💳 Why You Should Notify Your Bank Before Traveling Abroad


When you travel internationally and start making purchases in another country, your bank or credit card issuer may flag those transactions as suspicious activity — especially if they happen suddenly or far from your usual location. To protect you from fraud, they may freeze your account or decline charges, often without warning.

🔍 Here's What Can Happen If You Don't Notify Them:

  • Your card gets declined at a hotel, restaurant, or airport — potentially embarrassing or stressful.

  • You lose access to funds temporarily while trying to verify your identity.

  • You spend valuable vacation time on international calls to customer service.

✅ How to Notify Your Bank (and What to Include):

Most banks make this easy — you can usually do it in under 2 minutes online or through a mobile app.

What to include in your travel notice:

  • Countries you’ll be visiting

  • Dates of travel

  • Contact info where you can be reached while abroad

💡 Tip: Some modern banks (like Chase, Capital One, or Amex) no longer require travel notices for credit cards, but it's still smart to double-check — especially for debit cards.

📲 Bonus: Enable Travel Features in Your Banking App

  • Turn on push notifications for transactions, so you can monitor for fraud in real-time.

  • Set up international customer service numbers ahead of time.

  • Download your bank’s mobile app so you can lock/unlock your card or transfer funds if needed.

🧳 Bottom Line:

Traveling should be about exploration, not troubleshooting your finances abroad. Taking 2 minutes to notify your bank is one of the easiest ways to prevent disruptions, protect your money, and travel with confidence.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tisha Jones, owner of E Jones Travel, specializes in cruises, family trips, getaways, accessible travel, and budget-friendly adventures.  Whether it's your dream vacation or a quick escape, Tisha offers expert guidance and personalized service.

🌐 Exploremore

📧 EmailMe

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tips to Travel with your Kids in Upcoming Summer Vacation

Image
Summer vacation is a perfect time for family adventures. It will help you create lasting memories as well. However, most parents face the challenge of keeping their little ones entertained during long journeys. Read on and let’s take a look at a few tips to travel with your kids this summer and have a quality time. Take Time to prepare Your summer vacation starts before you even leave home. This is when you should create travel packs for each child with age-appropriate activities. You may include coloring books, stickers, small puzzles, and a special toy saved specifically for the journey. This element of surprise goes a long way in capturing your children's attention. Don’t Ignore the Power of Snacks You should never underestimate the entertainment value of snacks. Pack a variety of healthy options such as fruits, cheese sticks, and granola bars in individual containers. Then you can allow your kids to have their own snack bag to manage. For summer travels, you may freeze ...
Read more

The Best Food Destinations in the United States w/Suggested Restaurants

Image
A cross-country culinary tour through America’s most flavorful cities. Introduction Few things reflect the soul of a place like its food. In the United States—a nation shaped by waves of immigration and regional diversity—each city tells its own story through what’s on the plate. From smoky ribs in Texas to gumbo in Louisiana and bagels in New York, this is a country defined by flavor. Whether you’re dining on a dime or sitting down to a more refined meal, the U.S. offers unforgettable food experiences at every budget. Here’s your guide to the top culinary cities in America, along with go-to spots for both moderate and affordable eats. 1. New Orleans, Louisiana A soulful fusion of Creole, Cajun, French, and African influences, New Orleans is a haven for spice, seafood, and deeply rooted culinary traditions. Must-Try Dishes: Crawfish étouffée, jambalaya, gumbo, beignets Moderate: Cochon – A rustic yet refined eatery serving elevated Cajun Southern dishes using locally sourc...
Read more

Why Fall Is the Smartest Season to Travel

Image
Autumn is quietly the travel world’s best-kept secret: a season where scenery brightens, schedules quiet down, and your travel dollar stretches farther. Below I’ll walk through the sound reasons—backed by industry and government data—why fall (roughly September through November in the U.S.) routinely outperforms summer and high-holiday travel for value, comfort, and experience. Why it's better . . .  Traveling in fall tends to give you lower crowds , better prices , and more comfortable weather —plus a bundle of quality-of-experience bonuses (easier reservations, seasonal events, better wildlife and photo conditions). These aren’t just wishful thinking; they’re shoulder-season patterns documented by travel-data firms, tourism authorities, and climate records.[1][2][3] 1) Lower crowds = better experiences Downtown Chicago Summer and major holiday windows concentrate demand into predictable peaks. In fall, many families and students are back to school and business travel dips; t...
Read more