What is the best credit card for international travel?

Question

ClearValue Editorial Team · Accepted Answer

The best international travel card has no foreign transaction fees, chip-and-PIN capability, wide network acceptance (Visa or Mastercard), and ideally travel protections like trip-delay and lost-luggage coverage — because those save real money when something goes wrong abroad. Three costs quietly erode a travel budget: foreign transaction fees (typically 1-3% of every purchase), currency conversion markups, and ATM withdrawal fees. The right card eliminates the FX fee — a 3% fee on $5,000 abroad is $150 — and supports chip-and-PIN, which many European transit kiosks, parking meters, and unstaffed stations require even though the U.S. default is chip-and-signature. Visa and Mastercard are accepted nearly everywhere; American Express has narrower acceptance in smaller markets. Always choose to pay in the local currency, never dynamic conversion to U.S. dollars, which adds a markup. Beyond fees, valuable protections include trip-delay reimbursement, lost or delayed baggage coverage, emergency medical assistance, and rental-car collision coverage — check each card's benefits guide, since terms vary widely.