>because the physical card does not fit my use case, I've elected to keep it in a file cabinet. This is exactly the intended "use case" of the card. The physic

>because the physical card does not fit my use case, I've elected to keep it in a file cabinet. This is exactly the intended "use case" of the card. The physical card is what sells the Apple Card account. Look at all of the people that signed up (on HN, no less — where everyone knows that XYZ card gives better rewards). Yes, yes 3% back at the Apple Store — it's only logical. Was everyone really itching to make a purchase the Apple Store last week? How many people would sign up if it was a only virtual card? So the slick card gets people to apply on day one, then for a while, customers carry it and show it to their friends. "Ooooh, Ahhh. Where's the number?" Then (like a lot of metal cards) they decide it would be a lot easier to just use Apple Pay and stash the card somewhere else. Incidentally, mine is crammed in a leather wallet and looks the same as it did on day one. But I would argue that the function of the physical card is just as much to be somewhat UNdesirable for daily use as it is to be desirable to obtain. As for the declined charges and customer service, I imagine it's just growing pains (iMessage to opt out of arbitration only took a minute). It does seem like Apple should have a big button in the UI for traveling overseas. Hopefully, they'll evolve to be like Amex and just figure it out — especially since your phone is presumably coming along on the trip.