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When traveling around Israel, you won’t have an issue paying with a credit card. You’ll find Mastercard and Visa to be more widely accepted than American Express and Discover cards. But even with the last two, you shouldn’t find it hard to locate an ATM that accepts them, especially in the larger cities.
Some places accept US dollars, but it’s usually good to have some local currency on hand. You can exchange dollars to local currency at ATMs, the airport or in cities. Note that airports typically have poor exchange rates.
If your credit card already comes with no foreign transaction fees, you’re good to go! Otherwise, consider getting a second card to use when traveling abroad that doesn’t have foreign transaction fees or an annual fee.
When you travel in Israel, you may incur fees depending on your credit card and the currency you decide to pay in. These include:
Yes. Choose a card that has no foreign transaction fees and decline DCC if offered to avoid paying these fees.
American Express cards are accepted in Israel. You can use Bank Hapoalim ATMs if you want to withdraw cash with your Amex card.
Discover cards are also accepted where you see the Diners Club International and Discover logos. If you need cash, look for Bank Leumi and Israel Discount Bank ATMs.
Even though Amex and Discover can be used, Visa and Mastercard are more universally accepted in Israel.
| Visa |  High | High |
| Mastercard | High | High |
| American Express |  Medium | Medium |
| Discover | High | Medium |
Sometimes, if you exchange dollars to shekels with less-than-scrupulous street-market vendors, you may get old banknotes that are worthless. To avoid this, make sure the banknotes have the words “new shekels” written in English. Keep in mind that you also shouldn’t accept banknotes in poor condition, as they may not be accepted elsewhere when you try to pay.
You’ll likely pay a cash advance fee for each ATM cash withdrawal, which for some cards can be up to 5% of the transaction. This means you’ll pay a $25 fee for a $500 cash withdrawal. Most cards also have a high cash advance APR. Because of this, you might want to look into a debit card, since they usually don’t have a cash advance fee.
ATMs in Israel are called kaspomats. Those that accept foreign cards are labeled in English. Some will display English by default as soon as you put in your card, while others will have the option to change the language. If your card isn’t accepted by an ATM, try another one.
In general, they don’t. However, Android and iOs users can download the Gett app and use it to pay for a ride with a card rather than cash.
In Israel, chip cards are widely accepted. Some will require a PIN, others will not. Know that if your PIN is longer than four digits, it may not be accepted.
Yes, it’s safe to use your card in Israel. However, for added security, we suggest following a few precautions:
Credit cards are widely accepted in Israel, mainly Visa and Mastercard, so you shouldn’t have a problem paying with plastic in most places. To avoid paying fees, look into getting a travel card without foreign transaction fees — and, if possible, bring a backup card along. Make sure to also use ATMs that belong to banks to avoid the higher fees that privately owned ATMs typically charge.
See more guides on using a credit card in other countries.
