Do you have a trip planned overseas or thinking about booking one? Make sure your travel rewards credit card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.
If you don't know if your credit card charges a foreign transaction fee, go to the credit card's website and look for a link to "pricing and information," "rates and fees" or "terms." One such link should bring you to the Schumer Box, a summary of your card's fees, interest rates and terms. You may also find the Schumer Box on printed statements.
Best yet? Some of these cards are offering a $1,000+ bonus offer to new cardholders.
Cards with no foreign transaction fees
Foreign transaction fees typically range from 1%–3% of the value of a transaction, and while this may not seem like much, these fees can add up over time. For example, a week's stay at a European hotel could cost you $3,000. If your card's foreign transaction fee is 3%, you must pay an additional $90.
Here are some of the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees. Kiplinger vetted each card for its annual review of the best travel rewards credit cards. And our readers selected several of these cards in our latest Readers' Choice Awards credit cards for travel. This list is not exhaustive but includes examples from a range of issuers.
Some of these cards offer substantial sign-up bonuses for new cardholders. Remember that you are unlikely to get your bonus points or miles immediately.
If you want to use a sign-up bonus for an upcoming trip, contact the card issuer to see when the bonus will be posted to your account. And as always, before applying for any credit card, review the card's details to ensure you’re making the right choice.
Here are seven choices, listed in alphabetical order:
1. BILT Mastercard®
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Annual fee: None.
- Rewards rates: Three points per dollar on dining; get two points on travel, one point per dollar on rent payments (up to 100,000 points each year), and one point on other purchases.
- Interest rates: 20.49% to 28.49% variable APR.
2. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Annual fee: $95
- Sign-up bonus - $250 for a limited time: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.
- Rewards rates: Five miles per dollar spent on hotel stays and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; all other spending earns two miles per dollar; limited airport lounge access and other benefits apply.
- Interest rate: 19.99% to 29.24% variable APR for purchases.
3. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Annual fee: At $395, the annual fee is lower than that of many luxury travel cards.
- Sign-up bonus: 75,000 miles if you spend $4,000 in the first three months.
- Rewards rates: Earn 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, five miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and two miles per dollar on all other purchases
- Interest rate: 19.99% - 29.24% variable APR for purchases.
4. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Rewards rates: Five points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ and two points per dollar on other travel spending; three points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online groceries; and one point per dollar on other spending.
- Interest rate: 19.99% to 28.24% variable APR for purchases and balance transfers.
5. Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Sign-up bonus: 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 in the first three months. That's a $600 value when redeemed for travel or gift cards. And 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, on ThankYou.com or by calling 1-800-Thankyou (TTY: 711).
- Rewards rates: 10 total ThankYou Points for each $1 spent on hotel, car rental and attraction bookings on the Citi Travel℠ site via CitiTravel.com or 1-833-737-1288 (TTY:711); Three ThankYou Points for each $1 spent on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants and supermarkets and at gas and EV charging stations; One ThankYou Point for each $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Interest rate: 20.24% to 28.24% variable APR for purchases.
6. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Annual fee: $350.
- Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Rewards rates: Earn three miles per dollar on Delta purchases and purchases made with hotels. Earn two miles per dollar on restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. Earn one mile per dollar on all other qualified purchases.
- Interest rate: 20.24% to 29.24% variable APR for purchases. See rates and fees.
- Terms apply
- See rates and fees.
7. U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
- Annual fee: None.
- Sign-up bonus: 20,000 points, worth $200, if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days.
- Rewards rates:
- Interest rate: Get 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers† for the first 15 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR applies, currently 18.24% - 28.24%.
The bottom line
Exploring a new country can make for a trip of a lifetime. Before embarking on your quest, make sure you have a credit card that won't charge you fees for traveling to different countries. Doing so can help you save more money while creating memories.
