Comparing Travel Credit Cards

Whether you’re traveling abroad or within your own country, I would always recommend using a credit card to easily track your purchases, spending, and to avoid any potential run-ins with hackers and/or pick-pocketers. It’s a lot easier to call and cancel your card than to be reimbursed for cash you may carry on hand.

If you are doing your research correctly, you’ll find that there are hundreds of options out there for credit cards. There are two important aspects to check for before applying for a card: no annual fees and no foreign transaction fees. Foreign transaction fees can quickly add up and make your trip overseas that much more expensive; avoid them altogether! After careful research of my own, below you will find the top five travel credit cards with neither annual nor foreign transaction fees. Depending on your credit score, it’s also important to consider the interest rate following the initial 0% APR. The higher the interest, the lower your credit score, and the more your bill will increase each month that there is a carry-over balance.

It is not my intention to tell you how to handle your money, however, a lot of people are apprehensive about traveling because they are not equipped with the knowledge not to be taken advantage of. That’s where I come in! If none of these cards speak to you, or you’ve found a different travel credit card not listed, please share your wealth of knowledge to help others like yourself travel by the best means necessary.

Capital One – Quicksilver

  • 1.5% cash back on every purchase
  • $150 introduction bonus after you spend $500 within the first three months of activation
  • no annual fees
  • no foreign transaction fees
  • 0% APR for the first 15-months
  • 15.5% to 25.5% interest thereafter

Capital One – Venture

  • 1.25 miles on every purchase
  • 20,000 miles introduction bonus after you spend $1,000 within the first three months of activation
  • no annual fee
  • no foreign transaction fees
  • no blackout dates on travel
  • miles never expire
  • 0% APR for the first 12-months
  • 13.5% to 23.5% interest thereafter

Capital One – Savor

  • 4% cash back on dining and entertainment
  • 2% cash back on grocery stores
  • 1% on every purchase elsewhere
  • $350 introduction bonus after you spend $3,000 within the first three months of activation
  • no annual fee (for the first year) – $95 per year thereafter
  • no foreign transaction fees
  • 0% APR for the first 15-months
  • 15.5% to 25.5% interest thereafter
  • cash back never expires

Bank of America – Travel Rewards

  • 1.5 points per $1 spent on every purchase
  • 25,000 introduction bonus after you spend $1,000 within the first 90-days of activation
  • no blackout dates OR website restrictions
  • redeem points for statement credit
  • 0% APR for the first 12-months
  • 16.5% to 24.5% interest thereafter
  • no annual fee
  • no foreign transaction fees
  • preferred rewards members earn 25-75% more points

Wells Fargo – Propel

  • 3X points on dining, travel (hotel, flights, car rental etc.), gas, and popular streaming services
  • 1X points on all other purchases
  • 20,000 introduction bonus after you spend $1,000 within the first three months of activation
  • no annul fee
  • no foreign transaction fees
  • 0% APR for the first 12-months
  • 15.5% to 27.5% interest thereafter