Usually not. Chase no longer accepts travel notices, and American Express and Capital One both say you don't need to tell them before you travel.
Citi is the exception among the big issuers: it still offers a travel notice on select cards. What matters more now is that your issuer can reach you if a charge looks odd.
What Each Issuer Says
Chase says it no longer accepts travel notices. If necessary, Chase may reach out to you directly to confirm a purchase, and it suggests setting up account alerts and keeping your contact information up to date.
American Express says its fraud detection helps it recognize when cardmembers are traveling, so you don't need to notify it before you travel. It recommends keeping your contact information updated and using the Amex mobile app.
Capital One says, "You do not need to notify us of your travel." It asks you to make sure your contact information is up to date before you go.
Citi offers a travel notice on select cards. You set one up through the Set Up/Manage link on its travel notification page, and you can create or cancel a notice at any time. Citi's page doesn't say a notice is required.
If your card comes from another issuer, check its help page, because the rule is the issuer's to set.
Why a Card Can Still Get Declined Abroad
A fraud system watches for charges that don't fit your usual pattern, and a purchase in a new country can still trip it. When that happens, the issuer tries to reach you to confirm the charge. If it can't reach you, the charge may stay blocked.
That's why the old advice flipped. Telling the issuer your dates matters less than making sure the issuer's text, email or call actually gets to you.
Before You Leave
- Check the phone number and email on every card account.
- Turn on account alerts or push notifications in each card's app, so you see a charge as it posts.
- Save the customer service number from the back of each card in your phone.
- Pack a backup: a second card from a different issuer, plus a little local cash.
- If you hold a Citi card and want a notice on file, set one up in your account.
Foreign Transaction Fees
Cards differ on fees for purchases made abroad. Capital One says it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. Other cards may add a percentage to each foreign purchase, so look up your card's terms before you go. Our report on Chase Freedom Flex dropping its foreign transaction fee shows how a card's terms can change.
If a Card Is Declined
Answer any alert from the issuer first, since that's often the quickest way to release a charge. If you don't get one, call the number on the back of the card, then use your backup card for the purchase in front of you.
Updated October 17, 2026: travel notices.
