The travel season is here. It’s time to pack up and head to your dream destination. Where will you go? A small town full of history, an exotic island with a vast beach, or a European capital with iconic sights? It is entirely up to you.
No matter where you go, you need to prepare for your holiday in advance. Travel carelessly with iCard digital wallet. With the app, you control the money in all your accounts on the go, pay easily with a phone, smartwatch, or NFC wearable, and get many more benefits. Are you already planning your summer vacation? Check out our list of smart tips for a safe and comfortable, yet exciting and memorable holiday.
1. Set a travel budget
The first step is setting a budget. Define the maximum amount you should not exceed. To manage your savings as easily as possible, open a free additional account in iCard in a currency of your choice. Then transfer the money you have prepared for the trip there. In the digital wallet, you can open up to 18 IBAN accounts without fees in 6 currencies (EUR, GBP, BGN, CHF, RON, BGN).
With iCard, you manage your funds and track your spending 24/7. Plan how much money you can spend per day to fit into your budget. This way, you will be sure that you will not exceed your savings.
2. Choose a destination
Selecting a destination is the second step for one unforgettable holiday. Think about the places you want to visit and look for attractive offers online. Select а place for you, depending on the purpose of the travel – sightseeing, beach holiday, business trip, etc.
Think about the most convenient and profitable way to get there – by plane, bus, train, or car. Pay for your tickets online with virtual cards issued by iCard. All online payments are made through 3D Secure 2.0 – a protocol designed to be an additional security layer for online card transactions. Every time you pay on websites and in apps, you must confirm the payment – you will receive a push notification on your phone.
Start looking for plane tickets a few weeks or even months earlier to find the best options for you. Also, make sure that you are buying tickets from the official website of the company to avoid any scams and frauds.
3. Check all transactions in real time
When you are travelling, it’s important to always check your spending to avoid fraud. Monitor all transactions you have made in the “Activity” tab of the wallet. Track your money not only to avoid fraud but also to keep your budget under control. You can set the limits of all your debit cards if you want to stick to your budget.
Another good idea is to freeze your iCard debit cards while you’re not using them, for example when you are in your hotel, during flights, commuting, etc. Freezing your card is very easy – just choose the card in your wallet and press the button “Freeze”.
4. Pay with your phone
Once you have made the budget for your trip and set money aside in a special iCard account, it’s time to think about how you can pay abroad. You can avoid fees for ATM withdrawals and currency exchange. Pay conveniently with your phone at POS terminals around the world: use your Visa cards issued by iCard and added to iCard Pay, Google Pay, or Apple Pay. Don’t forget that you can pay with your smartwatch thanks to Garmin Pay and Apple Pay.
Mobile payments are necessary for any trip because they are modern, fast, and secure. Paying by phone helps you avoid carrying a big wallet filled with cash and plastic cards. If you still need cash, you can always use iCard Visa to withdraw cash from ATMs around the world. The withdrawal fee is fixed – 2 EUR for EU countries and 3 EUR for non-EU countries.
If you still need cash, you can use your physical cards iCard Visa, iCard Infinite or iCard Metal debit cards to withdraw cash from ATMs around the world. The fee for withdrawing with an iCard Visa debit card is fixed – 2 EUR for EU countries and 3 EUR for non-EU countries. With the premium iCard Infinite and iCard Metal cards you get free cash withdrawals: 5 cash withdrawals per month at ATMs in EEA for Infinite customers and an unlimited number of withdrawals in the EEA for those with the Metal plan.
5. Plan your next trip
If your last magical trip is over, but you just can’t get enough of this beautiful world, it’s time to start planning your next adventure! Choose a place you dream of, look for top deals, and follow our tips for a remarkable journey. Start setting money aside and send it to the account for travelling you already opened. Transfer them from account to account for free and at any time. This way, you will collect the desired amount for your next travel in no time.
Premium experiences with Infinite and Metal plan
iCard is always here to make your trip unforgettable. With the free Standard plan you will be able to take advantage of many privileges that will help you protect your funds when you are on a vacation.
If you choose the Infinite or Metal plan you will enjoy a bunch of premium privileges. These two special plans by iCard give you free insurance when travelling abroad as well as access to the Visa concierge service that can help you with everything you need. You will also be able to take advantage of priority support in our contact centre. All Visa premium cardholders can use more than 1,000 airport lounges worldwide with LoungeKey, as well as special offers and discounts for travel, accommodation, restaurants, and other entertainment.
Learn more about iCard: https://icard.com/en
Do you need an assistant for all your trips? Download iCard now:
