Did you know that international tourist arrivals reached a staggering 1.46 billion in 2019?*
With so many people embarking on international trips, it’s crucial to have the right credit card that caters to the needs of frequent flyers and overseas travelers.
From travel rewards and no foreign transaction fees to exclusive perks and benefits, the best credit cards for international travel can enhance your travel experience while offering value and convenience.
Explore the top credit cards for international trips and choose the one that suits your travel style and preferences.
Editor’s Choice: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is our top pick for the best travel credit card, particularly for international travel. With its impressive rewards program, travel perks, and the convenience of the Capital One Travel portal, this card provides exceptional value for frequent travelers.
Here are the key features that make the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card stand out:
Unlimited 2X Miles on All Eligible Purchases
With this card, you earn unlimited 2X miles on all eligible purchases. Whether it’s booking flight tickets, paying for accommodations, or making everyday purchases, you’ll earn miles that can be redeemed towards your travel expenses.
5 Miles per Dollar on Flights and 10 Miles per Dollar on Hotels and Rental Cars
When you book your flights, hotels, and rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal, you earn 5 miles per dollar on flights and 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars. This allows you to accumulate miles quickly and save on your travel expenses.
Generous Welcome Bonus
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a generous welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months. This bonus boosts your miles balance right from the start, giving you the opportunity to enjoy even more rewards.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
One of the standout features of this card is its commitment to providing a seamless travel experience. There are no foreign transaction fees, allowing you to make purchases abroad without incurring additional charges.
Travel Perks
As a Capital One Venture X cardholder, you’ll enjoy a range of travel perks. This includes up to $100 statement credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, which can help expedite your airport security process. Additionally, you’ll have unlimited complimentary access to over 1,300 lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card truly embodies the essence of an exceptional travel credit card. It allows you to earn rewards on everyday purchases, provides travel benefits, and eliminates foreign transaction fees, making it an ideal companion for globetrotters.
| Key Features | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card |
|---|---|
| Rewards Program | Unlimited 2X miles on all eligible purchases, 5 miles per dollar on flights, and 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booked through the Capital One Travel portal |
| Welcome Bonus | 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | No foreign transaction fees |
| Travel Perks | Up to $100 statement credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, unlimited complimentary access to 1,300+ lounges |
Best for No Annual Fee: Discover it® Miles
The Discover it® Miles card is an excellent choice for those looking for a travel rewards credit card with no annual fee. With this card, you can earn unlimited 1.5X miles on every dollar of every purchase, without the need to activate or enroll in any programs. What’s even better is that at the end of the first year, Discover will match all the miles you’ve earned, effectively doubling the rewards you’ve accumulated. This means you can earn even more miles towards your next trip.
One of the standout features of the Discover it® Miles card is its no foreign transaction fees. When you’re traveling abroad, the last thing you want to worry about is paying extra fees on your transactions. With this card, you can make purchases internationally without incurring any additional charges.
Additionally, the Discover it® Miles card offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. This means that for the first 15 months of card membership, you won’t be charged any interest on your purchases. This can be especially beneficial when financing your travel expenses.
With its combination of no annual fee, travel rewards, and no foreign transaction fees, the Discover it® Miles card is a top choice for those who want to earn rewards while keeping costs low.
Rewards Summary:
| Earn | Additional Benefits |
|---|---|
| Unlimited 1.5X miles on every dollar of every purchase | – |
| Double miles at the end of the first year | – |
| – | No foreign transaction fees |
| – | 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases |
Best for Dining When Traveling: American Express® Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card is the perfect companion for food enthusiasts who enjoy dining while traveling. With this card, you’ll not only indulge in delicious meals but also earn generous rewards. Here’s why the American Express® Gold Card stands out as the best credit card for dining when traveling:
Earn Dining Rewards
When you use your American Express® Gold Card at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets, you earn 4X Membership Rewards points. This means you can accumulate points quickly while savoring your favorite dishes.
Travel Rewards
Aside from dining rewards, the American Express® Gold Card also offers 3X Membership Rewards points when you book flights directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Whether you’re flying to a new destination or hopping between cities, your travel expenses will contribute to even more rewards.
Dining Credit and Uber Cash
To enhance your dining experiences, the American Express® Gold Card provides up to $120 dining credit annually. You can use this credit for purchases made with popular food delivery services, like Grubhub and Goldbelly, as well as other eligible restaurants. Additionally, the card offers up to $120 Uber Cash annually for U.S. Uber Eats orders and U.S. Uber rides, making it convenient to fuel your food adventures while traveling.
Here’s a visual representation of the American Express® Gold Card’s dining rewards, travel rewards, and dining credit:
| Card Benefits | Rewards | Annual Value |
|---|---|---|
| Dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets | 4X Membership Rewards points | N/A |
| Flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com | 3X Membership Rewards points | N/A |
| Dining credit | N/A | Up to $120 |
| Uber Cash | N/A | Up to $120 |
With no foreign transaction fees, the American Express® Gold Card is an excellent choice for dining around the world. Additionally, the card provides valuable travel and purchase protections, ensuring peace of mind during your culinary adventures.
Unlock a world of dining rewards and travel perks with the American Express® Gold Card.
Note: The table above illustrates the benefits of the American Express® Gold Card for dining rewards, travel rewards, and annual dining credit and Uber Cash. These values are subject to change and should be verified with American Express.
Best Welcome Bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is an excellent choice for travelers seeking a credit card with a generous welcome bonus. With this card, you can earn a remarkable 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
The welcome bonus offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a fantastic opportunity to kickstart your travel rewards journey. These bonus points can be redeemed for various travel options through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, where they are worth 25% more. Whether you’re looking to book flights, hotels, or car rentals, these bonus points can significantly enhance your travel experience.
But the benefits don’t stop there. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers valuable travel rewards on everyday spend. Cardholders earn 2X points on travel and dining worldwide, making it perfect for globetrotters who enjoy exploring new destinations and savoring diverse cuisines.
In addition to its lucrative welcome bonus and travel rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card provides essential travel protections. Cardholders can enjoy benefits such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance, which can provide reimbursement for non-refundable trip expenses if your trip is canceled or cut short due to covered circumstances. With these protections in place, you can travel with peace of mind, knowing that you’re covered in case of unexpected events.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Highlights:
- 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
- 2X points on travel and dining
- No foreign transaction fees
- Travel protections such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance
Overall, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card stands out as a top choice for travelers looking to maximize their rewards and enjoy valuable travel protections. Its impressive welcome bonus, travel rewards program, and travel benefits make it an excellent option for international travelers seeking a credit card that offers both value and peace of mind.
| Card | Welcome Bonus | Rewards | Travel Protections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months | 2X points on travel and dining | Trip cancellation/interruption insurance |
Best for Earning Points on Rent: Bilt Mastercard®
When it comes to earning points on rent, the Bilt Mastercard® is the top choice. With this credit card, you can accumulate points while making your monthly rent payments. Unlike other cards that may exclude rent payments from earning rewards, the Bilt Mastercard® rewards you with up to 1X points on rent payments, without any transaction fees.
But that’s not all – the Bilt Mastercard® also offers rewards on other spending categories, making it a versatile card for maximizing your travel rewards. You’ll earn 3X points on dining and 2X points on travel, allowing you to earn even more rewards on your everyday expenses.
One of the standout features of the Bilt Mastercard® is its no annual fee. You can earn travel rewards without the burden of additional costs, making it a cost-effective choice for jet-setters and travel enthusiasts.
Additionally, the Bilt Mastercard® provides flexibility in redeeming your rewards. Points earned with the card can be transferred to leading frequent traveler programs at a 1:1 rate. This means you can transfer your points to airlines like American Airlines and United, or hotel partners like World of Hyatt®, and enjoy the benefits of their loyalty programs.
By choosing the Bilt Mastercard®, you not only earn points on rent, but you also have the opportunity to earn more rewards on dining and travel. With no annual fee and the ability to transfer points, this card is a valuable tool for earning travel rewards and enhancing your international travel experiences.
| Rewards | Details |
|---|---|
| Earning Points on Rent | Up to 1X points on rent payments |
| Dining | 3X points on dining |
| Travel | 2X points on travel |
| Annual Fee | No annual fee |
| Points Transfer | Transfer points to leading frequent traveler programs at a 1:1 rate |
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing the best credit card for international travel, several factors play a vital role. Consideration should be given to travel rewards, no foreign transaction fees, and travel perks. After thorough analysis, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card emerges as the top pick. This card provides unlimited miles on purchases, a generous welcome bonus, and a wide range of travel benefits. However, other notable options include the Discover it® Miles card, which offers no annual fee and doubles the earned miles in the first year, and the American Express® Gold Card, known for its impressive dining rewards and travel perks.
Ultimately, determining the best credit card for international travel depends on your specific travel needs and preferences. Whether you value earning unlimited miles, avoiding foreign transaction fees, or enjoying exclusive travel perks, there is a card available to suit your requirements. Take the time to assess your priorities and align them with the features each card offers. By doing so, you can find the credit card that enhances your travel experience and provides the most value for your international trips.
Make sure to choose wisely and select the credit card that aligns perfectly with your travel goals. With the right credit card, you can earn travel rewards, enjoy the convenience of no foreign transaction fees, and take advantage of various travel perks. Bon voyage!