Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Cards
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International travel may not be on your itinerary just yet, but when it does, you’ll want a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
Credit card issuers charge fees on transactions overseas or with a foreign merchant. Debit card providers also may charge these fees when using foreign ATMs to withdraw money.
The fees are usually 1 to 3% of the value of the transaction. The payment processor, such as Mastercard or Visa, charges 1%, and the card issuer, such as a bank, charges 2%. The fees are paid in U.S. dollars, equating to $30 in foreign transaction fees for every $1,000 spent.
However, they can easily be avoided by using a credit card that doesn’t charge them. Such debit card fees are more difficult to bypass, though you can sometimes avoid part of them by using an ATM at a foreign bank that your bank does business with.
We’ll review some of the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees. Check the terms and conditions of your credit cards before traveling overseas. If your card does charge these fees, you may want to apply for a new card that doesn’t have them.
Jump To
Overview of the best cards with no foreign transaction fees
Credit card | Best for |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | Delta Airlines miles |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | 60,000 bonus miles |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | 60,000 bonus miles |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Luxury travel |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | American Airlines customers |
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card | Marriott Hotel customers |
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® | Admirals Club membership |
Hilton Honors American Express Card | Hilton customers |
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Card Name
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
APR
20.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
Special Offer
Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Rewards Rate
Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
Why We Like It
- Generous introductory bonus offer.
- First checked bag free on Delta flights.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Card Name
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
APR
19.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$95
Special Offer
Limited-time offer: For a limited time, earn 75,000 Miles
Special Offer Terms
once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
Rewards Rate
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Terms
Why We Like It
- 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, which is equivalent to $750 in travel
- You can earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase
- $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges
- 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Card Name
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
APR
21.49%-28.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$95
Special Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Rewards Rate
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus points offered.
- High points for travel and dining purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards® and points on all purchases.
- Complimentary one-year access to DashPass.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Card Name
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
APR
22.49%-29.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent
Annual Fee
$550
Special Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Rewards Rate
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus points offer.
- Annual travel credit on your account anniversary.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
- Access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide.
- Up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Card Name
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
APR
20.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Special Offer
Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles
Special Offer Terms
after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
Rewards Rate
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus miles offer.
- Flight discounts ($125) on American Airlines after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- First checked bag is free and preferred boarding on American Airlines flights.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Card Name
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
APR
20.24% - 27.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$95
Special Offer
Limited Time Offer! Earn 100,000 Bonus Points
Special Offer Terms
after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card!
Rewards Rate
Earn up to 17X total points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® and 2X points on all other purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Earn 3 Free Night Awards bonus as well as one Free Night Award every year after the account anniversary.
- Automatic Silver Elite Status.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Card Name
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
APR
21.24% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$595
Special Offer
Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles
Special Offer Terms
after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
Rewards Rate
Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus miles offer
- Admirals Club® membership for you with access for up to two guests traveling with you
- First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines flights for you and up to 8 companions
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Card Name
Hilton Honors American Express Card
APR
20.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Rewards Rate
Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio. Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations. Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
Why We Like It
- Generous introductory bonus offer.
- Automatic Hilton Honors Silver status.
- No annual or foreign transaction fees.
Summary of the best cards with no transaction fees
Card | Annual Fee | Reward Rate | APR |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150. | Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. | 20.99% - 29.99% |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | $95 | 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. | 19.99% - 29.99% |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | $95 | Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. | 21.49%-28.49% |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® | $550 | Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. | 22.49%-29.49% |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | $99, waived for first 12 months | Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases. | 20.99% - 29.99% |
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card | $95 | Earn up to 17X total points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® and 2X points on all other purchases. | 20.24% - 27.24% |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | $595 | Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases | 21.24% - 29.99% |
Hilton Honors American Express Card | $0 | Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio. Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations. Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card. | 20.99% - 29.99% |
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
FAQs
Should I worry about blackout dates?
After earning 50,000 or more airline miles for spending $3,000 or so in the first three months you have a new credit card, finding out that blackout dates apply to the days you want to use your miles can be disheartening. Such days usually happen during major holidays or when heavy travel is expected. Blackout dates aren’t posted on airline websites, and some claim they don’t have them because some seats will be available for mileage redemption every day of the year. However, it can still be hard to find a free airline seat around Christmas.
Can I get the sign-up bonus in cash?
The sign-up bonuses, also called a welcome bonus, on the cards we’ve reviewed all come in the form of miles or points that can be redeemed for hotel stays, free flights, and other rewards. The Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card is one of the few with a cash deposit for bonuses, but only to a BofA checking or savings account. It also offers a credit card statement, which is about the same as cash, though you won’t get the cash back in your pocket to spend. If you’re looking for a cash back reward, you should look for a cash rewards credit card. Many also don’t have foreign transaction fees. We focused on travel rewards because people looking for credit cards without foreign transaction fees are probably also interested in the travel perks and bonuses they offer. A travel rewards credit card can often be more valuable than a cash rewards credit card because the travel rewards program can be worth at least twice as much as cash.
Is it cheaper to use cash instead of a credit card overseas?
If your credit card charges a foreign transaction fee and you plan on traveling outside of the United States, you can save money by getting a credit card that doesn’t charge these fees. Look for a card that doesn’t have an annual fee. If it does charge an annual fee, make sure any perks you get with the card make up for the fee. As we described earlier, foreign transaction fees are usually 3% of the expense, so a $100 credit card charge would only result in a $3 foreign transaction fee. That isn’t a ton of money, but it can add up. It can be cheaper to use cash instead of a credit card, though carrying only cash can be dangerous and still cost as much as a credit card that charges fees. Debit cards may also charge foreign transaction fees, so check with your bank before leaving on a trip to see what fees if charged and how they can be avoided. If both your debit and credit card charge these fees, chances are you’ll be better off using the credit card because the card issuer will probably have a more favorable exchange rate than you’d get from an ATM or currency exchange kiosk. Some U.S. banks sell foreign currency to customers, though they’ll charge for the service. You may want to buy some foreign cash before leaving home so that you can easily pay for a meal, cab ride, or other low expenses when you arrive at your international destination.
Why you should use cards with no foreign transaction fees
The obvious benefit of having a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees is that you’ll avoid paying 3% on anything you buy with the card overseas. That can add up to $30 per $1,000 you spend in U.S. dollars and can be higher if you don’t get a good exchange rate and are charged in the local currency.
Finding cards that don’t charge these fees should be easy. Many don’t charge them, and you should be able to find a card that doesn’t charge an annual fee, either. The cards we’ve reviewed have an annual fee of around $100, though many card companies offer other versions of their cards that don’t charge an annual fee.
Foreign transaction fees are another expense you don’t want to worry about when traveling, especially when exchange rates on credit card charges can change daily and make your dollar more or less value from one day to the next.
We can’t honestly think of an instance when anyone should use a card with a foreign transaction fee. Finding a card without one is easy, and if you like the credit card that you already have but it charges a fee, either ask it to waive it or get another card to use on your upcoming trip.
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
The bottom line
Applying for a credit card to take advantage of its benefit of not charging foreign transaction fees on credit card purchases you’ll make while overseas seems like an odd reason to get a new card.
But it can save you a few hundred dollars, depending on how much you spend on the card. That may not make an annual fee worth paying, so look for a card without an annual fee.
And since a foreign transaction fee is something that not many cards charge, the fact that your current card provider charges it could be a good sign to shop for a better credit card. You may find many more travel benefits from a new card and not having to pay this fee that not many cards charge. Chances are you’ve received credit card offers with this perk without realizing it.
Even with an annual fee, a better travel card can be worth the cost. It can save you money on visiting airport lounges, make Global Entry easier at airports, give you a statement credit for rewards you’ve earned, or give you a rewards rate for free hotel stays and flights.
Those can be reasons enough to switch to a new credit card. Avoiding foreign transaction fees can be the icing on the cake when you travel.
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Writer
Aaron Crowe is a freelance journalist who specializes in personal finance writing and editing. He has worked at newspapers, where he won a Pulitzer Prize, and has written for numerous online publications. These include AOL, US News & World Report, WiseBread, Bankrate, AARP, and many websites focusing on housing, credit and insurance. He lives in California with his wife and daughter.
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