I wonder if we can use a visa or master card while traveling to Toronto. Do most merchants over there accept the credit cards issued by major banks in US? Is it necessary to get Canadian dollars before the trip? If yes, is it better to get it from a bank in US before the trip or exchange it at the destination airport after landing.
The duration of (non-business) trip will be 4-5 days.
Thanks in advance.
P.S., I have never been in Canada myself, so I really do not know anything about our friendly neighboring country.
Also, it will be an air travel from JFK to Toronto and unfortunately in winter. (Must be freezing there in late February.)
Yes you can use your visa and mastercard in Canada. I usually use an ATM on arrival at Toronto Airport to get local currency but a lot of shops, taxis etc also accept US$ at a pinch though you will lose out since the CAD is worth less than US$ right now. Yes it will be cold.
I used my CapitolOne visa which has NO foreign transaction fees and it was accepted pretty much everywhere in Niagra Falls and Ontario Canada that we went to last September. It was the easiest way to purchase most things. I did use my Schwab ATM to get a little cash & got a rebate for my ATM fees and a good exchange rate. Used the ATM in the hotel lobby.
Visa and Mastercard credit cards are accepted. However, most issuing banks in the US charge 2-3% conversion or foreign country use surcharges (Capital One does not).
If you need Canadian currency, it can be easily gotten from ATMs (called ABMs there). However, the bank issuing your ATM card may charge significant fees and/or conversion surcharges to use an ATM not owned by that bank, an affiliate bank (e.g. TD or HSBC), or a bank it has an ATM sharing arrangement with (e.g. Bank of America with Scotiabank). http://www.torontopearson.com/Mobile/FAQs/FAQ.aspx says that there are ATMs operated by CIBC in Toronto Pearson airport if you need some currency immediately.
If you know people who returned from Canada trips, you may want to buy any excess Canadian currency and coin from them to save both of you the conversion surcharges at a bank.
If you are staying in a post-paid hotel and have excess Canadian currency and coin that you won’t use on the trip to the airport, use the excess to pay the hotel bill when you leave (hotels will take part in currency and coin and the rest on a card).
Yes, I do advise providing dates of travel to the credit card issuer, just so they aren’t rejected when you need them. Several of my current CCards have no foreign transaction fees–call your current CCards and try to find out which of your have no foreign transaction fee to save a few % on all your charges.
Make sure your bank is aware that you are traveling. My Chase visa will freeze my account upon the first foreign transaction - unless I report that I am going out of the country, including when and where.
Occasionally, we drive over north to Vancouver for a weekend. We used to get Canadian cash from our local bank (BofA), but as of lately, we don’t even bother to bring Canadian cash. The bellhops were fine with their tips paid in US dollars. It might be different in Toronto.
BTW, I keep hearing that some kind of credit card from Capital One is great for building up frequent flyer miles for ANY airline. Is it true? I am tempting to get a Capitol One card for the air travel purpose (in the future, he may need to travel a lot within a period of 6 months. So we are thinking ahead here.)
We have a Spark CapitolOne business credit card that gives us 2 points for every $1 charged that can be redeemed for cash. We also have Chase Ink Plus credit cards that gave a 70K UR reward points for signing after spending $5K in 90 days (don’t know what the current offer is). You can redeem that on Chase’s website for 20% list price of travel or just get cash or gift cards, so that’s a pretty good deal. Don’t remember if that has no foreign transaction fee or not.
Since terms of cards do change, I always call to check before trips, just so I don’t have unpleasant charges & surprises.
Flyertalk keeps an updated list of credit card offers that you might find helpful.
Yet another good reason to get a Capitol One credit card.
I did not make it clear: the upcoming trip will be for our S, not for us. He and his friend will visit his friend’s close relative there. His friend may help him for sure, but as parents, we always wonder what if there is something he should know but does not before the trip. (I admit I tend to be on the paranoid side. I want him to be prepared to pay his fair share for this trip. His friend likely does not need to worry about paying anything because the close relative is there.)
I think he needs to take his US passport with him, but he does not need to apply for a visitor visa because the stay is short, right?
Capital One has a number of reward cards, including some that are just cash back that can be automatically applied to your account after you accumulate at least $25. So you need not be limited to air travel rewards unless you will be doing enough air travel and the reward formula is more favorable than cash back rewards. You can see them on Capital One’s web site.
The first sentence should be corrected as (it is too late to correct that post now):
“I wonder if DS can use a visa or master card while traveling to Toronto.”
It will be his trip, not mine.
We do not call each other often, so we do not know many details, like the exact dates or where he is going to stay. He has likely arranged the trip . We actually do not know exactly the purpose of this trip either except that a part of it is for vacation. (However, why is the vacation trip scheduled in one of the coldest months?)
If he does not volunteer the info, we do not ask. We appreciate that he notifies us of his upcoming out-of-town trip (he does not want us to worry where he is at.) We do not want to be nosy parents. But we are always ready to help should he need it. (e.g., he might not know he should call the credit card companies in advance.)
He needs a passport. He will not need a visa unless he’s been convicted of a felony, especially a DUI. If so, it’s about a 6 month process to get clearance.
Mcat…your son is in his late twenties, is he not? Can’t he figure this stuff out on his own? My 26 year old has travelled all around the world without my help. She figured out the credit card thing…and she knew she needed a passport to come and go from this country.
I think you are underestimating your son’s ability to manage this by himself.
Your S is in med school and mid to late 20s–let him figure things out himself and make his own mistakes as needed. He can ask you if he needs help. If worst comes to worst, his friend can pay and he can repay when he gets back to US. He must have considerable intelligence to get where he has so far–don’t underestimate him. This is how folks learn–for better or worse.
It might be different in Toronto.
LOL