Does Chase Bank offer traveler’s checks?

Traveler’s checks used to be the preferred choice of many people headed abroad, to allow for convenient and secure spending overseas. However, over time the acceptance rates of traveler's checks has dwindled, resulting in many banks — including Chase — pulling the product. Instead, Chase now offers a pretty broad range of travel credit cards which customers can use to spend at home and abroad, and earn travel and leisure rewards to treat themselves with later.

This guide covers your options now that the traveler’s checks Chase used to issue are no more. We’ll highlight some key features of Chase travel credit cards and also introduce some alternatives like the Wise Multi-currency Account. If you’d rather not use a credit card to pay for your travel — or you just want to compare modern alternatives to traveler’s checks, we have you covered.

Check Wise out

Does Chase Bank offer traveler’s checks?

Chase Bank no longer issues traveler’s checks. Customers can instead choose from a range of travel focused credit cards which come with different features, fees and benefits.

Chase’s replacement to traveler’s checks

As well as issuing cards under their own name, Chase partners with a range of companies and organizations to provide travel reward credit cards to suit a variety of customer needs¹.

In fact, there are 19 different cards to choose from if you’re looking for a personal travel credit card, including cards provided in partnership with airlines, hotels and companies like Disney. Choose a card from a partner provider you use frequently to get a boost on your reward points, and be able to claim even more travel and leisure benefits like free hotel stays and flights.

Learn more about the Chase travel cards — and get a full review of some top Chase travel credit card choices here

Chase travel cards main features

One of the great things about Chase travel cards is that there are simply so many to choose from. Because each card has its own rewards, offers and fee structure you’ll be able to pick one which suits your needs. Here are a few key points to note:

Reward earning rates and redemption opportunities vary by card, but include free hotel stays, upgrades and flights Earn bonus rewards for spending with partner retailers, or in certain spending categories No annual fee cards are available — like the Disney Visa or United Explorer Card Or choose a card with a higher annual fee but more benefits. The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card for example has a fee of 550 USD, but could snag you 60,000 extra points when you open it No matter which card you choose, the opening offers are typically pretty good, with extra points and promotional APRs on some spending Variable APRs apply based on your credit score and card choice — expect a range of 15.99% - 23.99%

Safety and security

Chase credit cards are all covered by enhanced security measures². You won’t even need to notify the bank when you plan to travel, and you’ll still be contacted if there’s any suspicious activity on your card, or the fraud team thinks you may be a victim of identity theft.

Fees and currency exchange

As we noted above, Chase travel reward cards all come with different fees. Check these over carefully before you select the right card for you. You’ll want to consider the annual fee, interest rates including any penalty interest, late fees and transaction fees. Fees for some transactions, such as cash advances, can be particularly steep — so make sure you know in advance to avoid nasty surprises later.

It’s also worth checking out the exchange rate and any foreign transaction fee that may apply when you use your Chase travel card to spend overseas. Getting hit by a bad exchange rate or excessive foreign transaction fees can mean you spend more than you mean to.

🎯 Spend abroad with the real exchange rate and no foreign transaction fees: meet Wise

Many cards come with extra fees when you spend or make withdrawals overseas. That’s when you travel — or when you shop online with international retailers.

Open a Wise Multi-currency Account to avoid foreign transaction fees and access the real mid-market exchange rate with no markups every time. Many providers add a markup — an extra fee — to the exchange rate used when you spend overseas. Wise prefers to use low transparent conversion fees which can mean you save significantly versus regular banks. See instantly what your currency conversion is costing you, and cut out foreign transaction fees forever, with Wise.

Check how the Wise rate compares with Chase:

Start saving with Wise

Chase Bank support

Get in touch with Chase online, by phone or in person:

• Use the Chase online help centre for FAQs, instruction videos and troubleshooting³
• Call Chase customer service on 1-800-935-9935
• Schedule a meeting in person or by phone to talk to a service advisor⁴

Alternatives to Chase Bank travel cards

Traveler’s checks have fallen out of favor in most countries in the world — but they’ve been replaced by some handy alternatives.

Multi-currency cards

Get an online Multi-currency Account and debit card to hold, manage and spend a range of foreign currencies. Check out the Wise Multi-currency Account as a low fee way to get travel money, send payments abroad, and even get paid fee free in a range of different currencies. Here’s what you can expect:

Wise accounts are free to open and operate — no minimum balance or fall below fee Hold 54 currencies, send to 80 countries, and spend with your linked debit card on 200+ countries around the world Get currency conversion using the real mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees Avoid interest and cash advance fees by topping up your account in advance to spend and make withdrawals all over the world

🚀 Create your free Wise account

Cash

Traveler’s checks were often used in place of cash as a safer alternative, and while carrying a lot of cash is still a risky idea, having a little when you travel can be helpful. Exchange a small amount to the currency you need before you go or use an ATM to withdraw local cash as soon as you arrive, to make sure you have money available to hit the ground running when you reach your destination.

International credit or debit cards

Finally, you may choose to use your regular credit or debit card when you travel. This is a pretty easy and familiar option, and usually gets you decent enough exchange rates. The biggest challenges are usually foreign transaction fees and security concerns. Check out the foreign transaction fee on your specific card, as this can add around 3% to the costs of all your international spending. And make sure you know what to do if your card is lost, stolen or compromised when you’re away, so you don’t end up without access to your money.

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For most travelers it’s smart to have several different ways to pay when overseas. That might be using a Chase reward credit card for spending which earns bonus points, your Wise Multi-currency Account for ATM withdrawals, and cash for tipping and making small purchases, for example. Check out the range of options available from both traditional banks and newer online providers to get the perfect mix and match for you.

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💬 Still curious about traveler’s checks? Check these articles out!
Visa traveler’s checks overview Alternatives to Wells Fargo travelers checks Does AAA still offer travelers checks? Bank of America traveler’s checks alternatives

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Sources:

1. Chase - Travel credit cards
2. Chase - Travel notification
3. Chase - Customer service
4. Chase - Meeting scheduler

Sources checked on 09.24.2021