Top cards for travelling abroad
Near-perfect exchange rates & no overseas fees
If you're planning an overseas trip, or regularly buy from overseas websites, a specialist travel credit or debit card is one of the cheapest ways to spend as it gives near-perfect exchange rates worldwide. This guide includes the top-pick travel cards, the cards to avoid, and how to check what your card's charging you.
First, a quick overview of travel cards for spending abroad..
Travel cards use near-perfect exchange rates and don't charge any fees when spending abroad, and a select few also don't charge fees and/or interest on overseas ATM withdrawals. The top cards also come with perks, such as free cash or ongoing cashback.
Travel credit cards: These give you powerful Section 75 protection, though require a full credit check to open so go via an eligibility calculator to check your acceptance odds. You get interest-free spending, but only if you repay IN FULL each month.
Travel debit cards: These offer the less powerful Chargeback protection, but can sometimes be opened with just an ID check instead of a full credit check.
Credit or debit card | Main rewards & key info |
|---|---|
First Direct* | FREE '£210' if you switch bank to First Direct |
Lloyds Ultra | 1% cashback worldwide for a year (0.25% after) |
Trading 212* | 1.5% cashback worldwide till 31 July (0.5% after) |
These are our top few cards – see our full review for more options. Links for credit cards go via our eligibility calculator. Links to debit cards go direct to providers.
If you do get a card, ALWAYS follow the Credit Card Golden Rules:
a) Repay your balance IN FULL every month, preferably by Direct Debit.
b) If you can't fully repay, never miss the minimum monthly repayment.
c) Always pay in the local currency, not pounds, if given the option.
How do travel credit and debit cards work?
Spend on your plastic abroad and card providers get a virtually-perfect exchange rate for that moment, but most add up to 3%-ish non-sterling exchange fees on top of what we pay. So £100 worth of euros on the day costs you £103, and others whack more fees on too.
The worst cards can have a variety of too, including flat fees (typically 50p to £1) each and every time you spend, fees for withdrawing cash, and for credit cards, hefty interest.
Yet top specialist overseas cards don't have these fees, so you get the same near-perfect, bureaux-beating exchange rates as the banks, meaning £100 worth of euros costs your £100 – undercutting even the best bureau de change.
And when we say 'near-perfect', we're talking about the Mastercard and Visa exchange rates, which aren't quite as good as the perfect interbank rate (though they're both usually very close – less than a pound worse per £100 exchanged).
A specialist travel card can save you over £100 per holiday
Here's how much spending $1,000 can cost in pounds (we assumed five $100 cash withdrawals and 20 transactions of $25 each on the cards). This was done when the exchange rate was around $1.28 to £1 but – whatever the exchange rate is today – the point still stands about the cheapest ways to pay:
Top specialist credit/debit card repaid in full: £740
Top prepaid card: £740
Cash via cheapest bureau (pick up in London): £751
Cash from M&S on the high street (non-cardholders): £758
Using a debit card with a spending charge: £833
Changing cash at airport (not pre-ordered): £909
As you can see, the differences can be sizeable, yet the winners are simple. Apply for a specialist overseas card, then use it every time you go.
Something to note is that when spending abroad on a credit or debit card, you'll get the exchange rate from the time your transaction was processed which may not be the same as the rate when the transaction was made. If you want to lock in a guaranteed interbank rate ahead of time, check out our Top prepaid travel cards guide.
Which cards are free to use for overseas spending?
As we said above, never just blindly spend abroad with ANY card, as most will charge expensive fees. Instead, find a card which uses near-perfect exchange rates and doesn't charge any fees when used abroad – some also offer fee-free ATM withdrawals, though do check, as it's not all (see our best buys below).
There's an increasing number of specialist overseas cards to choose from, and you may even already have one (see full list below) – in which case switching to a new one is only likely to bring a small gain, but could still be worth it.
Full list of top overseas debit and credit cards
Here is a full list of top overseas debit and credit cards, which don't charge fees for spending abroad:
Top overseas credit cards
Barclaycard Platinum Travel
Barclaycard Rewards (not Freedom Rewards)
Creation Everyday
Halifax Clarity
NatWest - The NatWest Credit Card
Nationwide Credit Card
Post Office Platinum
RBS Royal Bank/Reward Black
Santander 123
Santander All in one
Santander Zero
The Ulster Bank Credit Card
Virgin Money - Travel Credit Card
Zopa
Top overseas debit cards:
Bank of Scotland Platinum
Bank of Scotland Silver
Chase Bank
First Direct
Halifax Ultimate Reward Current Account
Kroo Bank
Lloyds - Club Lloyds
Lloyds - Club Lloyds Silver
Lloyds Platinum/Premier
Monzo
NatWest Reward Silver, Reward Platinum, Reward Black, Black
RBS Black, Reward Black, Reward Platinum, Reward Silver
Santander Edge
Santander Edge Up
Starling
TSB Spend & Save Plus
Virgin Money
You can also use our handy tool to check what your card charges, and if it's not fee-free, see our top-pick travel cards to find a new one.
Beware using any of the cards below overseas
Let's make this plain: DO NOT USE THE CARDS BELOW OVERSEAS. Unless you're spending euros in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, the cards below charge 50p to £1 for transactions on top of their normal exchange-rate charge.
The fees in the table apply to the bog-standard current accounts offered by the banks and building societies mentioned below. TSB, Bank of Scotland, Lloyds and Halifax all offer other current accounts, which are fee-free to spend and withdraw from abroad, but most charge a monthly fee or require minimum monthly pay-ins.
Debit card | Exchange load (mark-up) | ATM charge (1) | Spending charge (1) |
|---|---|---|---|
TSB Spend & Save | 2.99% | 1.5% (min £2, max £4.50) | £1 |
Bank of Scotland Classic | 2.99% | £1.50 | 50p |
Lloyds Classic | 2.99% | £1.50 | 50p |
Halifax Current Account | 2.99% | £1.50 | 50p |
(1) Except on payments in euros within the European Economic Area (EEA).
Travel card need-to-knows
Before you go on holiday, there are some things you need to know about how credit and debit cards work overseas. Get this wrong and it can cost you large.
If you're using a credit card, ALWAYS pay it off IN FULL every month
Specialist overseas credit cards can be the best way to spend when you're on holiday, but can turn into one of the worst ways if you're not disciplined enough to pay them off. Always follow the golden rule:
"Set up a direct debit to repay in full every month, or the interest charges dwarf the cheap-currency gains."
Direct debits may be marked 'inactive' if a card hasn't been used in a 13 month period – so if your hols have more than a year between them, check the direct debit is still in place.
And if you no longer need your card, see how to cancel credit cards.
If asked if you'd like to pay in pounds or the local currency, always pick the local currency
Many overseas hotels, shops and ATMs ask this when you pay by card. If you choose pounds, the retailer does the currency conversion – but rates can often be poor compared with letting your card do it – see Martin's euro analysis for how this worked for him on a European trip.
If you've got a top overseas card, ALWAYS choose the local currency, as your card does the exchange and it's unbeatable.
If you're using a bog-standard credit or debit card, it's touch and go. Sometimes the card machine will show you the 'non-sterling cash fee'. If this is under 2.5%, go with pounds. If it's over, pick the local currency.
Spending is almost always cheaper than withdrawing cash when you're on holiday
If you've a top overseas credit card, spending is almost always cheaper. Even on cards with no cash withdrawal fees, you'll usually still pay interest on the withdrawal until you pay it off.
This goes double for non-specialist credit cards. You'll pay the non-sterling transaction fee on all transactions overseas, but you'll also pay a fee and interest on cash withdrawals.
On debit cards, spending is still cheaper as while there's no interest on a cash withdrawal, there's often still a fee (as well as the non-sterling transaction fee) when you use a cash machine.
Since Brexit, more and more overseas ATMs have started to charge (higher) fees, so do keep an eye out.
Should I withdraw my travel currency in the UK or overseas?
If you're going to get the cash out on a specialist overseas card, then it's better to wait until you're there.
However, if you're just planning to use a normal card or convert pounds when you're out there, there's no guarantee you'll get a better rate – and certainly changing in most hotels is normally a bad idea as they give poor rates. Overall it's safer to use TravelMoneyMax and get the cheapest rate while you're here. Also see How to buy euros.
Does withdrawing cash on a credit card affect my credit score?
Any cash withdrawals you make on a credit card will be recorded at the credit reference agencies. On their own, they shouldn't matter too much, but if you have a history of poor credit, or you're looking to make an important credit application soon, they're best avoided. Sign up for MSE's Credit Club to see how the financial world views you.
Because it's usually quite expensive to withdraw cash on a credit card, lenders may see it as you being desperate for cash, and will count it against you if you apply to them.
For more information on the pros and cons, read our Withdrawing cash on a credit card guide.
Not all cards are equal – Visa's exchange rates tend to be a tad better than Mastercard, but there's very little in it
When you spend abroad, your bank gets an almost perfect rate when it does the exchange for you. It exchanges at Mastercard's, Visa's or American Express' wholesale rate, all of which are pretty close to the spot rate that the currency markets suggest (the perfect rate).
When we compared rates across a couple of months, Visa had a slightly better exchange rate on 91 occasions, with Mastercard winning 72 times. The differences were also very small, often a few pence per £100 of currency – so there's little to separate them.
Most banks then charge you for having them make the exchange for you, and this is where the up-to-3% non-sterling exchange fee comes in. That's why you should always get one of the specialist cards in this guide, which don't add fees on top.
Top travel credit and debit cards
As we said above, there's an increasing number of specialist overseas cards to choose from. The most lucrative route involves switching bank, but there are simpler routes too.
All the cards below use near-perfect exchange rates and don't charge any fees when spending abroad, and a select few also don't charge fees and/or interest on overseas ATM withdrawals.
Get a FREE £200+ & a top overseas debit card by switching bank
A few top bank accounts that pay you to switch include in their incentives top overseas debit cards. You must use the seven-working-day switch service which closes your old account, shifts over all Direct Debits & Standing Orders, and ensures any payments to your old account are auto-forwarded. You'll usually also need pass a not too harsh credit check.
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Biggest bonus & top service. First Direct, FREE '£210', 7% saver & for many a £250 interest free overdraft. Its ongoing £175 free cash on its fee-free account is currently boosted via our First Direct link*, which gives £35 to spend at most big supermarkets in-store/online (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Aldi, Morrisons, Waitrose, M&S, Iceland).
As well as a top debit card for spending abroad, it also comes with a linked 7% fixed regular saver, an ongoing £250 interest-free overdraft for most and top service (92% 'great' rating in our latest bank poll). See our full First Direct review for eligibility info. -
Strong perks. Club Lloyds, FREE £200, 1yr Disney+. To get the free £200 for switching and the perks, you need to pay in £2,500 a month (roughly £29,000+ annual salary) to avoid paying a £5 monthly fee. Avoid this card if you can't meet the pay-in requirement.
As well as a top debit card for spending abroad, it comes with a linked 6.25% fixed regular saver and a £100 0% overdraft buffer zone. See our full Lloyds review for eligibility info. -
Top (joint) BILLS account. Santander Edge, FREE £180, up to £10/month cashback on bills, 6% easy-access savings. As well as the free £180, the big sell here is that for a £3/month fee you get 1% cashback on bills paid from it by Direct Debit (max £10/month) – Council Tax, energy, water, mobile & home phone, paid TV & broadband bills. For a typical home, that covers the fee and more.
There's also linked 6% variable regular saver, in addition to the top debit card for spending abroad. See our full Santander review for eligibility info.
Don't want to switch bank? Get up to 1.5% ongoing cashback
These cards pay ongoing cashback and have other perks, so they're a strong choice if you don't want to switch your bank account.
Lloyds Ultra | Trading 212* | Chase* | |
Cashback on almost all UK & overseas spending? | ✓ 1% for a year (0.25% after). Unlimited. | ✓ 1.5% til 31 Jul (0.5% after). Max £15/month. Plus newbies going via our specific link using code MSE30 get a bonus £30 cashback when spending £5+. | No. 1% but only on UK travel, fuel & grocery costs. Max £15/month. |
Can you get it without a hard credit-check? | No. So not all will be accepted and it will register on your credit file. | ✓ Yes, (it's a soft credit-check just for ID purposes, it doesn't impact your credit file, so most can get it). | ✓ Yes, (it's a soft credit-check just for ID purposes, it doesn't impact your credit file, so most can get it). |
Interest-free SPENDING & ATM withdrawals? | ✓ Yes, if paid IN FULL each month (avoid if not, as it charges 12.9% rep APR interest). | ✓ Yes (as it's a debit card, and there's no overdraft facility). | ✓ Yes (as it's a debit card, and there's no overdraft facility). |
Fee-free ATM cash? (Individual ATMs may charge) | ✓ Yes, up to £500/DAY. | ✓ Yes, but far less, just £400/month. | ✓ Yes, but less, up to £1,500/MONTH. |
Does it have Section 75 protection? | ✓ Yes, full Section 75 protection. | No, though it has chargeback protection. | No, though it has chargeback protection. |
See all official APR examples.
Top travel cards – Which card is the winner?
Our top picks are all fee-free and interest-free when spending abroad – each card has different perks, so which wins will depend on what you value the most.
Happy to switch bank? First Direct* is a clear winner as the free £210 bonus, alongside its other perks, makes it by far the most lucrative. We've full info, including crucial eligibility criteria, in our First Direct review.
Want a credit card that pays cashback? Lloyds Ultra is our top-pick credit card as it pays 1% cashback on worldwide spending in the first year. After that it's 0.25% cashback, which is still good, but likely beatable. As it's a credit card, minimise cash withdrawals, as you'll be charged interest (even if you repay in full each month). It also offers the stronger Section 75 protection should a purchase go wrong.
Prefer a debit card that's easy to get & pays cashback? Trading 212* is our top-pick debit card as it pays 1.5% cashback till 31 Jul – and a decent 0.5% after that – on up to £15/month. It's also the easiest card to get, as there's only a soft credit check for ID purposes, so it doesn't impact your credit file and most can get it. You need to first open a Trading212 Invest account, but it's free and you don't have to invest.
Plus, Trading 212 newbies (ie you can't have held any of its accounts before, including its popular top cash ISA) who open the account via our specific link using code MSE30 will get a bonus £30 cashback when spending £5+ on the debit card (the cashback will then be paid within three working days).
None of the above suit? Here are the next-best travel cards...
We've more choices below if the above cards don't work for you. All are decent picks and are fee-free to spend on abroad, though some charge interest or have ATM fees/limits.
Barclaycard Rewards Visa Credit Card
NO FEE
28.9% rep APR
Decent cashback & interest-free withdrawals. Pays 0.25% cashback on worldwide spending, plus overseas withdrawals are interest-free, which is rare (provided you pay it off IN FULL each month).
Ongoing rewards:
0.25% cashback on most worldwide spending
Other perks:
Fee-free & interest-free ATM withdrawals abroad (if paid IN FULL each month)
MBNA Travel Cashback credit card
NO FEE
12.9% rep APR
Decent cashback but hefty withdrawal fees. Pays 0.25% cashback on most worldwide spending for three years, plus it's fee-free during that time (if paid off IN FULL each month). After the three years you'll start being charged 2.95% on overseas spending, so ditch the card then. There's also a 5% fee on ATM withdrawals from day one, plus interest charged daily until fully paid off, so don't use it to withdraw cash.
Ongoing rewards:
0.25% cashback on most worldwide spending for 3yrs
Other perks:
Fee-free spending for 3yrs (2.95% fee after; 5% withdrawal fee + interest)
NatWest Travel Reward credit card
NO FEE
27.9% rep APR
Good for cashback on specific spends. Pays 1% cashback on certain travel spends (eg planes, trains & car rentals). There's an ongoing 0.1% cashback elsewhere. Don't use it to withdraw cash as there's a 3% fee (min £3) and you'll be charged interest daily until fully repaid.
Ongoing rewards:
1% cashback on certain travel spend (0.1% elsewhere)
Other perks:
Fee-free spending (watch out for 3% withdrawal fee, min £3, plus interest)
Santander Edge credit card
£4/mth
37.8% rep APR
1% cashback for £4 a month, best for bigger spenders. This card offers 1% cashback on most worldwide spending (max £10/month), which are also fee-free and interest free as long as you pay off IN FULL each month. But due to the £4/month fee you'd need to spend £400 each month just to break even. There's also a 3% fee (min £3) charged on overseas ATM withdrawals, so don't use it to withdraw cash.
Ongoing rewards:
1% cashback (max £10/mth)
Other perks:
Fee-free spending (watch out for 3%, min £3, withdrawal fee plus interest)
Yonder Debit Card
Mastercard
Earn points to spend on dining, travel and days out etc. The Yonder debit card gives you fee-free spending and overseas ATM withdrawals (max 5/week, max £150/day), plus you get one point per £1 spent. Points can be used for a variety of 'lifestyle-oriented rewards' such as dining, travel, theatre & shopping. You also get £10 cashback on your first spend, plus 1,000 bonus points on £1,000+ spend within first 30 days.
Ongoing rewards:
1pt. per £1 spent (for 'lifestyle-oriented rewards')
Other perks:
£10 cashback on first spend, plus 1,000 bonus points on £1,000+ spend within first 30 days. (fee-free overseas spending and ATM witdrawals)
Starling
Mastercard
Decent option from top service digital bank. Fee-free spending and withdrawals overseas (six/day max, £300/day max) from this app-based bank account, which also offers numerous features such as dedicated savings pots, virtual cards and round-ups (automatically saving your spare change with each purchase). Plus it regular scores highly on our banking service poll (91% 'great' in our July poll)
Ongoing rewards:
None (soft credit check)
Oter perks:
Fee-free spending and cash withdrawals (max six/day, max £300/day)
Currensea*
Read how it works plus how to get £10 cashback
Avoid overseas fees through Open Banking. Link your existing current account to Currensea via Open Banking, which then charges your linked current account via Direct Debit – bypassing any foreign spending or ATM fees. Though note, there's a flat 0.5% charge on top of the interbank/Mastercard exchange rate, so you might be better off with some of the other cards in the table.
Ongoing Rewards:
£10 cashback on £100+ spend in first 6mths
Other perks:
fee-free spending and withdrawals (but watch out for conversion rate charge of 0.5%)
Looking for a card that children can use abroad?
Our top-pick cards for under-18s offer near perfect exchange rates, plus most let you set spending limits and monitor via apps.
What are the alternatives to travel credit and debit cards?
If you don't want a new credit or debit card, but you still want to be able to maximise the bang for your buck (or euro, or dong) there are a couple of other ways to spend that you can look at...
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Prepaid travel cards. These let you load them up and lock in a rate in advance. Some charge huge fees or take a cut of the exchange rate, but cards such as Revolut and Wise tend to offer a decent deal, often rivalling the cards above. See full information and our current top picks in prepaid travel cards.
They don't expire, but you can be charged fees if you don't use them within a set period of time (usually one or two years of inactivity). And many do have ongoing monthly fees and/or card delivery fees, though the ones in our guide don't have ongoing monthly fees or inactivity fees, but some do have card delivery fees. -
Prefer cash? Useful if card isn't accepted, our TravelMoneyMax travel money comparison tool helps you find the best exchange rates for your holiday money.
Want to complain about your card provider?
If your card company has charged you the wrong amount, charged interest when it shouldn't have or its service has been atrocious, then you don't have to suffer in silence.
It's always worth trying to call the provider first to see if it can help, but if not, you can use free complaints tool Resolver. The tool helps you manage your complaint, and if the company doesn't play ball, it also helps you escalate your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.
Sorting travel insurance once you've chosen a top card for travelling abroad? Read our guide to Cheap travel insurance which has all the need-to-knows, including how to claim if you need to.
Travel card FAQs
Will using a travel card affect my credit score?
Opening a travel credit card will involve a hard credit check, which can temporarily lower your score. Using it responsibly (repaying in full, keeping utilisation low) should actually help long term. Debit cards and prepaid cards don’t impact your credit score at all.
Can I use my travel card for car hire and hotel deposits?
Yes, but some companies place a ‘hold’ on your card for hundreds of pounds. A credit card is safer here – with debit cards or prepaid cards, that money is ring-fenced in your account and you won’t be able to touch it until the hold’s released.
Do I need to tell my bank I’m going abroad?
Most banks say you don’t need to, but it’s still wise to register your trip in-app or online if the option exists. Unusual overseas transactions can sometimes trigger fraud blocks.
What happens if I lose my travel card abroad?
All providers have 24/7 hotlines to freeze cards, but not all will courier emergency replacements internationally. Some debit card providers (eg, app-only banks) may only post a new card to your UK address, leaving you stuck unless you’ve got a backup. Always take at least two cards from different providers.
Are there limits on how much I can withdraw abroad?
Yes. Many “fee-free” debit cards cap cash withdrawals (eg, £300 a day or £1,500 a month). Credit cards usually let you withdraw more, but interest starts instantly unless you’ve got one of the rare cards that gives interest-free cash withdrawals. That's why you should ALWAYS avoid withdrawing cash off your credit card.
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