Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees

Cards that don't charge you for spending abroad

Several credit card issuers offer cards with no foreign transaction fee, meaning you won't pay an extra percentage on top of your purchase when you use the card outside the United States. The most common issuers offering these cards are Chase, American Express, Capital One, and Discover, though the specific card varies by issuer and what other features matter to you.

Foreign transaction fees typically run between 1% and 3% of every purchase you make in another country or online from a foreign merchant. A card with no foreign transaction fee saves you that percentage on every transaction — which adds up quickly if you travel regularly, shop from international websites, or send money to family abroad.

The catch is that most cards with no foreign transaction fee either charge an annual fee, require good credit to get approved, or come with other conditions. A few cards have no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, but these are less common and usually come with fewer rewards or perks.

Key Takeaways

• Chase Sapphire Preferred, American Express Platinum, and Capital One Venture X all have no foreign transaction fee, but each charges an annual fee between $95 and $695.
• Capital One SavorOne and Discover it has no foreign transaction fee and no annual fee, making them the lowest-cost option if you don't need premium travel perks.
• Foreign transaction fees apply to any purchase made outside the U.S. or from a foreign merchant, including online shopping from international retailers.
• The card you choose should match your travel frequency and spending habits — a $95 annual fee makes sense only if you travel enough to save more than that in foreign transaction fees.

No-fee cards with no foreign transaction charges

If you want to avoid both an annual fee and foreign transaction fees, your options are narrower but they exist. Capital One SavorOne has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. It earns cash back on dining, entertainment, and groceries, and a flat rate on everything else. Discover it also has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, and it earns cash back on rotating categories plus a flat rate on other purchases.

Both cards require good credit to get approved, typically a credit score of 670 or higher. Neither card offers travel insurance, airport lounge access, or other premium travel benefits — they're straightforward cash-back cards that happen to work well internationally.

The trade-off is that these cards earn lower cash-back rates than premium cards with annual fees. If you travel frequently and spend enough to justify a $95 or higher annual fee, a premium card may save you more money overall.

Premium cards that waive foreign transaction fees

Chase Sapphire Preferred charges $95 per year and has no foreign transaction fee. It earns 2x points on travel and dining, and 1x point on everything else. It includes trip cancellation insurance, emergency medical and dental coverage abroad, and other travel protections. Chase Sapphire Reserve, the higher tier, charges $550 per year and includes additional benefits like airport lounge access and a travel credit.

American Express Platinum charges $695 per year and has no foreign transaction fee. It's designed for frequent travelers and includes airport lounge access, hotel elite status, airline fee credits, and concierge services. American Express Gold charges $250 per year, has no foreign transaction fee, and focuses on dining and travel rewards without some of the premium perks.

Capital One Venture X charges $395 per year and has no foreign transaction fee. It earns 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One portal, and 5x miles on flights and prepaid hotels. It includes airport lounge access and other travel benefits.

How foreign transaction fees work

A foreign transaction fee is a percentage charge added to your bill whenever you use your card outside the United States or buy from a merchant located outside the U.S. The fee is separate from the exchange rate your bank uses to convert the purchase to dollars — it's an additional cost on top of that conversion.

The fee applies whether you're physically traveling, shopping online from an international retailer, or sending money to someone in another country using your card. Some cards charge the fee on every foreign transaction; others charge it only on certain types of purchases. A card with no foreign transaction fee charges zero percent, meaning you pay only the exchange rate conversion and nothing more.

The fee is usually between 1% and 3% of the purchase amount. On a $100 purchase, that's $1 to $3 added to your bill. Over a week-long trip with multiple purchases, or over a year of occasional international shopping, those fees add up.

When an annual fee makes financial sense

A card with a $95 annual fee saves you money only if you spend enough internationally to save more than $95 in foreign transaction fees. If you spend $3,000 abroad in a year and your current card charges 2% foreign transaction fee, you'd pay $60 in fees — less than the $95 annual fee, so the premium card wouldn't save you money.

But if you spend $5,000 abroad, you'd pay $100 in fees on your current card, so the $95 annual fee card would save you $5. The higher the annual fee, the more you need to spend internationally to break even. A $550 annual fee card requires much higher international spending to justify the cost.

Consider also the other benefits: travel insurance, lounge access, and airline credits can have real value if you use them. Some people justify a premium card's annual fee partly through the foreign transaction fee savings and partly through these other perks.

Cards to avoid if you travel internationally

Most standard cash-back and rewards cards charge a foreign transaction fee. Chase Freedom Unlimited, Citi Double Cash, and Bank of America Cash Rewards all charge foreign transaction fees, typically 3%. If you travel even occasionally, these cards will cost you more than a no-foreign-transaction-fee card.

Secured credit cards and student credit cards almost always charge foreign transaction fees. If you're building credit or new to credit, ask about the foreign transaction fee before you apply — it's often listed in the card's terms and conditions or fee schedule.

How to check if a card has a foreign transaction fee

The foreign transaction fee is listed in the card's fee schedule, which you can find on the issuer's website. Look for "foreign transaction fee" or "international transaction fee" in the terms and conditions or the pricing and fees page. The fee is usually stated as a percentage, like "3% foreign transaction fee" or "no foreign transaction fee."

If you're comparing cards, check the fee schedule for each one before you apply. Some issuers list it prominently; others bury it in the fine print. If you can't find it on the website, call the issuer's customer service line and ask directly — they can tell you whether the card charges a foreign transaction fee and what the percentage is.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a no-foreign-transaction-fee card save money on ATM withdrawals abroad?

No. Foreign transaction fees apply to purchases, not ATM withdrawals. ATM fees are separate and charged by the ATM operator or your bank. A no-foreign-transaction-fee card won't reduce ATM fees, though some premium cards reimburse ATM fees as a cardholder benefit.

If I use a debit card instead of a credit card, do I still pay foreign transaction fees?

Yes. Debit cards charge foreign transaction fees just like credit cards do. If you want to avoid the fee, you'd need a debit card from an issuer that waives it — which is rare. Credit cards with no foreign transaction fee are more common and easier to find.

Do I pay a foreign transaction fee if I'm a U.S. citizen traveling in a U.S. territory like Puerto Rico?

No. U.S. territories use the U.S. dollar and are treated as domestic transactions by credit card issuers. You won't pay a foreign transaction fee in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, or other U.S. territories.

Can I use a no-foreign-transaction-fee card to avoid currency conversion fees?

No. A no-foreign-transaction-fee card eliminates only the foreign transaction fee, not the currency conversion rate your bank uses. Your bank will still convert the foreign currency to dollars at their exchange rate, which may be higher than the market rate. The card just doesn't add an extra percentage on top of that conversion.

What if my card has no foreign transaction fee but the merchant charges a currency conversion fee?

Some merchants, especially in tourism-heavy areas, offer to convert your purchase to dollars at their own rate instead of letting your card's issuer do it. This is called dynamic currency conversion. Your card's no-foreign-transaction-fee benefit doesn't apply to the merchant's conversion fee — you'd pay whatever rate the merchant offers, which is usually worse than your bank's rate. Always decline dynamic currency conversion and let your card's issuer handle the conversion instead.