Holidays are a busy time for airports with families and friends taking off for long-awaited reunions or to take in new sights, even revisit old haunts.

So expect credit cards to be doing a lot of swiping this time of year, from airline tickets to hotel reservations to tour confirmations. Whether you are paying in country or when abroad, it’s always best to avoid unnecessary credit card fees whenever possible. Here are 7 tips to make sure you pay less and get more value for your money with every swipe.

#1 Check card price versus cash price

Some airlines charge an online payment processing fee, which would vary depending on your payment mode. Bank transfer fees tend to be the lowest and credit card fees are usually on the higher scale. Meanwhile, travel agencies offer zero fees when you deposit payments directly to their bank accounts but add a surcharge between 3% to 7% if you pay with a credit card. It never hurts to ask so you can make an informed choice before handing over your hard-earned money.

#2 Credit cards are best for hotel guarantees

Few people travel with cash these days. Too many pickpockets everywhere, and cash when lost, is usually lost to you forever. But it’s still a good idea to travel with some cash and a credit card or two. And the last thing you want to do with your limited cash is to use it as room deposit for your hotel. When checking in and asked for a room guarantee, I would recommend handing over your credit card to your hotel. No charges will be made as long as no damages happen to the room during your stay.

#3 Know your credit card’s fraud protection policy

With the rise of fraud transactions, credit cards have tightened their security policies. I have found it inconvenient to have to provide One Time PINs when traveling because I do not use roaming and prefer local SIMs to stay on budget. If your credit card company cannot reach you via text or call, chances are your transaction may be declined, or your card may be blocked. Consider letting your credit card issuer know of your travel dates, or you may need to check roaming plans of your telco provider.

#4 Bring more than one credit card

Because transactions can get declined, or credit cards blocked, it’s wise to carry more than one credit card. When choosing which credit cards to travel with, here’s my advice: (1) bring the ones that just issued statements, so you will not get billed sooner and can enjoy at least 30 more days before having to pay; (2) pick different networks meaning bring one that is Visa, another that is MasterCard, or JCB or UnionPay or AMEX as some stores accept all credit cards, but others only honor one or two; and (3) the ones with lowest foreign transaction fees (check out tip #7).

#5 Stay on top of credit card promotions

Wanting a bigger share of your spending, credit card companies have designed targeted promotions for travellers. You can earn double the rewards points, cash rebates, or enjoy special discounts with their partners. Make sure to check your credit card’s website for the latest news. You could get discounts on hotel stays, free tours in your destination, complimentary airport pick-up, the list goes on as the competition for your share of wallet heats up.

#6 Avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion

When paying with your credit card abroad, some will offer you the option to pay in pesos rather than in the local currency (e.g. Japanese Yen if you are in Japan, or Hong Kong Dollar when in Hong Kong). This is called dynamic currency conversion, and while you may think it’s convenient to say yes to know how much you will pay in pesos, the better option is to say no.

Now this is a little complicated but very useful to know whenever you travel and use your credit card overseas. The store where you are buying from uses a service provider, which often charges more for dynamic currency conversion than if you paid in the local currency where you are.

Plus even if you paid in pesos, because your credit card is being used to make purchases outside the Philippines, you would typically still be charged foreign transaction fees (we’ll get to this later).

• Tips to avoid maxing out your credit card

So just by choosing to pay in pesos, you ended up paying “more” for your purchases abroad. Take note that dynamic currency conversion should always be optional, and you can decline it whenever it is offered. If you were not given a choice, ask the store to cancel the transaction and do it again, and this time you pay in the local currency.

#7 Swipe with the card with lower Foreign Transaction Fees

Some credit cards issued abroad do not charge foreign transaction fees, but so far I have not discovered one available in the Philippines. So with all the credit cards I own and have used charging this fee, I try to stay on top of their rates to make sure I don’t pay more than I should.

You might think that foreign transaction fees only apply to purchases made outside the country, but some credit cards also charge this for online purchases with international merchants, and even with local ones. According to the terms and conditions I’ve read, if a foreign bank is involved in the transaction, the credit card can charge a foreign transaction fee. I was a victim of this when I tried to pay a local merchant via PayPal and ended up paying a foreign transaction fee. I was upset and filed a dispute but lost when confronted with the fine print.

For more on foreign transaction fees, click here.

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