Traveling Abroad? The Best Credit Cards For International Travel - January 2022

Going abroad today is easier than ever, especially if you’ve got the flexibility to make your travel arrangements at the last minute to get some of the great deals that are around with airlines, hotels, and car rentals.

And with the holidays and New Years behind us, I know a lot of us are planning and thinking about the next time we are going to pack up and head out on our next trip.

Whether you’re simply crossing the border to Canada or Mexico, or heading to Europe, Asia or elsewhere around the globe, the best credit cards for international travel are accepted nearly everywhere and do not charge foreign currency transaction fees—sometimes called FX fees.

Even better, some offer 24/7 international concierge service. Here are our picks—all require excellent credit:

Overview of the best credit cards for international travel

Best credit cards for international travel – no foreign transaction fee

If you have excellent credit, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the must-have card for any serious traveler and also an excellent choice for anyone heading abroad. It has a $95 annual fee—still well worth it if you’ll do a bit of spending on the card. It has no foreign transaction fees, plus chip-enabled for enhanced security and wider acceptance when used at a chip card reader.

Best yet, Sapphire’s points-based travel rewards program quickly earns you free travel. You’ll earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3X points on dining, 2X points on all other travel purchases, & 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. 

When redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, these points can be traded via 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs. Or, you can get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 10,000 points are worth $125 toward travel. Those points are also worth $100 in cash, if you prefer not to spend your points on travel.

This card also has an award-winning 24/7 dedicated customer service line that can come in handy while you’re traveling.

There’s also a generous bonus for new cardmembers: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or read our full review

For years, the Capital One Venture and VentureOne Rewards Credit Cards have been our go-to recommendation for young travelers looking for a credit card to take abroad that offers no foreign transaction fees and a straightforward rewards program.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 2x miles per dollar spent on all purchases that can be redeemed for any travel at any time. Miles don’t expire and there’s no limit to how much you can earn. As a new cardmember, you can earn 60,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The card’s annual fee is: $95.

There’s also a no annual fee version, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card that earns 1.25 miles per dollar spent on every purchase.

You can read our full review and comparison of the Venture and VentureOne Rewards Credit Cards, but most people will get far more miles by paying the fee and earning 2x miles per dollar spent. You want to consider a different card if you want a no annual fee card for international travel or simply earning miles.

Learn more about the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or read our full review

Opening a Citi Premier® Card is an ideal way to offset the expense of a big upcoming trip.

As soon as you cross the $4,000 spending threshold within the first three months, you’ll get 60,000 ThankYou® Points credited to your account, redeemable for $600 in gift cards (when redeemed at thankyou.com). Plus, if you book a hotel stay over $500, the card’s Annual Hotel Savings Benefit will immediately comp you $100.

Last but certainly not least, this card’s greatest draw is its evergreen 3 points per dollar spent on travel, dining, and hotels, but also on essential categories like gas and supermarket spending. Plus, you’ll get 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

The Citi Premier® Card’s chief drawback is its $95 annual fee.

Learn more about the Citi Premier® Card or read our full review

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card earns rewards at a lower rate than other cards on this list, but it remains a decent choice for someone looking for a travel rewards credit card with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. If you’re not a big spender, you might want to opt for a card like the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card instead of a card with a large annual fee you’ll struggle to justify.

The card’s reward structure is simple, unlike some other cards’, which might force the user to keep track of quarterly rewards category. You’ll also get a healthy sign-up bonus of 20,000 miles when you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months of opening the account, which is a $200 value.

Learn more about the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card or read our full review

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a great option for small business owners with frequent travel expenses. Cardholders earn an impressive 3x points on all travel spending. They also earn 3x points on categories including shipping, internet, cable, phone, and online advertising on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases, as well as 1x points on all other purchases.

In addition to these rewards, the card also comes with a generous welcome offer of 100,000 bonus points when cardholders spend $15,000 in the first three months. This amounts to a value of $1,250 when borrowers redeem points through travel rewards with Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Another perk for business owners who travel frequently is the absence of foreign transaction fees, meaning you won’t incur any additional fees when you use your card internationally. While there is a $95 annual fee, in most cases borrowers will earn much more than that in rewards, meaning that the card more than pays for itself.

Learn more about the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Summary: Best credit cards for international travel

Should you get a travel credit card?

Not sure you want a travel credit card? Looking for a cash rewards card? Or maybe you want to snag a generous sign-up bonus? Finding the right credit card for you is much simpler if you know your credit score, and can narrow your search to only the cards you know you’ll get approved for. We’ve made it easy for you. If you don’t already know your score, use our quick and free Credit Score Estimator tool – then find the perfect card for you!

• Best credit cards for a credit score over 750
• Best credit cards for a credit score between 700 – 749
• Best credit cards for a credit score between 650 – 699
• Best credit cards for a credit score between 600 – 649
• Best credit cards for a credit score under 599

Summary

Even if you don’t get a new credit card before you leave the country, do check with your existing credit card companies and bank to learn their fees on foreign transactions before you go, and try to stick with the cheapest method.

Typically, withdrawing cash at an ATM or using your credit card will be less costly than using money changers. Not to mention, using a credit card can be safer than using a debit card overseas.

It can also be helpful to call your credit card companies before you travel to let them know you’ll be out of the country; this way it’s less likely they’ll put a hold on your card after you use it in Bangkok. (For this reason, it’s also a good idea to have more than one credit card with you in case this happens … or at least some cash as backup!)

Read more:

Look for rewards to put toward an upcoming trip? Here are some more of the best credit cards of 2022.