Best Travel Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fees (2025)

When managing travel expenditures, foreign transaction fees are an avoidable cost that erodes returns on spend abroad. These fees—typically 1% to 3%—may appear negligible in isolation, but they compound quickly. For example, spending $5,000 internationally could result in $150 in unnecessary charges. Travelers focused on financial optimization should prioritize credit cards that waive these fees without compromising on rewards, travel protections, or issuer acceptance.

Below is a comparative analysis of the best travel credit cards for 2025 that carry no foreign transaction fees. Each selection has been evaluated on the basis of annual cost, rewards efficiency, user flexibility, and travel-focused value additions.

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Annual Fee: $95
• Intro Bonus: 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® points after $4,000 spend in 3 months (~$1,250 travel value & Best offer of the year)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• Rewards Rate:
  • 5x on travel booked via Chase Travel
  • 3x on dining, select streaming, online groceries
  • 2x on all other travel
  • 1x on general spend

Pros:

• Points are transferable to 14 major loyalty programs (e.g., United, Southwest, Hyatt)
• Comprehensive trip insurance, including trip interruption and primary rental car coverage
• High redemption flexibility via the Chase Travel portal (1.25x multiplier)

Cons:

• No airport lounge access
• Lower earning potential than Sapphire Reserve for heavy spenders

Best For: Travelers seeking a strong rewards-to-fee ratio with diversified redemption options and solid insurance benefits.

2. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

• Annual Fee: $95
• Intro Bonus: 75,000 miles after $4,000 spend in 3 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• Rewards Rate:
  • 2x miles on all purchases
  • 5x miles on hotels and rental cars via Capital One Travel

Pros:

• Flat-rate rewards model simplifies tracking
• Miles can be used to erase past travel purchases (1 mile = 1 cent)
• Transferable to 15+ airline partners, including Air Canada, Turkish Airlines, and Singapore Airlines

Cons:

• Limited value in transferring miles unless leveraged strategically
• Travel booking through Capital One portal occasionally yields lower-value inventory

Best For: Users who prefer simplicity and want to apply rewards flexibly to any travel-related expense.

3. American Express® Gold Card

• Annual Fee: $250
• Intro Bonus: 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after $4,000 spend in 6 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• Rewards Rate:
  • 4x at restaurants (worldwide) and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25K/year)
  • 3x on flights via Amex Travel or directly with airlines
  • 1x on general purchases

Pros:

• Exceptional rewards on food and grocery categories, which are relevant both domestically and abroad
• Valuable Amex Offers program and travel insurance for flights
• Transferable to Delta, ANA, and Marriott Bonvoy among others

Cons:

• Acceptance outside the U.S. is limited in some regions
• No lounge access, despite the premium fee

Best For: Individuals with high spend in food-related categories who also travel internationally.

4. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Annual Fee: $550
• Intro Bonus: 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in 3 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• Rewards Rate:
  • 10x on hotels and car rentals via Chase Travel
  • 5x on flights via Chase Travel
  • 3x on dining and other travel
  • 1x on general purchases

Pros:

• $300 annual travel credit offsets cost
• Priority Pass Select airport lounge access
• Travel redemptions via Chase Travel earn 1.5x value per point
• Premium insurance: trip delay, cancellation, lost luggage, primary car rental

Cons:

• High annual fee requires at least moderate travel frequency to justify
• Lower 1x base rate on everyday spend

Best For: Frequent travelers who will extract maximum value from lounge access, insurance, and redemption multipliers.

5. Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card

• Annual Fee: $0
• Intro Bonus: 25,000 points after $1,000 spend in 90 days (~$250 value)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• Rewards Rate:
  • 1.5x on all purchases
  • Up to 2.62x for Preferred Rewards members (Platinum Honors tier)

Pros:

• No annual fee makes it a cost-effective choice for casual travelers
• Rewards are easy to redeem as statement credit toward travel
• Significantly higher rewards for BofA deposit clients

Cons:

• Lacks premium travel perks (e.g., lounge access, insurance)
• No transfer partners

Best For: Cost-sensitive users and BofA/Merrill clients seeking no-frills international usage.

6. The Platinum Card® from American Express

• Annual Fee: $695
• Intro Bonus: 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after $8,000 spend in 6 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• Rewards Rate:
  • 5x on flights (Amex Travel or directly with airlines)
  • 5x on prepaid hotels booked via Amex Travel
  • 1x on all other purchases

Pros:

• Extensive lounge network (Centurion, Delta SkyClub, Priority Pass)
• Elite status at Marriott and Hilton hotels
• ~$1,400 in annual credits (Uber, CLEAR®, Saks, airline fees, streaming)

Cons:

• Not universally accepted overseas
• Rewards are maximized only for specific types of travel bookings

Best For: Luxury-focused travelers who frequently fly and value airport access, elite status, and comprehensive perks.

Final Recommendations

Decision Matrix:

• Value-Oriented: Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Simplicity: Capital One Venture
• Dining-Centric: Amex Gold
• Premium Travel: Sapphire Reserve or Amex Platinum
• Zero Annual Fee: Bank of America Travel Rewards

When selecting a card, assess your travel frequency, preferred airlines/hotels, and how much effort you’re willing to invest in maximizing redemptions. For optimal results, pair one of these cards with a domestic cashback card to cover spending categories that earn lower rewards internationally.

Pro Tip: Always carry a secondary card from a different network (Visa + Amex, for example) to ensure acceptance abroad.

If you'd like a side-by-side spreadsheet of rewards value based on your actual monthly spending, I can build a custom calculator. Let me know.

Need Help Choosing?

If you're unsure which card best suits your travel profile, visit PerfectCard.ai—an intelligent credit card recommendation platform. Simply input your spending habits and travel preferences, and the system will match you with the most rewarding cards available, saving you both time and money.