What's the best Bank of America credit card for international travel?

Barclaycard Arrival Plus is the best credit card for international travel. It earned a total score of 88% in WalletHub’s analysis of 69 of the most popular travel rewards cards, easily topping the runners up: USAA Visa Signature cards (85.52%). Why? Arrival Plus offers solid travel insurance, financial assistance for travel emergencies, the ability to get a replacement card while abroad and very attractive travel rewards. Plus, it doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee.... read full answer
You can learn more about the best cards from WalletHub’s International Travel Credit Card Cost & Benefit Report. But in general, there are a handful of things that you’ll want in a credit card for international travel:

• Worldwide Acceptance: Visa and Mastercard are the only two card networks with global ubiquity. They’ll also save you up to 9% on currency conversion, if you choose the right card.
• No Foreign Transaction Fee: The average credit card charges a fee equal to 1.64% of any purchase processed outside the U.S. That could add up to a lot, so make sure you have a no foreign transaction fee credit card.
• Rewards: The right rewards card could save you a bundle on international travel. Whether that card offers airline miles, points or cash back depends on your future travel plans. For example, you may want cash back if you don’t plan to fly anywhere in the foreseeable future.
• Insurance: Many travel rewards credit cards offer rental car insurance as well as general travel insurance, which covers lost/delayed baggage and cancelled/interrupted trips.

Finally, you need to make sure your credit score gives you reasonable odds of being approved for a given credit card. You can check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub.

The Bank of America foreign transaction fee is either 3% or 0% of the converted US dollar amount of all international transactions, depending on the BofA card. Bank of America credit cards with 0% foreign transaction fees include the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card.

No foreign fee Bank of America cards clearly are a better choice for international spending than the ones with a 3% surcharge for everything you buy abroad. That’s actually one of the highest foreign fees on the market. So international shoppers need to be careful when picking a Bank of America credit card and perhaps consider cards from other issuers too.... read full answer

Bank of America foreign transaction fees info:

• Some Bank of America credit cards have 3% foreign transaction fees.
• Other Bank of America credit cards have 0% foreign transaction fees.
• Foreign transaction fees can apply when you travel abroad or make online purchases from foreign merchants.

At 3%, the Bank of America foreign transaction fee is too steep for anyone planning to make international purchases. But the cards that charge it are meant more for everyday spending than travel. The good news is there are a handful of foreign fee-less alternatives.

Best Bank of America credit cards with no foreign transaction fees:

Keep in mind that more and more cards from other issuers are shedding their foreign fees. So, if you’re not loyal to Bank of America, you can check out our editors’ latest picks for the best no foreign transaction fee credit cards to weigh your options.

Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover credit cards are all accepted worldwide. Visa and Mastercard are the two largest card networks in the world, both in terms of geographical spread and merchant acceptance. Mastercard credit cards are accepted in more than 210 countries and territories, while Visa credit cards are accepted in more than 200 countries. Discover credit cards are also accepted in approximately 200 countries, but merchant acceptance in those places will be spottier. Lastly, American Express cards are accepted in over 160 countries and territories.... read full answer

In addition to being card networks, American Express and Discover also issue credit cards, while Visa and Mastercard do not. Rather, many different banks and credit unions issue credit cards on the Visa or Mastercard network. That means the cards will work anywhere Visa or Mastercard does, and cardholders will receive some other network benefits, such as travel insurance. It also means you have a lot more options than you might have thought. So let's take a look at some of the top ones.

Here are the best worldwide credit cards:

The Capital One Venture offers 75,000 miles for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. On top of that, it earns 5 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per $1 on all other purchases. Plus, it charges a $95 annual fee. It also features a $0 foreign transaction fee. The card requires a credit score of 700, at a minimum. That means you need at least good credit or better to get approved.

The Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students is a Visa card with a $0 annual fee and a 0% foreign transaction fee. It also offers a 25,000 points for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. Plus, you can earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center and 1.5 points per $1 spent on all other purchases. The card accepts applications from students with limited credit (less than 3 years of credit history).

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a Visa with a $0 foreign fee that offers a slew of international perks, including great travel insurance. It also has very good rewards, such as 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, you can earn 5 points per $1 spent on travel purchased through Chase, 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases, 3 points per $1 on dining and online grocery purchases, 3 points per $1 on select streaming services, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. It charges an annual fee of $95. The card requires a credit score of 700, at a minimum. That means you need at least good credit or better to get approved.

The Chase Ink Preferred is a Visa with a $0 foreign fee offering 100,000 points for spending $15,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, it earns 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent per year on travel and select business expenses, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. The card comes with a $95 annual fee. It requires a credit score of 700, at a minimum. That means you need at least good credit or better to get approved.

At the end of the day, there are a few things that are really important to consider when shopping for the best credit card that's accepted worldwide. The card’s network is important because it will control where it is accepted. Then, you also need to look at foreign fees, annual fees and rewards to find the right mix for you. If you have bad credit, your best option will be a secured Visa or Mastercard.