Does anyone have any recent experience of using US credit cards (which don't have a PIN, of course) in the UK for things like car hire and hotels? Have they been accepted or are they problematic? Thanks.

My last trip back to the UK was in 2011. Not sure about car hire and hotels since I booked those online. I was able to use my card in Asda but I did have an issue with it in a bar when I was trying to buy a round of drinks.

To make matters worse, I had old UK cash that was no longer legal tender. I arrived on Good Friday, so I couldn't get any cash until the following Tuesday! Had to borrow some cash from a friend.

I had no problems using mine when we visited in August. I always said it's a swipe card not a chip and pin when I handed it over. The only places that wouldn't accept it were a chinese restaurant and Comet.

I used it for a car and hotel that I had pre booked on line.

Only ever had a problem in a small village supermarket (I think it was an Asda) and they weren't able to accept it so had to pay in cash.
Car hire and hotels were all fine.

I've noticed some automated ticket machines and the like only work with chip and pin cards now. You can get reloadable travel cards that have a chip and pin from a lot of places now.

If you want to improve your chances of having the cards accepted, be sure to call the card's issuing company and let them know that you'll be travelling to the UK and will be making foreign purchases. Give them a time frame! I've never had a problem when doing that.

Ian

Excellent advice, and, you may have to pay a surchage on foreign purchases. Mine is 3%.

Jim.

I often travel to UK and have found that my US card works in all normal places, but I get so shocked when they actually check the signature.

Where it often fails, and I resort to my UK card is for automated machines like a railway ticket. They expect the card to have a PIN, may be some way around it but I'm normally in a hurry.

I've had no problem using my US card.
However I kept my Nationwide account open and every year when I go home I put some traveling dosh into it.

No problems using it earlier this year but I've just received my new card and it has chip and pin on it now (plus a tag that you attach to your phone so that you can just wave it at a compatible reader) so should be the same as everyone else there.

That.

Also, I have "Please see picture ID" written in the signature block of my US VISA (note the caps) and MasterCard debit cards. If they ask, I show them my passport, no trouble.

The worst thing is coming back to the US and automatically saying "US card, no PIN" to clerks at Kroger and Wal-Mart...

If your card isn't signed they can refuse it until you sign it. It is not valid until signed and writing see id is not sufficient.

Usually inform my card issuer, even so if I hit the shops I get a call and a temporary block on the card. So make sure your card issuer has an up to date number where they can reach you in the uk, preferably a mobile.

Only place I had a problem with a non-chip card was a petrol station, they wanted additional id. I think it raised an eyebrow that a Brit was using a non-Brit card and id (my only id on me was my Virginia driving license). It still went through ok.

I was over in nov/dec and no issues in most places, just told them it was a foreign card and then had to sign for it.

I too phoned up my cc company and gave them my dates of travel. No issues.

Not sure if still applies but under the T&C's of their agreement with Visa/MC they still have to accept no chip/pin cards. In Nov 2011 I had to call Visa in the US who called Visa in the UK who then called the shop!

In Nov 2012 only one store had an issue, but they accepted it in the end and it went through. You're right tho', A Brit using a US card in the UK does raise eye-brows. I do have a UK Natwest account but as this trip was a sudden one, didn't have time to send money over in advance.