Rooms TO GO Credit Card

Usually, foreign transaction fees are a percentage of the amount of each foreign currency purchase, with no minimum or maximum. The card issuing bank may choose to pass that fee along to consumers; most do, and some tack on their own fees.

Banks can add foreign transaction fees onto any credit card charge that’s processed outside of the United States. These aren’t foreign exchange fees, so you can find these charges on your credit card statement even when you make overseas purchases in US dollars. In fact, you don’t even have to leave the country to get hit with foreign transaction fees; if you so much as place an online order from a foreign company, including something as innocuous as booking an airline ticket from a carrier that doesn’t have a US-based website — you could find yourself with an additional 3 percent fee rolled into the total cost of your transaction.

The bottom line is that, like baggage and passports, foreign transaction fees have been a standard part of international travel for years. Banks can get away with these fees… so they do, both ways: Our international counterparts are also being charged these fees on their foreign credit cards whenever they make purchases from US companies and on American soil.

Fortunately, the average consumer has gotten more and more savvy to these hidden costs, and credit card companies are dropping their fees in response.

If you’d like to avoid paying these unnecessary fees on any potential foreign transactions you make (including buying a postcard stamp in Canada) – you’ll want to consider a no foreign transaction fee card similar to the ones we introduce below. Here are the ins and outs of this fee, and advice on avoiding extra charges when traveling abroad.

APR

Paying astronomical interest will offset any savings you make. Look for lower APRs or cards with good introductory offers. Or better yet, pay your balance off in full each month to avoid interest charges all together.

Travel rewards package

Since foreign transaction fees are generally charged when abroad, you want good travel benefits as well as the fee waiver. Travel benefits include auto insurance, baggage, insurance, trip delay or cancellation insurance, and emergency assistance.

Annual fees

A card that doesn’t charge an annual fee or charges a low one earns more rewards because it is more beneficial for most people.

1. Fits your needs: Maybe you just need a card for spending outside the U.S., which is fine. Or perhaps you want a card to use for your everyday shopping as well.

2. A useful rewards program: It’s great to earn a bit of cash back or some points for the types of purchases you make the most.

3. Shopping and travel benefits: The best credit cards have luxurious travel perks, but most cards still come with some kind of cost-saving protections.

4. A reasonable annual fee: The card you want might have an annual fee. Make sure the rewards and benefits are valuable enough to make that fee worth it.

5. Good customer support: You hope to never use it, but a solid customer support team behind your card can save you from a headache or two. That’s especially true if you’re traveling outside the U.S. and run into some issues using your card.

With these cards, you may get a lot of benefits like cash rewards and 0 percent APR on new purchases. There are other cards that are more specialized for poor credit, low interest, or cash rewards, but these no foreign transaction fee credit cards bundle all of these benefits into one card, making them a lucrative deal for anyone looking to save.

Not sure you want a no foreign transaction fee credit card? Finding the right credit card for you is much simpler if you know your credit score, and can narrow your search to only the cards you know you’ll get approved for. We’ve made it easy for you. If you don’t already know your score, use our quick and free Credit Score Estimator tool-–then find the perfect card for you!