While rewards and savings may be top of mind when choosing the right credit card to take on your next trip, don’t underestimate the value of another key benefit: no foreign transaction fees.
When these fees do apply, they can cost as much as 3% of your total transaction — every time you make a purchase abroad. Choosing a card that waives foreign transaction fees can help you save a lot of money while traveling internationally.
To help you narrow down the options before you next take flight, here are our picks for the best credit cards available today without any foreign transaction fees.
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Earn $200 after you spend $500 within the first 3 months after account opening
Rewards:
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8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
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5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
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3% cash back on dining
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3% cash back on entertainment
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3% cash back on popular streaming services
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3% cash back at grocery stores (not including superstores like Walmart and Target)
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1% cash back on everything else
Benefits: In addition to cash back, you can enjoy a long 0% APR intro offer for new purchases and balance transfers, plus access to reservations, tickets, and more through Capital One Travel, Capital One Entertainment, and Capital One Dining. You can also save on Uber spending; through Nov. 14, 2024, get 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases, plus statement credits for monthly Uber One membership fees charged to your card.
Why we like it: The SavorOne card earns the most rewards in bonus categories that are bound to benefit you while traveling abroad. Whether you like to try new restaurants in each city you visit or shop locally to prepare your own meals, you’ll get 3% on your food spending. But we especially like how broad the “entertainment” category is, including tickets to tourist attractions, theater shows, amusement parks, and more. Best of all, there’s no annual fee to offset all the rewards you’ll earn.
Annual fee: $95
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months after account opening
Rewards:
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5x points on travel purchased through Chase
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3x points on dining
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3x points on online grocery purchases
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3x points on select streaming services
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2x points on all other travel
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1x points on everything else
Benefits: Chase Sapphire Preferred’s benefits include an annual $50 credit that applies to eligible hotel spending through Chase; purchase and travel protections; and partner benefits from DoorDash, Instacart, Lyft, and Peloton. You’ll also get an annual bonus worth 10% of your previous year’s spending in points and added travel and purchase protections.
Why we like it: At just $95 annually, the Chase Sapphire Preferred can offer outsized value for international travelers looking for great redemption value. You can rack up points in various everyday and travel-related categories and then redeem them for travel.
You might choose to transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to one of Chase’s 14 hotel and airline partners. Or, you can book travel through Chase using points and get a 25% boost in the redemption value (1.25 cents per point). If you used the card’s welcome bonus offer this way, for example, your 60,000 bonus points would be worth up to $750 in travel booked with Chase.
Annual fee: $395
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months after account opening
Rewards:
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10x miles on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
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5x miles on flights booked with Capital One Travel
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2x miles on everything else
Benefits: For its steep annual fee, the Venture X offers plenty of added perks. Start with a $300 annual travel credit (though it’s only good for travel bookings through Capital One Travel) and 10,000 annual bonus miles, starting after your first cardmember anniversary. There’s also up to $100 in statement credits for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fees every four years, airport lounge access from both Capital One and partners, access to elevated perks at select hotels, and more.
Why we like it: We like the Capital One Venture X as a travel card with premium rewards and benefits for a lower annual fee than some other competitors. If you’re looking for a card with no foreign transaction fees because you travel often, this card can help you maximize your frequent trips.
The annual travel credit alone can nearly wipe out the annual fee, even before considering the miles you can earn. But remember: You’ll get the most value if you’re willing to book trips through the issuer’s travel portal. If you prefer to book directly with airlines or hotels, you may want to look elsewhere.
Annual fee: $550
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months after account opening
Rewards:
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10x points on eligible hotels and car rental purchases through Chase Travel*
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10x points Chase Dining purchases
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5x points on flights purchased through Chase Travel*
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3x points on other travel purchases*
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3x points on dining
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1x points on everything else
* Travel rewards apply only after the first $300 spent on travel each year
Benefits: This card has plenty of perks for frequent travelers, starting with an annual credit that gives you statement credits back on the first $300 in travel spending each year. You’ll also get up to $100 in credits for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fees every four years; widespread airport lounge access; travel protections; partner benefits from brands like Lyft, DoorDash, and Instacart; and more.
Why we like it: If you travel frequently each year, it’s easy to maximize the Chase Sapphire Reserve even with its high annual fee. Along with great rewards rates on travel and dining, we like the $300 travel credit you’ll earn each year. This credit can apply to everything from airfare and parking fees to travel agents and much more.
Like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Sapphire Reserve is also a great option for maximizing travel redemptions through Chase’s rewards program. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1.5 cents per point with this card when you use them to book travel through Chase. If you redeemed the welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points through Chase Travel, they’d be worth as much as $900 in travel spending.
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 within the first 3 months after account opening
Rewards:
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3x points at restaurants
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3x points on travel
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3x points at gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations
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3x points on transit
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3x points on popular streaming services
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3x points on cell phone and landline phone plans
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1x points on everything else
Benefits: This card has a great 0% APR intro offer on new purchases for the first 12 months. You’ll also get cell phone protection (up to $600 against damage or theft; $25 deductible) and travel protection. The rewards you earn may be redeemed for travel, gift cards, or to offset purchases charged to your card.
Why we like it: As a no-annual-fee option, the Wells Fargo Autograph has a long list of rewards categories that can fit nearly any budget. If you only travel abroad occasionally and want a card you can benefit from both internationally and at home, this could be a good option. It doesn’t have the great added benefits or rewards boosts of other cards, but it can make a solid everyday rewards credit card. Plus, we like the welcome offer (worth $200) and the competitive 0% intro APR for added value.
Annual fee: $39
Welcome offer: None
Rewards:
Benefits: This cash-back credit card is available for applicants with fair credit scores and is designed to help build credit while earning rewards. You can qualify for preapproval through Capital One without having to undergo a hard credit check, plus get an automatic credit line review in six months for a higher credit limit. You can also receive statement credits for an Uber One membership when you pay with your card through Nov. 14, 2024.
Why we like it: We like the QuicksilverOne as a credit-building card that’s available for those who may not qualify for more premium options but still want to earn rewards. While it doesn’t have the welcome bonus or intro offer of the regular Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card (and you’ll have to pay an added annual fee), this card can still help you earn a competitive 1.5% cash back on the money you spend at home or while traveling abroad.
What are foreign transaction fees?
A foreign transaction fee is an added charge for making purchases outside of the United States. This includes purchases you make in-person while traveling abroad, but it can also apply to items you buy online from international sellers.
Foreign transaction fees typically range from 1% to 3% of your overall purchase, though they vary by credit card issuer. Some issuers even forgo these fees on every credit card they offer. You can find the details of any card’s foreign transaction fee charges within the card agreement.
Foreign transaction fees by credit card issuer
Here’s a look at what each credit card issuer charges for foreign transactions. But remember: If you have a card that offers no foreign transaction fees as a benefit, you won’t pay anything.
Do I need a card with no foreign transaction fees?
If you travel abroad often, or have plans to in the near future, a card with no foreign transaction fees can make your trip more affordable.
For example, say you’re going on a two-week vacation across Europe, where the euro is the standard currency. You plan to use your credit card for multiple purchases each day — food, souvenirs, transportation, tourist attractions, and other conveniences — to take advantage of the card’s purchase protections and rewards.
By the end of your trip, you’ve spent the U.S. dollar equivalent of $2,500 with your card. A 3% foreign transaction fee would leave you with another $75 on top of your total.
Even if you only go abroad once per year, that’s still a significant amount of savings.
If your travel plans are firmly made up of domestic travel within the United States, however, foreign transaction fees are less of a concern. Still, consider whether you make other purchases that could lead to you racking up these fees even from home, such as spending money with an online business located abroad.
What to look for in a no foreign transaction fee card
No foreign transaction fee cards are often also travel credit cards or rewards credit cards that have added perks you can use while traveling or at home. Here are a few details to consider from no foreign transaction fee credit cards.
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Qualification requirements: Check your credit score before you submit a new card application, and make sure you’re confident you can qualify. Applying to too many new credit accounts within a short time frame can have a negative effect on your credit. If you’re unsure, see whether the card you like offers preapproval without a hard credit check.
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Welcome offer: If you’re getting a card with no foreign transaction fees for an upcoming trip, scoring a great welcome offer along the way can give you back a lot of added value. Before you apply, make sure the required spending minimum is within your budget. You don’t want to risk taking on high-interest debt, no matter how high the potential sign-up bonus.
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Rewards: Any new rewards credit card you add to your wallet should make it easy to maximize the purchases you already make. It pays in rewards value over the long term if you prioritize a card with no foreign transaction fees that also rewards your regular spending.
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Travel protections: Many travel credit cards come with travel benefits that can also save you a lot of money on future trips. This may include everything from trip cancellation and interruption insurance to reimbursement for travel delays, baggage delay insurance, rental car insurance coverage, emergency assistance, and more. You may not always need these protections, but you won’t regret having access to them when you do.
Credit cards and spending money abroad
These are a few things to keep in mind if you’re taking a credit card on your next trip:
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Know your credit card network: While both American Express and Discover are widely accepted across the U.S., you may have more difficulty using them abroad. Visa and Mastercard are generally more common than Amex or Discover internationally. If you’re planning to use your Amex card or Discover card abroad, consider keeping a backup Visa or Mastercard in your wallet, too.
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Bring some cash: It’s always smart to have some cash on-hand when traveling internationally. While you may not want to risk carrying a large amount with you, some local currency can offer peace of mind. Save money by converting your currency before you leave; airport currency exchanges often have very unfavorable exchange rates and added fees.
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Be aware of dynamic currency conversion: When you make a purchase with your card in another country, you may be given the option to complete the charge in U.S. dollars or the local currency. That’s known as dynamic currency conversion (DCC) and can often cost you more than if your card network converts the currency later. In fact, you can often avoid any currency conversion fees if your card has no foreign transaction fees (though you should always check your card’s terms to be sure).
Our methodology
To create this list of the best cards with no foreign transaction fees, we started with the dozens of credit cards we’ve already rated and ranked under relevant categories, including travel credit cards, rewards credit cards, and cash-back credit cards.
Taking the cards we already consider highest-rated — based on methodologies that include annual fee vs. rewards value calculations, a review of benefits, APR and other fees, and more — we focused on only those that charge no foreign transaction fees. This detail is sometimes marketed by issuers as a card perk but can also be found within any credit card agreement’s breakdown of fees. Because they’re more widely accepted globally, we also prioritized card picks from issuers that offer cards on the Visa or Mastercard network.
From there, we focused on choosing a list of cards based on categories chosen to appeal to a broad range of cardholders who may be interested in no foreign transaction fee cards. From credit card beginners to those already using multiple cards, we believe there’s an option on our list for anyone.
Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn’t include all currently available offers.