Money & Credit Cards
The USA is a credit card country — Visa and Mastercard are practically accepted everywhere, often even for small amounts. You rarely need cash (tips, food trucks, some parking meters).
Credit Cards
- Essential: Without a credit card, you can hardly travel in the USA — hotels, rental cars, and many restaurants require one
- Foreign Fee: Many German credit cards charge a 1.5–2% foreign currency fee. Tip: Travel credit cards without foreign transaction fees (e.g., DKB, Barclays, Hanseatic GenialCard)
- Contactless/Tap: Becoming more widespread, but not everywhere. Chip + PIN or Chip + Signature are standard
- ZIP Code Issue: Some machines (gas stations, ticket machines) ask for a US ZIP code. With a European card: try 99999 or pay inside at the counter
Cash
- ATMs: Available everywhere. Fees: $2–5 per withdrawal by the US bank + possibly a fee from your German bank
- Exchange Rate: 1 € ≈ $1.05–1.15 (as of 2026). Exchange in the USA, not at the airport in Germany
- Denominations: $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100. All bills look similar (same size, same color) — look closely!
💡 Tipp
Bring at least two different credit cards (Visa + Mastercard). If one gets blocked or doesn't work, you always have a backup. American Express is less commonly accepted.
