Best Recommendations for A No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Card in 2025

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 No Annual Fee

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

Introductory APR: N/A

Annual Fee: $0 ()

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

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 100,000 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 VentureRewards 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 VentureRewards 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, plus $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year.

Learn more in our Capital One Venture Card review.

Best for Drivers

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

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

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 Pass™lounges 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

Introductory APR: N/A

Annual Fee: $695 ()

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 () 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.

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