anyone traveling for more than three days in a country should have the equivalent of at least $300 with them,” Granite said. 

He suggests the equivalent of $500 for families, adding that it could be less for destinations where the dollar is strong.

“You always need to say to yourself: ‘What do I do if I need to get from an airport to a hotel to pay for one night of the hotel when my credit card is stolen?” he said. “You need to be able to survive abroad for 24 to 48 hours, where your credit card company can emergency FedEx or DHL your (new) credit card to you.”

Where are US dollars accepted?

Several foreign countries use the U.S. dollar as official currency or tender. They include:

◾ Bonaire , St Eustatius and Saba

◾ British Virgin Islands

◾ El Salvador

◾ Marshall Islands

◾ Micronesia

◾ Timor-Leste

◾ Turks and Caicos

U.S. dollars are also the currency in U.S. territories like Puerto Rico and Guam. Some businesses in other destinations accept dollars at will.

How to get foreign currency

There are several ways to get foreign currency before and during your trip. You can order foreign currency from your bank for a fee. You can exchange cash at a currency exchange kiosk, though the exchange rate will not favor you. You can also withdraw cash at an ATM at your destination.

“Another trick that I use is if you are traveling and you do have a credit card with zero foreign transaction fees, you can often get very good exchange rates from both chain and boutique hotels to a limit,” Granite said, explaining that the front desk can give you local currency, then add that amount to your hotel bill like a room incidental. “Not all hotels can, but many hotels, specifically in Europe, will be very pleased to do so.”

Should I get foreign currency before I travel?

You don’t need to, but if you want to, Granite said, “Your bank can definitely give you a wonderful experience, provided the U.S. dollar is stronger before you leave.” 

“For example, if you were traveling to Canada, it is 100% in your favor to get the Canadian dollar from the U.S. bank before you travel if the U.S. currency is stronger. But when we're looking at currencies like the British pound, better to do everything when you get to London, not beforehand,” he added. 

Where is the best place to exchange currency?

Many travelers prefer to withdraw from ATMs at their destination for better exchange rates, but there are instances when you may opt for a pricey currency exchange kiosk instead.

“Those booths, they're generally in very well-lit areas. They're very secure. They're often in airports or in the mecca center of a city if you are traveling somewhere where you have concerns over your safety,” Granite said, recalling one of his past trips. “I would have gotten a considerably better rate by going to some of the ATMs that were not in areas (where) I should be walking at certain times of the day. I will gladly take the hit of $15 on a $100 withdrawal for safety.”

Consider how much you take out if you use a currency exchange booth.

“Some people will have the concept of they're going to take a little bit and they're going to find an ATM, and then they're going to be OK,” he said. “But the more you withdraw from those places, the rates are generally more within your favor. And there's generally a maintenance or a convenience fee attached to that one transaction, so you're paying $15 whether you take out $5 or $1,000.”

Can I withdraw money at a foreign ATM?

Yes, but watch out for fees. 

Just like at home, you may be charged usage fees by both the ATM and your bank for withdrawing cash out of network. 

You can avoid or limit those fees by sticking to ATMs within your bank’s Global ATM Alliance , Granite said. You can look up banking partners online before you even leave home. Apps like ATM Fee Saver can help you locate fee-free ATMs while traveling.

Be aware that if your bank account normally limits the number of withdrawals you can make each month before incurring fees, foreign withdrawals also count toward that limit, he warned.

He also reminded travelers that ATMs are legally required to disclose fees on screen.

“If you find an ATM you don't like, you can decline. You can take your card out, and then you can walk a block and go to the next ATM,” he said. “I think a lot of people feel compelled – it's a weird psychological thing – that once your card is in the machine, you have to complete your purchase. That is actually not the case.”

Can you withdraw cash on a credit card?

Yes, but you should avoid it.

“Always use your debit card when you're going to an ATM. The credit card fees are horrendous,” Granite said. “No one will ever have a good experience using a credit card and an ATM, and there should be no reason to do so unless your account is completely empty, and by that point you have other problems.”

He also warned that if your debit card is co-branded with a major credit card company, like Visa or Mastercard, make sure withdrawals are made as debit, not credit.

Do I need to notify my credit card of international travel?

Not necessarily.

“Most credit card companies these days, within the last three to five years, have such sophisticated AI on you, they've already known you've booked your trip,” Granite said. “They've figured out somewhere along the way that you have a flight or you have a tour, or you've browsed on their app, something tied to where you're going, and they know you're going.”

There’s no need to tip in Japan. Here’s what else travelers should know.

Should I pay in foreign currency or USD?

“Always use your credit card in the local currency,” Granite said. “When you put your credit card into a machine to pay for something and it asks you, Do you want to convert? Never convert.”

How to get rid of leftover foreign currency

The easiest way to get rid of extra foreign currency is to spend it.

“You almost never want to convert it back,” Granite said. “If you do end up with too much cash, which we have on trips before, we'll do things like pay for the balance of our hotel using cash.”

Another option is to hold onto the currency if you think you’ll go back to the destination.

“I find that even if you put that cash into an envelope and it sits in the safe, and you go back three years later, I never forget when I have pounds or euros in the safe based on what it took me to get them,” Granite said.

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

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How to use a Troika card on Moscow’s Metro, and other ways to buy tickets

Passengers pass turnstiles at the Serpukhovskaya station of the Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya Moscow metro line.

Moscow residents can now top up their Troika transport cards with the official Moscow Metro app, subway representatives announced on Oct. 31. To put money on the card, passengers simply need to download the app and transfer money via NFC connection. What other ways can you pay for riding on Moscow’s public transport?

Troika card

It’s by far the most convenient option for using public transport in the Russian capital. This plastic card is valid for five years, so you don’t need to throw it away after your trip to Russia. You can ride with a Troika on the Moscow metro, as well as Moscow’s Central Ring, buses, trams, and trolley buses.

One ride costs 35 rubles ($0.6), but if you change transport within 90 minutes you will only pay 19 rubles ($0.33) for the next journey. Further changes within those 90 minutes are free.

You can top up your card with the subway attendants who sit behind the glass panels, automated terminals, or via the special Moscow Metro app . Kiosks accept both cash and cards. According to the Moscow Metropolitan official site, you can only keep 3,000 rubles ($51) on your Troika. If you don’t use up all your credit before you leave Moscow, you can cash in the card and get your money back - but this is only possible to do at Metro Service Centers (Ulitsa 1905 Goda street, 25 or  Staraya Basmanaya Street, 20 bld 1; 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily).

Your Troika’s balance can be checked on the app or on the small yellow terminals inside the metro stations.

Important point – one card should only be used by one person (the subway’s rules state that every person should have their own ticket). You can also be hit with a fine of 1,000 ($17) if caught riding the underground without a ticket.

How to get a Troika: Get the card in any metro kiosk or automated ticket office. The card is free, but you need to leave 50 rubles ($0.85) as a deposit. You can return it after.   

United (Yediny) ticket

This red paper card can have 1, 2, 20, 40, or 60 rides on any kind of Moscow public transport, and the price depends on the number of rides (more rides you buy the less you pay for a ride), from 55 rubles ($0.95) to 28 rubles ($0.48). If you plan to use transport a lot, you can buy a ticket for 60 rides for 1,700 rubles ($30). A ticket for one or two rides is only valid for five days, while other kind of tickets can be used for 90 days.

If you don’t plan to use metro, you can order a card for ground transport only (it will be dark blue with TAT letters on the cover). This card costs 1,150 rubles ($19) for 60 rides.

How to get it: You can buy this card in any metro kiosk. Cards for one or two rides can be also purchased in automated ticket offices.

Daily tickets

Muscovites often buy tickets without ride limits for specific periods – 30 days, 60 days, or one year. But Moscow Metro suggest special tickets for tourists – for one day (210 rubles, or $3.6), three days (400 rubles, $6.9) or seven days (800 rubles, $13.8). They also can be used on any kind of public transport. Tourists’ tickets also have no limit for rides.

How to get it: You can buy this card in any metro kiosk.

90 minute ticket

Another kind of ticket allows one ride on the metro and any number of rides on other Moscow public transport within 90 minutes. The card can be for one (65 rubles, or $1.1), two ($130 rubles, or $2.2), and 60 rides (2,650 rubles, or $46). This card is useful if you have to catch different kinds of transport for a short time.

It’s helpful to add this card to your Troika. Moreover, it will save the paper.

Payment via smartphones

Smartphone owners can  pay  travel fares via Samsung Pay and Apple Pay, linked with MasterCard credit card and the Wallet app. Apple Pay can also be installed on iWatch. The price for one fare costs 40 rubles ($0.7). You can also use these apps for buying usual tickets in kiosks.

Since late 2016, this system has been available at all ring railway stations and 80 metro stations across the city.

In the future, smartphone-enabled ticket turnstiles will be installed at all Moscow metro stations.

How to get it: Download the Samsung Pay and Apple Pay and start riding!

Unique tickets have recently appeared in Moscow. Bracelets, rings, and keychains with transport microchips are not only a souvenir from the Russian capital, but also a serious way to use metropolitan. The deposit price for a bracelet is 450 rubles ($8), for a keychain – 350 rubles ($6). One ring costs 2,200 rubles ($38). The price for a fare is the same as for the Troika card.

How to get it: Only at the Pushkinskaya metro station souvenir kiosk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations.

Actually there are other options to inserts transport microchip – for example, in 2015 Moscow engineer Vlad Zaitsev implanted a chip in his hand, so all he has to do is wave at the turnstile and he’s away - but we recommend enjoying Moscow’s transport in a more conventional way. 

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

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What We Know About the Global Microsoft Outage

Airlines to banks to retailers were affected in many countries. Businesses are struggling to recover.

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By Eshe Nelson and Danielle Kaye

Eshe Nelson reported from London and Danielle Kaye from New York.

Across the world, critical businesses and services including airlines, hospitals, train networks and TV stations, were disrupted on Friday by a global tech outage affecting Microsoft users.

In many countries, flights were grounded, workers could not get access to their systems and, in some cases, customers could not make card payments in stores. While some of the problems were resolved within hours, many businesses, websites and airlines continued to struggle to recover.

What happened?

A series of outages rippled across the globe as information displays, login systems and broadcasting networks went dark.

The problem affecting the majority of services was caused by a flawed update by CrowdStrike , an American cybersecurity firm, whose systems are intended to protect users from hackers. Microsoft said on Friday that it was aware of an issue affecting machines running “CrowdStrike Falcon.”

But Microsoft had also said there was an earlier outage affecting U.S. users of Azure, its cloud service system. Some users may have been affected by both. Even as CrowdStrike sent out a fix, some systems were still affected by midday in the United States as businesses needed to make manual updates to their systems to resolve the issue.

George Kurtz, the president and chief executive of CrowdStrike, said on Friday morning that it could take some time for some systems to recover.

How a Software Update Crashed Computers Around the World

Here’s a visual explanation for how a faulty software update crippled machines.

What was affected?

It is more apt to ask what was not affected. Everything from airlines to banks to health care systems in many countries was hit.

In Australia, passengers were stuck in long lines at Sydney airport as information screens went blank, and programming was disrupted at the national broadcaster. Airports in Britain, Germany and Taiwan had long delays at check-ins and flights were delayed or canceled. At an airport in South Korea, handwritten boarding passes were being slowly handed out.

How the airline cancellations rippled around the world (and across time zones)

Share of canceled flights at 25 airports on Friday

50% of flights

Ai r po r t

Bengalu r u K empeg o wda

Dhaka Shahjalal

Minneapolis-Saint P aul

Stuttga r t

Melbou r ne

Be r lin B r anden b urg

London City

Amsterdam Schiphol

Chicago O'Hare

Raleigh−Durham

B r adl e y

Cha r lotte

Reagan National

Philadelphia

1:20 a.m. ET

Flights continued to be disrupted at some U.S. airports into the morning because of the cascading effect of flight delays and cancellations. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that ground stops and delays would be “intermittent” at some airports as airlines grapple with residual technology issues.

The outage affected emergency 911 lines in multiple states, the U.S. Emergency Alert System said on social media — but most if not all of the emergency system problems appeared to be resolving themselves by midmorning.

A few hospitals in Germany said they would cancel elective procedures; and in Britain, some doctors in the National Health Service were unable to gain access to systems. Kaiser Permanente, a medical system that provides care to 12.6 million members in the United States, said all of its hospitals’ systems were affected, and it activated backup systems to keep caring for patients.

At some banks, including JPMorgan Chase, there were delays in processing trades because bankers could not log into their work systems. TD Bank, the 10th largest in the United States, said customers complained that they could not access their online accounts.

But the problems were not uniform. London’s Heathrow Airport said that its flights were still operating. The London Stock Exchange said that it could not publish news updates but the exchange, where trades take place, was working as normal. The auction system at the Norwegian central bank was briefly interrupted, but other major central banks, the European Central Bank and Bank of England, said there was no effect on their systems.

In some cases, issues were resolved relatively quickly. In Ukraine, Sense Bank and the mobile operator Vodafone reported brief problems with their services. At Dubai International Airport, two airlines switched to alternative systems, allowing operations to resume.

Major grocery chains in the United States appeared largely unaffected, with most stores operating as usual. But the world’s biggest logistics companies, including United Parcel Service and FedEx, did report disruptions, causing delivery delays in some regions. A spokesman for UPS said the company’s computer systems in the United States and Europe were affected.

Who’s to blame?

Mr. Kurtz said CrowdStrike took responsibility for the software bug, sent in a system update, that caused the outage. He said in a post on X that Mac and Linux users were not affected.

The incident was not a cyberattack, Mr. Kurtz said, adding that customers remain “fully protected.” But Mr. Kurtz warned on NBC’s “Today” show that the fix could take some time to put in place.

“We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption,” Mr. Kurtz said. Microsoft offered suggestions to users to help resolve the issue, including restoring backup systems.

While CrowdStrike is at fault for the software bug, J.J. Guy, chief executive of cybersecurity company Sevco, said poor resiliency of Microsoft’s operating system is to blame for extent of the damage.

“Bugs happen all the time and are unavoidable, the result of business complexity and technology,” Mr. Guy said. “But this became a catastrophic incident because of the remediation procedures. The resiliency of the operating system was not sufficient to mitigate the risk of that.”

Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment on its operating system. The company’s chief executive, Satya Nadella, said in a post on X that Microsoft is working with CrowdStrike to offer customers technical guidance and bring systems back online.

Eshe Nelson is a reporter based in London, covering economics and business news for The New York Times. More about Eshe Nelson

Danielle Kaye is a business reporter and a 2024 David Carr Fellow, a program for journalists early in their careers. More about Danielle Kaye

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What we know about the computer update glitch disrupting systems around the world

Bobby Allyn

Bill Chappell

Fatima Al-Kassab

Microsoft, which hosts cloud services with businesses and governments, said it was grappling with service outages after a glitch triggered by software distributed by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Haven Daley/AP hide caption

A technological meltdown left employees of airlines, banks, hospitals and emergency services around the world staring at the dreaded “blue screen of death” on Friday as their computers went inert in what is being described as a historic outage.

“This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except it's actually happened this time,” internet security analyst Troy Hunt said via X .

Security experts race to fix critical software flaw threatening industries worldwide

From continent to continent, Microsoft users reported being suddenly knocked offline, and the culprit was determined to be cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which says one of its routine software updates malfunctioned.

“CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts,” the company said in a statement.

Customers using Mac and Linux operating systems were not affected, CrowdStrike said.

When the faulty update crashed computer systems, scores of airport travelers were stranded, hospital appointments were delayed and live news broadcasts were cut short.

How big is the outage?

It is massive, far-reaching and sudden.

Some computer problems cascade, creating ripples of failures. But in this case, the flaw permeated Microsoft systems worldwide nearly immediately. The company says its Windows 365 Cloud PCs, apps and services were affected.

Microsoft remains the dominant desktop operating system worldwide, with more than 72% market share, according to the Statcounter website . The CrowdStrike problem does not directly affect all of those machines: its security software is mainly used by businesses and large organizations. The company says its customers include 43 U.S. states and nearly 300 companies in the Fortune 500.

Hundreds of thousands of Microsoft outages were reported on Friday, according to Downdetector , the website that tracks outages based on users’ reports.

In 16 hours, 311,000 global outage reports came in, Michelle Badrian, senior communications manager at Ookla, which owns Downdetector, told NPR. Of that figure, she added, 58,000 reports were from the U.S., 26,000 from the U.K., and 20,000 from India. Large numbers of reports also came in from Germany, Canada and Australia.

There are signs that relief is on the way: Badrian said that as of midday Friday ET, “we are observing report volumes declining both for Microsoft services and for all services overall.”

While server-related outages are common, the scale of the CrowdStrike disruption was astonishing to many tech observers.

“This IT outage is a stark reminder of how dependent we are on technology and many other things that happen behind the scenes that most of us are unaware of,” said Louisville-based tech executive Adam Robinson on X . “Modern society and the many comforts we enjoy is a fragile thing.”

Passengers wait in front of check-in counters at the capital's Berlin Brandenburg Airport, in Schönefeld, Germany, on Friday after a widespread technology outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world. Christoph Soeder/AP/DPA hide caption

What about air travel?

More than 2,000 flights originating or landing in the U.S. were canceled as of noon ET Friday, and more than twice that number were delayed, according to the FlightAware tracking site.

Delta Airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines announced they were resuming some or all of their scheduled flights after initially being grounded when the problem struck their systems. The airlines also said they were issuing waivers to affected customers.

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport — a major hub for long-distance flights — said a "global system failure" impacted incoming and outgoing flights on one of the busiest days of the year.

Landings at Zurich airport were suspended and flights in Hungary disrupted.

Spanish airport operator Aena reported a computer systems “incident” at all Spanish airports that it said could cause delays.

What other kinds of services went offline?

In some states, including Alaska and Ohio , 911 phone lines were down.

The U.K.’s National Health Service has been widely affected. The NHS said Friday that doctors’ appointments and patient records had been affected but that there was no known impact on emergency services. The BBC reported that two-thirds of doctors’ practices in Northern Ireland had been affected, with doctors unable to access patient records, generate prescriptions or see the result of laboratory tests.

In Germany, some hospitals canceled non-emergency operations.

Broadcasters around the world were also affected. In France and Australia , live television broadcasts were knocked offline.

Sky News, a major U.K. news channel, was off air for a time on Friday morning. It later returned, but without “ full capabilities , ” its chairman, David Rhodes, said on X Friday afternoon. A post on Australia’s ABC News website said the broadcaster was experiencing a “major network outage.”

The London Stock Exchange’s news service stopped working. Shipping in the Baltic was also impacted, with the container hub of Gdansk in Poland hit by major disruptions.

How do people fix their computers?

CrowdStrike says the problem was not a cyberattack, but rather a software glitch. The company said that after identifying the issue, it withdrew the "problematic channel file" that was affecting customers' systems.

Because of that move, if a Windows system with CrowdStrike's Falcon sensor was brought online after 1:27 a.m. ET Friday , the company said, it wouldn't be affected.

It also published a workaround that involves booting a Windows machine in a recovery environment, deleting a single file in the CrowdStrike directory, and restarting.

An airport information screen displays an error message rather than travel information at San Francisco International Airport on Friday after a computer problem unraveled systems in the U.S. and dozens of other countries. Talia Smith/NPR hide caption

What is CrowdStrike?

It’s a U.S. cybersecurity firm based in Austin, Texas. The company went public in 2019 and is currently in the S&P 500 index. As of early July, CrowdStrike’s stock had been riding months of gains. But share prices fell sharply in early trading Friday.

“This is clearly a major black eye for CrowdStrike,” said WedBush analyst Dan Ives.

CrowdStrike made headlines in 2016, when the company was hired by the Democratic National Committee to investigate a breach of its data systems . CrowdStrike determined that the hack was a case of foreign interference — the work of Russian-backed hacking groups.

The company’s marquee product is its “Falcon” cybersecurity software — and it traced the current problem to a change in a sensor in that system. That also helps explain how and why the resulting failures might have spread so quickly: Rather than being stored locally, the Falcon security platform “is 100% cloud-based.”

The company apologized for the outages on Friday, stating, "We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption."

This is a developing story and will be updated.

• Nearly free travel is possible

How to earn credit card points

How to redeem travel rewards, when to use rewards vs. cash.

• What you should know

How to Book Award Travel: Maximizing Your Points and Miles

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate credit cards to write unbiased product reviews .

Introduction to booking award travel

Many people think credit card rewards are convoluted and hard to use.

That's not necessarily true. With minimal effort, you can redeem credit card rewards for nearly free hotel stays, rental cars, airfare and more. The convoluted part is learning to redeem rewards efficiently so you can squeeze every last drop of value from them.

This guide offers a crash course on quickly earning travel rewards from the best credit cards so you can book amazing travel deals for far less than cash value. We'll also share the knowledge you need to find these great rates on your own.

Nearly free travel is possible with credit card rewards

Before collecting credit card rewards, identify your travel goals. Not all credit card rewards accomplish the same outcome. For example:

• If you want free flights, you should collect airline miles
• If you want free hotel stays, you should collect hotel points
• If you want free food and other expenses, you should collect cash back
• And if you want some combination of all three benefits, you should collect flexible or transferable points , which we'll discuss below

The fastest way to accumulate rewards is by earning credit card welcome bonuses. Most rewards credit cards come with a chunk of either points, miles, or cash that will deposit into your account after you meet minimum spending requirements .

There are dozens of credit card welcome offers available — quite literally millions of points and miles to be earned — if you're willing to open credit cards and earn their bonuses.

Many rewards credit cards also provide bonus points when you spend money in certain categories. You'll earn points for your everyday purchases far more quickly   if you take the time to identify and acquire the right handful of credit cards for your personal spending habits.

Opening multiple credit cards

You've probably been conditioned to believe that opening multiple credit cards harms your financial health. It's not — at least, there's nothing intrinsically irresponsible about it. As long as you pay off your balance in full every month and don't spend beyond your means, credit cards can be valuable tools for your finances and travel habits. 

If you use credit responsibly, your credit score may actually increase after opening more credit cards , which we explore in Business Insider's guide on how to get an excellent credit score . And with healthy usage, your cards can provide significantly more value than what you might pay in annual fees .

Don't overspend to earn rewards

If you don't have the best track record with credit, or if you simply don't think you're responsible enough to open lots of credit cards, don't do it. Rewards credit cards come with outlandish interest rates . In other words, unless you're able to pay your credit card in full each month, you'll pay out the nose in fees. And accruing debt on a rewards credit card isn't easy to overcome.

It's also a good rule of thumb to keep from jumping into credit card rewards until you have a credit score of at least 700. This will give you the best chance of being approved for pretty much any card you want.

Earning transferable points

Transferable points are the real powerhouse in the flexible rewards space. Transferable points are popular among travelers for two primary reasons:

• They're easy to earn. Each flexible points currency can be earned on multiple different credit cards within that issuer's ecosystem. Most of these cards also earn bonus points on specific categories of spend. 
• Points transfer to multiple airline and hotel partners. This is helpful if you have various travel goals and don't want to limit yourself to a single airline or hotel currency. For example, if you want to stay at both Hilton and Marriott properties, you could collect Amex Membership Rewards points, which transfer to both hotel programs.

So, you've earned a stash of points, miles, and/or cash back. Now, what are you going to do with them?

The world of miles and points can be a bit complex. Let's look at a quick explainer of how to use each type of reward. Once you understand how they work, you'll understand how to find good deals.

Airline miles

Let's get a misconception out of the way first: Each airline mile you collect does not give you the ability to travel on a plane for 5,280 feet. In other words, just because you've collected 24,901 miles doesn't mean you can circumnavigate the Earth. Perhaps it's less confusing to just think of them as airline rewards.

Airlines have different ways of pricing award flights:

• Some price award seats according to the distance you fly (British Airways does this)
• Some price them according to the country or regions you're flying between (Air Canada Aeroplan does this)
• Some price them according to the cash rate of the ticket you want to book (Southwest does this)
• Some price them according to a secret algorithm that makes seemingly no sense to the naked eye (American Airlines does this)

Once you learn these guidelines, you can plan ahead for the cost of travel on certain airlines. 

Most airlines have a large network of airline partners. This is important because you can usually use your miles to book flights on partner airlines, as well. For example, if you collect American Airlines miles, you can use them to book award travel on American Airlines as well as the following partners:

• Air Tahiti Nui
• Alaska Airlines
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Etihad Airways
• Fiji Airways
• GOL Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Japan Airlines
• Malaysia Airlines
• Qantas Airways
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian Airlines
• Silver Airways
• SriLankan Airlines

As you can see, American Airlines miles can get you pretty much anywhere in the world. 

Hotel points

Hotel points work similarly to airline miles:

• Some hotels charge a points price that fluctuates according to the cash price of the room (Hilton does this)
• Some hotel programs place each property into a "category" with a somewhat fixed price, regardless of the cash price of the room (Hyatt does this)

For example, Hyatt charges between 17,000 and 23,000 points per night for a "Category 5" Hyatt hotel. The Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach is a Category 5 hotel. That means even if the hotel costs $1,000 per night, you'll never pay more than 23,000 points for a standard room.

Flexible rewards

Flexible rewards, as the name implies, can be used in various ways. Let's examine the three most popular redemption options.

Redeem for cash

Depending on the type of points you have, you can redeem them for cash at varying rates:

• Amex Membership Rewards points — 0.6 cents per point on average, or up to 1.1 cents per point on select cards
• Bilt Rewards — 0.5 cents per point
• Capital One miles — 0.5 cents per point
• Chase Ultimate Rewards points — 1 cent per point
• Citi ThankYou points — 0.5 cents per point (1 cent if you've got select cards)
• Wells Fargo Rewards — 1 cent per point 

In nearly every single scenario, cash back is not a good redemption option with these points. If you're interested in cash back, you should be using cash-back credit cards instead of travel credit cards .

"Buy" travel through a portal  

All flexible rewards can be used to reserve things like airfare, hotel stays, rental cars, and more through a proprietary bank portal at a fixed rate, though the rate can depend on the credit card you have.

• Amex Membership Rewards points — 0.7 to 1 cent per point through the Amex Travel Portal
• Bilt Rewards — 1.25 cents each through the Bilt Travel Portal
• Capital One miles — 1 cent per point through Capital One Travel
• Chase Ultimate Rewards points — Between 1 cent and 1.5 cents per point (depending on which card you have) through the Chase Travel Portal
• Citi ThankYou points — 1 cent per point through the Citi Travel Portal

Transfer to valuable travel partners

Converting your rewards into airline miles and hotel points gives them the most potential. Each flexible points currency offers its own unique transfer partners. Here's a quick rundown of each program with its transfer partners. All transfer ratios are 1:1 unless otherwise specified.

You can also redeem flexible rewards for purchases such as gift cards, merchandise, your Amazon cart, and even student loans, but you'll often find that the value per point is quite poor compared to the value you could get from redeeming for travel. 

Just because you can book a free flight or hotel stay with credit card rewards doesn't mean you should . Believe it or not, "free" isn't always a good deal. Sometimes, it's wiser to pay with cash.

Most points and miles currencies don't have a firm value. Depending on the way you redeem them, you can get wildly different return rates for your rewards. Discerning when you should use rewards and when you should use cash boils down to low-level algebra.

The magic formula

Whenever you're looking to reserve free travel with credit card rewards, you should know exactly how much value you're getting for your points. There's an easy formula to keep in mind:

(cash price of travel - award taxes and fees) / award cost in points = value per point

For example, a round-trip coach flight between Chicago and Venice costs $958 in late October. The award price for this trip is 60,000 United Airlines miles and $65 in taxes and fees.

Using the above formula, we will:

• Subtract the $65 in taxes you'll pay with your award flight from the cash price of the ticket ($958 - $65 = $893).
• Divide this new figure by the number of miles you'll pay ($893 / 60,000 = $0.014).

As you can see, booking this award ticket will give you a value of 1.4 cents per United Airlines mile. Since Business Insider values United miles at 1.3 cents apiece on average , you'd be getting slightly above-average value per point spent on this flight. 

How much are points and miles worth to you?

Because the value you can receive from credit card rewards can vary so much, you'll have to decide what constitutes "good" value for your points and miles. Business Insider has its own points and miles valuations guide, created by experts who use credit card rewards constantly.

What you should know about traveling with credit card rewards

If you dedicate some time to learning the ins and outs of traveling on points, there's practically nowhere in the world that you can't go for pennies on the dollar.

Award travel frequently asked questions

Utilize award search tools and airline websites to compare redemption options. Consider transferring points to airline or hotel partners for better value, and pay attention to award charts to understand how many points or miles you'll need for your desired travel.

Look for airlines with lower fuel surcharges on award tickets. Booking domestic flights or using airlines that charge minimal fees for international routes can also help reduce costs.

Yes, most loyalty programs allow you to book travel for others using your points or miles. However, some programs may require the traveler to be a family member or designated nominee.

Every points system has its own redemption rules, and different "currencies" offer varying value. For uniformity, use Business Insider's guide to points and miles valuations to reference how much value you're getting from a potential flight or hotel stay. 

In most cases, you'll have to book flights all in cash or all points. Some hotel chains allow you to combine points with cash for hotel stays, and credit card issuers often allow you to choose how many points you want to use to offset the cash price of a booking.

It isn't the end of the world if you can't find an award redemption. Consider booking an alternative route or destination, booking a cash backup but checking for award availability closer to your departure date, or plan far in advance and lock down reservations as soon as hotels or airlines open up award availability calendars. 

Most points and miles experts agree that you'll get the best deals and availabilities on award flights is right when the airline opens up availability — up to 330 days in advance for some companies — or within a week or two of your departure date. You can also use deal-tracking apps and award search websites to set up alerts when award travel availability opens up. 

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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