[READER QUESTION] Using My Capital One MasterCard at U.S. Costco Stores

Recently, I have been questioned by a frequent Costco customer who travels between U.S. and Canada whether or not he is able to use his Capital One Platinum MasterCard in the U.S. The simple answer is no, he would need to carry two credit cards across borders in order to shop at the popular wholesale retailer.

In April 2016, Costco U.S will end its 16 years partnership with American Express to join hands with Visa. The new Visa card by Citigroup will have added benefits for its card holders to make the transition from American Express to Visa easier.

I have visited Costco stores in North America and Asia including Canada, US, Taiwan and Singapore; they are all just as popular and packed with bulk-buying clients. I’d love to see Costco standardize their forms of payment around the world so that you aren’t carrying a handful of cards in your wallet (asides from all the other ones you currently carry).

Approximately six months ago with the ending partnership of American Express and Costco in Canada, the introduction of the replacing Capital One Platinum MasterCard has brought cheers into the life of buyers as the benefits are very promising. However, for a customer who travels between US and Canada, this makes it extremely difficult to maximize your rewards as a loyal buyer.