Best no foreign transaction fee credit cards

Traveling abroad is expensive enough — actually, having a credit card is expensive enough — without having foreign transaction fees to worry about.

When every transaction you make abroad gets a fee added to it, you might wonder if you’re getting value for money out of your credit card. This is why you should pay attention to whether or not your credit card provider charges foreign transaction fees when you’re abroad.

In this guide you’ll find some of the best options you have if you’re looking for a no foreign transaction fee credit card.

And, if credit cards aren’t really your thing, you should try Wise’s no foreign transaction fee debit card. But we’ll cover that later.

What are foreign transaction fees?

A foreign transaction fee is the fee that’s added when you use a credit or debit card abroad or buy something online from a foreign retailer. You pay it to your card provider.

It’s worth knowing about foreign transaction fees because they can quickly add up: you might have to pay a little bit extra on every single purchase during a trip.

The easiest way to avoid foreign transaction fees is to get a credit card that doesn’t charge them: there are quite a few on offer, as you’ll see below.

If that’s not an option for you, the way to minimize them is simply to make as few transactions as possible: consider taking out more cash that you can use for smaller purchases.

Can you avoid foreign transaction fees?

Yes. You can avoid foreign transaction fees with a credit card if you pick one of the cards we’ve highlighted below — or even better, if you choose an alternative which offers free accounts and low cost currency conversion with no hidden fees.

The best 10 no foreign transaction fee credit cards

One quick note before we dive into our review of the best travel credit cards with no foreign transaction fees.

The fact is that credit cards that offer flashy rewards like airmiles often also come with steep annual fees or poor APR options — so you’ll need to check out all the terms and conditions before you choose the one for you.

The good news is though that 0% foreign transaction fee credit cards do exist — including some with no annual charges to worry about.

Let’s take a look at some good picks for the best no foreign transaction fee cards for 2022.

1. Capital One Venture Miles Rewards

Capital One’s foreign transaction fee is zero on all its credit cards. But we’ve picked out first the Venture Miles Rewards card because it’s specifically designed for travelers.

Here’s a quick look at some of these card’s features:

Feature	Capital One Venture Rewards credit card¹
Annual fee	95 USD per year
Purchase rate	16.24% — 24.24%
Rewards and other benefits	5 miles per dollar on travel booked through Capital One 2 miles per dollar on everything else Bonus opening offers for extra rewards Partner rewards for discounts and exclusive offers

The Venture Rewards card offers an impressive amount of miles — but you’ll have to swallow the annual fee, too.

The similarly named VentureOne Rewards card is a cheaper option: for no annual fee, you can get similar rewards but not quite as many miles.

2. Discover it Miles

This travel credit card from Discover may not be as flashy as some other credit cards, but it offers a consistently good rate of return.

Plus, like all the other cards on this list, the Discover card foreign transaction fee is a round zero.

Here are the key features:

Feature	Discover it Miles credit card²
Annual fee	None
Purchase rate	0% for 15 months, then 12.24% — 23.24% standard purchase
Rewards and other benefits	1.5x miles per dollar, matched by Discover for the first year (so effectively 3x)

The Discover it Miles credit card is a competitive option in terms of its points, and for no annual fee it’s certainly tempting.

One drawback may be using it abroad: the Discover network is not as well established internationally as Visa or MasterCard.

You’ll need to do some research to find out how widely you’ll be able to use your card during a trip outside the US.

Check our full guide to the Discover it Miles card

3. American Express Gold

Unlike Capital One and Discover, Amex does charge a foreign transaction fee on some of its credit cards. But not on its Gold Card. The Platinum Card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees either, if you want a more premium product — but let’s keep things simple and stick with Gold for now.

Feature	American Express Gold credit card³
Annual fee	250 USD
Purchase rate	16.74% — 23.74%
Rewards and other benefits	60,000 membership rewards points if you spend 4,000 USD in your first 6 months 4x points on some flights and groceries, 3x on flights Some insurance including for baggage and car rental loss and damage

There are various other benefits too — above are just some of the most enticing ones for frequent travelers. As befits its high price tag, the Amex Gold credit card offers a good range of rewards, and the lack of a foreign transaction fee is great news.

As ever with points schemes, make sure you know exactly where you’ll be able to claim these benefits. Also try and find out how widely you’ll be able to pay with Amex in your destination: it’s not accepted everywhere.

Learn more about American Express travel cards in this handy guide

4. Bank of America Travel Rewards

Bank of America offers a range of credit cards targeted at frequent travelers.

We’ve picked out the Travel Rewards card as a strong contender with no foreign transaction fees.

Feature	Bank of America Travel credit card ⁴
Annual fee	None
Purchase rate	0% for 15 months, then 14.24% to 24.24%
Rewards and other benefits	Bonus points offers for new customers 1.5x points on all purchases

This credit card is a nice, simple option, and inexpensive given its lack of an annual fee. If you want a credit card with a few extra features and offers in store, Bank of America’s other cards might suit you better, and if you sign up as a Preferred Rewards member there are further benefits.

This one is a Visa, so it’ll be accepted widely on your travels.

Learn more about Bank of America travel cards here

5.Chase Sapphire Preferred

Of the various credit cards that Chase has designed, to appeal to frequent travelers, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the most straightforward.

For a significantly higher annual fee, you could try the Chase Sapphire Reserve instead, and other traveler-friendly tie-ins from Chase include cards with United, British Airways and Marriott Bonvoy.

On other Chase cards, like Chase Freedom Unlimited, the foreign transaction fee comes back into play.

Here are the key features of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Feature	Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card ⁵
Annual fee	95 USD
Purchase rate	16.24% — 23.24%
Rewards and other benefits	80,000 bonus points if you spend 4,000 USD in your first 3 months 5x on some travel booked with Chase 3x on dining and some grocery spending 2x on other travel 1x on everything else

Alongside its lack of foreign transaction fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card offers numerous useful features for travelers.

It’s a Visa, so you should be able to use it in most countries.

See if Chase is the right option for you with this handy guide

6. Citi Government Travel Card

Government travel cards are available to employees of hundreds of federal agencies, and military service personnel.

If you’re entitled to one through your job you’ll be notified, including getting full details of the card types you may be able to apply for.

These cards are intended to alleviate the pressure of paying for work related travel, and so often come with low or no interest, or the option to bill centrally back to your employer.

Feature	Citi Government Travel Card⁶
Annual fee	Often no fee — check with your employer
Purchase rate	Depends on the card and billing structure — you may find there is no interest to pay
Rewards and other benefits	Central billing option — charge expenses back to your employer directly Often have favorable terms compared to commercial cards

Read all about the Citi Government Travel Card in this full review

7. Hilton Honors

Hilton Honors from American Express is perfect if you use Hilton hotels and resorts frequently — with great rewards on other categories of spend too.

It’s a zero annual fee card, so there’s not much to lose if this one suits your needs.

Feature	Hilton Honors credit card ⁷
Annual fee	No annual fee
Purchase rate	16.49% — 25.49%
Rewards and other benefits	7x on hotels and resorts 5x on dining, groceries and gas 3x on other eligible spend categories Bonus opening offers available

Make the most of your hotel stays here or internationally with great offers and extra rewards every time you spend with the Hilton group.

8. Capital One Savor Rewards

It’s billed as a card for dining — but if you love to travel and you love to eat, this could be the one for you.

No foreign transaction fees, plus extra rewards on dining and entertainment could mean lots of opportunities to save money and earn rewards when you travel.

Feature	Capital One Savor Rewards⁸
Annual fee	95 USD
Purchase rate	16.24% — 24.24%
Rewards and other benefits	4% cash back on dining and entertainment 3% cash back on groceries 1% cash back on everything else New member bonus offers

Because Capital One generally doesn’t impose a foreign transaction fee, their cards can be a good option for anyone that travels.

But if savoring the local food wherever you go is your thing, this could be a match made in gastronomic heaven.

9. Discover it Cash Back

Discover it Cash Back could be a good option if you want a no foreign transaction fee that’s as good for everyday purchases as it is for travel spending.

This card offers 1% cash back on everything, year round, with great bonus opportunities with 5% cash back on selected spend categories, which rotate every quarter.

Feature	Discover it Cash Back ⁹
Annual fee	No annual fee
Purchase rate	0% for 15 months, then 12.74% to 23.74%
Rewards and other benefits	5% cash back on different places each quarter 1% on everything else Your rewards are doubled in the first year

If you don’t want the hassle of using one card for day to day spending and another when you travel this Discover option is worth checking out.

Don’t forget, though, that Discover isn’t as widely accepted internationally as it is in the US.

10. Marriott Bonvoy credit cards — from Chase

If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy fan this no foreign transaction fee card from Chase might suit you perfectly.

Get up to an amazing 14x rewards when you spend with Marriott, with rewards available on all other spend, too.

Feature	Chase Marriott Bonvoy credit card ¹⁰
Annual fee	No annual fee for Bonvoy Bold
Purchase rate	16.24% — 23.24%
Rewards and other benefits	14x rewards for spending with Marriott Bonvoy 2x rewards on travel, 1x on everything else Free hotel stays based on card status Bonus card opening offers

With no annual fee to worry about, this one might be a no-brainer if you’re a regular user of Marriott Bonvoy hotels and resorts here or abroad.

Bonus: the Wise travel debit card

Sometimes what you really need is not a credit card at all. Wise offers you a smart way of spending money internationally — without any hidden fees or annual charges.

You’ll only ever pay a small conversion fee when you use your card internationally and, unlike with traditional banks, no mark-ups on the exchange rate.

Feature	Wise international debit card
Annual fee	No fee
Purchase rate	No credit available — so no interest to pay
Rewards and other benefits	Hold 50+ currencies and exchange between them with the real mid-market exchange rate Spend all over the world and make withdrawals from 2.3 million ATMs Discounts and benefits from Wise partners

With no annual fee and the possibility of holding money in several currencies, Wise is a great option if you travel often or live between more than one country.

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Credit cards aren’t the right choice for everyone — but if you like to spend on credit while you’re away you’ll certainly want a card with no foreign transaction fees.

Compare our top picks, and check out alternative options like the Wise international debit card, too, to manage your budget and cut down on costs during your trip as well.

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Sources:

1. Capital One Venture Miles Rewards - Fee schedule
2. Discover it Miles card
3. Amex Gold card
4. Bank of America Travel Rewards Card
5. Chase Sapphire Preferred
6. GSA.gov - Travel charge card
7. Hilton Honors Amex card
8. Capital One Savor Rewards
9. Discover it Cash Back
10. Marriott Bonvoy credit cards - Pricing

Sources checked on 06.10.2022