credit cards - lowest foreign transaction fee
Apr 13th, 2012, 07:54 AM
#1
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credit cards - lowest foreign transaction fee
What credit has the lowest foreign transaction fee? I used to have 1% with Macy's Visa, but they switched it to American Express and all my Amex and Citibank mastercard are 3%. Delta has a Amex that is 2.7%, but i'm looking for a card with zero or 1%.
Thank you,
Heather
Thank you,
Heather
Apr 13th, 2012, 08:21 AM
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Capital One Visa -0 transaction fees. Do be sure to ask to have your charges put through on the card in the foreign currency. Often a hotel or restaurant will "convert" for you and then put through the charge in your home currency. <u>That is never a good idea.....or rate.</u> You want Visa to do the conversion for you - not the merchant.
Apr 13th, 2012, 08:37 AM
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There are several credit cards that do no longer charge a foreign transaction fee including Amex Platinum and Barclay's Harvard Card (low interest and no yearly fee).
And now some airline cards are joining the group that no longer charge the foreign transaction fee.
And now some airline cards are joining the group that no longer charge the foreign transaction fee.
Apr 13th, 2012, 08:58 AM
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I just received my Chase Preferred Sapphire card the other day, no foreign transaction fees. They do have a yearly fee but they waive it the first year. The points are great - my sister just booked some flights within Europe and got a rental car, all with points. No specific airlines either. The signing bonus is 50,000 miles if you charge $3k on the card within 90 days. Easy to do and double points on travel, dining, etc.
Apr 18th, 2012, 05:07 PM
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I use both a Cap One Mastercard for credit, and a Cap One Debit card for ATM withdrawals. The Debit card does not cost me any % in foreign currency charges but it sometimes costs me $1.50 fee for 'out of network' ATM withdrawal. It doesn't get billed every time though, so I'm not going to question it!
I transfer my 'travel' money from my normal bank account to the Capital One checking account - this way, I am paying cash for my trip. I just bought plane tickets on March 31, and immediately paid the credit card charges with the 'travel funds'. Now I'm building the balance back up for the actual travel spending we'll incur.
I don't want to use the debit card tied to my normal bank account, both to limit risk and also to avoid any potential for 'messing up' my bill-pay, autodebits and so forth.
I transfer my 'travel' money from my normal bank account to the Capital One checking account - this way, I am paying cash for my trip. I just bought plane tickets on March 31, and immediately paid the credit card charges with the 'travel funds'. Now I'm building the balance back up for the actual travel spending we'll incur.
I don't want to use the debit card tied to my normal bank account, both to limit risk and also to avoid any potential for 'messing up' my bill-pay, autodebits and so forth.
Apr 18th, 2012, 05:15 PM
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We had a Cap One card with no foreign transaction fees but are about to cancel it since we were very disappointed in how long it took them to provide replacement cards when DH's wallet was stolen in Rome. We have since applied for and received the Chase Sapphire that stellamarina mentions above.
Apr 19th, 2012, 03:38 AM
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...but remember Chase sapphire comes in to versions. There's the free one that charges the near criminal 3% foreign transaction fee (note it's a foreign transaction fee not a foreign exchange fee the big difference being if you, for example fall victim to the dynamic currency conversion scam, not only do you pay the much higher exchange fee that comes with this scam but you get charged the 3% to boot. Also if you buy an airline ticket from a foreign airine, say Aer Lingus and use an American travel agency say like orbitz where the transaction never leaves the USA and where the transaction is done in USD, you get nicked for the 3%)....but the card without the fee is the Saphphire preferred which comes with an $85 annual fee (yes it is waived for the first year). Pick your poison.
Apr 19th, 2012, 05:58 AM
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I have the Hyatt card, which carries no foreign transaction fees. When combined with the value of Hyatt points + the two free night certificate + the Gold Passport Platinum membership is more valuable than the Cap One points.
The BA visa is another thought, especially as they are now running a 100k points offer (50k after first purchase, 25k after $10k, 25k after $20k in year one). The 100k points are especially intriguing with the new award chart that provides for some very interesting values for short-haul flights.
The BA visa is another thought, especially as they are now running a 100k points offer (50k after first purchase, 25k after $10k, 25k after $20k in year one). The 100k points are especially intriguing with the new award chart that provides for some very interesting values for short-haul flights.
