Can I Use my Discover Credit Card Internationally?
Table of Contents
Travel the world, take your Discover card with you.
See how you can use your US Discover card internationally and what you need to know to use it in a way that you stay safe and save on Discover card fees and currency conversion losses.
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Start with Travel Planning
When you plan your next trip abroad or vacations, list the places where you will be making payments.
Though you might know the places where you will be making payments, writing them down as a list will help you see how you should plan about it.
Discover cards are not as popular as Visa or MasterCard. There will be many places abroad where your US Discover credit card will not be accepted. Plan ahead to avoid trouble during your trip.
Why is Discover not accepted?
Retailers and merchants pay a fee every time they take payment from your credit card. Discover has comparatively higher fees than MasterCard and Visa. Retailers are neither compelled by law to offer Discover nor they need it to as other payment networks do the job.
Example of Places where You will be Making Payments
- Airports
- Govt services, duties, or government fees
- Taxi or ride service
- Hotel or accommodation
- Food
- Buy gifts or local speciality items
- Mobile Topup or internet
- Miscellaneous expenses
You might have booked a hotel or paid for services already. Most of the reputable hotels around the world accept Discover. Many government offices may charge in US dollars or in the local currency but you can handle that when you get there.
Where is US Discover Card Internationally Accepted?
Discover has a presence in 200 countries around the world. However, the level of acceptance may change for each country.
This tool from Discover website will help you quickly see the international availability of US Discover credit cards.
You can also see the list of countries where Discover has a good presence.
Some countries have good acceptance but no ATM access. You will be able to make payments in USD there but you will need to use another card for getting local currency
| Country | Acceptance rate | Accepted where you See these Logos | ATMs |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Belize |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM location |
|
Argentina
|
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM location |
|
Brazil |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
CitiBank
Tecban
|
|
Chile |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM location |
|
Ecuador |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Banco de Guayaquil
Banco de Pichincha
|
|
Paraguay |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Bancard |
|
Peru |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Interbank / Globalnet |
|
Austria |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Bank Austria
Six
Raiffeisen Bankengruppe
ERSTE Bank/Sparkassen (SPARDAT)
3Banken Gruppe (BKS BTV Oberbank) |
|
Croatia |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Erste Bank / MBNET
ZABA
OTP
Raiffeisen Bank
|
|
Czech Republic |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Citibank
GE Money Bank
Raiffeisen Bank
CSOB
Euronet
Ceska Sporitelna
Volksbanka |
|
Poland |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Citibank
PKO BP
Euronet
Bank Pekao |
|
Slovakia |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Slovenska Sporitelna
Dexia
ISB Bawag
OTP
Postova Banka
UniCredit
Volksbank
CSOB |
|
Switzerland |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Six Multipay
Post Finance |
|
India |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
RuPay (NPCI)
HDFC Bank |
|
Israel |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Bank Leumi
Israel Discount Bank |
|
Japan |
High |
JCB, Diners Club |
MUFG Bank
Japan Post Bank
Seven Bank
Mizuho Bank
Bank Time
AEON Bank |
|
Kazakhstan |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Qazkom |
|
South Korea |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Hannet
Standard Chartered
Industrial Bank of Korea
Busan Bank
Daegu Bank
Kwangju
Kyongnam Bank
Woori Card co., ltd |
|
Kenya |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
CSC |
|
Morocco |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
BMCE |
|
Bahamas |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Fidelity Bank |
|
Dominican Republic |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATMs |
|
Jamaica |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATMs |
|
Puerto Rico |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Scotia Bank |
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM Location |
|
United States Virgin Islands |
High |
Discover, Diners Club |
Banco Popular
Scotia Bank |
|
Canada |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Bank of Montreal (BMO)
Cardtronics
CIBC
Manulife Bank of Canada
ScotiaBank
TNS Smart Network
Direct Cash
ICICI Bank
TD Bank
ICBC Canada |
|
Mexico |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Citibank – Banamex
HSBC
Afirme
Intercam Banco |
|
Costa Rica |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Credomatic |
|
El Salvador |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Credomatic |
|
Guatemala |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Credomatic
G&T Continental |
|
Honduras |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Credomatic |
|
Nicaragua |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Credomatic |
|
Colombia |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Citibank
Banco Davivienda
ATH
Bancolombia
BBVA
Caja Social
Colpatria
Santander
Helm Bank
Financiera Juriscoop
Macrofinanciera |
|
Uruguay |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
BROU |
|
Belgium |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Citibank
Fortis |
|
Bulgaria |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
FIB
Euronet
BORICA |
|
Cyprus |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
JCC |
|
Denmark |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Danske Bank |
|
Finland |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Otto |
|
Germany |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
German Savings Banks Association (Sparkasse)
Reisebank
Commerzbank |
|
Iceland |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Borgun |
|
Ireland |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
AIB |
|
Italy |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Unicredit
Intesa Sanpaolo
Monte Paschi
Banco BPM
Banca Popolare di Sondrio
BCC di Roma
Carige
Credem
Banca Popolare Emilia Romagna
Carifermo
Cassa di Risparmio di Ravenna
BCC Credito Cooperativo |
|
Netherlands |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATMs |
|
Norway |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
DNB Norway
Eika |
|
Portugal |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
CGD/SIBS |
|
Slovenia |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Banka Koper |
|
Spain |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
4B
ServiRed
EURO 6000 |
|
Sweden |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Bankomat AB |
|
United Kingdom |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Cardtronics
DC Payments
Moneycorp
Travelex
Yourcash |
|
Armenia |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Araratbank |
|
China |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
ICBC |
|
Georgia |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Bank of Georgia |
|
Qatar |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Commercial Bank of Qatar |
|
Thailand |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Bangkok Bank |
|
Turkey |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Garanti BBVA
İşbank
Yapı Kredi Bank
Şekerbank
AlternatifBank |
|
United Arab Emirates |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Citibank
Emirates NBD |
|
Vietnam |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Vietinbank
BIDV
Vietcombank |
|
South Africa |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Standard Bank |
|
Australia |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Travelex |
|
Barbados |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATMs |
|
New Zealand |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
Banzpay
Heritage
NEXT
DC Payments |
|
Saint Lucia |
Moderate |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATMs |
|
Sri Lanka |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATMs |
|
Kuwait |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATMs |
|
Greenland |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM Location |
|
Panama |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Credomatic |
|
Trinidad and Tobago |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM location |
|
Venezuela |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Citibank
Banco Mercantil |
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
UniCredit Bank |
|
France |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Société Générale
Caisse d’Epargne
Crédit Mutuel
CIC
La Banque Postale |
|
Hungary |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Citibank
Bank of Budapest |
|
Macedonia |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
NLB Tutunska Banka |
|
Romania |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
BCR |
|
Russia |
Low |
No Acceptance |
No Acceptance |
|
Azerbaijan |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM Location |
|
Bangladesh |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
DBBL – Dutch Bangla Bank Ltd |
|
Cambodia |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Acleda |
|
Indonesia |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Citibank |
|
Laos |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Vietinbank |
|
Malaysia |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
MEPS |
|
Mongolia |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Trade and Development Bank of Mongolia |
|
Oman |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM Location |
|
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
||
|
Philippines |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
BDO Unibank |
|
Taiwan |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Taishin |
|
Botswana |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM Location |
|
Egypt |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Citibank
123 Network |
|
Rwanda |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Banque de Kigali (SIMTEL) |
|
Swaziland |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM |
|
Fiji |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Bank of South Pacific
Westpac |
|
Guadeloupe |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
No ATM |
|
Papua New Guinea |
Low |
Discover, Diners Club |
Bank of South Pacific
Westpac |
US Discover Chip Card vs Magnetic Stripe Card
Discover has replaced its magnetic strip cards with chip cards but if you still have the old-fashioned magnetic strip card, ask the retailer if they can process the magnetic stripe card.
You will need to keep your US Discover credit card PIN before you travel abroad. You’ll need the PIN to make payments with your magnetic stripe credit card.
If the retailer processes Discover cards but does not process magnetic stripe cards, you can ask them to process your payment from the old, magnetic stripe card. They can help you.
Discover Foreign Transaction Fee
You might be thinking “does Discover have foreign transaction fees”? The answer is yes. Let’s see.
Exchange Rates
Whichever card you use, you will pay for the exchange rate markups. When you buy something in the local currency, always get the local currency before you pay. If they offer to make a deduction in USD from your card directly, also known as Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC), decline their offer.
ATM Fees
Include the ATM fees for every time you use an international ATM. You can take cash in your destination country using the linked ATM. Check the table above to see if you can use your US Discover Credit Card in your destination country. However, the international ATM fees are higher.
For using Discover Credit Cards on international ATMs, Discover charges either $10 or 5% of the transaction (whichever is higher). Plus, you will pay the ATM provier’s fee.
For using Discover Debit Cards internationally, the ATM usage on Discover ATM is free. However, the ATM networks other than Discover network will charge a fee.
Credit Card Interest Rates
If you fail to make a monthly payment for your credit card, you will have to pay interest charges on your credit card payment.
If you are in doubt about fees and other charges, check the back of your credit card statement to see the details.
Prefer Make Payments in the Local Currency
Whenever possible, use the local currency. Most of the countries charge a small markup when you take payment in USD. You can avoid that if you make payment in the local currency.
Use the local money exchange or an ATM if it is available in that country to get the local currency and use it whenever you can.
FAQs:
Yes, Discover credit cards are generally accepted internationally, but it’s important to note that acceptance may vary depending on the country and merchant. It’s recommended to inform Discover about your travel plans to ensure uninterrupted card usage and to check for any foreign transaction fees.
Discover credit cards are accepted in many countries around the world, including popular destinations like Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Australia. However, it’s always a good idea to check with Discover or the merchant beforehand to confirm acceptance.
Discover does not charge foreign transaction fees on their credit cards, making them a cost-effective option for international purchases. However, it’s important to note that some merchants or banks abroad may impose their own fees or currency conversion charges.
To avoid any potential disruptions, it’s advisable to notify Discover about your travel plans before using your credit card internationally. You can do this by logging into your online account, using the Discover mobile app, or contacting Discover’s customer service via phone.
While Discover credit cards can be used for cash advances, it’s important to note that cash advance availability and fees may vary internationally. It’s recommended to check with Discover or the local ATM network for details on cash advance options and any associated fees.
