Best Credit Card for International Travel
No foreign transaction fee is the baseline requirement. Here’s which cards also earn the most rewards on international spending and offer the best protections abroad.
For international travel, avoid any card with a foreign transaction fee (typically 3%). Best no-fee options: Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95/yr) earns 2x on all international travel and transfers miles to Air France Flying Blue, Singapore KrisFlyer, British Airways Avios, and 11 more programs. Capital One Venture ($95/yr) earns 2x on everything with no foreign fee and transfers to 15+ airline programs. For premium travelers, Chase Sapphire Reserve or Amex Platinum offer lounge access worldwide.
No-foreign-fee travel cards compared
| Card | Annual fee | Foreign fee | Intl earn rate | Airline transfers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | $95 | None | 2x travel; 3x dining | ✓ 14 programs, 1:1 |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $550 | None | 3x all travel & dining | ✓ 14 programs, 1:1 |
| Capital One Venture | $95 | None | 2x everything | ✓ 15+ programs |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 | None | 2x everything; 10x hotels/rentals | ✓ 15+ programs |
| Amex Platinum | $695 | None | 5x airfare; 5x Amex Travel hotels | ✓ 18+ programs |
| Wells Fargo Autograph | $0 | None | 3x travel, dining, gas, streaming | ✗ Portal only |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | $0 | None | 1.5x everything; 5x Chase Travel | ✓ With Sapphire card |
How much a foreign transaction fee costs on a 2-week trip
A 3% foreign transaction fee on a 2-week international trip with $3,000 in spending = $90 in fees. That’s nearly the entire annual fee of Chase Sapphire Preferred — which has no foreign fee. If you’re paying a foreign fee on a card with a $95 annual fee, you’ve effectively paid $185 for that trip.
Cards to avoid internationally: Most co-branded retail cards, bank debit cards, and basic cash back cards carry a 1–3% foreign fee. Check your card’s terms before departure — listed in the “Rates and Fees” section.
For ATM withdrawals abroad: Use a no-fee debit card (Charles Schwab, Fidelity Cash Management) rather than a credit card. Credit card cash advances charge a 3–5% fee plus immediate interest at the cash advance APR (typically 25–30%) with no grace period.
International travel protections by card
- Trip cancellation / interruption insurance — Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve cover up to $10,000 per person if your trip is cancelled due to illness, weather, or other covered reasons. Must be charged to the card.
- Emergency medical evacuation — Chase Sapphire Reserve includes up to $100,000 in emergency evacuation and transportation coverage. Preferred does not.
- Lost luggage — Sapphire Preferred and Reserve both cover up to $3,000 per passenger for lost or damaged luggage when charged to the card.
- Trip delay reimbursement — Sapphire Preferred covers expenses (hotel, meals) if your trip is delayed 12+ hours. Reserve covers delays of 6+ hours with higher limits.
- Primary rental car insurance — Both Sapphire cards offer primary CDW coverage worldwide when you decline the rental company’s insurance. Most other cards offer only secondary coverage.