Best Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees

What a foreign transaction fee costs

Foreign transaction fees typically run 1%–3% of each purchase made in a foreign currency, according to Experian. The card network's fee (about 1%) and the issuer's fee are usually combined into one line on your statement. On a $3,000 trip, a 3% fee adds $90.

The fee isn't just for travel. It also applies to online purchases from foreign merchants, ATM use abroad and subscriptions billed in a foreign currency.

Best no-foreign-fee cards by type

Picks for different travelers

Occasional travelers: Wells Fargo Autograph

No annual fee, 3x on restaurants, travel, gas and transit — the spending you do most on a trip — and cell phone protection up to $600 ($25 deductible). Its regular APR is 18.74%, 24.74% or 28.74% variable, as of October 2026. More $0 options in no-annual-fee travel cards.

Frequent international travelers: Chase Sapphire Preferred

3x on dining, primary rental car coverage, trip cancellation and new emergency evacuation coverage up to $100,000 — all for $95, on the Visa network. Read our full review.

Renting cars abroad: Citi Strata Premier

Its rental car coverage is secondary in the U.S. but primary abroad, per NerdWallet. It's on the Mastercard network and earns 3x on air travel, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and gas.

Food-focused travelers: Amex Gold

4x at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 a year. See our Amex Gold review.

Cards that still charge (or might)

• AAdvantage MileUp: 3% foreign transaction fee, according to the issuer. Every other current AAdvantage card in our research charges none.
• Discover it Miles: Discover has historically charged no foreign transaction fee, but the current page (now run by Capital One) didn't show the fee when we checked. Confirm before relying on it.
• Cards outside this list may still charge a fee. Check your card's pricing table before a trip.

Airline and hotel cards that skip the fee

If you're loyal to a brand, you don't have to give up its card when you travel abroad. Every co-brand card in our research charges no foreign transaction fee except one: the Delta SkyMiles Gold and Platinum, United Explorer, all three Southwest Rapid Rewards cards, the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select, Globe and Executive, the Atmos Rewards Ascent, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, both Hilton Honors cards, the World of Hyatt card and the IHG One Rewards Premier. The exception is the AAdvantage MileUp at 3%. Compare these in our airline card and hotel card guides.

Travel protections on no-fee-abroad cards

Skipping the fee is step one. If something goes wrong on the trip, protections matter more:

How to check your current card

1. Find your card's pricing or rates table, usually in the card agreement or on the issuer's website.
2. Look for a line labeled "foreign transaction" or similar. It's often shown as a percentage of each transaction.
3. Check a past statement for a fee next to any foreign or international purchase.
4. If you're charged a fee, move travel, foreign online shopping and foreign-currency subscriptions to a card that doesn't charge one.

Tips for using cards abroad

• Bring two cards on different networks (for example, Visa and Mastercard) in case one of them isn't accepted somewhere.
• Use a no-fee card for foreign online shopping and subscriptions too, not just travel.
• Pay off the balance in full; interest costs more than any foreign fee you avoid.
• Check whether your card's travel protections apply to the trip before you book with it. See how to choose a travel card.

For the full lineup, see best travel cards of 2026. Card terms change often, so check the issuer's site before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions