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Using a credit card while traveling internationally is a great way to avoid carrying wads of cash or exchanging money at a random currency exchange. However, some credit cards still charge foreign transaction fees, adding an extra cost to every purchase you make abroad.
It wasn't long ago that finding a card that waived foreign transaction fees without charging an annual fee was difficult. Today, there are plenty of no-annual-fee credit cards that also waive foreign transaction fees. Even better, many of these cards earn valuable cash back, points, or travel rewards.
Here are the best options to help you save money on your next international trip.
The Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees
Just because a card doesn't charge an annual fee and foreign transaction fees doesn't mean it's the best fit for you. Make sure you're choosing a card you'll continue to get value from long after your trip.
Whether you're looking for cash back, rewards on dining, transferable points, or a card to help rebuild your credit, there's an option to fit your needs.
Best for Transferable Currencies: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
Transferable points are among the most sought-after rewards on the market. The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card earns flexible rewards that can be transferred to several airline and hotel partners, including programs like Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Aer Lingus AerClub, Avianca LifeMiles, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club — all without charging an annual fee or foreign transaction fees.
The card earns 3 points per dollar on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans, plus 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
While the Wells Fargo transfer partner list isn't as extensive as other issuers, it still includes several airline loyalty programs that can provide exceptional value when redeemed strategically.
Best Flat-Rate Cash-Back Card: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Figuring out how to maximize points can feel complicated and overwhelming. I get it, as I've been doing this for more than a decade, and I still have to use a cheat sheet for some things.
If you'd rather keep things simple, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card offers unlimited cash back on purchases worldwide.
You'll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, no matter where you are in the world. There are no bonus categories to track or special partners for airlines or hotels to learn about. You can redeem your rewards as a statement credit, receive a check, or use other eligible redemption options. Easy as that!
- Earn $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 annual fee
- 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 5% cash back on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
Best for Dining Abroad: U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
Arguably one of the best parts of traveling abroad is experiencing the local food. Some credit cards limit bonus rewards to restaurants or dining establishments based in the U.S. — but not the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card. It offers an unlimited 2X points on all dining purchases, both at home and abroad.
Hotels and transportation can also make up a significant portion of your travel budget. The card earns 5X points on prepaid hotels booked through the U.S. Bank Travel Center and 4X points at gas stations and EV charging stations, up to $1,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter.
As an extra bonus, you can stay connected in over 175 countries with complimentary GigSky global mobile data plans. I hate paying expensive roaming charges when I travel, so having access to GigSky in most of the places I visit is another nice way to save money.
- 5X points on prepaid hotels and rental cars booked through the Altitude Rewards Center
- 4X points on other travel, including airlines, hotels, rental cars, cruises, taxis, trains, and limousines.
- 4X points at gas stations and on electric vehicle charging (on up to $1,000 in spending each quarter)
- 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining, and streaming services
- 1 point on all other eligible purchases
Best for Simple Travel Rewards: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
If you're looking for uncomplicated travel rewards with more flexibility beyond cash back, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a great option. This card earns an unlimited 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. You can choose to redeem your miles for cash back, statement credits, or transfer them to one of Capital One's more than a dozen partners.
While the earning rate isn't the highest among travel rewards cards, the Capital One VentureOne makes up for it with flexible redemption options and a simple rewards structure. It's an excellent choice for travelers who want to start earning transferable miles without paying an annual fee.
- Earn 20,000 Miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- 1.25 Miles on every purchase
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 18.49% - 28.49% variable APR after that
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 annual fee
- 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 5 Miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
Best for Bank of America Loyalists: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Bank of America has a unique setup with its rewards credit cards. If you keep qualifying deposits with Bank of America or investments with Merrill, you may qualify for the BofA Rewards program, which increases the rewards you earn on eligible credit cards. On its own, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card earns a flat 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases. But things get more interesting when you factor in your other accounts.
BofA Rewards members receive a rewards bonus from 10% to 75%, depending on the tier. At the top Premier tier, you'll earn a 75% rewards bonus, increasing the card's earning rate to a whopping 2.625 points per dollar — the highest of any card on this list. When you combine that with flexible redemption options, no annual fee, and no foreign transaction fees, it's an excellent choice for Bank of America customers who qualify for the program.
- 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all purchases
Best for Entertainment and Foodies: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
This one tops the list for most rewards earned if dining out is one of your biggest travel expenses. That's because the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card earns 3% cash back on dining, grocery stores, entertainment, and popular streaming services — all for no annual fee. Whether you're grabbing dinner in Paris or groceries in Tokyo, you'll earn the same great rewards without paying extra to use your card abroad.
Unlike travel rewards cards, you don't have to worry about transfer partners or finding the best redemption. Just redeem your cash back as a statement credit or deposit it into an eligible account whenever you're ready.
- For a limited time, earn a one-time $250 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months; 18.49% - 28.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- Top rated mobile app
- 8% cash back on purchases made via the Capital One Entertainment ticketing platform
- 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 3% cash back on dining and entertainment
- 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- 3% on popular streaming services
- 1% on all other purchases
Best for Housing: Bilt Blue Card
The Bilt Blue Card is one of the only cards that lets you earn valuable rewards on rent payments and eligible mortgage payments without a transaction fee. The mechanism for earning points with your Bilt Card can be a little complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it's not too bad.
Rather than earning a flat rewards rate, the number of points you earn depends on your monthly spending. If you choose Bilt's Housing-only rewards option, you'll earn up to 1.25 points, and Bilt provides a handy chart that shows exactly how many points you'll earn based on your spending.
The more you use your card, the higher your earning rate on housing payments becomes. If you spend at least 100% of your monthly rent or mortgage payment on the card during the billing cycle, you'll earn the maximum 1.25 points per dollar on that housing payment.
- Earn points on housing payments with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 1X points on everyday spend
- Welcome offer: $100 of Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved.
- Redeem Bilt Cash for dollar-for-dollar value toward fitness classes, hotel bookings, Home Delivery orders, Lyft rides, and more. At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.
- Earn additional points through Bilt Neighborhood Benefits™ when you use your Blue Card at Bilt's network of 50,000+ merchants
- Other benefits: No foreign transaction fees, Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection, Purchase Assurance, MasterRental Coverage (See Guide to Benefits)
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 1X points on everyday spend
Best Backup Card for International Travel: SoFi Unlimited 2% Credit Card
I'm a big fan of having a backup plan. And just in case one of your cards is lost or stolen, having a solid plan B in your wallet is a great idea. Enter the SoFi Unlimited 2% credit card. It's an excellent choice, earning unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase with no annual fee or foreign transaction fees. Since it's issued on the Mastercard network, it also pairs well with a primary Visa card, giving you another payment option if needed.
There's no complicated category tracking just like the other flat-rate cards. And since it's a World Elite Mastercard, you'll get extra benefits, including a 24/7 travel concierge for whatever you might need.
Best Card for Rebuilding Credit: Avant Cash Back Rewards Card
If you've hit some turbulence in the past with your credit and you need a helping hand to get back on track, there are plenty of cards to do that. But the Avant Cash Back Rewards Card is one of the only ones that will give you no foreign transaction fees and a generous 2% cash-back reward for all your purchases — and, of course, there's $0 annual fee.
The interest rate can be a little higher than on other cards, so don't plan on carrying a balance. But it's a great option to not skimp on benefits as the air smooths out over your credit.
- 2% Unlimited Cash Back on Every Purchase, Everywhere MasterCard is accepted†
- No Limit on Monthly Rewards Earned
- Fast and Easy Application Process
- Conveniently Pay Your Card Through Our Online Portal, 24/7
- Disclosure: If you are charged interest, the charge will be no less than $1.00
- Avant branded credit products are issued by WebBank
- Eligibility for a card is not guaranteed. Your eligibility for a card depends on the information you provide in your application
- ^See the Provider’s terms for more information
- † See the Rewards Terms and Conditions for more information
- 2% unlimited cash back on every purchase, everywhere Mastercard is accepted
Bottom Line
Just because you're not using a super premium credit card to waive all your foreign transaction fees doesn't mean that you have to settle for fewer benefits. Not paying a foreign transaction fee takes all the worry out of carrying around a bunch of cash in your fanny pack, and then coming back home with a wallet full of money you won't use.
Paying no annual fee for the card is just the icing on the cake. Hopefully you'll have a little more peace of mind on your next trip and come back with enough rewards to start planning your next.
Page Contents
- The Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Best for Transferable Currencies: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Best Flat-Rate Cash-Back Card: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Best for Dining Abroad: U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
- Best for Simple Travel Rewards: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
- Best for Bank of America Loyalists: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
- Best for Entertainment and Foodies: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Best for Housing: Bilt Blue Card
- Best Backup Card for International Travel: SoFi Unlimited 2% Credit Card
- Best Card for Rebuilding Credit: Avant Cash Back Rewards Card
- Bottom Line
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Bilt Blue Card (Rates & Fees), and Avant Cash Back Rewards Card (Rates & Fees)
