Using Discover card in China
Mar 25, 2007, 8:04 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Kunming, China
Programs: UA, DL
Posts: 190
Using Discover card in China
Does anyone have any experience with using their Discover card in China? I was looking around and found out that you can use Discover at places that accept "Union Pay", which is just about everywhere. Just wondered if anyone has done it, and if so were there any fees or anything? As far as I can tell there is supposed to be no forex fee. That would be great if I could use my card here for purchases etc...
Mar 27, 2007, 6:49 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Bouncing between ATL & SHA
Programs: UA 1K, DL GM, SPG Gold, HH Silver
Posts: 72
You can pretty much forget about using it to make purchases. Even if a merchant displays a Union Pay sign, it doesn't mean they will take every card, it depends on their merhant agreement. Some only take Visa, and many only accept Chinese issued cards. You might be able to use it at an ATM with a Union Pay logo.
Mar 28, 2007, 2:12 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Kunming, China
Programs: UA, DL
Posts: 190
I too am a bit skeptical. I am going to give a try at some point and see how it goes. Discover has a .pdf file on their website with instructions in Chinese to carry with your card to show to the cashier explaining relationship. Here is a link to a msn article telling about the agreement between the two and it is saying they are supposed to be accepted system wide on each others systems...
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/pro...108&id=6181210
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/pro...108&id=6181210
Mar 28, 2007, 3:05 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Starwood/Marriott Plat, Others of little note
Posts: 1,148
I too am a bit skeptical. I am going to give a try at some point and see how it goes. Discover has a .pdf file on their website with instructions in Chinese to carry with your card to show to the cashier explaining relationship. Here is a link to a msn article telling about the agreement between the two and it is saying they are supposed to be accepted system wide on each others systems...
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/pro...108&id=6181210
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/pro...108&id=6181210
One time in Irkutsk I was in a bank that had a logo for Citibank Travelers checks on the cashiers window where I was standing. I had exactly those instruments, so I thought I was in luck. Nope. To this day I don't understand what the logo was supposed to convey.
Mar 28, 2007, 5:32 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Kunming, China
Programs: UA, DL
Posts: 190
very true, many places display the visa/mastercard logos, but very few actually take them... I have been successful in using visa on a few occasions but even that has taken some prodding. I am hoping that this will work, and there are no transaction/exchange fees supposedly. I am guessing no one else has tried it much yet. I will try it out sometime and report back.
Mar 28, 2007, 7:13 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 215
I'm glad I read this thread. I had no intention of trying to use my Discover card (half the time I can't find a merchant in the US that takes it so I'd never even try it out of the country); however, I did not realize that visa/mc were not widely accepted. Are traveller's checks accepted? Is it cash, all cash, and only cash?
Mar 28, 2007, 11:15 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Redwood Shores, CA
Programs: UA 1P, HH Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 743
Just exchange your TC at the hotel for local currency. IME, the rates of exchange aren't that bad at the hotels I stay in. But I usually just go to the local Citibank ATM and withdraw what I need for the trip.
All the fine hotels and restaurants usually take MC/Visa and sometimes AE, but I've never tried using a discoverer card.
All the fine hotels and restaurants usually take MC/Visa and sometimes AE, but I've never tried using a discoverer card.
Mar 28, 2007, 8:24 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DTW, but drive to/from YYZ/ORD
Programs: Chase Ultimate Rewards 2MM, Diner Club points
Posts: 32,159
where did you use it? i used my BoA (1% fee) at a papajohns (newly opened out in the boonies, no westerners), a couple large bookstores half a subway stop away from people's square, and a place selling olympic stuff. nobody noticed or said anything about it being a "real" visa. i ignore the unionpay and just look for the "visa" logo (ive never seen any other logo, such as MC or AMEX). has worked for me but im sure there's people with more experience on this board.
Mar 28, 2007, 8:39 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Kunming, China
Programs: UA, DL
Posts: 190
Most of my experience is in SW China, Kunming and Chengdu. It takes a little longer for things to trickle down here. There are many shops that display the visa/mastercard logos but then when you try to use them they say, only China issued visa/mastercard. That is why I am hoping this Discover/Unionpay deal will work, since they are supposed to be the same network. I have seen the Unionpay logo a lot of places and think it may be worth a try. I do realize it may take some convincing.
Apr 14, 2007, 7:18 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Kunming, China
Programs: UA, DL
Posts: 190
Well, I tried it today and it works! The cashier just kind of looked at it and was not sure what to do and had to call a supervisor. I had printed off of the Discover website the page showing in Chinese describing how to process the card and showing the UnionPay logo. They looked at it and I convinced them to give it a try. It worked much to their surprise. I will post back later once it posts to my account with the exchange rate given. I have learned though that UnionPay is the most widely accepted card in China and noticed the logo in all kinds of places and shops.
Apr 18, 2007, 3:01 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Kunming, China
Programs: UA, DL
Posts: 190
Well, just to update again, (if anyone cares) the transaction posted to my account with what I see as a pretty good exchange rate. They gave me a rate of 7.708. The day I made the purchase I checked the forex rate on xe.com and it showed as 7.74. So, while the rate is a little lower it is better than anything I can get from the atm using a master/visa debit card, as most take off 1% minimum, giving a rate of 7.66. Or using master/visa for purchases also carries a minimum 1% fee, usually 3%. When you add to it that UnionPay is the most widely accepted network in China I think this is a good deal. I plan to use it is much as I can for my expenses here.
Thanks for the update. ^ Perhaps Discover Card can put the UnionPay logo somewhere on its cards to make it easier for the people.
Apr 18, 2007, 7:56 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: JetBlue Mosiac, Hainan Fortune Wings, Spirit Ultra Cheapskate
Posts: 160
Me too. Discover in China - who'd a thunk it?
Some time ago, I ditched my MBNA Visa in favor of Capital One just to avoid their 3% fee*. I'll print out those Discover instructions just in case I need a back-up solution.
* Also applied to charges made in US$ to companies registered in Canada
Some time ago, I ditched my MBNA Visa in favor of Capital One just to avoid their 3% fee*. I'll print out those Discover instructions just in case I need a back-up solution.
* Also applied to charges made in US$ to companies registered in Canada
Apr 18, 2007, 10:33 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Kunming, China
Programs: UA, DL
Posts: 190
Yeah you know that would be really helpful if the logo was on the back of the card. I think I will write to Discover and ask them to do that.
May 9, 2007, 3:35 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Bouncing between ATL & SHA
Programs: UA 1K, DL GM, SPG Gold, HH Silver
Posts: 72
I thought I would give everyone an update on this topic -
I tried using my Discover at Carrefour in Shanghai last week. Clerk an the card, but no luck.
I just checked in to the Panglin Hotel in Shenzhen. There is a sign at the reception desk displaying the Union Pay and Discover logos. I handed my Discover to the checkin clerk and she just looked at it, so I turned the sign around and showed her, but she handed the card back and told me to use something else.
I tried using my Discover at Carrefour in Shanghai last week. Clerk an the card, but no luck.
I just checked in to the Panglin Hotel in Shenzhen. There is a sign at the reception desk displaying the Union Pay and Discover logos. I handed my Discover to the checkin clerk and she just looked at it, so I turned the sign around and showed her, but she handed the card back and told me to use something else.