Best travel credit cards 2024
Regularly go abroad, or shop on foreign websites? You could benefit from a specialist travel credit card that offers fee-free spending and great exchange rates on foreign transactions
What are travel credit cards?
When you make a purchase or take out cash in another currency on a debit or credit card, your bank will charge you to convert what you spend into pounds sterling.
Two factors will determine what this costs you: your card's payment network exchange rate set by Mastercard, Visa or American Express, and the fees your provider adds on top.
Specialist travel credit cards don't come with these fees, making it much cheaper to spend abroad or on foreign websites in another currency.
Best travel credit cards
The table reveals the top credit cards to use for overseas spending or shopping in a foreign currency, and our Best Buys.
Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms & conditions of a credit card provider before committing to any financial products.
best buy Halifax Clarity Credit Card Mastercard | 72% | 0% | 0% | 23.9% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 23.9% (variable), representative 23.9% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. |
best buy Barclaycard Rewards Visa | 72% | 0% | 0% | 28.9% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 28.9% (variable), representative 28.9% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. |
best buy Bip Credit Card MasterCard | 69% | 0% | 0% | 29.9% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable), representative 29.9% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. |
Table notes: table correct as of 1 August 2024. The average provider customer score is 69%. For more information on our research and the terms we use in the table skip to how we analyse credit card providers and deals.
- Find out more: best credit card deals
Travel credit card provider reviews
It can be difficult to know which provider to pick, and when you become a customer it can be too late to change your mind.
Which? has reviewed how 31 credit card providers have performed based on customer service, mobile banking and more.
You can find out more about the biggest names in the travel credit card market with the Halifax credit card review and the Barclaycard credit card review and take a look at how they compare in our best credit card providers.
How much does it cost to use my credit card abroad?
You could face a range of charges for using your regular plastic overseas.
Typically your card will either exchange at the Mastercard, Visa or American Express wholesale rate, which are near perfect.
However, providers then apply a variety of fees to make the exchange depending on the type of transaction - which is where costs can really start racking up.
There are three different types of charges that can be layered on when using a credit card:
- Non-sterling transaction fee This is a percentage of the value of each transaction. You'll typically pay up to 2.99% each time you use a credit card.
- Non-sterling cash fee You can also expect to pay a fee of around 3% (minimum £3) when you take money out of an ATM with a credit card.
- Interest on cash withdrawals When using a credit card you'll be charged interest on cash withdrawals straight away, which can be a lot higher than the interest you are charged for purchases.
So it's important to choose carefully, as some cards could prove to be a costly travel companion. Use the wrong card and you could be hit with all three of these charges.
Specialist travel credit cards will normally waive the non-sterling transaction fee and in some cases the cash fee too, making it much cheaper to spend on foreign transactions.
How much does your card charge?
Now that you know what to look for, check what your credit card provider charges on foreign transactions to see if you might be better off with a specialist travel credit card.
Most credit card providers charge a non-sterling transaction fee of 2.99% and a non-sterling cash fee of 3% (minimum £3), plus cash advance interest that can be as high as 29.9% and sometimes charged daily.
So a card spend of £10 can cost you 30p but a £10 cash withdrawal could cost you £3.30 at the time plus interest that will depend on the terms of the card.
How to use a travel credit card effectively
If you're planning to use a travel credit card on your next trip, make sure you follow these golden rules.
1. Don't withdraw cash
Even with a card that doesn't charge a fee for overseas cash machine withdrawals, you may still want to avoid taking money out.
This is because you'll typically incur interest straight away and sometimes at a higher rate.
If you're organised and pay off your credit card really quickly, you can prevent these charges from racking up. But this may be a hassle you'd rather avoid.
There is also a small risk of harming your credit rating if you use your credit card for ATM withdrawals.
2. Spend in the local currency
If you've got a top overseas card, always choose the local currency, as your card does the exchange at the best rates.
3. Avoid borrowing if there's no 0% period
You should aim to pay back what you owe each month to avoid interest racking up, unless you can secure a card with a 0% purchase period.
Travel credit card FAQs
Confused about travel credit cards? Check if we have the answer to your question below.
How we analyse credit cards
Sam Wilson, credit card market analyst, says: 'At Which? we put credit card products and providers under the microscope to help you save time when shopping around for a new deal.
'We run a survey each year to gather the experiences of customers to help us find the best providers and we keep a close eye on the credit card market to determine which deals are the best in their category.'
Here's some more information about our research and the terms we use in this guide.
Customer scores
Our provider customer scores are based on an online survey of 3,775 members of the public, conducted in October 2023.
Provider customer scores are worked out using a combination of overall satisfaction and the likelihood of recommending the provider to a friend.
Which? Recommended Providers
We award Which? Recommended Providers to the lenders that meet our benchmarks on customer service and product offering.
To become a Which? Recommended Providers a lender must have:
- a provider score of at least 75%;
- at least one top-10 card in one of the seven main categories available on the market;
- a product score that's average or above;
- and not have a representative APR of more than 33% on any of its mainstream cards at the time of the analysis.
Which? Best Buys
A credit card product must have been one of the top five cards in its category and must also satisfy specific criteria for the type of card such as the size of the balance transfer fee or length of 0% period to become a Best Buy.
A provider must have also achieved a provider customer score of over 65% in our latest credit card satisfaction survey.
We also update our analysis regularly, which means we will withdraw Best Buys if providers make adverse changes to APRs, 0% periods or fees.
- Find out more: Which? symbols, logos and ratings explained
Why should you trust Which? research?
We’re not influenced by third parties. We work entirely on behalf of you, the consumer – nobody else. See our statement of editorial independence for more.
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