UK travel credit cards you can use abroad

Have an overseas trip planned? Once you’ve booked your travel and accommodation, it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll spend when you’re away.

If you spend using your usual debit or credit card, you could rack up considerable fees - not to mention getting terrible exchange rates.

This is why many people choose to use specialist travel credit cards instead. These are cards specially designed for spending abroad, offering great exchange rates and fee-free spending in the local currency. Many banks and other providers offer them, including Barclays, Natwest and Virgin Money.

In this guide, we’ll give you a rundown of the best credit cards for travelling abroad, so you can pick the right one for your trip.

This includes the Wise travel card. While not a credit card, it is a fantastic and low-cost option for overseas spending. It automatically converts currency at one of the fairest exchange rates you can get, for just a small fee¹.

¹ Please see the Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise fees & pricing for the most up-to-date information on pricing and fees

What you should know before using credit cards abroad

Spending abroad can be fraught with extra charges and costs if you’re not careful.

So before we dive into looking at specific credit card products, here are a few tips to help you spend for the lowest possible cost during your trip²:

• You always need to pay your travel credit card off in full every month. Otherwise, the interest will wipe out any savings you’ve made by using it.
• Asked whether you want to pay in GBP or the local currency? Always pick the local currency. Otherwise, the retailer will do the currency conversion and the rates can be very poor.
• Spending on your travel credit card is usually cheaper than withdrawing cash at an ATM. This is because you’ll still pay interest on the withdrawal until you pay it off.
• Watch out for credit cards with a spending charge. These are UK-issued credit cards which aren’t really designed to be used overseas, and add anywhere between £0.50 to £1.50 on top of their usual exchange rate. Examples of this are certain cards issued by TSB, Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Bank².

The best credit cards for travelling abroad - your options

Now, let’s take a look at your options for specialist travel credit cards here in the UK. We’ll compare fees, exchange rates, interest rates, how to apply and much more.

Barclaycard Rewards Credit Card

The Barclaycard Rewards Visa is tailor-made for overseas travel. You can use it for spending and ATM withdrawals, and it also offers some extra perks. However, it does have some rather strict eligibility requirements.

Fees and interest rates

The Barclaycard Rewards card is one of the cheapest ways to spend abroad, as it charges no fees³ for spending or ATM withdrawals.

It also charges no interest, provided of course that you pay off your balance in full. If you don’t, the interest rate is 25.9% APR³.

Exchange rates

This card uses Visa’s exchange rates for currency conversion. While competitive, these rates are likely to include a mark-up on the mid-market rate⁴. You can check the rate you’re likely to get using the Visa exchange rate calculator.

Extra benefits

The Barclaycard Rewards Card also comes with a few perks. These include³:

• Up to 5 months of free Apple subscriptions, including Apple TV+, Apple Music and Apple Fitness+
• Protection on purchases over £100
• 0.25% cashback on everyday spending.

Eligibility and how to apply

You’ll need to be at least 21 years old and have an annual income of more than £20,000 to apply for this card. In addition, you’ll need to have had a permanent UK address for at least 2 years, and at least 4 years experience of managing credit³.

If you fit the bill, you can apply online on the Barclaycard website.

Halifax Clarity card

The Halifax Clarity Mastercard is a dedicated travel card for spending abroad. It’s widely accepted, so you can use it wherever you roam. It offers reasonably straightforward terms, no foreign transaction fees and a consistent interest rate across everything you buy.

Fees and interest rates

The Halifax Clarity card charges no fees for spending overseas, or for withdrawing cash from an ATM².

However, interest rates of between 22.94% and 28.94% will be charged for ATM withdrawals. This will be charged daily until the balance is paid off².

If you repay in full, you won’t pay interest on spending. But if you don’t, the interest rate is 22.9% APR².

Exchange rates

This card uses Mastercard’s exchange rates for currency conversions⁵. Like Visa’s rates, these are also likely to include a mark-up on the mid-market exchange rate. You can check what rate you’re likely to get on the Mastercard Currency Converter Calculator, although bear in mind that rates change frequently.

Extra benefits

Unlike the Barclaycard Rewards card, the Halifax Clarity card doesn’t offer much in the way of extra perks.

However, you will be able to manage your account online and benefit from fraud protection. Halifax customers can also order travel money online.

Eligibility and how to apply

To apply for the the Halifax Clarity card online, you’ll need to meet the following requirements⁵:

• Be over 18 and a UK resident
• Have a regular annual income
• Have no CCJs, IVAs or bankruptcies
• Not be a student or unemployed.

You can apply online after completing a quick online eligibility check.

The NatWest Credit Card

If you already bank with NatWest, you might want to take a look at the NatWest Credit Card. It’s a Mastercard which charges no foreign transaction fees on spending, and which you can manage through the NatWest mobile app. However, it’s only available to existing customers.

Fees and interest rates

The NatWest Credit Card charges no fees² for spending overseas. Importantly though, there’s a 3% fee on ATM withdrawals² in other countries. So, watch out if you plan to use cash throughout your trip.

The card charges 26.9%-29.9% interest on cash withdrawals, charged daily until it's paid off. And if you don’t pay the rest of your balance off in full each month, there’s an interest rate of 12.9%².

Exchange rates

When you spend on the NatWest Credit Card overseas, it will use Mastercard’s exchange rates to convert currency.

Like Visa’s rates, these are also likely to include a mark-up on the mid-market exchange rate. You can check what rate you’re likely to get on the Mastercard Currency Converter Calculator, although bear in mind that rates change frequently.

Extra benefits

The NatWest Credit Card doesn’t really come with any extra perks. Although it does have a great mobile app, which you can use to register your travel plans (so overseas payments aren’t marked as suspicious), manage your card and even check your credit score.

Eligibility and how to apply

This card is only available to existing NatWest customers². You’ll need to complete a quick eligibility check before you can apply online.

Virgin Money Travel Mastercard

The Virgin Money Travel Credit Card is a great, fee-free option for spending while you’re away, although it does charge fees for ATM withdrawals.

Fees and interest rates

If you want a card for shopping, dining and general spending, this is a great option. It charges no fees for purchases, but there is a rather hefty 3% fee for taking out cash during your trip. The interest rate for cash withdrawals is 28.9%, charged daily until you pay it off⁶.

If you fail to clear the rest of your balance by the end of the month, there’s an interest rate of 22.9% APR⁶.

Exchange rates

The Virgin Money Credit Card is a Mastercard, so it uses Mastercard’s exchange rates for converting currency. You can check rates here, but remember that they change all the time.

Extra benefits

In terms of extras, this card offers a helpful 0% balance transfer rate for nine months⁶, should you need it.

Eligibility and how to apply

The Virgin Money Credit Card is available for UK residents over the age of 18⁷. You don’t need to be an existing customer, but you will need to complete a quick eligibility check before you can apply online.

Zopa Credit Card

Named Best Credit Card Provider at the British Bank Awards 2021⁸, Zopa offers a great all-purpose credit card that’s ideal for travel. It can be managed in a user-friendly mobile app, which offers some useful extra features.

Fees and interest rates

The Zopa Credit Card charges no fees for overseas purchases, but there is a £3 fee for ATM withdrawals. You’ll pay interest of 34.9% daily on cash withdrawals until you pay it off in full².

And for the rest of your balance, there’s an interest rate of 34.9% unless you clear it in full every month².

Exchange rates

The Zopa Credit Card is a Visa, so uses Visa’s exchange rates for currency conversion. While competitive, these rates are likely to include a mark-up on the mid-market rate⁴.

You can check the rate you’re likely to get using the Visa exchange rate calculator. Although remember that this may be a different rate than you get on the day you actually spend.

Extra benefits

You’ll enjoy a few extra features in the Zopa app, including Credit Cushion⁸. This lets you set aside some of your credit balance, so you can keep it for when you really need it. You can also manage your card in the app, freezing it if you spot an unusual transaction.

Eligibility and how to apply

To find out if you’re eligible for the Zopa Credit Card, you’ll need to head to the company’s website and complete a quick online eligibility check. If you pass it, you can apply online.

Get low fees and the mid-market exchange rate with the Wise travel card

The only problem with using a travel credit card is that you always need to be mindful of paying off what you owe, or you could face expensive interest charges.

With the Wise travel card, you don’t need to worry about a thing. It’s not a credit card, but an international debit card you can use for spending in 175 countries.

You simply tap to spend and your money will automatically be converted to the local currency at the mid-market exchange rate. There’s just a small fee for the conversion, or it’s free if you already have the currency in your Wise account¹.

You can even withdraw up to £200 a month from overseas ATMs fee-free¹. Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

This is what makes Wise such a great money-saving alternative for travel spending, with no interest payments to worry about.

Open a Wise multi-currency account online and you can get your Wise card⁹ for a one-time fee of just £7¹.

¹ Please see the Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise fees & pricing for the most up-to-date information on pricing and fees

Travel credit cards compared - at a glance

The world of credit cards, APR and foreign transaction fees can sometimes be difficult to navigate.

So to help you compare and choose the right travel credit card for you, here’s a quick table covering all the key things you need to know:

Card	Fees - spending	Fees - ATM withdrawals	Interest rate	Exchange rates
Barclaycard Rewards card	Free	Free	25.9% APR	Mid-market rate + markup
Halifax Clarity Card	Free	Free	22.9% APR	Mid-market rate + markup
NatWest Credit Card	Free	3%	12.9% APR	Mid-market rate + markup
Virgin Money Travel Credit Card	Free	3%	22.9% APR	Mid-market rate + markup
Zopa Credit Card	Free	£3	34.9% APR	Mid-market rate + markup
Wise travel card	Free	Free up to £200 (max 2 withdrawals)	None	Mid-market rate

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After reading this, you should be all set to compare all your options and find the best credit cards for travelling abroad. Cost will always be the main consideration, so just make sure to check that small print.

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Sources used:

1. Please see the Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise fees & pricing for the most up-to-date information on pricing and fees.
2. MoneySavingExpert - Travel credit cards
3. Barclaycard - Barclaycard Rewards Card
4. Visa - Exchange Rate Calculator
5. Halifax - Halifax Clarity credit card
6. Evening Standard - Best travel credit cards for overseas spending
7. Virgin Money - Travel Credit Card
8. Zopa - Credit Card
9. Eligibility is subject to verification of customers identity

Sources last checked on date: 20-Jan-2023