Credit Cards For International Travel

There is one Visa exchange rate for every type of currency, which can change once every 24 hours. And that rate is automatically applied to any international transaction made with a Visa credit card or debit card. You can easily check the latest Visa exchange rates online to get an idea of what to expect when traveling.

Here’s how to see your Visa exchange rate:

1. Go to Visa’s online Exchange Rate Calculator.

2. Select United States Dollar for your card’s currency.

3. Select the currency used by the merchant.

4. Enter your bank fee (foreign transaction fee), if applicable. Ideally, you should use a no foreign transaction fee credit card.

5. Put in today’s date (the tool can’t predict the future).

6. Click “Calculate Exchange Rates.”

Using a no foreign transaction fee Visa credit card when traveling abroad will save you up to 9% compared to converting hard currency, according to WalletHub’s Currency Exchange Study. But a Mastercard will do the trick, too. There’s actually not much difference between the exchange rates offered by these two worldwide card networks.

Lastly, you should always avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). This is when a foreign vendor converts the price of a purchase to U.S. dollars, supposedly for your convenience. But that gives the merchant a chance to use an unfavorable exchange rate in place of the low rate you’d automatically get from Visa.

There’s a different Mastercard exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and approximately 150 other currencies, and they all fluctuate from day to day. You can easily see what exchange rate your transaction will have by going to Mastercard’s exchange rate calculator. 

It’s very simple to use. All you have to do is put in the date, currency of the merchant, transaction amount, foreign transaction fee (if applicable) and United States Dollar (USD) as your card’s currency. Then click “calculate,” and you’ll see the amount you’re paying in USD at the bottom right. The exchange rate will be to the left of that.

Let’s take a look at some of today’s exchange rates for popular travel spots. These rates are current as of 06/06/18 but are subject to change as time goes on. 

Popular Mastercard exchange rates:

• Euro: 1 EUR = 1.17 USD
• Bahamian Dollar: 1 BHD = 1 USD
• Canadian Dollar: 1 CAD = 0.77 USD
• Great British Pound: 1 GBP = 1.34 USD
• Mexican Peso: 1 MXN = 0.05 USD
• Chinese Yuan Renminbi: 1CNY = 0.16 USD
• Japanese Yen: 1 JPY = 0.01 USD
• Russian Ruble: 1 RUB = 0.02 USD

Credit cards are actually the cheapest way to convert currency. But you may still be subject to a foreign transaction fee, which is an extra charge when you buy from a foreign merchant. While all Mastercards offer the same exchange rates, only some of them charge foreign transaction fees. 

You can compare no foreign fee Mastercard credit cards on WalletHub. And if you’re still unsure about which to apply for, you can join WalletHub for free to get personalized credit card recommendations with high approval odds.

Yes and No. You should be able to use your card basically everywhere that takes plastic, with the exception of automated payment machines, such as the kiosks in train stations and self-serve gas pumps, which only accept chip-and-pin cards. The fact that this card uses chip and signature security is not the main reason why you should question bringing it abroad, however. It charges a 3% foreign transaction fee on any purchase that is processed outside of the United States, which could significantly inflate the cost of your trip. You should still make sure to have a credit card when traveling, though, both for security and because credit cards charge far lower exchange rates than you'd get when exchanging actual U.S. dollars for Euros at a bank or airport kiosk. None of Capital One's credit cards have foreign transaction fees, for example, which means the Capital One Secured MasterCard ( https://wallethub.com/d/capital-one-secured-credit-card-383c/ ) and the Capital One Platinum Card ( https://wallethub.com/d/capital-one-platinum-83c/ ) could be options. Let us know if you have any other questions, and have a great time!

It’s a good idea to get an international debit card before traveling abroad. You won’t be able to use plastic for every purchase. So you’re going to need some cash. And while you could convert hard currency at a bank or airport kiosk, both options are far more expensive than using a Visa or Mastercard debit card to withdraw cash as needed.

You just need to find one with no foreign transaction fee and a low international ATM fee. In general, an ATM fee below 1% is a pretty good deal.

International prepaid credit cards don’t exist. “Prepaid credit card” is made-up term that is sometimes used by prepaid card issuers for marketing purposes. You aren’t extended a line of credit with a prepaid card; it’s more like you are using a debit card without the associated bank account. As long as your prepaid card bears the MasterCard or Visa logo and you notify your issuer of your travel plans, you should be able to use it abroad and it is an “international prepaid card.”