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The best credit cards for international travel
by
Irene Scott
October 2, 2023
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Key results
- The best credit cards you will want to use abroad do not charge foreign transfer fees and offer rewards on your spending.
- We've selected six travel credit cards that appeal to different types of consumers and given you tips for choosing the card that's right for you.
Dicredit cards can be valuable tools when you use them close to home, but they should also be on your packing list when traveling abroad. Not only do you need a credit card to pay a deposit for a hotel room, but you will probably also need one to rent a car. Also, if you run out of money while traveling, a credit card allows you to charge what you need and pay the balance when you return.
The best credit cards for international travel also allow you to avoid extra fees on international transactions and earn rewards for every dollar spent. Some also offer strong travel protections that can protect you financially if your flight is delayed or your luggage is lost or stolen.
If you are planning a trip abroad this year, here are some of the best cards to consider.
American Express Platinum card: best for international travel in general
Why we chose it: the American Express Platinum Card® makes it easy to accumulate American Express Membership Rewards points, which can be used for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, travel purchased through the American Express Travel portal, or transfers to Amex partner airlines and hotels. An annual fee of $695 applies, but the first year and ongoing benefits can more than offset this fee.
As a welcome offer, you can earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 within six months of account opening. You will also earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year); 5X points on prepaid hotel reservations with American Express Travel; 2X points on prepaid car rentals with American Express Travel; and 1X points on all other purchases.
There are no transaction fees for purchases made abroad, and this card offers the most airport lounge access of any travel card. It also includes a credit of up to $100 for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and a credit of up to $189 for CLEAR membership each year. Other credits that add value to this card are a $200 credit for annual incidentals, $200 in Uber cash (paid in monthly installments), a $200 hotel credit for Fine Hotels + Resorts reservations made through Amex, and more. You will also have access to the Global Assist hotline, which will help you plan for emergencies in case of legal or medical problems while traveling.
Benefits :
- Ability to transfer points to Amex partner airlines and hotels.
- Access to Global's collection of lounges (including Priority Pass and Centurion lounges).
- Automatic Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy Gold status (registration required).
- Excellent travel insurance, including delay and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
- Over $1,500 in credits
Contraindications
- Annual fee of $695
- Some credits on the card may be difficult to use.
Who is this card for? If you travel often and are able to use the benefits of the card to offset the cost of the annual fee, the Amex Platinum is a must.
Who should do without it? If you do not want to pay such a high annual fee or do not intend to use the many benefits of the Amex Platinum, you would be better off choosing another card.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: Best for flexible rewards.
Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® allows you to earn 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 within three months of account opening. You also earn 10 points on hotel stays and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 10 points on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards; 10 points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025); 5 points on air travel through Ultimate Rewards; 3 points on general travel and dining purchases; and 1 point on all other purchases. Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed in a variety of ways, including cash back, gift cards, merchandise, travel through the Chase portal, or 1:1 point transfers to travel partners.
This card offers some of the best travel protections of any credit card. These include primary coverage for car rental, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, travel delay coverage, reimbursement for lost luggage, and emergency evacuation and transportation coverage. In addition, you will enjoy airport lounge access, a credit of up to $100 for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS, an annual travel credit of $300, and a 50 percent bonus on travel redemptions made through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Note that the Chase Sapphire Reserve carries a hefty $550 annual fee.
Benefits :
- 300 annual travel credit points
- Ability to transfer points to Chase airline and hotel partners
- Up to $100 in credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS
- Access to airport lounges
- Excellent travel insurance
Cons
- Annual fee of $550.
- Fewer travel partners than Amex
Who should consider this card? If you travel often and are able to offset the cost of the annual fee with the many benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve, this card may be for you.
Who should do without it? If you don't travel often, don't want to pay an annual fee, or don't use enough benefits to justify the cost of card membership, you might consider a travel card with a lower annual fee (or no fee).
Chase Sapphire Preferred: the best for domestic and international travel
Why we chose it: the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card offers the same kind of rewards as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, including the same great transfer partners for domestic and international travel. For example, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are the only ones that can be transferred directly to Southwest Rapid Rewards. You can also transfer points to partners such as United MilagePlus, Air France/Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy, and the valuable World of Hyatt program, among others.
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred you pay a much lower fee ($95), which deprives you of some travel benefits. However, this card offers a number of important benefits that can be useful for international travel, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, primary coverage for car rentals, baggage delay coverage, trip delay protection, and more. Because you get a 25 percent bonus when you redeem points for travel through the Chase portal, this bonus alone is worth $1,000 in airfare, hotels, and more. Also note that this card allows users to earn 3X points on meals (including eligible delivery services), certain streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs); 5X points on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards and Lyft Rides (Lyft offer through March 31, 2025); 2X points on other travel; and 1X points on other purchases.
Benefits:
- Great welcome offer
- 50 annual points for hotels
- 10% extra points for anniversaries
- Exceptional travel protection included
- 95% discount on annual fee
Disadvantages :
- No access to airport lounges
- No other benefits related to high-end travel.
Who should consider this card? Consider this card if you want flexible travel rewards but do not want to pay the high annual fee of some premium travel credit cards.
Who should do without it? Forget this card if you want luxury perks such as access to airport lounges.
Capital One Venture Rewards credit card: the best for fixed-rate travel rewards
Why we chose it: if you want flexible rewards and benefits without a high annual fee, consider the Capital One Venture Rewards credit card, with an annual fee of $95. This card allows you to earn 75,000 bonus miles- worth $750 in travel-after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. You will also earn 5X miles on hotel and rental car reservations made through Capital One Travel and 2X miles on all other purchases.
We like the flat rewards structure of this card for its simplicity. In addition to earning more rewards on hotel and rental car reservations with Capital One, the ability to earn 2X miles on all spending can help you quickly build your rewards inventory.
Rewards can be redeemed for a statement credit to cover eligible travel purchases, for travel through the Capital One portal, or to transfer miles to a variety of airline and hotel partners, among many other ways to redeem rewards. The card also offers benefits such as no foreign transaction fees, up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, travel accident insurance, and extended warranty. Cardholders also receive two free visits to Capital One airport lounges located at Dallas - Fort Worth (DFW), Denver (DEN) and Washington D.C. (IAD) airports. These visits can also be used at Capital One partner lounges, including the more than 100 Plaza Premium lounges.
Benefits:
- Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
- Ability to transfer miles to Capital One travel partners.
- Two free airport lounge visits per year.
- Combinable with Visa signature benefits.
Disadvantages:
- Fewer travel protections than Chase Sapphire Preferred, which has a $95 annual fee.
- Capital One transfer partners are generally considered less useful than Chase or Amex.
Who is this program for? If you want flexible rewards for all aspects of your international travel (including hotels, airline tickets, rental cars and trains) and want travel benefits, no foreign transaction fees and a low annual fee, this card is hard to beat.
Not recommended: if you want more travel protections, you might consider another travel credit card with a low annual fee, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Bank of America's Travel Rewards credit card: the best for not paying the annual fee
Why we chose it: if you don't want to pay an annual fee, consider the Travel Rewards credit card from Bank of America®. This card has no foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for international travel. As a welcome offer, you can earn 25,000 points- worth $250 for travel purchases-when you spend $1,000 within 90 days of opening the account. You also get an interest-free offer on purchases and balance transfers (note that balance transfers must be made within the first 60 days to be considered valid).
In terms of rewards, you will earn 1.5X points on all purchases, which can be used to cover any expense that falls under Bank of America's generous definition of travel or dining. This means that you can use your rewards to cover everyday dining purchases even when you are not traveling, which can make this card a little more useful than other travel cards with no annual fee that earn miles. In addition, if you are a member of Bank of America Preferred Rewards, you can earn 25% to 75% extra rewards on every purchase you make.
Benefits :
- No annual fee
- Zero-rate offer on purchases and balance transfers
- Visa Signature card benefits such as travel and emergency assistance, access to Visa Signature Concierge, and reimbursement for lost luggage.
- Ability to earn additional rewards by joining the Preferred Rewards program.
Cons:
- Limited redemption options
- No ability to transfer points to travel partners
- No travel-specific benefits
Who is this card for? If you are looking for a card with no annual fee that offers fixed cash back and no foreign transaction fees, this card may be for you. Also, if you are a Preferred Rewards member with at least Platinum or Platinum Honors status, you can earn from 2.25X points to 2.62X points on all your purchases.
Don't Do: If you are not a Preferred Rewards member, you may consider fixed-rate cash back cards that offer at least 2% cash back on all purchases. If you're looking for other travel benefits but don't want to pay an annual fee of hundreds of dollars, you can consider one of the best travel credit cards with a lower annual fee, such as Capital One Venture.
Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card for students: Best for students
Why we chose it: If you are a student and want to build your credit over time, you should take a look at the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for students. This card allows you to accumulate valuable rewards without paying annual or foreign transaction fees, and you will have access to your FICO credit score every month, free of charge.
In terms of rewards, you will earn unlimited 1.5X points on all your purchases. You will also earn 25,000 points when you spend $1,000 on the card within 90 days of opening your account. When you are ready to redeem your points, you can redeem them for a credit on your statement to pay for flights, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, car rentals, baggage fees and more at a cost of 1 cent per point. Checks, direct deposits and gift cards are other redemption methods, but their net value may not be as high.
Advantages:
- No annual fee
- Free FICO score
- Interest-free offer on purchases and balance transfers
- Consistently high reward rate on all purchases.
- Ability to earn 25-75% additional rewards as a Preferred Rewards member.
Disadvantages:
- Few benefits for travelers or students.
Who is this card for. Students who want to acquire good credit habits and earn rewards without paying an annual fee, or students who plan to study or travel abroad, will be well served by this card.
Don't Do: If you are looking for a card with a different rewards or benefits structure, you should take a look at the other best student credit cards currently on the market. Many offer higher rewards for student purchases and no foreign transaction fees.
Compare the best cards for international travel
Card: American Express Platinum Card
Annual fee: 695
Welcome offer: 100,000 points after spending $6,000 within 6 months of account opening.
Reward rate:
- 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year).
- 5X points on prepaid hotel reservations with American Express Travel.
- 2X points on prepaid car rentals with American Express Travel.
- 1X points on all other purchases
Card: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Annual fee: $550 USD
Welcome offer: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 within 3 months of account opening.
Reward rate:
- 10X points on hotel stays and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 10X points on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards
- 10X points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
- 5X points on air travel through Ultimate Rewards
- 3X points on general travel and dining purchases
- 1X points on all other purchases
Card: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Annual fee: 95 euros
Welcome offer: 80,000 points after spending $4,000 within 3 months of account opening.
Reward rate:
- 5X points on trips with Chase Ultimate Rewards and Lyft Rides (Lyft offer through March 31, 2025).
- 3X points on meals (including eligible delivery services), selected streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs).
- 2X points on other travel
- 1X points on all other purchases
Card: Capital One Venture Rewards credit card.
Annual fee: 95 euros
Welcome offer: 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within 3 months of account opening.
Reward rate:
- 5X miles on hotel and rental car reservations made through Capital One Travel.
- 2X miles on all other purchases
Card: Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card.
Annual fee: 0
Welcome offer: 25,000 points earned after spending $1,000 within 90 days of account opening.
Rewards rate:
- 1.5X points on all purchases
Card: Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card for students
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: 25,000 points after spending $1,000 within 90 days of account opening
Rewards rate:
- 1.5X points on all purchases
How to choose a card for international travel
Choosing a card for international travel should not be too difficult, given the many options available. However, the following tips can help you choose the best card for your needs.
- Gather the awards that interest you most. First of all, it is important to choose a travel credit card that offers the type of rewards you want to obtain. If you can't decide on the type of rewards you want, consider credit cards that offer flexible rewards that allow you to accumulate points to use for gift cards, statement credits, travel and more.
- Choose a card with no foreign transaction fees. You absolutely must choose a credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees. If you do not choose a card without foreign transaction fees, you will end up paying an average of 3 percent more per foreign purchase.
- Check if you have access to airport lounges. This can be extremely helpful if you hate waiting for your flight at a crowded gate or if you often have a long layover. Cards that offer airport lounge access are generally more expensive, but the free food and drinks you will receive can more than offset the cost.
- Choose a card that offers credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Finally, consider cards that give you expedited access to security screening under one of these programs. These two programs allow you to avoid airport lines, saving you hours of waiting time over the course of a year.
Signing up for one of the best travel credit cards can make travel more comfortable and convenient, both domestically and internationally, but it is important to understand all the travel credit cards you are interested in before signing up for them. Make sure you know the benefits you will enjoy as a cardholder, including those that will come in handy when traveling abroad, such as no foreign transaction fees, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, credits for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, airport lounge access, and more.
