Many credit cards’ foreign transaction fees range from 2% to 3% of the total amount of transactions denominated in foreign (non-U.S.-dollar) currencies. However, not every credit card charges you extra to make transactions outside the United States.
There are a fair number of cards without any foreign transaction fees, including many co-branded hotel rewards and airline rewards credit cards, not to mention premium general-purpose travel rewards credit cards.
Many cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees do charge annual fees, but you’ll still come out ahead when you spend heavily abroad. Once you’ve broken even on the annual fee, you’ll find cards without foreign transaction fees among the most reliable tools for saving money on international travel.
Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees.
Best Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees
These are the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees on the market today.
Some have additional benefits of note, such as TSA PreCheck and Global Entry application fee waivers, special credit card offers and rewards for account holders on account anniversary dates, and complimentary airport lounge access through Priority Pass or similar lounge programs.
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
3x Points per $1 Spent on Dining & Travel; 50% Bonus on Points Redeemed for Travel; $300 Annual Travel Credit
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the most generous — and exclusive — travel rewards credit cards on the market. Every $1 spent on eligible dining and most travel purchases earns 3 Ultimate Rewards points, with no caps or restrictions. Air travel purchases made through Chase Travel℠ earn 5 total points per $1 spent, while hotel and car rental purchases earn 10 total points per $1 spent. All other eligible purchases earn an unlimited 1 point per $1 spent.
Points redeemed for travel at the Ultimate Rewards portal are worth $0.015 apiece, a 50% boost to their baseline value. You can also redeem for cash back, gift cards, merchandise, experiences, and Amazon.com purchases.
This card’s cost — a $550 annual fee, plus $75 per authorized user — is an elephant in the room. But frequent travelers can more than offset it by spending heavily on travel, full exploiting the $300 annual travel credit, regularly visiting any of the more than 1,000 global airport lounges to which Sapphire Reserve cardholders enjoy complimentary entry, and availing themselves of the generous 1-to-1 point transfer arrangement with about a dozen popular travel vendors.
- Sign-Up Bonus: Spend at least $4,000 in qualifying purchases within 3 months to earn 75,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points. That’s worth up to $1,125 when redeemed for airfare, hotels, and other travel purchases through the Chase Travel℠.
- Earning Rewards: Earn unlimited 3 Ultimate Rewards points per $1 spent on dining and most travel purchases worldwide. Earn 5 total points per $1 spent on air travel purchases made through Chase Travel℠ and 10 total points per $1 spent on hotel and car rental purchases made through Chase Travel. Travel purchases earn points only after the $300 travel credit is exhausted. Earn an unlimited 1 Ultimate Rewards point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Redeeming Rewards: The best way to redeem your Ultimate Rewards points is for travel bookings in the Ultimate Rewards travel portal. There, points are worth 50% more at redemption — a value of $0.015 apiece. Other redemption options include cash back via statement credit or bank account deposit, gift cards, direct purchases with partner merchants, and general merchandise purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall.
- Important Fees: The annual fee is $550. The authorized user fee is $75 per user, per year.
- Introductory APR: There is no intro APR.
- Other Perks: Fringe benefits abound. In addition to those listed above, highlights include special rental car discounts and privileges, and luxurious perks at hundreds of Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection properties around the world.
Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve Card review for more information.
2. The Platinum Card® from American Express
Complimentary Airport Lounge Access at 1,000+ Locations Worldwide; $200 Annual Air Travel Credit
The Platinum Card® from American Express is another ultra-exclusive travel rewards credit card. Its rewards program isn’t the most generous around: 5 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent on prepaid airfare and travel bookings made through the Amex Travel portal and 1 Membership Reward point per $1 spent on most other purchases.
But the rewards program is not the main event here.
This card’s real firepower comes in its considerable fringe benefits: complimentary airport lounge access at more than 1,000 locations worldwide (enrollment required), a $200 annual air travel credit (enrollment required), up to $200 in prepaid hotel credits when you book with American Express Travel or the Fine Hotels & Resorts Collection (enrollment required), and up to $200 in Uber credits annually (enrollment required), to name a few.
Take full advantage of these benefits (terms apply) and you’ll more than offset the admittedly hefty $695 annual fee.
When it does come time to redeem Membership Rewards points earned with this American Express card, you can avail yourself of cash, gift cards, travel, merchandise, Uber credits, and other items through the Membership Rewards portal.
- Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
- Earning Rewards: Earn 5 points per $1 spent on airfare purchased directly with airlines and prepaid hotels and airfare purchased through American Express Travel. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Redeeming Rewards: Redeem for travel bookings (airfare and more) at American Express Travel, or opt for a dizzying array of other options: cash back, gift cards, general merchandise, and more.
- Important Fees: The annual fee is $695. See rates and fees page.
- Introductory APR: None.
- Other Perks: Other benefits not enumerated above include special perks and discounts at Fine Hotels & Resorts program properties — an average total value of $550 — complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status (enrollment required), complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status (enrollment required), complimentary membership in popular car rental loyalty programs (enrollment required), and point transfers to partner travel loyalty programs at favorable rates. Terms apply for all these benefits.
Read our American Express Platinum Card review for more information. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply for this card here.
3. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
3x Points per $1 Spent on Dining & Up to 5x Points Per $1 Spent on Travel; 25% Bonus on Travel Redemptions
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns 2 Ultimate Rewards points for every $1 spent on most travel purchases. But travel purchases made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal earn 5 total points per $1 spent. And cardholders earn 3 points per $1 spent on eligible dining purchases worldwide.
Redeem your points for cash back (statement credits, direct deposits, or paper checks), gift cards, and merchandise through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards portal. Points are usually worth $0.01 each upon redemption. Look out for a $50 annual hotel credit on eligible hotel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards and a 10% boost (in bonus points) to base point earnings (those accumulated at a rate of 1 point per $1 spent) each year after your account anniversary.
In addition to no foreign transaction fees, the Sapphire Preferred Card has two big benefits for frequent travelers.
First, you get a 25% points boost when you redeem for travel purchases — including airfare, hotels, and car rentals — made through Ultimate Rewards. For instance, a 50,000-point redemption is worth up to $625.
Second, you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to other travel rewards programs, such as frequent flyer and hotel guest programs, at a 1-to-1 ratio, regardless of the other programs’ typical point values. These perks more than offset the $95 annual fee.
- Sign-Up Bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points, worth up to $900+ on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, when you spend at least $4,000 within 3 months.
- Earning Rewards: Earn 5 points total on eligible travel purchases made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, excluding hotel purchases covered by the $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit. Earn unlimited 3 points per $1 spent on dining purchases, select streaming service purchases, and online grocery purchases. Earn unlimited 2 points on all other eligible travel purchases after the annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Redeeming Rewards: The ideal way to redeem your Ultimate Rewards points is for travel bookings in the Ultimate Rewards travel portal. Doing so boosts your points’ redemption value by 25%, raising their value to $0.0125 apiece. Alternatively, redeem for cash back, gift cards, direct purchases with partner merchants, or general merchandise.
- Important Fees: The annual fee is $95.
- Introductory APR: There is no intro APR.
- Other Perks: Enjoy VIP access to sports and entertainment events, including the PGA Championship and world-class chef dinners.
Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review for more information.
4. Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Unlimited 3% Cash Back on Dining, Entertainment, Streaming, and Eligible Grocery Store Purchases
The Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card is a less-generous version of the Savor card.
It earns 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, eligible streaming service, and eligible grocery store purchases (except grocery purchases at superstores like Walmart and Target). That’s a very nice rate of return, especially considering it pairs its foreign transaction fee waiver with a $0 annual fee.
Plus, SavorOne has a category-leading 15-month 0% APR promotion on purchases and balance transfers.
If you doubt you’ll spend heavily enough on dining and entertainment purchases to offset the Savor card’s $95 annual fee (after the first year), or you need to transfer a high-interest credit card balance or finance a big purchase, the SavorOne card is where to turn.
Pro Tip: If you’re a two- or four-year university student thinking about studying abroad for a semester or longer, consider applying for the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card before you leave. Learn more about that card and find out how to apply here.
- Early Spend Bonus: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earning Rewards: Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, eligible streaming service, and eligible grocery store purchases. Grocery purchases at superstores like Walmart and Target aren’t included in the 3% cash-back category. Most other eligible purchases, including superstore purchases, earn 1% cash back, with one exception: eligible hotel and car rental bookings earn unlimited 5% cash back when made through Capital One Travel.
- Redeeming Rewards: Redeem in any amount for statement credits or paper checks. Alternatively, set automatic redemption thresholds at $25, $50, $100, or $200.
- Important Fees: There is no annual fee. The balance transfer fee is 3%.
- Introductory APR: Enjoy 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening. Thereafter, variable regular APR applies, currently 19.99% to 29.99%.
- Other Perks: Enjoy the same great travel and purchase protections afforded by the Savor card.
Learn more about this card and find out how to apply here.
5. Citi Premier Card
Unlimited 3x Points per $1 Spent on Travel (Including Gas); 2x Points per $1 Spent on Dining and Entertainment Purchases
The Citi Premier Card earns unlimited 3 ThankYou points for every dollar spent on travel, including gas; unlimited 2 points per dollar spent on dining and entertainment; and an unlimited 1 point per dollar spent on everything else, all with no spending caps or restrictions.
The sign-up bonus is nice too — enough to offset the $95 annual fee several times over.
You can redeem points for travel, cash, general merchandise, experiences, gift cards, and other items. Travel redemptions generally offer the best value. If you prefer, you can transfer accumulated ThankYou points to participating travel (airline and hotel) loyalty programs, often at 1-to-1 ratios.
- Sign-Up Bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou points after you make $4,000 in purchases with your card in the first 3 months. That's worth $600 when redeemed for gift cards at ThankYou.com. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024.
- Earning Rewards: Earn unlimited 3 points per $1 spent on eligible restaurant purchases, supermarket purchases, airfare purchases, hotel purchases, and gas station purchases. Earn unlimited 2 points per $1 spent on eligible dining and entertainment purchases. All other eligible purchases earn an unlimited 1 point per $1 spent.
- Redeeming Rewards: To maximize your points’ value, redeem for travel purchases at the Citi ThankYou Rewards travel portal. Otherwise, redeem for cash back, gift cards, and general merchandise at varying redemption values and minimums.
- Important Fees: There’s a $95 annual fee.
- Introductory APR: There’s no intro APR.
- Other Perks: Enjoy special access to presale tickets, VIP passes, and more with Citi Entertainment.
Read our Citi Premier Card review for more information. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply for this card here.
6. Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Unlimited 1.5% Cash Back on All Eligible Purchases
The Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card earns unlimited 1.5% cash back on most eligible purchases, with no caps or limits. You can redeem your points for cash back via statement credits or paper checks. Kick your spending off right with a $200 cash bonus when you spend at least $500 in eligible purchases within the first three months.
In addition to its lack of foreign transaction fees, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card comes with Visa Signature benefits for travelers, including 24/7 travel assistance, travel upgrades and savings with select hotel brands and airlines, and complimentary concierge service for help with travel booking and management.
- Early Spend Bonus: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus (statement credit or check) when you spend at least $500 on eligible purchases in the first three months.
- Earning Rewards: Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on most eligible purchases, with no cap on how much you can earn. Eligible hotel and car rental bookings earn unlimited 5% cash back when made through Capital One Travel.
- Redeeming Rewards: Redeem in any amount for statement credits or paper checks. Alternatively, set automatic redemption thresholds at $25, $50, $100, or $200.
- Important Fees: There’s no annual fee.
- Introductory APR: There is a 0% APR introductory promotion for purchases and balance transfers lasting 15 months from your account opening date. Thereafter, variable regular APR applies, currently 19.99% to 29.99%.
- Other Perks: Card membership comes with free, unlimited access to your FICO score and a host of credit-building and credit-analysis tools. Plus, enjoy great Mastercard purchase and travel benefits.
Read our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card review for more information. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply for this card here.
7. Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
Unlimited 2X Miles on All Eligible Spending
The Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card earns unlimited 2 miles per $1 spent on all eligible purchases, with no caps or restrictions.
This card has a very good early spend bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on the card within 3 months from account opening. That's worth $750 in travel expenses at redemption.
You can redeem your accumulated miles for statement credits against virtually any travel purchase, including airfare, hotel purchases, and car rentals. Alternatively, transfer your points to any of Capital One’s travel loyalty program partners, subject to transfer minimums and conversion ratios.
You can also redeem for cash equivalents (general statement credits, gift cards, or checks), although points are worth less when not redeemed for travel statement credits.
- Early Spend Bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on the card within 3 months from account opening. That's worth $750 in travel expenses at redemption.
- Earning Rewards: Earn unlimited 2 miles per $1 spent on most eligible purchases, with no caps on how much you can earn. Earn 5 miles per $1 spent on hotel and car rental purchases made through Capital One Travel.
- Redeeming Rewards: Redeem for statement credits against prior travel purchases, subject to minimum redemption requirements.
- Important Fees: The annual fee is $95.
- Introductory APR: There’s no intro APR promotion.
- Other Perks: Get unlimited FICO score access, credit-building help, and a slew of Mastercard-backed travel and purchase perks. Plus, get a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Read our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review for more information. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply for this card here.
8. Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
Unlimited 1.25x Miles on Most Eligible Purchases; 5x Miles on Car Rental and Hotel Purchases Made Through Capital One Travel
The Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card is to the Venture card what the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit card is to the Savor card: a slimmed-down, junior cousin with still-solid rewards and no annual fee.
VentureOne cardholders earn unlimited 1.25 miles per $1 spent on most eligible purchases. Car rental and hotel purchases made through Capital One Travel earn 5 miles per $1 spent.
A 18-month 0% APR promotion on purchases and balance transfers doesn’t hurt either; nor does the ability to transfer miles to any of Capital One’s travel loyalty program partners, subject to transfer minimums and conversion ratios.
- Early Spend Bonus: Earn 20,000 miles after you spend $500 on the card within 3 months from account opening (worth $200 when redeemed for travel).
- Earning Rewards: Earn unlimited 1.25 miles per $1 spent on most eligible purchases. Car rental and hotel purchases made through Capital One Travel earn 5 miles per $1 spent.
- Redeeming Rewards: Redeem for statement credits against prior travel purchases, subject to minimum redemption requirements. Or, transfer miles to any of Capital One’s 15+ travel loyalty partners.
- Important Fees: There is no annual fee or foreign transaction fee.
- Introductory APR: Enjoy 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening. There’s no corresponding balance transfer promotion.
- Other Perks: This card has the same great lineup of perks as the grown-up Venture card.
Read our Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card review for more information. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply for this card here.
Final Word
Whether it’s a weekend road trip to Canada or a month-long sabbatical in Australia, your next vacation abroad is sure to be fun and rewarding. Low-foreign-transaction-fee credit cards certainly add to the convenience — and reduce the cost — of traveling abroad.
On the other hand, international travel has some financial pitfalls, including an increased risk of theft. Savvy thieves are great at spotting travelers out of their element — and are ready to take advantage at a moment’s notice. Don’t make it easier for them.
Before you hit the road, put a plan in place to protect your money while traveling, beyond simply having your credit card issuer’s fraud protection hotline on speed dial.
For rates and fees of the Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this rates and fees page.
