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Best Credit Cards For International Travel
WalletHub makes it easy to find the best international credit card.
International credit cards have $0 foreign transaction fees and can be used in more than 200 countries and territories internationally. Using an international credit card abroad can also help you save 7% to 10% on foreign currency conversion. Plus, the best credit cards for international travel have great rewards, travel insurance and other helpful perks … show more… show more
INTERNATIONAL CREDIT CARDS
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Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

- $200 initial bonus
- 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
- Potential for a very high interest rate
- Balance transfer fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

- 20,000 miles initial bonus
- Unlimited 1.25 miles per $1 on every purchase
- Miles are redeemable for any travel-related expense on your bill
- 0% intro APRs
- No annual fee
- Balance transfer fee
- Potential for a very high regular APR
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

- $200 initial bonus
- High rewards rate
- $0 annual fee
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
- High regular APR
- Balance transfer fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

- 20,000-point initial bonus
- 3 points / $1 spent in bonus categories
- $0 annual fee
- 0% for 12 months from account opening on purchases intro offer
- $600 in cell phone protection (subject to a $25 deductible)
- 19.24% - 29.24% Variable regular APR
- No balance transfer promotion
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

- 75,000 miles initial bonus
- Unlimited 2 miles per $1 on every purchase
- Redeem for any-travel related expense
- $0 foreign transaction fee
- Terrible cash back redemption rate
- Monthly earnings are lost when bill payments are late
- Not built for financing
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Chase Sapphire Reserve®

- Initial Bonus: 60,000 points
- $300 Annual Travel Credit
- Up To 15% Back On Hotels and Car Rentals
- High Annual Fee
- High APR
First Tech Choice Rewards World Mastercard® First Tech Choice Rewards World Mastercard®

- No membership fees
- 0% intro APR on balance transfers
- No balance transfer fee
- High rewards rate
- No intro APR on purchases
Capital One Platinum Credit Card Capital One Platinum Credit Card

- No annual fee
- Available to people with limited credit
- Free credit-score access
- No foreign transaction fee
- No rewards
- High regular APR
- No reduced introductory rates
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

- 25,000 points initial bonus ($250 in travel)
- 1.5 points / $1 spent
- No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
- User-friendly travel rewards redemption
- Very high regular APR
- Requires excellent credit
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

- 75,000-mile initial bonus
- 2 - 10 miles per $1 spent on purchases
- Annual statement credit & bonus opportunities
- Airport lounge access
- $395 annual fee
- Not good for financing
- Requires excellent credit
Best Credit Cards for International Travel in 2023
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the best credit card for international travel overall, thanks to great rewards, low fees and helpful secondary benefits. It’s also accepted worldwide.
Why We Like It: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers an initial bonus of 75,000 miles for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus 2 - 5 miles per $1 on purchases normally. In addition, you can redeem your miles to pay for pretty much any travel-related expense you charge to your card, and you won’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees.
Those are just some of the reasons why Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ranks first in WalletHub’s latest International Travel Credit Card Cost & Benefit Report.
What We Don’t Like: This card has a $95 annual fee. Carrying a balance from month to month would be expensive, too.
Who Should Get It: Apply for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card if you have good credit or better and you travel often but don’t want to commit to a single airline or hotel chain.
Alternatives to Consider: If you’re a big-spender, consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Or, if you’d rather avoid paying an annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a good option.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the best no annual fee credit cards for international travel.
Why We Like It: The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card has a $0 annual fee, a $0 foreign transaction fee, an introductory APR of 0% for 15 months, and an initial bonus of $200 for spending $500 in the first 3 months. You also get 1.5 - 5% cash back on purchases normally.
What We Don’t Like: The card’s regular APR is pretty high, and its bonus travel rewards require booking through Capital One Travel.
Who Should Get It: Consider applying for this card if you want to avoid foreign fees and annual fees while earning rewards at an above-average rate. You also need at least good credit for approval.
Alternatives to Consider: Discover it® Miles is another no-annual-fee option worth looking into.
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is the best international credit card for bad credit because it’s easy to get approved for, it has a $0 annual fee and a $0 foreign fee, and it gives above-average rewards.
Why We Like It: Cardholders earn 1.5 - 5% cash back on purchases and don’t have to worry about annual membership fees or fees for making international transactions.
What We Don’t Like: You need to place a refundable security deposit of $200 or more. The amount you put down becomes your spending limit.
Who Should Get It: Consider applying for this card if you currently have bad or limited credit.
Alternatives to Consider: The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card is another good secured card. If you’re in school, you should also consider student credit cards without foreign fees.
Citi Premier® Card
The Citi Premier® Card is one of the best credit cards with rewards points for international travel.
Why We Like It: The Citi Premier® Card offers an initial bonus of 60,000 points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus ongoing rewards of 1 - 3 points per $1 spent. It also has no foreign transaction fee.
What We Don’t Like: There is an annual fee of $95 and a high regular APR.
Who Should Get It: Consider applying for this card if you have good credit or better and you’ll be able to qualify for its initial bonus.
Alternatives to Consider: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is another great option for bonus travel rewards, and the Citi Double Cash Card is another Citicard worth considering (for domestic purchases).
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the best credit cards for international travel because of its attractive bonus rewards and international benefits.
Why We Like It: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers an initial bonus of 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. In addition, cardholders earn up to 1 - 5 points per $1 on purchases and enjoy perks like baggage insurance and travel emergency assistance.
What We Don’t Like: This card has a high APR and requires booking at least some travel through Chase’s travel portal if you want to get maximum value. It also has an annual fee of $95.
Who Should Get It: Consider applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card if you have good credit or better and will be able to meet the spending requirement for its initial bonus.
Alternatives to Consider: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is another elite Chase card with solid travel rewards, among other perks.
In general, the best credit cards for international travel work all around the globe, in hundreds of countries and territories, offering really good rewards without charging international fees (unlike more than 90% of cards). Many also have a feature called chip and PIN for easier use and added security abroad. Plus, the best credit card for international travel can save you as much as 9% on currency conversion alone.
Fortunately, there are lots of great international credit cards available right now. Below, you can see how WalletHub’s editors’ picks compare in some key categories.
Best International Credit Cards Comparison
Credit Card | Best For | Annual Fee | International Fee |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Winner | $95 | 0% |
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card | No Annual Fee | $0 | 0% |
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card | Bad Credit | $0 | 0% |
Citi Premier® Card | Points | $95 | 0% |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Initial Bonus | $95 | 0% |
Learn More About International Credit Cards
Avoiding dynamic currency conversion
Getting one of the best international credit cards won’t do you much good if you fall for a merchant trick known as dynamic currency conversion. They offer to convert the amount of your purchase to U.S. dollars from the native currency as an excuse to apply an unfavorable exchange rate and pocket extra profit. So always pay in the currency in which prices are listed.
International credit cards for bad credit
The best international credit card for bad credit is the Capital One Platinum Credit Card because it has a $0 foreign transaction fee and a $0 annual fee. It also works wherever Mastercard is accepted. Although there isn’t as much of a selection of international credit cards for people with bad credit as there is for people with higher scores, some good options are indeed available.
International credit cards on WeChat Pay
Foreign visitors to China can now link an international credit card to WeChat Pay in order to more easily make purchases in the country. Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Diner’s Club and JCB cards are all compatible, at least in theory. Reports are mixed about whether this new feature actually works as advertised yet.
Methodology for Selecting the Best International Credit Cards
To identify the best international credit cards, WalletHub’s editors regularly compare all of the Visa and Mastercard credit cards with no foreign transaction fees from our database of more than 1,500 credit card offers. We focus on cards on the Visa or Mastercard network, as they are the most widely accepted internationally. Similarly, cards with no foreign fees are essential to international purchases, saving cardholders around 3% on every international transaction.
Beyond card networks and foreign fees, we calculate how much the average person traveling internationally or making purchases online through international merchants is likely to save with each card, considering rewards earnings, annual fees and, in some cases, interest charges. We also consider approval requirements in order to identify good options for people of all credit levels.
Why People Trust WalletHub
Unlike other sites that only promote cards they're paid by, WalletHub's editors focus on finding the best cards. WalletHub makes it easy to find the best international credit cards.
Credit Cards For International Travel FAQ
Comparing international credit cards can be tough. But you’ve got the knowledgeable WalletHub community on your side. We encourage everyone to share their knowledge while respecting our content guidelines. Please keep in mind that editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. In addition, it is not the financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered.show more
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Featured Credit Cards
Expert Opinions
To help travelers choose and use international credit cards as wisely as possible, WalletHub posed the following questions to a panel of experts and invited them to share their insights. You can find their bios and responses below.
- What’s the most important thing to look for in a credit card for international travel?
- What’s the biggest credit card mistake that international travelers make?
- Would you ever recommend getting an American Express or Discover credit card for international travel?
- Do you know of any international destinations where a U.S. credit card will not work?
Madonna University, Chair of Undergraduate Programs, School of Business, Assistant Professor of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Merchandising & Retail Management
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Clinical Professor, Associate Director, BHP NYC, Pace University, Lubin School of Business
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Endowed Chair and Director, University of South Carolina - SmartState Center for Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
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Ph.D., Associate Professor, Academic Program Coordinator, Tourism and Events Management, School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management, George Mason University
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Ph.D., CHIA., CAHTA, Associate Professor and Director, Hospitality Management, Coca-Cola/BORSF Endowed Professorship in Hospitality Management, Community Coffee Company, Inc./LEQSF Regents Professorship in Hospitality Management, Department of Management, B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
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Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Recreation, Parks and Tourism Department, Radford University
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