A foreign transaction fee is a sneaky cost you might incur on international purchases, ranging from 3% to 5% of your transaction amount.
Many credit cards make consumers pay for the cost of converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars. But the best travel cards don't charge foreign transaction fees, making them invaluable for world travelers.
Business Insider's credit card team evaluated dozens of available
no foreign transaction fee credit cards and compared annual fees, benefits, earning rates on rewards, and potential drawbacks to bring you our top recommendations.
These are the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees you can get right now, according to our experts.
Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards of 2025
| Best For | Card | Annual Fee |
| Best for no annual fee | Discover it® Cash Back | $0 |
| Best for reward maximizers | Bilt Mastercard® (rates and fees) | $0 (rates and fees) |
| Best for foodies | Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0 |
| Best for families | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (rates and fees) | $95 |
| Best for simple rewards | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | $95 |
| Best for drivers | Citi Strata Premier℠ Card | $95 |
| Best for hotel stays | Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card (rates and fees) | $95 |
| Best for travel insurance | Chase Sapphire Reserve® (rates and fees) | $550 |
| Best for airport lounge access | The Platinum Card® from American Express | $695 (rates and fees) |
Best for No Annual Fee
$0
0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Earn Unlimited Cashback Match®
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
The Discover it® Cash Back is one of the best credit cards that offers 5% back on popular rotating categories each quarter up to a spending limit when activated. Your rewards are matched by Discover after the first 12 months, and the card has no annual fee.
Discover it® Cash Back- Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% Cashback Bonus® at Grocery Stores and Wholesale Clubs, April 1 through June 30, 2025, on up to $1,500 in purchases, when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- Apply and you could get a decision in as little as 60 seconds. No annual fee.
- Start shopping and earning rewards in minutes with your digital card, before your physical card arrives in the mail, if eligible.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. Activate by mobile app for free.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.24% to 27.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Introductory APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: 5% cash back on purchases from rotating categories each quarter up to $1,500 when you activate and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
The Discover it® Cash Back is one of the best credit cards for any wallet, especially for those who don't want to pay an annual fee.
It earns 5% cash back on purchases from rotating categories each quarter up to $1,500 when you activate and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases (from April 1 to June 30, 2025, earn 5% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%).
This card doesn't offer a traditional welcome bonus; instead for new card members, Discover will match all the rewards you earn after the first year through its Discover Cashback Match® program. Along with no foreign transaction fees, Discover cards do not charge annual fees, making them easy to keep in your wallet long-term.
Learn more in our Discover it Cash Back card review.
Best for Reward Maximizers
$0
N/A
See Terms
N/A
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
The Bilt Mastercard® is the first credit card to offer up to 100,000 points in a calendar year rewards for paying rent without the transaction fee — and you can redeem your points for travel, merchandise, and more. While it now offers bonus points on dining and select travel, if you're not a renter, you should consider other no-annual-fee rewards credit cards as well.
Bilt Mastercard®- $0 Annual Fee
- Earn 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year
- Earns 3x points on dining
- Earn 2x points on travel
- Earn 1x points on other purchases
- Earn double points on the first of each month (excluding rent, up to 1,000 bonus points)
- Use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points
- Earn up to 5x Bilt points on Lyft rides when you link your Bilt account and pay with your Bilt card
- Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent payments, credit card statement credits, toward a down payment on a home, etc.
- Select "Apply Now" to learn more about the product features, terms, and conditions
Introductory APR: N/A
Annual Fee: $0 (rates and fees)
Rewards: 1 point on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year), 3 points on dining, 2 points on travel, and 1 point on other purchases (use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points)
The Bilt Mastercard® is a well-rounded card for reward maximizers who also enjoy dining out and traveling worldwide. This no-annual-fee card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, making it a great companion for international travel or purchases from foreign companies.
Cardholders can earn double points on most purchases, up to a maximum of 1,000 bonus points, on Bilt Rent Day, the first day of each month with the ability to earn up to 100,000 points on rent in a calendar year. This means that, with a little planning ahead, you could earn up to 6 points per dollar on that fancy Michelin splurge in Taipei or São Paulo.
These Bilt Points can be transferred to many airlines and hotel partners or redeemed for gift cards, merchandise, rent, and more.
Learn more in our Bilt Mastercard card review.
Best for Foodies
Introductory APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee for the first 15 months, then 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time)
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), and 1% cash back on all other purchases
The no-annual-fee Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is a powerful card for people who enjoy dining out, cooking at home, and attending live shows or concerts. It earns generous rewards on many different household expenses, including up to 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases.
The Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, so it's a great choice for buying fancy dinners, sporting event tickets, and other purchases on your next international trip.
New cardholders can earn $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases within three months from account opening.
Learn more in our Capital One Savor card review.
Best for Families
$95
N/A
19.99% - 28.24% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.
Chase Sapphire Preferred- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Introductory APR: N/A
Annual Fee: $95
Rewards: 5 points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2 points on all other travel purchases, and 1 point on all other purchases
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the best travel rewards credit cards available today. It's particularly valuable for families thanks to generous travel insurance benefits for lost or delayed baggage or travel canceled for illness, severe weather, and other covered reasons.
This is the first card on our list that charges an annual fee, but it's well worth the investment. In addition to travel insurance, cardholders get an annual credit of up to $50 on eligible hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠ and a 10% point bonus each year on their renewal anniversary, which goes a long way toward softening the blow of the $95. And of course, there are no foreign transaction fees to worry about.
Cardholders earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points on every purchase, with bonus points per dollar on dining and takeout/delivery, drugstores, online groceries, travel, and more. And new cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred card review.
Best for Simple Rewards
Introductory APR: N/A
Annual Fee: $95
Rewards: 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every other purchase
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for people who value simple rewards.
Capital One miles are extremely easy to earn and redeem, even compared to other travel rewards. One of the best ways to redeem Capital One rewards is by "erasing" travel purchases charged to your credit card. This allows you to book travel directly with the airline or hotel, but pay for the expense using rewards instead of your own money.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns rewards of 5 miles per dollar on eligible travel booked through the Capital One travel portal and flat rate of 2 miles per dollar on every other purchas. And since there are no foreign transaction fees to worry about, you don't need to leave this card at home when you travel.
New cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Learn more in our Capital One Venture Card review.
Best for Drivers
$95
N/A
20.24% - 28.24% Variable
Earn 75,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
Introductory APR: N/A
Annual Fee: $95
Rewards: 10 ThankYou® points total per dollar spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com, 3 points per dollar on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and EV charging stations, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is a great choice for people who drive regularly, both for gas and EV charging. It's especially useful for people who often rent cars while traveling internationally since there are no foreign transaction fees to worry about.
This card isn't as robust on travel protections as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card reviewed above. But the Citi Strata Premier℠ does offer secondary rental car insurance coverage and some other benefits such as trip cancellation and interruption reimbursement.
The Citi Strata Premier℠ also earns some of the best rates for travel purchases, including up to 10 points per dollar on eligible bookings through Citi Travel.
Finally, new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Learn more in our Citi Strata Premier card review.
Best for Hotel Stays
$95
N/A
20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.24% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Good or Excellent
Pros
Cons
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card is a true travel credit card, with benefits that rival many of the best travel rewards credit cards currently on the market. This card has a low annual fee on par with that of popular competing credit cards and Wells Fargo's also has a Points Transfer program that allows cardholders to juice maximum value from every point they earn.
Autograph Journey℠ Card- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.
- Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
- $95 annual fee
- Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
- Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
- Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Introductory APR: N/A
Annual Fee: $95
Rewards: 5 points on hotels, 4 points on airlines, 3 points on other travel and dining and 1 point on other purchases
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card is a relatively new card that's great for people who enjoy hotel stays worldwide. It earns one of the best rates for hotels — 5 Wells Fargo points per dollar on eligible bookings. And you won't have to worry about overpaying on international stays since there are no foreign transaction fees. The card also earns generous rewards on other types of travel including flights and rental cars, plus 3 points per dollar on dining expenses.
Wells Fargo credit cards offer a common benefit that's very valuable for most people: complimentary credit card cell phone protection for damaged or lost cell phones when you pay your monthly bill with that card. The Autograph Journey℠ Card is no exception, with extremely generous coverage of up to $1,000 per eligible claim, with a low deductible of just $25, on up to two claims per 12-month period.
New cardholders can also earn a nice welcome bonus: 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.
Learn more in our Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card review.
Best for Travel Insurance
$550
N/A
20.24% - 28.74% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
If you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.
Chase Sapphire Reserve- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority PassTM Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
Introductory APR: N/A
Annual Fee: $550
Rewards: 5 points on flights and 10 total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually, 3 points on other travel and dining, and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is best for adventurous travelers who want even more beefed-up travel insurance benefits compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
In addition to top-notch coverage for travel delays, canceled trips, and reimbursements for lost or stolen bags, cardholders also get emergency evacuation assistance and transportation benefits, which can save you thousands of dollars if you need them.
While this card has a heftier annual fee and a few key differences, it also doesn't charge foreign transaction fees so you can bring and use it anywhere in the world.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders get up to $300 in travel credit each year, plus complimentary access to Priority Passlounges and Chase Sapphire Lounges. These two benefits alone can help the right traveler offset the $550 annual fee.
New cardholders can also earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card review.
Best for Airport Lounge Access
$695
N/A
See Pay Over Time APR
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, and more.
Amex Platinum Card- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 per Calendar year in statement credits, when you pay for a CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
Introductory APR: N/A
Annual Fee: $695 (rates and fees)
Rewards: 5 points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®, and 1 point on other purchases
The Platinum Card® from American Express is best for luxury travelers who value a premium travel experience, including airport lounge access worldwide.
Cardholders have access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and several other partner lounges including Delta Sky Clubs on eligible travel days (enrollment required) .
This heavy silver card is one of the best metal cards and offers well over $1,000 in annual credits for Uber, hotels, airfare, and more (enrollment required). If you can utilize most or all of these benefits, they go a long way toward offsetting the card's $695 annual fee.
The Platinum Card® from American Express has no foreign transaction fees (rates and fees) and earns 5 Amex points on flights purchased directly through the airline or American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 per calendar year).
New cardholders can also earn an excellent welcome offer: 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Learn more in our American Express Platinum card review.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards
For this guide, Business Insider's experts focused on narrowing down our criteria to the best options across various types of travel credit cards. We tried to align card benefits with different kinds of people who benefit from credit cards with no foreign transaction fees.
You'll find many of the cards in this list in our guides to the best rewards credit cards as well, since many of the best credit cards available incentivize cardholders to use them worldwide by avoiding foreign transaction fees.
When evaluating our top picks, we considered several factors:
Additional value — Do these cards offer rewards and benefits beyond not charging foreign transaction fees? If they have annual fees, are the perks worth the cost?
Ease of use — Each of the cards we recommend makes it easy to earn and redeem rewards in many different ways, whether you prefer cash back or travel rewards.
Travel benefits — A card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees will presumably see international travel at some point. Our favorite recommendations on this list offer complimentary trip insurance protections such as reimbursements for lost or delayed luggage or canceled travel due to illness, weather, or other eligible conditions.
Learn more about how we rate credit cards at Business Insider.
FAQs
Should I pay in local currency or U.S. dollars with my credit card when traveling?
You should always choose to pay in U.S. dollars when traveling abroad to avoid paying additional fees for currency conversion. The best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees waive this cost for you, making them a good option for payment when you are buying products or services internationally.
How do foreign transaction fees work?
When you make a purchase from a non-U.S. merchant, you'll be charged between 3% to 5% of the transaction amount to cover currency conversion costs. The best credit cards for international travel don't charge foreign transaction fees, making them incredibly valuable for world travelers.
Do foreign transaction fees apply online?
Yes, foreign transaction fees may apply online. In addition to applying to purchases you make while traveling abroad, a foreign transaction fee may be charged when you purchase from a vendor that's based outside your home country. If you're shopping with a retailer or travel company based abroad, your best bet is to pay with a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.
What is the best credit card with no foreign transaction fees?
Some of the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fee include the Discover it® Cash Back, the Bilt Mastercard®, and the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card. None of these cards charge annual fees, so they're great additions to your wallet for long-term use.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, please click here.
For a guide to the benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, please click here.
