Credit card issuers that offer contactless cards

Written by

Holly D. Johnson,

Edited by

Claire Dickey,

Reviewed by

Meredith Hoffman,

Expert verified

Published on March 16, 2022 | 4 min read

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While the COVID-19 pandemic made contactless payment options more popular than ever, consumers have grown to love using touch-free payment options. Not only do contactless credit cards let users pay for purchases at the point of sale without dipping their card in a terminal or handing it over to a cashier, but they let them skip entering a PIN or signing a receipt, to boot.

As a result, paying with a contactless card is often faster than paying with traditional plastic. American Express also notes that tap-to-pay transactions are more reliable and safer than many other forms of payment.

What are contactless payments?

Contactless payments are offered by credit cards that feature a specific logo. According to Visa, security for contactless payment works similarly to chip credit cards since each transaction comes with a one-time code that protects your credit card number and personal information.

To pay with a contactless credit card, all you have to do is hold your card a few inches from the contactless symbol on a payment terminal. Once you receive confirmation that your purchase has been approved, you can collect your receipt and go.

Is your card contactless?

Many more credit cards are contactless than people realize, but if you’re unsure about your particular credit card, just look for the contactless symbol on the front of your card.

Keep in mind that, if your credit card isn’t contactless, you can also hook your credit card up to mobile wallet payments and pay without contact that way. It’s even expected for consumers to turn to mobile payment apps like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay to cover more purchases since these apps let you pay using your mobile device.

All you have to do is download the mobile wallet you want to use and connect your credit card to your account. From there, you can use your mobile device to make purchases, and the transaction will be contactless (provided the payment terminal has the capability).

Which credit card issuers offer contactless credit cards?

Nearly all major credit card issuers offer contactless credit cards by now, but some are slowly rolling them out as replacement cards when a customer’s current card expires. Here’s how each of the major card issuers are handling contactless payments for 2022 and beyond:

American Express

American Express notes that most of its credit cards are contactless already, but they’re continuing to migrate more credit cards to contactless over time. On the Amex website, you can clearly see that the American Express® Green Card, Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card and American Express® Gold Card feature the contactless symbol, and that’s just a start.

American Express credit cards can be used for contactless payments of $250 or less.

Bank of America

Bank of America has also focused on offering contactless credit cards and debit cards, and all of the credit cards on its website currently display the contactless payment symbol on the front.

This means that its top cards offer this technology, including the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card and Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card, to name a few.

Capital One

Capital One notes that many of its credit cards already feature contactless technology, including popular cards like the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card.

If you have an older version of one of these cards that isn’t updated with contactless technology, you can call the number on the back of your card and ask for a replacement.

Chase

Chase is very direct when it comes to which of its credit cards are currently contactless. Cards offered with contactless capabilities include the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and 20 other options—some of which are co-branded with airlines or hotels.

If you want to replace your Chase card with a contactless version, you can do so on this credit card replacement page.

Citi

Citi says the majority of its credit cards are already contactless, including the Citi® Double Cash Card and Citi Premier® Card.

There is no spending limit on contactless purchases made with Citi credit cards, other than your credit limit.

Discover

Discover says that, while many of its credit cards are contactless already, you can request a contactless version of your Discover card by logging in to your account. They also note that purchases over $100 may require a signature—even if you pay with a contactless credit card at a contactless terminal.

Bottom line

If you want to reduce the amount of interaction you have with other people and save time when you shop, contactless credit cards can help. You can pay just by holding your card a few inches from a contactless terminal, and your purchases will be speedier and safer as a result.

If you don’t have a contactless credit card, we suggest reaching out to your card issuer to see if you can receive a new card with contactless technology in the mail. If not, consider signing up for one of today’s best credit cards that feature this technology, and potentially even better perks and rewards than what you have now.