Like others, I imagine, I am generally using Maestro inside Switzerland but need a credit card for non-CHF internet purchases (a lot of my spending) and when abroad. I'm out of the country every week 2 or 3 days usually spending in Euros.


Don't want to get stung on the foreign currency "service charge" (what bull ) or rip-off fx rate. Since yesterday I have a ZKB Mastercard Classic that costs 100 a year, taxes at 1.5% for non-CHF products and the fx ....don't know. Tried comparis.ch Not so clear on this point. I wish their was a fool.co.uk here.

I really need a local credit card as I've just cancelled my Australian ones. Basically I need a linked reward program (miles and more) and low OverSeas transaction costs. Also I don't have FTL yet... darn it.

1. Initially looking at the Swiss's Miles & More and was tempted to go with the classic, especially if you bundle it together with the value pack (annual flight voucher to the value of the membership or in this case 180CHF). Rewards at 1.25mile/2CHF if you use the Amex, or 1mile/2CHF if you use the Mastercard.
   
   Bonus is that you get two card options.
   
   The downside is the OS transaction fee is 2.5% which is pretty high!
   
2. So after trawling around this post I've come to the second option of the Cornercard Gold, annual fee 220CHF one-off entry fee of 150CHF which I assume means first year discount... I will probably have FTL by next year so the fee goes down to 140CHF. Roughly the same rewards 1mile/2CHF. Security option with photo integrated onto card.
   
   Only one card choice, MC or Visa.
   
   The deal clincher is OS transaction fee is 0.9%

I spend alot OS for hotels travel other expenses etc which I always charge on cards. If I say spend 20,000 CHF a year then with option (1) I'm paying an extra 500CHF in fees whilst with option (2) only 180CHF.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Remember that (as also pointed out here), the flight voucher is only valid if the price of the ticket is at least 1000CHF.

These fees are on top of the foreign exchange rate used, which varies from one card issuer to another. I remember seeing a newspaper article on this a year or two ago, does anyone remember? Is there a way to compare the exchange rates used by the different issuers? I also read somewhere that the credit card rate is often somewhere between the cash and bank transfer rates.