Using your Suncorp debit card abroad. The lowdown

Whether you’re an avid traveller or a first time adventurer, making sure you have easy access to your money while travelling is essential.

If you’re a Suncorp customer, you may be wondering if you can simply use your debit card while away in the same way that you do when at home in Australia.

In this guide, we’ll delve into what's involved with using your Suncorp debit card overseas. This includes a look at any potential fees, how exchange rates factor in, how to keep your money secure while travelling and other key watch points.

💸 Hold over 40 currencies in your account and spend at the mid-market exchange rate with the Wise Debit card while abroad.

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Can you use your Suncorp debit card overseas?

Yes, Suncorp permits its account holders to utilise their debit cards when travelling abroad.¹

However, depending on the type of account you hold with them, the terms, conditions, fees and charges for using your card in this way may differ.

In this guide, we will focus on the debit card linked to the Suncorp Everyday Options transaction account.

What to do before you travel abroad with your Suncorp debit card

No matter if you intend to use your Suncorp debit card or not while travelling, there are a few steps you should take before departing. This can help you be prepared for any eventuality.

Firstly, banks and other financial institutions will often block access to your accounts if any suspicious activity is detected. This commonly occurs when unusual transactions are noted, such as those being made overseas.

To avoid losing access to your account while travelling, it is vital that you alert Suncorp regarding your travel plans. Typically, this involves providing your travel dates and details of your intended destinations.

Suncorp advises that this can be done quickly and easily by speaking with their customer care team directly or by sending a secure message via their Internet Banking platform.¹

Additionally, we recommend:

• Checking the expiry of your debit cards to ensure they're valid for the duration of travel ad, ordering replacements where required.
• Reconfirming your access PIN and committing this to memory as contactless or ‘tap-n-go’ payments are not always offered outside of Australia.

What are the fees to use your Suncorp debit card abroad

Suncorp permits you to make payments or withdraw money at any ATM or EFTPOS terminal that features the Visa or Plus logo.¹

The fees and charges for this are outlined in the below table.

Fees	Suncorp Everyday Options Debit Card²
Currency conversion fee	No fee levied by Suncorp. However, a fee in the form of a variable margin may be present in the applied exchange rate.
International transaction fee	AUD$0 Note: EFTPOS Service providers may charge additional fees or apply a surcharge. Check their terms of use.
ATM Withdrawal fee	AUD$0 in Australia or overseas Note: ATM service providers may charge additional fees. Check their terms of use.

As seen on 07 April 2024

What exchange rate does Suncorp use for your overseas foreign currency payments?

For purchases or withdrawals made overseas using your Suncorp debit card, the transaction amount is converted to Australian Dollars (AUD) by Visa. The rate applied is a wholesale market rate selected by Visa.²

For example, Visa’s currency converter at the time of writing places USD$1 equivalent to AUD$1.527182. This includes a mark-up over the European Central Bank Rate of 0.58%.³

This means that should you withdraw USD$100 from your account using your Suncorp Everyday Options debit card while in the US, you can expect to receive around AUD$152.718235.

This does not include any fees charged by the ATM or other service provider for the transaction.

Additionally, it pays to keep in mind that the applied exchange rate can fluctuate between when you make the transaction and when the funds are debited from your account.

What are the card spending limits with Suncorp debit card

The Suncorp Everyday Options debit card has a combined ATM and Eftpos transaction limit of AUD$1000 per day.⁴

This limit can be increased to AUD$2,000 per day per card by contacting Suncorp by phone or by visiting your closest Suncorp Bank branch.

When travelling, it is wise to factor in how currency exchange rates may impact this daily limit.

Paying for a hotel stay or flight could quickly see you reach this limit, particularly when transacting in countries where the exchange is less favourable to the Australian Dollar.

Dedicated foreign currency travel cards from Suncorp

Currently, Suncorp does not list any dedicated travel money cards on its website, instead offering access to funds when abroad through their regular accounts.

Opting to use a travel money card in place of a debit card when travelling can help you save. Often involving fewer fees and charges and more favourable exchange rates, they can also eliminate the security risks of using your debit card overseas.

Available options for dedicated travel money cards include those from:

• Wise
• Travelex
• Westpac
• Commbank

Keep in mind before you travel

No matter where you’re travelling to, this checklist can help you be as prepared as possible regarding your funds.

• Consider travelling with a mix of foreign currency, bank-issued debit or credit cards and a dedicated travel money card. This will ensure you’re prepared for any event.
• Check the expiry dates on any cards you will travel with and order replacements if required.
• Inform your bank before departing when and where you will be travelling abroad.
• Take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy that will cover any unexpected medical bills, thefts, luggage or other unexpected costs.
• Review any direct debits affecting your available balance when travelling and ensure you can accommodate these alongside your holiday spending.

Blocking your Suncorp card if your card gets lost or stolen abroad

If your card is lost or stolen while overseas, you must act quickly to protect your account.

To block your account transactions or cancel your card, Suncorp advises calling their 24/7 assistance line or using the Visa Debit Card controls available in the Suncorp App.¹

Contacting Suncorp from overseas

For queries about using your Suncorp debit card in Australia or overseas, you can contact them by phone as follows:

• 13 11 55 in Australia
• +61 7 3362 1712 from abroad

These numbers are attended by customer care representatives Monday to Sunday between 8 am to 10 pm (AEST).

Travel with Wise

With a Wise Account you can hold money in over 40 currencies and spend it in over 150 countries. You can also order local account details in popular world currencies like AUD, NZD, USD, EUR, GBP to receive local and/or international payments like a local.

Whenever you exchange currencies it’s done using the mid-market rate with a low conversion fee shown upfront.

To make everyday spending easier you can order a Wise Debit card for your Wise Account and generate virtual cards as needed. If you have the local currency in your Wise Account the Wise card will use it. If you don’t have local currency converted, it uses smart technology to auto-convert your money at the mid-market rate, for a low conversion fee.

The Wise card may suit you better if you’re to spend money that you’ve stored in different currencies within an existing Wise Account, and benefit from 2 or less free cash withdrawals under $350 AU, or foreign equivalent, per month (keep in mind that ATM providers may charge their own fees). You can see our full fee breakdown for ATM withdrawals here.

Join over 16 million customers currently using Wise. It’ll only take a few minutes to register and see what’s inside.

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Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

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Sources:

1. Suncorp - Travelling Overseas
2. Suncorp - Everyday Essentials Fees & Charges pgs. 6, 25
3. Visa - Visa Exchange Rate Calculator
4. Suncorp - Transaction limits

Sources checked on: 07 April 2024