revolut vs travel credit card

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Wise vs revolut: which is better in 2024 [detailed & unbiased].

‍ One of the top tips I can give you while travelling is to invest in a great travel card -  trust me you won’t regret it!

There are plenty to choose from, but this guide is going to dive into the similarities and key differences between Wise and Revolut . 

We started using Revolut back in 2016 on our backpacking trip around South America , and we’ve used Wise since early 2019 so we’ve got a few years of experience with both...

To give you a good idea of which travel card is most suited to you, I’m going to go through the pros and cons of each for both personal and business accounts. 

So, let’s get stuck in…

Travellerspoint

Great features of Wise for travel

First of all, let’s take a look at Wise and the features that benefit us travellers so much…

• Although not travel-specific, Wise is FREE to sign up for and there are no monthly fees
• You can hold money in 50+ currencies and convert between them for the real exchange rate
• With Wise, you can withdraw up to 200 GBP per month from international ATMs for FREE
• You can use the Wise debit card abroad like you would any other debit card
• You can freeze your card if it gets lost or stolen
• Low transfer fees
• Better exchange rate than many other platforms out there
• Wise is great for receiving payments in foreign currencies and then offering great exchange rates and low fees to convert to pounds
• Available in over 60 countries, and your card will be shipped out for you (for a fee)
• Wise offers virtual cards as well as plastic ones

Wise Business

Now, let’s take a look at the benefits of opening a Wise Business account ! 

Of course, this is tailored specifically towards individuals who are self-employed but if you’re a keen traveller and a digital nomad then it’s likely that you may fall under this bracket.

With a Wise Business account, you’ll have many benefits of business banking but without any hidden charges, monthly fees, or high rates.

So, what are these benefits?

Key Features of a Wise Business account

• International invoices can be paid in one click with a real (and live) exchange rate
• Charges regarding payments can be up to 19x cheaper than the likes of Paypal
• Quick payments - 50% of payments are instant or arrive within the hour
• You can easily make batch payments in just one click (up to 1,000 people)
• Money can be moved between currencies in seconds, avoiding high conversion fees
• Your Wise Business account can be connected with other platforms like Xero

The best part about having a Wise Business account is that they’re very affordable.

For those who are in the EEA or UK, there's one-off set-up fee of £45 (50 euros).

The price of this one-off fee will differ depending on where you're from (and where the business is registered), but typically you'll be paying between £16-£42. With some countries, it does cost more to verify your account so you may be charged a higher fee.

After that, you don't need to worry about any hidden or monthly fees which is a huge bonus, and you'll benefit from low transfer fees and high exchange rates.

Many business owners or freelancers tend to use the likes of PayPal, but as I’ve just mentioned transfers with Wise can save you a lot of money! Trust me, if you’re using PayPal the charges add up over the year…

However, Revolut has some fantastic features too so let’s take a look at them next...

Great features of Revolut for travel 

Here’s a quick overview of the features that may convince you to choose Revolut as your next travel card…

• Revolut offers the best exchange rate possible
• Travel insurance is included with the paid plans (Premium, Metal, and Ultra plans)
• A clear account overview of all expenses
• Compatible with Google Pay and Apple Pay
• Offers an easy sharing bills feature
• You’ll be able to receive international payments
• Quick currency conversions
• Some of the paid plans offer FREE airport lounges and a concierge service
• No-fee ATM withdrawals

Additional Revolut features

• The opportunity to get involved with cryptocurrency trading
• A stock trading market
• You can make charitable donations
• With Revolut, you can receive cashback on specific purchases

Revolut Paid features 

It’s important to note that Revolut has a wide variety of personal plans , and some of these aren’t free. Therefore, there will be several paid features that won’t be accessible on a free account.

Some of these ‘paid features’ include:

• Personalised Cards
• FREE card delivery
• 24/7 priority customer support 
• Daily interest on USD savings
• Higher monthly withdrawal limits

Comparing Revolut personal plans 

As you can see there are a variety of personal plans to choose from, so to make things easier I’ve dropped a screenshot of the differences below…

For a more in-depth comparison, I’m going to dive into the Plus, Premium, Metal, and Ultra plans. 

The Plus Plan - £3.99 per month

• Personalised Plus Card
• In-app priority customer support
• Two accounts for under 18s with full access
• Up to £1,000 purchase protection for a year on eligible items
• Refund protection that covers you for a full 90 days after purchases
• Ticketed events can be reimbursed up to £1000 if you can't make it due to a reason that's beyond your control (Insurance T&Cs apply)
• Earn up to 2.39% AER/Gross (variable) paid daily on your savings
• International transfers - money can be sent in 29+ currencies

The Premium Plan - £7.99 per month 

• Unlimited foreign exchange Monday-Friday
• Up to £400 free international ATM withdrawals per month, and a 2% fee afterwards
• Full purchase protection
• Travel Insurance is included with your monthly fee
• 20% off fees on every international transfer
• Earn up to 3% AER/Gross (variable) paid daily on your savings
• 5 commission-free stock trades every month
• Perks Plus - discounts off top brands
• Benefit from an additional virtual card to help against fraud
• Up to 5% cashback on accommodation
• Access to airport lounges at discounted rates

The Metal Plan - £14.99 per month

All the standard benefits plus…

• Up to £800 free international ATM withdrawals per month, and a 2% fee afterwards
• Earn up to 4% AER/Gross (variable) paid daily on your savings
• 10 commission-free stock trades every month
• 40% off fees on every international transfer
• Up to 10% cashback on accommodation
• Cashback on card payments (up to 0.1% on transactions in Europe and UK, and 1% elsewhere)
• Personal Liability Insurance up to £1 million
• Five accounts for under 18s with full access

The Ultra Plan - £45 per month (the plan I am on!)

With Ultra you get some extra benefits...

• Up to £2000 free international ATM withdrawals per month, and a 2% fee afterwards
• Free International Transfers
• Earn up to 4.75% AER/Gross (variable) paid daily on your savings
• Trip and event cancellation insurance
• Perks worth £4,000+ in annual benefits
• Unlimited lounge access
• Platinum-plated card
• Subscriptions for Sleep Cycle, Headspace, NordVPN, and Picsart
• Can request a call back when it comes to priority customer support

Revolut Business Accounts 

Likewise, Revolut also offers business accounts if you’re self-employed or you’re a business owner. 

We’ve used Revolut Business since 2021, as we wanted to make sure that we were losing as little as possible on fees once our business started to scale more! 

Unlike Wise, Revolut has a variety of business accounts available and some of them are paid accounts.

Comparing Revolut Business Accounts 

As well as the benefits included with personal plans, you’ll also get extra if you’ve got a business and opt for a business plan.

There are four types of Revolut business plans and honestly, which one you should choose will all depend on how big your business is, how much money you’re making, and how many international payments you’ll need to make.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the differences between each business plan…

You can find out some of the other differences between Revolut business accounts through their account pricing plans .

What’s great about purchasing a Revolut Business plan is that they’ve evolved their accounts so that you can now receive domestic USD and EURO payments. 

Before this, businesses would pay into my Wise account if the payment was in dollars or euros and then I’d have to exchange the currency over to my GBP account in Revolut Business. 

Luckily, the process is now much smoother. Now, I can get paid directly from business to the domestic USD & EURO accounts in Revolut Business. This helps you avoid any intermediary fees, although there is a limit on how much you can exchange for free.

You’ll find a couple of other fantastic reasons to upgrade your Revolut Business plan, but this is generally the key reason to do so and the main differentiator in their pricing structure!

If you need to exchange more than, say £10K a month, you can then upgrade your business plan further but just make sure that it makes financial sense to do so first. 

Revolut Pro

This platform have also introduced Revolut Pro, an account which is tailored towards freelancers and those with a side hustle. Although relatively new, it's already a great option as there are some brilliant benefits. These include: 

• The ability to create, track, and send invoices in seconds
• You can accept in-person payments with Revoluts card reader (transaction fees are 1.5%).
• You can create a QR code or payment link for customers to pay you (transactions fees are 2.5%)
• This account also allows you to receive payments via Apple Pay and digital wallets
• You'll earn cashback on payments used with the Revolut Pro card
• You can make and receive payments in 36 different currencies at an excellent exchange rate
• It's free to open, as you can sign up for standard Revolut account and then set up Revolut Pro through there

What are the key differences between Wise and Revolut?

Now, this is what you’ve all been waiting for…

There are several key differences between Wise and Revolut , so to make this section easier I’m going to split it up into personal accounts and business accounts. 

Then later, I’ll dive into the important differences between the companies in more depth…

Comparing Wise personal accounts Vs Revolut personal account 

As you can see there are plenty of differences between Wise and Revolut, especially when it comes to personal accounts. 

Although Wise and Revolut both offer free plans, Revolut’s paid personal plans offer a lot more flexibility in terms of monthly withdrawals and other features.

However, Wise operates in more countries and you can hold and exchange up to 50 currencies, which is a much higher amount than Revolut. 

We’ll dive into a more in-depth comparison of the key differences between the two later on…

Comparing Wise business accounts Vs Revolut business accounts

Although you may not have thought about using Wise or Revolut for a business bank account, both have a lot to offer.

Overall, from a business standpoint, we currently still have both, as there is some nice cohesion there between the two!

However, I’ve definitely started to cut Wise out more and more since the introduction of those domestic USD & EURO accounts with Revolut. 

Although that’s the case for me, Wise still stands out greatly in its sheer quantity of different currencies in order to receive payments, which makes its (relatively modest) fees definitely worth the convenience! 

Especially as this allows us to cut out PayPal 99% of the time, which is a nightmare when it comes to fees…

Revolut Vs Wise: A breakdown of the key differences…

Both Wise and Revolut have fantastic features, but it’s always important to compare them to see which one comes out on top! 

So, let’s take a look at some of the most important features when it comes to travel cards…

1. Withdrawing money from ATMs whilst abroad

Now, this is arguably one of the most important features that a travel card needs to have! 

If you’re not careful then withdrawing money from ATMs abroad can cost you a lot in fees, especially in Asian countries such as Thailand.

Both Wise and the Revolut Free accounts allow you to withdraw up to £200 per month at ATMs without fees. However, the paid personal plans with Revolut allow you to withdraw up to £2,000 a month which is a much larger amount (you can withdraw this amount with the Ultra Plan which is what we have).

If you don’t want to pay for this luxury, then you can have a card with both Revolut and Wise, and then this will allow you to withdraw up to £400 without fees. 

Due to the monthly limits, Revolut wins this hands down…

2. Foreign currency fees

If you’re planning to receive large foreign payments, then it’s always best to invest in a travel card that will help you save on fees! At the start, we used PayPal and I think we lost around 8-10% of the actual GBP value of our payments which is CRAZY.

After we signed up for Wise in early 2019, we saved so much money due to the great exchange rates and low fees when converting to GBP.

However, after TransferWise was rebranded to Wise in 2022, I’ve found that their fees have increased and they’re not as cheap as they once were! 

In fact, we now save more money through Revolut which is the clear winner in this regard ! 

3. Number of currencies the accounts can hold

Wise is the clear winner when it comes to the number of currencies available! 

This is another important factor to think about, especially if you’re a digital nomad or long-term traveller who likes to move around a lot. 

Wise allows you to receive and send money abroad from over 50 currencies in total, although some of these transfers can only occur via local transfer. 

There’s a full list of currencies on Wise’s website if you’re looking for more information…

Whereas, Revolut allows you to send and receive money from 25+ currencies, which is much lower. 

So, if you pick Wise you can hold and exchange over 50 currencies, whilst this is restricted to around 25 with Revolut. 

4. Replacing lost cards 

One of the best things about using Wise and Revolut is that they both allow you to ‘freeze’ your card if you misplace it or it’s been stolen. 

It’s an easy process with both companies as you simply have to head into your account and then go to your ‘manage card’ section.

Both companies will charge you a fee to replace the card of £5. However, if you’re located outside the UK expect to pay a lot more!

Depending on where you live, international delivery can cost upwards of £17.99.

Both Wise and Revolut come out on top for this one so there are no winners…

5. Transfer Fees

Both Wise and Revolut are known for having low transfer fees , especially compared to traditional banks and other platforms such as Paypal. 

However, it’s Revolut that takes first place when it comes to fees!

If you’re transferring money to other countries in Europe you won’t encounter any fees, although for international transfers there will be a fee on every transfer - unless you opt for a paid business account. 

It’s often a fixed fee which makes it better than Wise’s variable transfer fees , as they are always changing based on market fluctuations. 

Wise do have some fixed transfer fees, but even then Revolut offers more bang for your buck. This makes them the best option if you're sending money abroad!

6. Locations where you can open an account

Another key thing to think about when deciding on a travel card is, of course, your location. 

Although a company may offer great rates on international money transfers and market exchange rates, it’s useless if it’s not available in your country of origin. 

Revolut is only suitable for citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA), the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Brazil, Switzerland, and the United States.

Whereas Wise is available in over 60 countries at the minute. Due to its widespread availability, Wise is the clear winner here, but just make sure your country is included before downloading the app. 

These are just a couple of the key differences between Wise and Revolut, so let’s take a look at some of the differences (and similarities) that aren’t travel related… 

Other differences between Wise and Revolut that aren’t travel-related

1. User-friendliness

Here’s another key factor to consider when choosing between Wise and Revolut. Whilst abroad, you’re going to want a travel card that’s easy to use! 

We’ve been using our standard personal Revolut account since we began travelling in 2016, and throughout the years we’ve watched the app evolve for a better customer experience.  

Even though the app has been easy to use from the get-go, today, it’s much more functional. However, Wise is also very easy to use although its app isn’t as popular as the desktop version.

Both of these companies offer a user-friendly experience, although it’s Revolut that has to take the top spot due to the popularity of its app!

2. Customer Support

Customer support is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a travel card!

Wise is known to offer fantastic customer service with an online help centre and a support team that can be contacted via email, Facebook messenger, phone, Twitter, and Whatsapp. 

The one thing to be aware of with the Revolut personal plans is that although you’ll have access to customer support, only the paid plans will have access to 24/7 priority customer support. 

The Revolut app offers 24-hour customer service anyway so there will always be someone available if you’re encountering any problems, but the response time will often differ depending on your plan - hence ‘priority support’. 

Even with this, Revolut is the winner because they have several live chat options and you can easily talk to the customer service team.

3. Reputation

With a rating of 4.4 on the Google Play Store and 4.9 on the Apple Store, the Revolut app has plenty of excellent reviews. The Revolut Business app also has a rating of 4.6 and 4.8 respectively.

In terms of positive reviews, people have commented on the convenience of virtual cards, being able to split bills, and the wide variety of features. 

However, people have left negative reviews regarding problems with customer support, and higher rates on weekends.

Wise has a rating of 4.7 on the Google Play Store and 4.5 on the Apple Store. These ratings are similar to Revolut, and there are plenty of positive reviews regarding smooth transfers and an easy-to-use design.

However, negative reviews have been left regarding the increased transaction fees, app malfunctions, and lack of customer support. 

There seems to be pros and cons to both, although Revolut has the higher ratings!

4. Additional Features 

In terms of additional features, this is another win that goes to Revolut.

Although Wise has plenty to offer in terms of transfers, banking, and helping to avoid fees, you won't find many other features on this platform.

Revolut, however, has plenty of awesome additional features including stocks, shares, and cryptocurrency. I’ve actually had a play around with these, and they’ve got much better since they’ve been rolled out. 

Not only that, but Revolut allows you the ability to set budgets, receive cashback when purchasing certain products, and use ‘saving vaults’.

That’s just a few of the additional features that they offer, and more can be found on their website!

Overall verdict: Wise Vs Revolut - which one is better for travel?

As you can see, Revolut seems to take first place in terms of both travel features and other differences such as user-friendliness and customer support. 

Although Wise has plenty to offer regarding availability and currencies, it’s Revolut that stands out to me! 

If you’re looking to pay for a personal plan, then Revolut has a lot more to offer than Wise in terms of both banking and travel advantages. 

Not only will you benefit from better exchange rates, cheaper transfer fees, and a user-friendly app, but some of their plans offer a free concierge service, airport lounge passes, and travel insurance perks.

You won’t find many other travel cards that offer these kinds of perks, and Wise definitely doesn’t offer anything of the sort either. 

Revolut also offers a variety of business accounts, and you can choose your plan accordingly based on the features and what's on offer. Whereas Wise just has the free business account so you won’t have access to as many great benefits.

Another fantastic thing about Revolut is that they offer the ‘pay feature’ which we’ve used a few times to receive payments from brands that don’t want to (or know how to) do an international bank transfer. 

This is incredibly handy for brands or companies who’d rather pay for something from us using a traditional credit card payment. 

We now have the Ultra Plan and although it's the most expensive paid personal plan, it's certainly worth the price in our opinion as it comes with a ton of awesome perks!

However, Wise has proved very useful on a personal level when it comes to direct debits! For example, during our travels in Canada and America, we were able to set up direct debits for gym memberships and other things. 

It is also still a key part of our business when it comes to receiving foreign payments. That being said, now that we have a paid Revolut business account, the markup fees they charge are actually less than Wise's newer, slightly higher commission structure.

As you can see, both these companies have a lot to offer but for me, Revolut easily takes first place! They offer a better user experience, and even with the free personal and business accounts, you’ll benefit from a lot more features. 

Not only that, but the Revolut exchange rate is just typically better!

For more information, you can check out our in-depth Revolut guide ...

Advice for new users

If you’re planning a trip and you’re not sure which app to download , then I’d recommend going with Revolut .

Whether you stick with their FREE account or you upgrade is totally up to you, but either way, you’ll get access to a ton of awesome features. 

However, for the best experience, it may be a good idea to download both Wise and Revolut so you can have a card from each one.

This will allow you to withdraw two lots of money from an ATM so you can avoid fees! Not only that, but you won’t truly know which one will work better for you without trying it yourself…

The future of Wise and Revolut

Although Revolut tips the scale for us, it’s important to state that both of these providers are fantastic in allowing you to handle your finances.

Everyone’s preference is different when it comes to travel cards, and you must make the decision based on what’s best for you rather than just going off our opinion!

At the time of writing, we believe Revolut has more to offer in terms of additional features but this may change in the future…

Companies are always keeping an eye on their competitors, and you might find that to even the playing field, Wise may introduce some more features in the next couple of years.

How to sign up for Wise and Revolut

Signing up for Wise or Revolut is extremely easy! The first step is downloading the app for each one…

• Find Wise here
• Find Revolut here

From there, you’ll need to enter some basic details like your name, birthday, email address, and home address. 

After you’ve signed up you can then request for your card to be sent out to you. Although this will only take a few working days in the UK, you’ll need to allow 2-3 weeks if you live abroad.

Other travel cards to try

This guide is focused on highlighting the differences and similarities between Wise and Revolut, however, there are a couple of other fantastic travel cards out there.

Here are two of the other companies that we’ve tried…

Monzo is one of the stand-out travel cards on the market with fantastic exchange rates, the ability to apply for an overdraft, and the fact that the cards are compatible with Apple and Google Pay. 

We always keep both Monzo and Revolut cards on us, and to be honest there’s no real difference between the two if your sole purpose is to spend abroad and draw out money. 

Both have £200 limits on ATM withdrawals (although Monzo has a 3% surcharge fee beyond that), so having one of each allows us to withdraw money with both and avoid charges. 

If you want to find out more then you can check out our Monzo Vs Revolut review …

2. Starling Bank

With Starling Bank , you'll have access to 24/7 customer support, be covered by the FSCS, and you can sign up digitally in minutes.

That being said, in all honesty, we’ve never been a big fan of Starling Bank compared to our favourites; Monzo and Revolut. 

They don’t offer a ton of additional features, and we found the exchange rate to be slightly worse than some of the other travel cards we’ve used. 

We got a card with them because they didn't have a cap on free monthly withdrawals, which is a huge bonus but this bank just didn't work for us.

However, some people really love Starling Bank so it's all about preference I guess! 

Wise Vs Revolut? Which one takes the top spot for you…

Choosing the perfect travel card isn’t an easy task when you’ve got to consider their money transfer services, currency exchange rates, and other fees. 

I hope this guide has given you a detailed comparison of Revolut and Wise (or TransferWise as it was previously known), and what each one has to offer. 

Companies are constantly upgrading their features too, so I’d recommend checking the websites yourself to see which travel card is most suited to you! 

Here are some other guides that you may find helpful if you’re planning a trip: 

• The Best Vacation Rental Sites
• In-depth SafetyWing Review
• Ultimate Travel Packing List

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Revolut Review —Travelling For 10 Months with Only One Multi-currency Card For Money

This Revolut Review took many months to test. Download Revolut here — Apple Store or Google Play .

It’s been a while since we travelled, so when we were selected by Airbnb to Live Anywhere around the world for 10 months, we immediately got down to planning for a long trip.

Read also : Guide to Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lanes

One of the challenges we faced was figuring our cash situation. Do we bring 10 months’ worth of cash? Or just suck it up and pay hefty surcharges at ATMs overseas — not to mention unfavourable rates 🙁

Setting up local bank accounts in different destinations would also be too much of a hassle.

So when Revolut reached out and asked us to review their product, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to put its different functions to the test.

For our 10 month trip, it was the only financial card we brought along.

We’re not financial experts, but we tried our best to test the card in every situation common to a traveller — both long and short term travel. Hope you find this Revolut review useful!

Note: This Revolut Review is for Singapore Residents only. There are different product features for different markets around the world.

Disclosure : While the writer was provided with a spending allowance to test the card, it’s in The Travel Intern’s interest to protect the editorial integrity of our website. We have taken every reasonable effort to ensure a realistic and honest review for our readers. 

But first, what is Revolut?

Revolut is a financial super-app that is best known for its multi-currency wallet and remittance services amongst frequent travellers and expats.

Credit cards typically charge too much for currency exchange so multi-currency wallets/cards like Revolut makes it a lot more affordable and convenient to pay overseas. In fact, their exchange rates are usually very close to that of Google and often better than a physical money changer in Singapore!

Revolut also allows you to hold multiple currencies in your account, letting you lock in favourable exchange rates ahead of time.

Revolut Review: How Revolut works

Revolut works like a supercharged multi-currency pre-paid debit card, with plenty of security and lifestyle features that make it attractive to use overseas.

Picking a Revolut plan to suit your needs

Revolut is free to use, but you can get more features and benefits with their paid subscriptions. There are three Revolut cards with monthly subscription plans . Here’s a quick summary:

We’re on the Metal Plan and the card looks and feels gorgeous. It also gives us a higher limit for ATM withdrawals, lower currency exchange fees, priority customer support, insurance, and LoungeKey  Pass access. The Metal Card also offers 1% cashback on overseas spending .

While a free card will be suitable for most of our travels, the metal plan is super useful for long-term travelling or overseas living.

Using Revolut for cashless transactions

Revolut works like a debit card, and can be used anywhere that accepts Visa or Mastercard . The difference with traditional debit/credit cards is that it uses real exchange rate without any markup.

Read also : Multi-currency Cards vs Miles Credit Cards

According to Revolut, the ‘real’ exchange rates (or interbank rates ) are “based on the foreign exchange market data feeds that we get from a range of different independent sources.” While it sounds a little iffy, the rates we regularly got were usually the same as the internet rate or sometimes even better.

Other than using the physical card for payment, Revolut can also be linked to your smart devices (smartphones, smartwatches etc) for more convenience.

All you need is to make sure the card has a sufficient balance for your transaction.

Top-up is available via bank transfer, debit cards, credit cards, and even Apple Pay.

Once you’ve topped up the card, you can either exchange it to the local currency, or leave it in your home currency and it will use the real exchange rate at the time of transaction.

It also serves as a multi-currency wallet so you can store up to 28 different currencies at once.

Currency Exchange Fees : 0-2% depending on membership and market hours

Currency exchange fees are charged after a certain amount is spent on the card, but don’t worry, this resets each month. The amount depends on your membership plan:

Weekend fee: 1–2% depending on the currency

Revolut also charges a fee for exchanges over the weekend to protect against market fluctuations when it’s closed.

We were charged an additional 1% for transactions over the weekend when converting from SGD to EUR.

* Pro-tip: Exchange money before the weekend to avoid additional fees

The good thing is that the process is transparent and the foreign exchange rate can be viewed on the Revolut app before any transactions involving foreign exchange.

Using Revolut as a remittance service

Revolut supports over 28 currencies (including SGD), which means you can transfer money to foreign bank accounts at a much lower fee. The fees are stated upfront and uses the more favourable interbank transfer exchange rate. Perfect for those studying or working overseas who need to remit cash.

You can use their in-app or website calculator to get an estimate.

Revolut also allows you to transfer money to other Revolut users for free. As all members of our team have a Revolut account, it was easy to transfer money in the local currency to each other without having to convert to SGD first. There’s also the option of sending money in the form of gifts, which includes adorable animated cards that make it a little more fun.

You can even set up Group Bills, allowing you to split bills easily with every member of the party. Compared to other budgeting apps, you can “settle up” directly into your Revolut account.

Using Revolut to withdraw cash at local ATMs

This is generally fuss-free and ATM withdrawal on Revolut is free up to a monthly cap based on your membership level: Standard:  S$350/month Premium:  S$700/month Metal Card:  S$1050/month

A 2% usage fee is charged only after you’ve exceeded your limit. Some foreign banks may still charge a transaction fee even though Revolut doesn’t.

Here’s a 2019 community-created list of transaction fees for different banks (if any) by country .

We withdrew money at OTP Banka in Croatia for free.

Revolut App Budgeting & Lifestyle Features

Beyond using Revolut to pay for stuff, there are also a few budgeting and analytics tools on the app to help keep your spending in check. Set monthly budgets by categories, receive notifications when you are overspending, and get insights into your spending habits.

You can also set up Personal & Group Vaults to work towards your saving goals. Revolut tries to make this effortless by automatically rounding up your purchases to the nearest dollar and saving it in your account.

For online shoppers, the Rewards feature allows you to get additional cashback when you pay with Revolut.

If your flights are delayed for more than one hour, Premium and Metal Plan users also get complimentary lounge passes for their companions and themselves under Smart Delay .

Even if there’s no flight delay, Premium and Metal Plan users can purchase Lounge Passes on the App if you simply want to take a break.

Revolut Security Features Review

Convenient access and control of security features For long-term travel, these security features were extra useful. For example, we may want to disable magnetic stripe use in certain countries with a reputation for copying credit cards. In other instances, we may want to increase spending limits if we know we’ll be shopping more.

Revolut allows you to easily toggle security features like location-based security, use of contactless payments, ATM withdrawals, online payments, magnetic stripe usage, and spending limits via the app. This means even if you lose it without realising, the card cannot be misused since the features only work when you activate them.

You can easily change your PIN number, or unblock your own PIN if it has been accidentally blocked.

My favourite is the ‘Freeze card’ feature, which allows you to temporarily deactivate your card through the Revolut app . I’m sure many of us have been in situations where we think we’ve lost our credit card, only to find them a few days later after going through the trouble of calling the bank and having it deactivated permanently.

All these features make it super convenient as you can easily change them on the app instead of calling the bank.

Disposable Virtual Cards

You can also create  Disposable Virtual Cards  — perfect for times when you need to make online payments via foreign websites that might have questionable security protocols.

Disposable Virtual Cards are automatically refreshed after every use and can only be used once. So even if your details are exposed, your account will remain safe!

Revolut Review — thoughts after using Revolut for a few months

Over the last couple of months, our Revolut account generally worked really well. We used it for our everyday expenses and simply didn’t leave home without it.

The currency exchange rates were very favourable and the security controls were robust and useful. I personally loved the UI, which is intuitive and easy to navigate.

The biggest drawback would probably be the need for data connection. You need a data connection to top-up, so it’s important to make sure that you always have extra money in the account for unexpected purchases or emergencies. You don’t want to get stuck without money in a small town or rural area!

We also occasionally experienced situations where Revolut flags a suspicious transaction and blocks the card. While it’s easily resolved by logging into the app to unblock the card and mark it as a legit transaction, I can imagine how this might be a problem if you happen to be without data connection.

That said, I hardly carry my wallet around anymore and simply leave home with some emergency cash and the Revolut app on my smartphone. As the world becomes more connected and cashless, I can only imagine how using a multi-currency wallet and super-app like Revolut will become the main form of payment.

If you’d like to give Revolut a try, apply for an account and download the app here: – Apple App Store – Google Play

Revolut is also giving usersa 3% cash back on travel expenses till 23 December. More information here !

Hope you found this Revolut Review useful. Do let us know if you have any questions or suggestions to improve this review.

Disclosure : While the writer was provided with spending allowance to test the card, it’s in The Travel Intern’s interest to protect the editorial integrity of our website. We have taken every reasonable effort to ensure a realistic and honest review for our readers. 

This post was brought to you by  Revolut .

For more travel inspiration, follow us on  Facebook ,  Instagram , and  YouTube .

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14 Best Travel Credit Cards of May 2024

ALSO CONSIDER: Best credit cards of 2024 || Best rewards credit cards || Best airline credit cards || Best hotel credit cards

The best travel credit card is one that brings your next trip a little closer every time you use it. Purchases earn points or miles you can use to pay for travel. If you're loyal to a specific airline or hotel chain, consider one of that company's branded travel credit cards. Otherwise, check out our picks for general-purpose travel cards that give you flexible travel rewards without the restrictions and blackout dates of branded cards.

250+ credit cards reviewed and rated by our team of experts

80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance

100+ categories of best credit card selections ( See our top picks )

Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics ( Methodology )

NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity .

Show summary

NerdWallet's Best Travel Credit Cards of May 2024

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Best for Max flexibility + big bonus

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best for Flat-rate rewards

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Best for Travel portal benefits

Chase Freedom Unlimited® : Best for Cash back for travel bookings

American Express® Gold Card : Best for Big rewards on everyday spending

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card : Best for Bonus rewards + no annual fee

The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for Luxury travel perks

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card : Best for Business travelers

Citi Premier® Card : Best for Triple points on multiple categories

Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best for Bonus rewards + high-end perks

World of Hyatt Credit Card : Best for Best hotel card

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card : Best for Travel rewards for rent payments

United℠ Explorer Card : Best for Best airline card

PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card : Best for Credit union benefits

Best Travel Credit Cards

Find the right credit card for you..

Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.

Max flexibility + big bonus

Flat-rate rewards, travel portal benefits, cash back for travel bookings, big rewards on everyday spending, bonus rewards + no annual fee, luxury travel perks, business travelers, triple points on multiple categories, bonus rewards + high-end perks, best hotel card, travel rewards for rent payments, best airline card, credit union benefits, full list of editorial picks: best travel credit cards.

Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Our pick for: Flat-rate rewards

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably the best-known general-purpose travel credit card, thanks to its ubiquitous advertising. You earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Miles can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent apiece for any travel purchase, without the blackout dates and other restrictions of branded hotel and airline cards. The card offers a great sign-up bonus and other worthwhile perks ( see rates and fees ). Read our review.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Our pick for: Flat-rate rewards + no annual fee

One of the best no-annual-fee travel cards available, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card gives you a solid rewards rate on every purchase, with points that can be redeemed for any travel purchase, without the restrictions of branded airline and hotel cards. Bank of America® has an expansive definition of "travel," too, giving you additional flexibility in how you use your rewards. Read our review.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Our pick for: Bonus rewards + high-end perks

The high annual fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® gives many potential applicants pause, but frequent travelers should be able to wring enough value out of this card to more than make up for the cost. Cardholders get bonus rewards (up to 10X) on dining and travel, a fat bonus offer, annual travel credits, airport lounge access, and a 50% boost in point value when redeeming points for travel booked through Chase. Points can also be transferred to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Read our review. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Our pick for: Max flexibility + big bonus

For a reasonable annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns bonus rewards (up to 5X) on travel, dining, select streaming services, and select online grocery purchases. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. The sign-up bonus is stellar, too. Read our review. 

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Our pick for: Bonus rewards + no annual fee

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers so much value, it's hard to believe there's no annual fee. Start with a great bonus offer, then earn extra rewards in a host of common spending categories — restaurants, gas stations, transit, travel, streaming and more. Read our review.

Citi Premier® Card

Our pick for: Triple points in multiple categories

The Citi Premier® Card earns bonus points on airfare, hotels, supermarkets, dining and gas stations. There's a solid sign-up bonus as well.  Read our review.

U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card

Our pick for: Road trips

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is one of the most generous cards on the market if you're taking to the skies or the road, thanks to the quadruple points it earns on travel and purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations. It's also a solid card for everyday expenses like groceries, dining and streaming, and it comes with ongoing credits that can offset its annual fee:  $0 intro for the first year, then $95 .  Read our review .

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Our pick for: Travel portal benefits

Capital One's premium travel credit card can deliver terrific benefits — provided you're willing to do your travel spending through the issuer's online booking portal. That's where you'll earn the highest rewards rates plus credits that can make back the bulk of your annual fee ( see rates and fees ). Read our review.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Our pick for: Cash back for travel bookings

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® was already a fine card when it offered 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Now it's even better, with bonus rewards on travel booked through Chase, as well as at restaurants and drugstores. On top of all that, new cardholders get a 0% introductory APR period and the opportunity to earn a sweet bonus. Read our review.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Our pick for: Luxury travel perks

The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with a hefty annual fee, but travelers who like to go in style (and aren't afraid to pay for comfort) can more than get their money's worth. Enjoy extensive airport lounge access, hundreds of dollars a year in travel and shopping credits, hotel benefits and more. That's not even getting into the high rewards rate on eligible travel purchases and the rich welcome offer for new cardholders. Read our review.

American Express® Gold Card

Our pick for: Big rewards on everyday spending

The American Express® Gold Card can earn you a pile of points from everyday spending, with generous rewards at U.S. supermarkets, at restaurants and on certain flights booked through amextravel.com. Other benefits include hundreds of dollars a year in available dining and travel credits and a solid welcome offer for new cardholders. There's an annual fee, though, and a pretty substantial one, so it's not for smaller spenders. Read our review.

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card

Our pick for: Travel rewards on rent payments

The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card stands out by offering credit card rewards on rent payments without incurring an additional transaction fee. The ability to earn rewards on what for many people is their single biggest monthly expense makes this card worth a look for any renter. You also get bonus points on dining and travel when you make at least five transactions on the card each statement period, and redemption options include point transfers to partner hotel and loyalty programs. Read our review.

PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card

Our pick for: Credit union rewards

With premium perks for a $95 annual fee (which can be waived in some cases), jet-setters will get a lot of value from the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card . It also offers a generous rewards rate on travel purchases and a decent flat rate on everything else. Plus, you’ll get travel credits and a Priority Pass membership that offers airport lounge access for $32 per visit. Read our review.

United℠ Explorer Card

Our pick for: B est airline card

The United℠ Explorer Card earns bonus rewards not only on spending with United Airlines but also at restaurants and on eligible hotel stays. And the perks are outstanding for a basic airline card — a free checked bag, priority boarding, lounge passes and more. Read our review.

» Not a United frequent flyer? See our best airline cards for other options

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Our pick for: Best hotel card

Hyatt isn't as big as its competitors, but World of Hyatt Credit Card is worth a look for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road. You can earn a lot of points even on non-Hyatt spending, and those points have a high value compared with rival programs. There's a great sign-up bonus, free nights, automatic elite status and more. Read our review.

» Not a Hyatt customer? See our best hotel cards for other options.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Our pick for: Business travelers

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card starts you off with one of the biggest sign-up bonuses of any credit card anywhere: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. You also get bonus rewards on travel expenses and common business spending categories, like advertising, shipping and internet, cable and phone service. Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Learn more and apply .

Are you in Canada?

See NerdWallet's best travel cards for Canada.

OTHER RESOURCES

How travel rewards work.

Modern-day adventurers and once-a-year vacationers alike love the idea of earning rewards toward their next big trip. According to a NerdWallet study , 68% of American adults say they have a credit card that earns travel rewards.

With a travel rewards credit card, you earn points or miles every time you use the card, but you can often earn more points per dollar in select categories. Some top travel credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , offer bonus points on any travel spending, while the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card grants bonus points when you use the card at Marriott hotels, grocery stores, restaurants or gas stations.

Not all points and miles earned on travel rewards credit cards are the same:

General-purpose travel credit cards — including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , the American Express® Gold Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card — give you rewards that can be used like cash to pay for travel or that can be exchanged for points in airline or hotel loyalty programs. With their flexible rewards, general-purpose options are usually the best travel credit cards for those who don't stick to a single airline or hotel chain.

Airline- and hotel-specific cards — such as the United℠ Explorer Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Card — give points and miles that can be used only with the brand on the card. (Although it's possible in some cases to transfer hotel points to airlines, we recommend against it because you get a poor value.) These so-called co-branded cards are usually the best travel credit cards for those who always fly one particular airline or stay with one hotel group.

How do we value points and miles? With the rewards earned on general travel cards, it's simple: They have a fixed value, usually between 1 and 1.5 cents per point, and you can spend them like cash. With airline miles and hotel points, finding the true value is more difficult. How much value you get depends on how you redeem them.

To better understand what miles are worth, NerdWallet researched the cash prices and reward-redemption values for hundreds of flights. Our results:

Keep in mind that the airline values are based on main cabin economy tickets and exclude premium cabin redemptions. See our valuations page for business class valuations and details about our methodology.

Our valuations are different from many others you may find. That’s because we looked at the average value of a point based on reasonable price searches that anyone can perform, not a maximized value that only travel rewards experts can expect to reach.

You should therefore use these values as a baseline for your own redemptions. If you can redeem your points for the values listed on our valuations page, you are doing well. Of course, if you are able to get higher value out of your miles, that’s even better.

HOW TO CHOOSE A TRAVEL CREDIT CARD

There are scores of travel rewards cards to choose from. The best travel credit card for you has as much to do with you as with the card. How often you travel, how much flexibility you want, how much you value airline or hotel perks — these are all things to take into account when deciding on a travel card. Our article on how to choose a travel credit card recommends that you prioritize:

Rewards you will actually use (points and miles are only as good as your ability to redeem them for travel).

A high earning rate (how much value you get in rewards for every dollar spent on the card).

A sign-up bonus (a windfall of points for meeting a spending requirement in your first few months).

Even with these goals in mind, there are all kinds of considerations that will influence your decision on a travel rewards credit card.

Travel cards are for travelers

Travel cards vs. cash-back cards.

The very first question to ask yourself when choosing a travel credit card is: Should I get a travel card at all? Travel credit cards are best for frequent travelers, who are more likely to get enough value from rewards and perks to make up for the annual fees that the best travel credit cards charge. (Some travel cards charge no annual fee, but they tend to offer lesser rewards than full-fee cards.) A NerdWallet study found that those who travel only occasionally — say, once a year — will probably get greater overall rewards from cash-back credit cards , most of which charge no annual fee, than from a travel card.

Flexibility and perks: A trade-off

Co-branded cards vs. general travel cards.

Travel credit cards fall into two basic categories: co-branded cards and general travel cards.

Co-branded cards carry the name of an airline or hotel group, such as the United℠ Explorer Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card . The rewards you earn are redeemable only with that particular brand, which can limit your flexibility, sometimes sharply. For example, if your credit card's co-branded airline partner doesn't have any award seats available on the flight you want on the day you want, you're out of luck. On the other hand, co-branded cards commonly offer airline- or hotel-specific perks that general travel cards can't match.

General travel cards aren't tied to a specific airline or hotel, so they offer much greater flexibility. Well-known general travel cards include the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . Rewards on general travel cards come as points (sometimes called "miles" but they're really points) that you can redeem for any travel expense. You're not locked into using a single airline or hotel, but you also won't enjoy the perks of a co-branded card.

Evaluating general travel credit cards

What you get with a general travel card.

The credit cards featured at the top of this page are general travel cards. They're issued by a bank (such as Chase or Capital One), carry only that bank's name, and aren't tied to any single airline or hotel group. With these cards, you earn points on every purchase — usually 1 to 2 points per dollar spent, sometimes with additional points in certain categories.

Issuers of general travel cards typically entice new applicants with big sign-up bonuses (also known as "welcome offers") — tens of thousands of miles that you can earn by spending a certain amount of money on the card in your first few months.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best credit card sign-up offers

What do you do with those points? Depending on the card, you may have several ways to redeem them:

Booking travel. With this option, your points pay for travel booked through the issuer's website, using a utility similar to Orbitz or Expedia. For example, if points were worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed this way, you could book a $400 flight on the issuer's portal and pay for it with 40,000 points

Statement credit. This lets you essentially erase travel purchases by using your points for credit on your statement. You make travel arrangements however you want (directly with an airline or hotel, through a travel agency, etc.) and charge it to your card. Once the charge shows up on your account, you apply the necessary points and eliminate the cost.

Transferring to partners. The card issuer may allow you to transfer your points to loyalty programs for airlines or hotel chains, turning your general card into something like a co-branded card (although you don't get the perks of a co-brand).

Cash back, gift cards or merchandise. If you don't plan to travel, you can burn off your rewards with these options, although you'll often get a lower value per point.

Airline and hotel cards sharply limit your choice, but they make up for it with perks that only they can offer, like free checked bags or room upgrades. General travel cards, on the other hand, offer maximum flexibility but can't provide the same kinds of perks, because the banks that issue them don't operate the airlines or hotels. Still, there are some noteworthy perks on general travel cards, including:

Travel credit. This is automatic reimbursement for travel-related spending. Some top travel credit cards offer hundreds of dollars a year in travel credit.

Trusted traveler reimbursement. More and more travel credit cards are covering the application fee for TSA Precheck and Global Entry, programs that allow you to move through airport security and customs more quickly.

Airport lounge access. Hundreds of lounges worldwide operate separately from airlines under such networks as Priority Pass and Airspace, and several general travel cards offer access to these lounges.

Points programs

Every major card issuer has at least one travel card with a points program. American Express calls its program Membership Rewards, while Chase has Ultimate Rewards® and Citi pays in ThankYou points. Wells Fargo has Wells Fargo Rewards, and U.S. Bank has FlexPerks. Bank of America® travel cards offer points without a fancy name. Travel cards from Capital One, Barclays and Discover all call their points "miles."

These programs differ in how much their points are worth and how you can use them. Some offer the full range of redemption options, including transfers to loyalty programs. Others let you use them only to book travel or get statement credit.

» MORE: Travel loyalty program reviews

Evaluating airline credit cards

What you get with an airline credit card.

Airline credit cards earn "miles" with each purchase. You typically get 1 mile per dollar spent, with a higher rate (2 or more miles per dollar) on purchases with the airline itself. (Some airline cards have also begun offering extra miles for purchases in additional categories, such as restaurants or car rental agencies.) These miles go into the same frequent-flyer account as the ones you earn by flying the airline, and you can redeem them for free flights with the airline or its alliance partners.

Co-branded airline cards typically offer sign-up bonuses (or welcome offers). But what really sets them apart are the perks they give you. With some cards, for example, the checked-bag benefit alone can make up for the annual fee after a single roundtrip by a couple. Common perks of airline cards include:

Free checked bags. This commonly applies to the first checked bag for you and at least one companion on your reservation. Some cards extend this perk to more people, and higher-end cards (with higher annual fees) may even let you check two bags apiece for free.

Priority boarding. Holders of co-branded airline credit cards often get to board the plane early — after the airline's elite-status frequent flyers but before the general population. This gives you time to settle in and gives you a leg up on claiming that coveted overhead bin space.

In-flight discounts or freebies. You might get, say, 25% off the cost of food and beverages during the flight, or free Wi-Fi.

Airport lounge access. High-end cards often include a membership to the airline's airport lounges, where you can get away from the frenzy in the terminal and enjoy a complimentary snack. Some less-expensive airline cards give you only limited or discounted lounge access; others give you none at all.

Companion fares. This perk lets you bring someone with you for a lower cost when you buy a ticket at full price.

A boost toward elite status. Miles earned with a credit card, as opposed to those earned from actually flying on the airline, usually do not count toward earning elite status in an airline's frequent-flyer program. However, carrying an airline's high-end card might automatically qualify you for a higher tier within the program.

The biggest U.S. airlines — American, United and Delta — offer an array of credit cards. Each airline has a no-annual-fee card that earns miles on purchases but provides little in the way of perks (no free bags or priority boarding). Each has a high-end card with an annual fee in the neighborhood of $450 that offers lounge access and sumptuous perks. And each has a "middle-class" card with a fee of around $100 and solid ongoing perks. Southwest offers three credit cards with varying fees; smaller carriers may just have a single card.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best airline credit cards

Choosing an airline

Which airline card you get depends in large part on what airline you fly, and that's heavily influenced by where you live. Alaska Airlines, for example, has an outstanding credit card, but the airline's routes are concentrated primarily on the West Coast. So it's not a great option for those who live in, say, Buffalo, New York, or Montgomery, Alabama.

If your local airport is dominated by a single airline, then you're probably flying that carrier most (or all) of the time by default. Delta, for example, is the 800-pound gorilla at Minneapolis-St. Paul and Salt Lake City. United has the bulk of the traffic at Newark and Washington Dulles. American calls the shots at Charlotte and Dallas-Fort Worth. That airline's credit card may be your only realistic option. If you're in a large or midsize market with frequent service from multiple airlines, you have more choice.

» MORE: How to choose an airline credit card

Evaluating hotel credit cards

What you get with a hotel card.

Hotel credit cards earn points with each purchase. As with airline cards, you typically get more points per dollar for purchases from the co-brand partner, and some cards also give bonus points in additional categories. (Hotel cards tend to give you a greater number of points overall than airline cards, but each individual point is generally worth less than a typical airline mile.) Similar to the airline model, the points you earn with the card go into the same loyalty account as the points you earn from actually staying at a hotel. You redeem your points for free stays.

Hotel cards usually offer a sign-up bonus, but like airline cards, they really make their bones with the ongoing perks. Common perks on hotel cards include:

Free nights. Several cards offer this perk, which can make up for the card's annual fee. You may get a free night automatically every year, or you may unlock it by spending a certain amount within a year. In the latter case, it comes on top of the points you earn for your spending.

Upgrades and freebies. Cardholders may qualify for automatic room upgrades when available, or free or discounted amenities such as meals or spa packages.

Early check-in/late check-out. No one likes having to cool their heels in the hotel lobby waiting for 3 o'clock to check in. And no one likes have to vacate their room by 11 a.m. when their flight doesn't leave till evening.

Accelerated elite status. Some hotel cards automatically bump you up a level in their loyalty program just for being a cardholder.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best hotel credit cards

Choosing a hotel group

If you decide to go the hotel-card route, you'll need to decide which hotel group gets your business. Hotels aren't as market-concentrated as airlines, so if your travels take you mostly to metropolitan areas, you'll have a decent amount of choice. Keep in mind that even though there are dozens of nationally recognizable hotel brands, ranging from budget inns to luxury resorts, many of them are just units in a larger hotel company, and that company's card can unlock benefits across the group.

Marriott, for example, includes not only its namesake properties but nearly 30 other brands, including Courtyard, Fairfield, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton and Westin. The Hilton family includes DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn and Waldorf-Astoria. InterContinental includes Holiday Inn, Candlewood, Staybridge and Crowne Plaza. Wyndham and Choice have more than 15 mid-tier and budget-oriented brands between them.

HOW TO COMPARE TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS

No travel rewards credit card is going to have everything you want. You're going to be disappointed if you expect to find a high rewards rate, a generous sign-up bonus, top-notch perks and no annual fee. Each card delivers value through a different combination of features; it's up to you to compare cards based on the following features and choose the best travel credit card for your needs and preferences.

Most of the best travel cards charge an annual fee. Fees in the range of $90 to $100 are standard for travel cards. Premium cards with extensive perks will have fees of $450 or more. Weigh the value of the rewards and perks you'll get to make sure they'll make up for the fee.

Can you find good cards without an annual fee? Absolutely! There are no-fee options on our list of the best travel credit cards, and we've rounded up more here . Just be aware that if you go with a no-fee travel card, you'll earn rewards at a lower rate, your sign-up bonus will be smaller, and you won't get as many (if any) perks.

Rewards rate

Rewards can be thought of in terms of "earn rate" and "burn rate".

The earn rate is how many points or miles you receive per dollar spent. Some general travel cards offer flat-rate rewards, meaning you get the same rate on all purchases, all the time — 2 miles per dollar, for example, or 1.5 points per dollar. Others, including most co-branded cards, offer a base rate of maybe 1 point per dollar and then pay a higher rate in certain categories, such as airline tickets, hotel stays, general travel expenses or restaurant meals.

The burn rate is the value you get for those points or miles when you redeem them. The industry average is about 1 cent per point or mile. Some cards, particularly hotel cards, have lower value per point on the "burn" side but give you more points per dollar on the earning side.

When comparing rewards rates, don't just look at the numbers. Look at the categories to which those numbers apply, and find a card that matches your spending patterns. Getting 5 points per dollar seems great — but if those 5X points come only on purchases at, say, office supply stores, and you don't spend money on office supplies, then you're getting lousy value.

Sign-up bonus

Travel cards tend to have the biggest sign-up bonuses — tens of thousands of points that you earn by hitting a certain amount of spending. But there's more to consider when comparing sign-up bonuses than just how many points or miles you earn. You must also take into account how much you have to spend to earn the bonus. While cash-back credit cards often require just $500 to $1,000 in spending over three months to unlock a bonus, travel cards commonly have thresholds of $3,000 to $5,000.

Never spend money you don't have just to earn a sign-up bonus. Carrying $3,000 in debt for a year in order to earn a $500 bonus doesn't make economic sense — the interest you'll pay could easily wipe out the value of the bonus.

Finally, keep in mind that the biggest bonuses will come on cards with annual fees.

Foreign transaction fees

A good travel card will not charge a foreign transaction fee. These fees are surcharges on purchases made outside the U.S. The industry standard is about 3%, which is enough to wipe out most if not all of the rewards you earn on a purchase. If you never leave the U.S., then this isn't much of a concern, but anyone who travels abroad should bring a no-foreign-transaction-fee card with them.

Some issuers don't charge foreign transaction fees on any of their cards. Others charge them on some cards but not all.

International acceptance

Not all travel credit cards are great companions for international travel. While Visa and Mastercard are good pretty much worldwide, you may encounter limited acceptance for American Express and, especially, Discover, depending on the destination. This doesn't mean world travelers should dismiss AmEx and Discover. Just know that if you take one of these cards with you overseas, you'd be smart to bring along a backup in case you run into acceptance problems. (Having a backup card is good advice within the U.S., too, really.)

Travel protections

Consider which travel protections — car rental insurance , trip cancellation coverage , lost baggage protection — are important to you.

"Rewards" are what you get for using a credit card — the points earned with each transaction and the bonuses you unlock with your spending. "Perks" are goodies that you get just for carrying the card. There's a very close correlation between the annual fee on a card and the perks you get for carrying it. Cards with no annual fee are all about rewards and go very light on perks. Premium cards with annual fees of $450 or more are laden with perks (although sometimes their rewards aren't too special). Midtier cards (in the $100 range) tend to have solid rewards and a handful of high-value perks.

Assuming you take advantage of them, the perks often make up for the annual fee on a card quite easily. This is especially true with co-branded cards. Free checked bags can pay for an airline card several times over, and a free night is usually worth more than the fee on a hotel card. When comparing the perks of various cards, be realistic about which ones you will and won't use. Sure, that card may entitle you to a free spa package the next time you're at a five-star hotel, but how often do you stay at five-star hotels?

SHOULD YOU GET A TRAVEL CARD? PROS AND CONS

Pros: why it's worth getting a travel card.

The sign-up bonus gives you a big head-start on travel. Bonuses on the best travel credit cards typically run $500 or more — enough for a roundtrip ticket in many instances.

Perks make travel less expensive and more relaxing. You won't have to worry about cramming a week's worth of clothes into a carry-on if your travel credit card gives you a free checked bag (or automatically reimburses you for the bag fee). Hate the crush of travelers in the terminal? Escape to the airport lounge. Renting a car? Use a travel card that provides primary rental car insurance.

Rewards get you closer to your next trip with every purchase. Spending money on the mundane activities of daily life has a silver lining when you know that every $1,000 you spend will knock $10 or $20 off the cost of that future beach vacation or trip home to see Mom and Dad.

No foreign transaction fee can mean big savings. Take just any old credit card with you on vacation outside the U.S., and $1,000 worth of purchases can cost you $30 off the top due to the foreign transaction surcharge. Good travel cards don't charge this fee.

"Double dipping" gives you more points on travel purchases. Buy a plane ticket or book a hotel room, and you'll earn loyalty points or miles regardless of how you pay. Use the right credit card, though, and you'll earn even more points and miles on top of those.

Strategic redemption can multiply your value. With cash-back credit cards, 1 cent is worth 1 cent, and that's just how it goes. The points and miles on many travel credit cards have variable value based on how you redeem them — booking travel with them vs. transferring them to a partner, booking domestic vs. international flights and economy vs. business class, staying at budget hotels vs. high-end resorts, and so on.

Cons: Why a travel card might not be for you

The best cards charge annual fees. In many cases, the value you get from a credit card more than makes up for the annual fee. But some people are dead set against paying a fee under any circumstances. If that's you, your options in travel cards will be sharply limited, and you won't get the perks that provide a big portion of the value on many cards.

Sign-up bonus spending requirements can be steep. A bonus worth $500, $600 or $700 is attractive, but only if you can afford to earn it with spending you were going to do anyway. If you have to amass thousands of dollars in debt and then pay interest on it, it's not worth it.

Travel cards aren't ideal for infrequent travelers. In the first year with a travel card, you're probably going to come out ahead: You can earn a big sign-up bonus, and several popular cards waive the first year's annual fee, too. In subsequent years, though, you'll break even on that fee only if you use the card enough to make up for it (with the rewards you earn and redeem and the perks you use). Infrequent travelers are more likely to get more total rewards from a cash-back card with no annual fee.

Cash back is simpler and more flexible. Some travel cards allow you to redeem your rewards only for travel. Others give you poor value unless you redeem for travel. Still others have complicated redemption options, making it hard to get the most out of your rewards. With cash-back credit cards, you can use your rewards on anything, you know exactly how much your rewards are worth, and redemption is usually simple.

Rewards cards tend to charge higher interest rates. If you regularly carry a balance from month to month, a travel credit card — or any rewards credit card — probably isn't your best choice. The interest you pay is eating up the value of your rewards. You're better off with a low-interest card that reduces the cost of carrying debt.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TRAVEL CARD

Maximize your rewards with the following tips:

Plan your credit card application around a big purchase to earn the sign-up bonus.

Seize every opportunity to pick up the tab, especially if your travel credit card pays bonus rewards on dining; your friends can pay you back while you collect rewards.

Redeem rewards for travel instead of gift cards, merchandise or (in most cases) cash back to get the best value.

Join the loyalty program associated with a co-branded card — a frequent-flyer or frequent-guest program.

Shop for essentials in your card’s online bonus mall or through its exclusive offers, if available, to get extra rewards.

OTHER CARDS TO CONSIDER

It’s worth considering whether a travel credit card is even right for you in the first place. A NerdWallet study found that cash-back credit cards often earn more money — even for many travelers.

If you carry a balance from month to month, the higher interest rates typically charged by rewards cards can cancel out any rewards earned. If you have a good credit score, you're better off with a low-interest credit card that can save you money on interest.

A good travel credit card shouldn't charge foreign transaction fees, but there are good non-travel cards that also don't charge them. See our best cards with no foreign transaction fee .

If you value transparency and flexibility in your rewards, you can't go wrong with a cash-back card — and you can still use the rewards for travel, if you want.

Finally, if you're still not sure what's right for you, take a look at our best rewards credit cards for options beyond travel and cash back.

NerdWallet's Sam Kemmis contributed to this article.

To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page .

Last updated on May 7 , 2024

Methodology

NerdWallet's Credit Cards team selects the best travel rewards credit cards based on overall consumer value, as evidenced by star ratings, as well as their suitability for specific kinds of travelers. Factors in our evaluation include each card's annual fee, foreign transaction fees, rewards earnings rates, ease of use, redemption options, domestic and international acceptance, promotional APR period, bonus offers, and cardholder perks such as automatic statement credits and airport lounge access. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

Frequently asked questions

Travel credit cards earn points (sometimes called miles) each time you buy something. The standard earning rate is 1 to 2 points per dollar spent, and many cards give you extra points for certain purchases, particularly travel expenses. The value of a point depends on the card that earned it and how you redeem it, but a good rule of thumb is to assume each point is worth an average of about 1 cent.

Your points accumulate in a rewards account, where you can use them to pay for travel. Most cards let you book travel directly using a portal similar to those at online travel agencies or on airline and hotel websites, but instead of paying cash, you pay with your points. Depending on the card, you may also have the option of booking travel any way you want, paying for it with the card and then cashing in your points for a credit against those expenses.

Points and miles are just different names for the same thing: the currency used in a travel rewards program. Some travel credit cards call them points, some call them miles.

Airline frequent flyer programs have long used the term “miles” to refer to the rewards you earn for flying. That’s because at one time, you really did earn rewards according to how many miles you flew — the longer the flight, the more miles you earned. Nowadays, most domestic airlines give out “miles” based on how much you spend, not how far you fly, so they’re really just points. (There are a few exceptions, though, notably Alaska Airlines.)

Especially when it comes to redeeming your rewards, there’s no difference between points and miles. The number of points or miles you need is based mostly on the cost of what you’re redeeming them for. It takes more than 500 miles (value about: $5) to get a free 500-mile flight!

The value of a point or mile depends on the card you earned it with and how you redeem it. A common rule of thumb is to assume that each point or mile is worth an average of 1 cent, although you can certainly get a much higher (or lower) redemption value. See our travel loyalty roundup page for NerdWallet’s current valuations for airline miles and hotel points.

Travel credit cards fall into two main categories: co-branded and general-purpose.

• Co-branded travel cards carry the name of an airline or hotel chain. The rewards you earn on the card can typically be redeemed only with that brand (or maybe its partners). Co-branded cards limit your flexibility, but because they are issued in partnership with an airline or hotel, they can give you special perks, like free checked bags or room upgrades.

• General-purpose travel cards are issued by a credit card company and are not directly tied to any particular airline or hotel. They earn points in the issuer's own program, such as American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards® or Citi ThankYou. These points are a lot more flexible, as you can use them to pay for a range of travel expenses, including flights on any airline or stays at any hotel. However, they don’t offer the airline- or hotel-specific perks of co-branded cards.

Travel cards — like rewards cards in general — typically require good to excellent credit for approval. Good credit is generally defined as a credit score of 690 or better. However, credit scores alone do not guarantee approval. Every issuer has its own criteria for evaluating applications.

Business travel can earn credit card rewards just like leisure travel. Credit cards that earn rewards for travel purchases don't distinguish between one or the other — meaning, if a card pays 3X points on airfare, for example, it's going to pay it no matter why you're buying the ticket. There are also travel credit cards specifically designed for business operators, with benefits and perks better aligned with their needs.

Where things get complicated is when you're not arranging the travel yourself. With credit card points, the rewards go to the cardholder. So if you arrange travel through your employer and the cost goes on the "company card," then the company card gets the points. Put it on your own card and get reimbursed later, and you get the points. (And if you have a company card with your name on it? That may come down to company policy.)

When redeeming travel rewards, you want to get as much value as possible. If you can get more value by using your rewards than by using cash, then it's smart to do so. (And of course, the reverse also applies.) NerdWallet has calculated the baseline values of most major credit card points, airline miles and hotel points. When you get a value that exceeds these baselines, go ahead and use your rewards. If not, consider using cash.

For example, say you could book a trip by paying $400 cash for a ticket or by redeeming 50,000 points or miles. In that case, your points would be getting you a value of 0.8 cents apiece (50,000 x 0.8 cents = $400). If the baseline value of each point is 1 cent, then you're better off paying cash and saving the points for when you can redeem them for 1 cent or better.

That said, you don't want to be overthinking it and hoarding points indefinitely in search of the deal to end all deals. Like any other currency, travel rewards lose value over time. That flight that costs 50,000 points today might cost 55,000 next year. Do you have enough points to get you where you want to go, when you want to go, in the way you want to get there? If so, don't let fractions of a penny stop you from booking your trip. It's your money, and you get to decide how to spend it.

A number of travel credit cards come with "travel credits," which reimburse you for specific expenses. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® , for example, has a $300 annual travel credit; several cards offer credits toward things like airline fees or hotel bookings; and a bunch of cards have a credit for the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry .

The less restrictive a credit is, the easier it is to redeem. The easiest travel credit to redeem is one that:

Applies to a broad range of expenses. Some credits are very fickle. You may get $200 a year in "airline credit," but it applies only to incidental fees (not airfare) on a single airline that you have to choose ahead of time. A card may offer hundreds of dollars in credit toward travel, but you have to go through the issuer's booking portal, where rates may be more expensive and options more limited. Other credits, however, are broad and open-ended: $300 on any travel expense, $100 toward any airline booking, and so on.

Shows up automatically on your statement. Your issuer's system should be able to recognize qualifying expenses and then apply the credit to them without you having to do anything. If the only way to receive the credit is by calling a phone number or submitting receipts or other documentation, that makes it harder to redeem, which in turn makes it less likely that you'll redeem (and that may be the point).

About the author

Sara Rathner

6 Things to Know About Travel Insurance for Extreme Sports and Outdoor Adventure Coverage (2024)

We all know friends who are adrenaline junkies. Those who get kicks out of taking crazy risks and going on wild adventures all around the world. Heck, maybe you’re thinking: That’s me.

We all know how important travel insurance  is, but if you’re planning a ski trip, scuba diving trip or something even crazier than that, then you need to know which travel insurance cover extreme sports and outdoor adventure .

Here are 6 things you need to pay attention to when buying any sort of adventure sports travel insurance.

Travel Insurance for Extreme Sports and Outdoor Adventure Coverage

• Best travel insurance for outdoor sports
• What are the common outdoor adventure exclusions for travel insurance?
• What are the common personal accident and personal liability exclusions?
• Which outdoor activities are usually excluded?
• How much do extreme sports riders cost?
• Do you need sports equipment coverage?
• Do you have sufficient emergency medical evacuation coverage?

1. Best travel insurance for outdoor sports

Planning your long-awaited trip overseas with your pals for scuba diving, rock climbing, skiing or snowboarding?

Remember to get travel insurance that covers your winter sports, water sports, or mountaineering and rock climbing (usually considered more dangerous).

When browsing travel insurance plans, you’ll realise that sports and adventure are usually split into 3 broad categories:

• Leisure and recreational outdoor activities : Hot air balloon, scuba diving (up to 30m/40m, guided by licensed instructors, with PADI certification), skiing and snowboarding in resorts, hiking or trekking (up to 3,000m), jet ski, white water rafting, skydiving, paragliding, hang gliding, parachuting etc
• Other more extreme sports : Bungee jumping, mountaineering, rock climbing (any climbing that involves ropes and equipment)
• Competitions (not covered across all insurance companies except for Direct Asia) : Marathons, ultra-marathons, biathlons, triathlons

This table below is a general comparison. Click in to each travel insurance review to see the specific outdoor activities they cover:

Back to top

2.  What are the common  outdoor adventure exclusions for travel insurance?

Even if your travel insurance plan claims that it covers outdoor adventure and extreme sports, there will still be exclusions—a.k.a. activities that your insurance company is not willing to cover. Here are a few major examples:

• Any professional competitions or sports in which you get paid, sponsored or receive any kind of financial reward
• Any leisurely contact sport or MMA classes such as Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ)
• Mountaineering or rock climbing that involves ropes and climbing equipment, especially if it’s done unharnessed and outdoors on a wall that is not man-made
• Expeditions to inaccessible, remote or previously unexplored places
• Being the pilot or a crew member of an aircraft (except for your commercial flights eg. SQ)

You’ll be surprised that most marathons are not covered by travel insurance since there’s a grand prize you technically can win.

Now, you might say that you’re probably not going to do any of these sports. But between insurance companies, there are different standards as to what’s allowed, so always check your terms and conditions before you buy your travel insurance.

Lazy? Scroll up and you can read through our travel insurance reviews instead. We’ve scoured through policy wordings and terms and conditions for their outdoor adventure and extreme sports coverage.

3. What are the common personal accident and personal liability exclusions?

While some travel insurance seems to have a comprehensive coverage, you have to make sure that the activity that you are doing is covered under Personal Accident or Personal Liability.

For instance, if you got the Singlife travel insurance and decided to buy the Adventurous Water Sports rider as well, you will be covered for all the usual scuba diving (up to 40m), white water rafting, kayaking, yachting, wakeboarding etc.

You’ll have to scroll to the end of your policy wording to check out the terms and conditions. Singlife travel insurance states that it covers you for:

• accidental death and permanent disablement
• emergency medical cover
• personal liability

In other words, if you get seriously injured during any of these activities, your Singlife travel insurance will cover emergency medical costs, your death, and any damage you caused to the properties in that accident.

However, if you were to look at Etiqa travel insurance , you’ll see that the plan covers you for personal accidental death. When it comes to personal liability, some outdoor activities are excluded, such as:

• motorcycles, motor cars

These are exactly the kind of activities where you’re more likely to suffer an accident. So don’t forget to check the fine print!

Total Premium

[MoneySmart Exclusive]    • Enjoy 40% off your Single Trip policy premium and 60% off Covid-19 add-on for Annual Plans. T&Cs apply • Get S$88 Revolut Cash Award* with every policy purchased.  T&Cs apply.    PLUS, get S$100 Revolut Cash Award when you are the 8th and 88th Successful Applicant each week to sign up for a new Revolut account in our Giveaway.  T&Cs  apply.    [Etiqa's 10th Year 2024 Grand Draw] Stand a chance to win S$10,000 cash or a Singapore Mint Lunar Dragon 1 gram 999.9 fine gold medallion (worth S$173) with eligible Etiqa/Tiq by Etiqa plans purchased. T&Cs apply.

Key Features

Comprehensive COVID-19 add-on, protecting you before, during and after your trip

Covers Cruise to Nowhere

Get paid upon a 3-hour flight delay, even without submitting a claim

Instant claims encashment via PayNow

24-hour worldwide emergency travel support

4. Which outdoor activities are usually excluded?

Some activities will be covered by your travel insurance, but only if it’s within a specific circumstance. Again, this is not being unrealistic. But it does mean you have to be careful that your activities don’t exceed the boundaries set by your travel insurance. These are examples of some activities which aren’t covered by your insurance:

• Canoeing or white water rafting without a qualified guide or Grade 4 and above (of the International Scale of River Difficulty).
• Off-piste skiing, or going off trail and skiing outside the officially approved boundaries of a ski resort.
• Mountaineering beyond the height of 3,000 metres above sea level. (Some insurers raise this limit to 3,500m or even higher—check the policy document for the specific figure.)
• Underwater activities involving artificial breathing apparatus for diving deeper than 30 metres.

So while some of these activities are covered by certain travel insurance policies, they do have limits to their coverage. Be careful to stay within the stipulated boundaries.

5. How much do extreme sports riders cost?

Some travel insurance companies require that you upgrade your travel insurance plan to include winter sports rider or outdoor adventurous activities riders. Although it might seem unfair to incur a steep increase in the premium price, do note that most of the time, this increases your coverage for other categories within the same plan as well.

How much do these winter sports and sports riders cost?

Currently, there are 2 travel insurance plans that require you to buy sports riders:  Direct Asia travel insurance  and  Singlife travel insurance . The latter costs $8.38 per week for Adventurous Water Sports rider  or $8.13 per week for the Winter Sports rider.

DirectAsia DA200

[ Win a Rolex, Samsonite Luggage & More!   | MoneySmart Exclusive]     • Enjoy 40% off your policy premium and  S$88 Revolut Cash Award* with every policy purchased. • Additionally, receive up to S$20 via PayNow with eligible premiums spent. T&Cs apply.     BONUS: For a limited time only, there are over   S$11,000 worth of prizes  to be given away in our Grand Draw . Stand a chance to score: • 1x   Rolex Oyster Perpetual - 124200 34mm Silver (worth S$9,000) • 1x   Samsonite Robez 68/25 EXP  (worth S$550) weekly     Increase your chances of winning when you refer friends  today. T&Cs apply     PLUS, get S$100 Revolut Cash Award when you are the 8th and 88th Successful Applicant each week to sign up for a new Revolut account in our Giveaway.  T&Cs  apply.

Kids go free – up to four kids travel for free with a Family policy only (2 adults)

Matching kids limits – children enjoy the same coverage limits as adults

Optional coverage for Sports Equipment & Extreme Sports are only available for Annual Policies

Optional coverage for Single Trip Travel Insurance: Maid and COVID-19.

Emergency Dental – Accidental Dental treatment can be costly, so it is covered under the main medical expenses coverage which is higher than a separate dental benefit

Singlife Travel Plus

[Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]   • Enjoy 25% off your policy premium • Get S$88 Revolut Cash Award* and an Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM with every policy purchased. • Additionally, receive up to S$30  via PayNow with eligible premiums spent.  T&Cs apply.   PLUS, get S$100 Revolut Cash Award when you are the 8th and 88th Successful Applicant each week to sign up for a new Revolut account in our Giveaway.  T&Cs  apply.

Covers trip cancellation for any reason, T&Cs apply.

Covers trip interruptions or cancellations due to COVID-19 and cover your medical treatment should you contract COVID-19 whilst overseas.

Payout of up to S$150** should your trip be affected by excessive rainfall.

**For single trips (minimum 3 days) where more than 50% of trip duration is affected by rainfall levels of >6.4mm in a 24-hour period.

Seamless claims experience with PayNow

6. Do you need sports equipment coverage?

If you’re a hardcore skier or diver, then this section should not be news for you. If you have your own sporting equipment that you intend to bring on the trip, you have to be aware how much your travel insurance is covering you. When your gear can cost a few hundred dollars, you’ll definitely want to invest in a plan that will insure you don’t lose out if your gear is stolen or damaged.

7. Do you have sufficient emergency medical evacuation coverage?

This is especially important if you’re planning to go scuba diving, hiking or skydiving. Since you’re most likely not going to be near any decent medical facilities should anything happen, you may need to get emergency medical evacuation.

Check to make sure your travel insurance policy covers you sufficiently for such an occasion. Where possible, choose policies that can give you at least $500,000 cover for medical evacuation, even if you end up paying a little more. Here are some that offer $500,000 or more:

Bubblegum Travel Insurance

[Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]   • Enjoy 10% off your policy premium • Get S$88 Revolut Cash Award* and an Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM with every policy purchased. • Additionally, receive up to S$25  via PayNow with eligible premiums spent.  T&Cs apply.   PLUS, get S$100 Revolut Cash Award when you are the 8th and 88th Successful Applicant each week to sign up for a new Revolut account in our Giveaway.  T&Cs  apply.

Bubblegum offers just 1 affordable plan to suit all your travel needs to maximise your savings

Overseas medical expenses up to $150,000 SGD (Covid-19 sub-limit of $65,000 included)

24-Hour global Emergency Assistance services including Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation

Covid-19 trip related cancellation/curtailment up to $600 SGD included

Adventurous activities like scuba diving and hot air ballooning are covered with no limit on depth or height.

MSIG TravelEasy Standard

[ Win a Rolex, Samsonite Luggage & More!   | MoneySmart Exclusive]      • Enjoy up to 45% off your policy premium • Get S$88 Revolut Cash Award* and an Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM with every policy purchased. • Additionally, receive up to S$45 via PayNow OR 1 x Apple AirTag (worth S$45.40) with eligible premiums spent.  T&Cs apply.      BONUS: For a limited time only, there are over   S$11,000 worth of prizes  to be given away in our Grand Draw . Stand a chance to score: • 1x   Rolex Oyster Perpetual - 124200 34mm Silver (worth S$9,000) • 1x   Samsonite Robez 68/25 EXP  (worth S$550) weekly      Increase your chances of winning when you refer friends  today. T&Cs apply      PLUS, get S$100 Revolut Cash Award when you are the 8th and 88th Successful Applicant each week to sign up for a new Revolut account in our Giveaway.  T&Cs  apply.

COVID-19 coverage of up to $150,000 medical cover and up to $1,500 travel inconvenience benefit for your trip protection.

Packaged tour coverage for insolvency of licensed travel agencies registered with the Singapore Tourism Board (includes NATAS registered travel agencies).

Get covered across all TravelEasy Plan types with a high limit of S$1,000,000 for emergency medical evacuation & repatriation

MSIG provides cover for insolvency of licensed travel agencies registered with the Singapore Tourism Board (includes NATAS registered travel agencies)

AIG Travel Guard® Direct - Enhanced

[Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]   • Get up to 52% worth of cashback with eligible premiums spent. • Additionally, receive  S$88 Revolut Cash Award* and an Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM with every policy purchased. T&Cs apply.   PLUS, get S$100 Revolut Cash Award when you are the 8th and 88th Successful Applicant each week to sign up for a new Revolut account in our Giveaway.  T&Cs  apply.

Voted TripZilla's Best Travel Insurance (Single Trip).

Up to S$250,000 in overseas COVID-19 related medical coverage if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 overseas.

Overseas quarantine allowance of up to S$100 per day per person for up to 14 days if you test positive for COVID-19 overseas and are unexpectedly placed into mandatory quarantine.

Up to S$1,500 if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 and have to postpone your trip.

Up to S$7,500 in curtailment costs if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 while travelling and need to return to Singapore earlier than planned.

This policy is protected under the Policy Owners’ Protection Scheme which is administered by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC). Coverage for your policy is automatic and no further action is required from you. For more information on the types of benefits that are covered under the scheme as well as the limits of coverage, where applicable, please contact AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd. or visit the AIG, GIA or SDIC websites (www.AIG.sg or www.gia.org.sg or www.sdic.org.sg).

Purchase your travel insurance with confidence and enjoy unlimited flexibility with AIG's Travel Guard® Direct

Do you have any other suggestions for getting the best travel insurance for sports lovers? Share them with us.

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The best credit and debit cards for foreign travel

If you’re going abroad, or spending on foreign websites, getting the right plastic could save you a small fortune. Pick up a specialist travel credit or debit card and enjoy peace of mind knowing that you’re getting the best exchange rate possible for any currency in the world. Here’s our guide to the best credit cards, debit, and prepay cards for foreign travel.

Quick summary

The best debit cards to use abroad

• Kroo bank – Best for large holiday pots and fee free spending and withdrawals
• Starling Bank – The overall best bank account and debit card for overseas travel
• Chase Bank UK * – Generous ATM withdrawal limits and 1% cashback on card spending even aboard
• Monzo – Digital bank good for everyday spending in the UK and abroad. Free £5 with our link

The best credit cards for international travel

• Barclaycard Rewards – The best credit card to use abroad
• Halifax Clarity – Former top pick and still one of the best

The best prepaid smart cards for foreign spending

• Wise – The best for transfers to US
• Currensea – Generous ATM limits, works with your existing bank – £10 cashback with our link
• Revolut – The most versatile multi-currency card and account plus 3 months free premium

Before we get started though, just a little reminder that up to 5m EHIC cards expire every year. The European Health insurance card is free and entitles the holder to free or discounted medical care in 28 EU countries, plus a few others. Despite Brexit current EHIC cards are still valid. New applications will be given UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). To get a new or replacement card visit the EHIC website .

In detail – What are the best debit and credit cards for spending abroad?

This year Halifax Clarity remains a top pick, but Barclaycard Rewards has leap frogged it to earn the title of the best traditional credit card for foreign spending. In terms of debit cards, Starling and Chase occupy the top spot, but Monzo which recently increased its foreign ATM limits, and Kroo are hot on their heels.

We had big hopes for First Direct in 2024, after the bank announced it was removing fees for using its debit card abroad. Unfortunately some users have experienced issues. (see below for more details)

Debit card vs credit card for foreign spending which is better?

Typically the best time to use credit cards when travelling abroad is when buying single items over £100. This could be anything from train or airline tickets to events, or hotels. This is because when buying items of over £100 and up to £30,000 you have additional protection under Section 75 of the consumer credit act , meaning the credit card provider is jointly liable for the goods/services in the event something goes wrong.

Bank account debit cards are best used on items below £100 where Section 75 wouldn’t come into play anyway, so are great for day to day spending abroad, and ATM withdrawals.

Ideally you’d have both a specialist credit card and a debit card, that way you’re covered for most eventualities and can be sure you’re getting the most for your money. Below we’ve listed some of the best cards to use abroad.

Of course not everyone can get a specialist credit card or even bank account. So we’ve also rounded up a few of the top debit pre-pay cards for travel and foreign spending. These are most useful for day-to-day spending whilst abroad, and especially for cash withdrawals from foreign ATMs.  Jump to pre-paid and other cards

The best debit cards and bank accounts for foreign travel

Kroo – highest interest rate and zero fees foreign spending.

Kroo is one of the UK’s newest digital banks and shot to prominence in 2023 when Martin Lewis recommended it as one best places to stick your hard earned savings. It just so happens, that it’s also one of the best debit cards for spending abroad too.

The Kroo current account offers 4.35% AER on deposits, meaning you can earn interest on your travel money, has no fees on foreign purchases, and no ATM fees on foreign withdrawals (until 31st October 2024).

Spending via the Visa debit card, ensures you get Visa’s realtime exchange rate, and unlike some providers there’s no additional load or fees. While many of the banks on our list offer a Mastercard debit card, Kroo’s Visa card stands out, and could make an excellent back up for those who already an account with a Mastercard, such as Starling, or Monzo.

See our full long term Kroo bank review for more, or click here to join Kroo directly .

Starling Bank – The best overall account for travel

The rise of the mobile-first challenger bank could spell the end for prepay cards as free currency withdrawals and foreign spending become the norm. At Money Saving Answers we’re championing Starling Bank as one of the best bank accounts and debit cards for foreign travel. Check out the video below by former broadcast journalist and travel vlogger/blogger,  Pommie Travels .

Starling stole a march on the competition by being the first digital challenger bank to launch its current account nationwide, and continues to impress with its well developed app and current account features. What’s more, the company is committed to fee-less foreign currency. Here’s what it says:

When we say zero fees, we mean exactly that. We won’t charge you to use your debit card abroad – and we won’t add ATM fees. Just so you’re aware: some ATM providers may charge their own fee. Great exchange rates. You’ll benefit from Mastercard’s globally accepted exchange rate…and no, we won’t add anything on top. You shouldn’t have to pay to access your money. Unlike some other travel cards, we don’t charge you to deliver your card or to top it up.

Another great feature of the Starling account is that by integrating round-ups and saving spaces you can save whilst you travel, by rounding up transactions in realtime and setting the sum aside in a savings space.

One of the benefits of Starling is that there is no monthly ATM withdrawal limit. Monzo for example only allows £200 (equivalent) cash to be withdrawn in a 30 day period. Over this it charges 3%. There’s no such charge with Starling. Instead you are only limited by a daily ATM withdrawal of £300.

Sounds great to us, and it’s not put a foot wrong in our tests. Whilst the new Chase account (see below) wins out slightly on features, Starling is the more mature product and tops our comparison as the best card to use abroad, and overall the best bank account for travellers.

To open a Starling Bank account or to find out more visit  Starling Bank

Chase Bank (UK) – Best for visiting USA

JP Morgan’s Chase bank account might be a newcomer to the UK, but is one of the oldest and largest banks in the US, with a customer base of over 50m households. This digital only account follows on the footsteps of Starling and Monzo. It is still very early days yet, but all signs point to it being a top choice when it comes debit card spending abroad, and the best card to use in America.

The key features that make this account a winner are 1% cashback on spending, 5% interest on rounded up savings, Mastercard exchange rates, and fee free ATM withdrawals.

Understanding the features

Some of the features need a little qualifying. Firstly the 1% cashback comes with a long list of exclusions, few of these are relevant for holiday makers though, so you’d be able to enjoy money back on hotels, flights, travel, restaurants, and most other day to day spending.

The 5% interest on savings, needs to be enabled in the app. This then rounds up your spending to the nearest pound, and deposits the difference in a virtual pot, where it earns interest which is calculated daily and applied monthly. After 12 months, or sooner if you wish to withdraw it. The money in this pot is moved back to your main account.

ATM withdrawals

Like Starling, Chase customers will also benefit from fee-free foreign ATM withdrawals. Chase allows up to £1,500 a month to be withdrawn at ATMs whilst abroad. It also goes one further in allowing customers to use Chase ATMs in the US for free.  A great way to avoid ATM fees over there, which can often be up to $5 a time and otherwise difficult to avoid.

That perk itself makes Chase the best debit card for use when travelling to USA.

Eligibility

To open a Chase account you will need to be over 18, a UK resident, and provide proof of ID. There should be any credit checks.

>> Check out our account review

Unlike its digital competitor Starling, Monzo started life as a pre-pay travel card. At the time, it was considered the best prepay option. The prepay card was always just a beta trial until the bank could roll out its current account.

Now that it has done so, and new cards have been issued to those who’ve upgraded, Monzo has taken the disappointing decision to start charging for foreign ATM withdrawals.

Fee free ATM withdrawals were increase in November 2023 to £400 or equivalent per day in the UK and EEA. Previously they were limited to just £200 per 30 days, after which a 3% free was charged. The the £200 limit will still apply outside of the EEA.

Point of sale spending is still free. The ATM fees had seen Monzo drop down our pecking order a little, but with most purchases now being made via contactless or mobile, it’s unlikely you’ll need to withdraw more than £400 (equivalent) from an ATM abroad.

Monzo also has a number of paid accounts, such as Plus, and Premium. Premium in particular might be worthwhile for some travellers, as for a price, it includes family travel insurance, mobile insurance, and increased ATM limits. See our full breakdown of Monzo Premium for more information.

In our opinion it’s a good but not exceptional no-fee debit card for travel. It’s still great for everyday banking in the UK and occasional travel abroad, but is beaten by Chase and Starling on ATM withdrawal limits.

If you open a Monzo account using our link you’ll get a £5 bonus so long as you sign up and use your Monzo card at home or abroad within 30 days.

First Direct

On 28 June 2023, First Direct dropped the 2.75% foreign exchange fee and additional 2% non-sterling cash fee for foreign ATMs. The move initially catapulted First Direct from being one of the debit cards from hell, to one of the best for spending abroad.

The new rules apply to new and existing customers, who will now enjoy near perfect exchange rates, and a £500 equivalent daily ATM withdrawal limit.

Although some of the more specialist overseas travel cards can work out marginally cheaper, for those that don’t want open more accounts, First Direct is a top contender, and is backed by award winning customer service. Those moving to First Direct can also enjoy a £175 switching bonus (see our article on bank account switching for more).

It’s important to note, the removal of fees only applies to the First Direct debit card. Its credit card still remains an expensive choice for travel, and is not recommended.

Our thoughts

First Direct’s surprise announcement to scrap all fees for cash withdrawals and foreign spending on its debit cards would makes it one our top picks for foreign spending. Unfortunately, we’ve recently heard of people having their cards blocked when travelling abroad due to anti-fraud measures.

This is something that used to be common with traditional banks many years ago, and with some you’d have to tell them you were going abroad before you left. It’s disappointing to see that First Direct hasn’t learned from this. Particularly when digital banks such as Starling make spending abroad so easy.

Virgin Money M and M:Plus account

The M Plus is Virgin’s standard current account, whilst the Virgin M account is a more basic account. That means it’s super easy to open, and crucially just like the M Plus, offers fee free foreign spending and ATM use worldwide. Actually, we couldn’t really find much difference between the two other than the fact the M Plus pays in credit interest.

Both accounts offer a Mastercard debit card that can be linked to ApplePay and GooglePay and used for fee free ATM withdrawals worldwide, and both are managed via Virgin’s updated banking app.

The M account can be opened with little or no credit history, and non-standard ID is accepted for the application. As such great for international students, or those who’ve recently moved to the UK and might have difficulty otherwise validating their address.

Like the Club M, and Plus accounts. The regular M account also comes with a linked 2.52% AER savings account. Whilst this can be beaten elsewhere, it makes a handy space for customers build up their holiday funds. It’s worth noting though that interest is paid quarterly, so depending on when you withdraw you may lose out.

HSBC Global Money Account

We have a full overview of the HSBC Global Money Account so won’t go into too much detail here, but it’s essentially a multi currency account exclusive to HSBC current account holders. It’s still in its early stages but the account does show some promise.

It’s free to open, and doesn’t have any no on-going subscription fees or charges. There’s also no fees for ATM withdrawals, or sending payment in foreign currencies. Even the delivery of the card is free.

It also comes with a generous £500 or equivalent daily ATM limit, and a £50,000 transfer limit. Making it one of the best cards for those who like to carry cash or who need to make electronic payments abroad.

Customers can hold funds in some 18 popular currencies including pounds, euro, US dollars, Australian dollars, NZD etc.. card transactions use the VISA daily rate. If manually transferring or exchanging between currencies HSBC does add a mark up, but this is typically less than that seen with Revolut or Wise. Additionally, there is a 1% mark up on currency exchanges when the markets are closed.

As it’s only available to HSBC customers, we can’t include it in our top three current accounts and debit cards but for current customers, or those thinking of switching to HSBC (to take advantage its £200 switching bonus), the Global Money Account comes close to matching the best.

Metro Bank – The best highstreet bank for euros (only)

One of the pre-digital challenger banks, Metro has always faired kindly when it comes to foreign spending. The standard current account doesn’t have any fees at all for using the debit card at the point of sale or for ATM withdrawals whilst in Europe (EU).

The account can now be opened online via the Metro Bank app (previously is was only available in-store), but you’ll need smartphone or tablet with a camera in order to take a self-portrait during the application process.

Beware though, that outside of Europe Metro charges You’ll pay a hefty 2.99% non-sterling transaction fee, and a £1.50 fee for using ATMs, as such it has fallen down our list. Current Metro Bank customers travelling outside of Europe would be better served by picking up a Revolut or a Currensea account (see below for more)

>> Open a current account with Metro Bank

The best credit cards for travel

Barclaycard Rewards

The absolute cheapest credit card for overseas spending.

The Barclaycard Rewards credit card is our new top pick for spending abroad in this category thanks to its 0.25% cashback on spending, and no fees on spending online, at the point of sale, or for ATM withdrawals.

Also it doesn’t charge any interest on overseas spending or withdrawals as long as the balance is paid off in full. This makes it the absolute cheapest way to spend spend on holiday, and being a credit card rather than debit card you benefit from Section 75 protection on purchases. Overall, the Barclaycard Rewards is the best card to use abroad full stop.

22.9% APR Representative (variable). Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 and a purchase rate of 22.9% p.a. (variable)

Halifax Clarity

Still one of the best credit cards to use abroad.

A top pick for years, the Halifax Clarity is probably the most well known specialist travel credit card, and our choice as the best credit card for foreign travel. There’s no foreign transaction fees, commission, nor fees for cash withdrawals. What’s more, you get the Mastercard wholesale exchange rate, which tends to be ever-so-slightly better than VISA’s rates.

The card does charge interest on cash withdrawn abroad at 19.9% (21.9%-25.9% for poorer credit scorers), but this amounts to just £1.50 per £100 spent. This is only charged until you’ve repaid the balance, so you can minimise this paying it off as you go along.

Interest isn’t charged on point of sale purchases abroad provided you clear the balance by the end of the statement date.

Halifax are currently running a promotion (for applications before 29th August) offering £20 cashback on your first purchase with the card.

19.9% APR Representative (variable). Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 and a purchase rate of 19.95% p.a. (variable)

The best prepaid travel card and smart cards

Specialist travel credit cards, and bank accounts are all well and good, but what if you’re happy with your current bank, and don’t want the hassle of opening a new account. That’s where prepaid travel cards and accounts come in. These are quick to open, there’s no credit checks, yet still offer great rates for international spending.

Wise (formerly Transferwise)

Wise  is a multi-currency account specifically aimed at travellers, digital nomads and those needing to transfer money across borders.

Founded in East London, it grew to prominence as a money transfer service previously known as Transferwise, but it’s the Wise Multi-currency account that will be of interest to holidaymakers and travellers.

The account is free open, and comes with account numbers, sort codes, IBANs, and routing numbers for UK, Eurozone, US, Australia, New Zealand and a number of other countries. Unfortunately it costs £5 to order the debit card which immediately wipes out some of the advantage of using the account over the short term. And while spending online or at the point of sale is free if your account holds that currency. If you need to exchange currencies for example Sterling to Euros there is small fee. Up to two ATM withdrawals are free up to £200 after that fees kick in similar to Monzo and Revolut.

Despite offering many of the same features as Revolut above, the Wise account can be a little more complicated to use and its fee structure makes it a more expensive option. Probably why Wise is more popular with US travellers and those in countries that can’t open a Revolut account. That being said it never hurts to have a back up.

• £5 ordering first debit card
• 0.35% conversion fee on popular currencies e.g. Euro, USD, (higher on less popular ones)
• 1.75% fee card fee if withdrawing more than £200/month
• 50p card fee if making more than two ATM withdrawals a month

There’s no fee to open the account and no credit checks, but you will need to be over 18 and have proof of address and ID.

>> Get a Wise Multi Currency account

Revolut  is a mobile app, that came hot on the heals of the ill-fated Travelex Supercard. It was slicker and more user friendly than the competition, and is still adding new features and functionality. You can use the Revolut account to pay for online purchases without the actual card, but best to order a physical card and test it a little before your travel.

Like traditional prepay cards the Revolut account first needs loading with currency. You can do this via ApplePay/Android pay, bank transfer or credit/debit card. Loading is done in pounds, dollars, and euros and you are able to convert between the three instantly from within the app. Spending is not limited to these currencies though. All in all there are 90 currencies you can spend in, and receive the Mastercard exchange rate.

Speaking of rates, when using the card on a trip to Ireland, I noticed that the exchange rate listed in the Revolut app, was actually better than those shown on XE.com . Additionally, Revolut is one of the few accounts that continued to allow its customers to trade during the volatility and currency fluctuations caused by the Brexit vote.

ATM fees kick in

It’s almost sounds too good to be true right? Revolut changed its terms and conditions since the original launch, and now only allows £200 per month free from ATM, and charges a 2% fee for any withdrawals over that. that’s £20 per every £1000 withdrawn over and above the first £200. Customers have the option of signing up for Premium £6.99 per month, and Metal, £9.99 per month. These allow fee-free ATM withdrawals up to £400, and £600 respectively, as well as host of other benefits, such as medical/travel insurance, priority support, and even cashback (Metal only).

Overall the standard offer is still a great card, but due to the low fee-free ATM limits we prefer Starling. Your usage of course might vary though and it’s a great card as a backup, and if you can make use of the insurance and higher spending limits, Metal is a good product.

Visa travel card

It’s worth pointing out that main physical Revolut card is now a Visa. When travelling it’s always good to have both Visa and Mastercard, as sometimes (though rarely) one is accepted where the other isn’t. This actually happened to me on recent trip. A fuel station I stoped at didn’t accept Mastercard, so my Revolut Visa card came to the rescue. Of course the inverse can also be true, and I’ve eaten at restaurants that didn’t accept Visa but did accept Mastercard.

If you open an account via our link below, you’ll get 3 month free premium, which includes free travel insurance. So time it right and you’ll end up saving there too. We have a full long term review of the Revolut account in case you wish to dig a little deeper.

>> Get Revolut

Curve is an all in one smart card that acts as a layer between your regular debit and credit cards and the seller. You link your existing cards to it via the app, then use the Curve card to spend abroad. Curve converts this spending into pounds in realtime, and charges your regular bank card. This particularly useful for those with ‘debit cards from hell’ i.e card issued by banks such as Natwest, Barclays, TSB etc.. that add fees and/or markup when spending abroad.

Fees and allowances

Curve’s free plan allows you to add up to two cards, and offers fee free foreign spending on the first £1,000 (equivalent). ATM withdrawals are capped at £200 a month, and there is a £2 or 2% fee for exceeding this, so try to stay below that. In addition, there’s also a 0.5% markup on spending during weekends (as the FX markets are closed), rising to 1.5% for more exotic currencies.

Curve’s paid plans increase these limits to £2,000 monthly spending with Curve X (£4.99 a month), and unlimited spending with Curve Black (£9.99 a month). Curve Black also ups the ATM limit to £400.

£10 cashback plus free travel insurance

Ordinarily such fees and limits would see Curve excluded from our list, but for the fact there is nifty little trick to get Curve Black for free, and in doing so also gaining free travel insurance. In addition, if you sign up to Curve via our links, you’ll also get £10 cashback on your first £150 spend. See our Curve card review for full details .

Currensea (smart card) – Best for those with traditional bank accounts

Unlike standard prepaid cards, or credit cards, Currensea works as a layer on top of your existing bank card to offer you great rates on foreign spending. That means if you’re happy with your current bank account you don’t need to change it.

Simply add your card to the Currensea app and start spending with the Currensea card. The foreign payment is charged to your Currensea account which then in turn charges your UK bank card in pounds, thus avoiding any fees from your bank.

It currently works with most popular UK bank accounts including Barclays, Lloyds, Natwest, TSB, Santander, HSBC, RBS which are some of the worst offenders for charges on foreign card use.

Opening an account is free. In our tests it took less than 5 mins, and a card was delivered within 4 days.

Currensea uses the interbank exchange rate for currency conversions, and earns its money by adding a 0.5% load onto this rate. That makes it ever-so-slightly more expensive than a bank account such as Starling, but cheaper some specialist credit cards, and miles cheaper than using a standard debit card from a high street bank.

What pushes Currensea to the number one spot in this category though is the generous £500 a month fee free ATM withdrawals. Whilst Monzo and Revolut have steadily tighten up on ATM withdrawals over the years, this remains up there with Starling, and Chase as one of the best cards to withdraw cash from foreign ATMs, and the best card for spending abroad for those that want to use their existing bank account.

>> Get a Currensea travel card

How to maximise your spending power abroad

Whether it’s a relaxing two week holiday, or a city break, it’s all too easy to be a bit too frivolous with your cash aboard. If you already have one our ‘top pick’ specialist travel cards listed above, then you’re are to a winner, but there are few other little tricks that can help you stretch for holiday money a little further.

Never change money at the airport – Sometimes you just need/want to carry cash. If so be sure not to change it at the airport. You’ve left it too late, they’ve got you over a barrel and they know it. You’ll be lumbered with the worst rate, and that’s no way to start a holiday. If you absolutely must change money at the airport, ferry terminal, or train station, always pre-order. You can usually do this up to four hours in advance and you’ll enjoy a better rate. Instead try to leave yourself plenty of time to change money. That way you shop around for the best rate.

Get the right credit card and enjoy the cheapest rates – most credit card providers add roughly 3% to the exchange rate they get when changing money themselves, this is called loading. None of the cards above load so any of those listed above are a safe bet.

Highstreet Debit cards are the worst offenders – While many credit cards load, nearly all debit cards load and charge a £1.50 per transaction. The worst offenders are: Barclays, Lloyds TSB, Halifax, RBS, Co-op, Santander and NatWest. Avoid using these cards abroad. If you want to use your Highstreet bank current account, consider getting a Currensea Card to avoid charges from your bank.

Always pay in the local currency – Many overseas ATMs, restaurants, and shops will ask you if you’d like to pay (or withdraw) in pounds, when using your credit/debit card. If you pay in pounds, what happens is that the retailer does the currency conversion for you. Rates are almost always worse than letting your own lender do the conversion. ALWAYS always pay in the local currency. This trick is used extensively in Spain and can be a nice little earner the banks/retailer.

Don’t ‘buy’ cash on a credit card – Almost all credit cards charge a fee for withdrawing cash (Halifax Clarity, and Creation excluded), even if you repay in full. Buying foreign currency from a bureaux de change, even if it’s online, will count as a cash withdrawal. Use one of our top recommended debit cards instead, or a smart card such as Currensea.

Pre-order physical currency – The credit, debit, and pre-paid cards in our list are absolute cheapest way to spend money abroad. If however, you feel the need for physical currency, then always order it in advance to get the cheapest rate, even if you need it in a hurry. Many bureau de change allow pre-ordering as little as 2 hours before collection. See our guide on getting euros from the Post Office for more information.

Spain and Portugal – In some countries ATMs charge for withdrawals. This is nothing to do with your bank, but solely down the owner of the ATM. Machines in Spain and Portugal are terrible for this. In Spain always look for a ING or Deutsche Bank machines these are free. In Portugal, use the MB ATMs outside Post Offices. Never use Euro ATM, or Santander. These have some of the highest chargers around.

Looking for cards for business spending and travel abroad? See our article The best business credit and debit cards for foreign spending .

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Comparing the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey: How does it stack up against other premium travel cards?

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The release of the new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card in March may seem like a good option with competitive rewards rates, but how does it stack up to some of the best travel credit cards on the market today? And does it deserve a place in your wallet?

In this article, we’ll examine the cards’ welcome offers, rewards, benefits and travel partners to assess their overall value. Let’s see how the Autograph Journey measures up to these four competitors:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Citi Premier® Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express

Welcome offers

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey SM Card has a competitive welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first three months. According to Bankrate’s valuations , Wells Fargo Rewards are worth about 1.0 cents per point, giving the welcome offer a value of $600. After completing the spending requirement, you could have anywhere from 64,000 to 80,000 points, depending on which categories you utilize to meet the spending requirement. That’s a return of 16 percent on the low end to 20 percent on the high end, though you’ll likely fall somewhere in the middle.

How the Autograph Journey stacks up

The welcome offer on the Autograph Journey matches up with the regular offers from the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Citi Premier exactly. All three give the same bonus, for an identical spending requirement and timeframe, with the same annual fee. However, both Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points are worth more, at about 2.0 cents and 1.6 cents per point, respectively, when transferred to a high-value travel partner. This gives the edge to both, with Chase being the most valuable at $1,200 and Citi at $960.

Looking around, the Capital One Venture X offers more miles for the same amount of spending requirement and timeframe. With this card, you’ll get 75,000 miles, but also pay a higher $395 annual fee. Capital One miles are also more valuable at about 1.7 cents per point, making its welcome offer worth $1,275.

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers the most points of any of these offers — at 80,000 Membership Rewards points — but it also requires the highest spending at $8,000, although you’ll get twice as long to meet that amount (six months). It also has the highest annual fee of these cards at $695. Since Membership Rewards points are valued at about 2.0 cents cents per point, this offer has a value of $1,600.

Our decision: Not as good as the competition

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey offers the lowest overall value of any of these welcome offers, due to the lower value of the Wells Fargo Rewards it earns.

When deciding between these cards, consider:

• Whether you can meet the spending requirement
• What you want the points for
• The return on your spending

Based on these criteria, the best overall value comes from the Venture X since your return on spending will likely be a higher percentage — even though the Amex Platinum offers the most points and the highest value.

Rewards and benefits

Outside of its welcome bonus, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey comes with excellent earning rates in numerous categories focusing on travel. Specifically, you’ll earn 5X points at hotels, 4X points on airlines and 3X points on other travel and restaurants. All other purchases earn 1X points.

You’ll also get a $50 annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase — utilizing this credit offsets more than half of the $95 annual fee. Additional benefits include:

• Trip protection coverage
• Auto rental collision coverage
• Emergency/roadside assistance
• Cell phone protection
• My Wells Fargo deals
• Visa Signature benefits

As it is, the card earns solidly enough to function as a standalone card, offering excellent protection and benefits. However, let’s compare this more closely with its competitors to assess its actual value.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred®

Both of these cards come with a $95 fee. For travel purchases, the Autograph Journey gets 5X on hotels, 4X on airfare, and 3X on other travel, while the Sapphire Preferred only earns 2X on travel (but can earn 5X if you go through the Chase Travel portal or use Lyft). Chase points also get a 25 percent boost when booking travel through Chase Travel. While both cards earn 3X on dining, the Sapphire Preferred also earns 3X for streaming and online grocery purchases.

Whereas the Autograph Journey has a $50 air credit, the Sapphire Preferred has a $50 hotel credit instead. You’ll also get a points boost on your account anniversary equal to 10 percent of your spending from the prior year. Chase has more extensive transfer partners, including four of Wells Fargo’s airline partners. There are also more Chase cards available that can combine points with the Sapphire Preferred via the Chase trifecta , giving it an even further advantage.

You might choose the Autograph Journey if your travel spending aligns better with Wells Fargo’s bonus categories. However, for most people, the Sapphire Preferred will be the more flexible option.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. Citi Premier®

These cards also have the same annual fee — and once again, the Autograph Journey earns slightly better on hotel and air purchases. While the Citi Premier has limited-time earnings of 10X on hotel and car rentals through the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024, it earns 3X in the following categories:

• Restaurants
• Supermarkets
• Gas stations

By covering a more comprehensive range of everyday expenses, Citi Premier gets the edge for earning rewards.

The Citi Premier also offers an annual $100 hotel credit on a stay of $500 or more when booked through the Citi Travel portal — more than double the Autograph Journey’s air credit. While Citi overlaps on a few of Wells Fargo’s transfer partners, it also offers a more extensive list than Wells Fargo. Citi also has the Citi trifecta that allows you to combine points from multiple cards.

As a result, the Citi Premier generally offers more value overall, unless your spending is primarily travel-focused.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. Capital One Venture X

The Capital One Venture X comes with a higher annual fee than the Autograph Journey, coming in at $395 instead of $95. Still, this higher fee can be easily offset with the card’s $300 annual travel credit on the Capital One travel portal and the 10,000 bonus miles you’ll earn on your account anniversary (worth $100).

The main difference between the two is that the Venture X earns a flat rate of 2X miles on all purchases. If you book through the portal, you’ll get 5X on airfare and 10X on hotels and car rentals. If you book travel directly, the Autograph Journey is likely a better choice, but the Venture X still has the potential for higher returns. Non-bonus spending will do better on the Venture X, for example, but you’ll earn more with dining purchases on the Autograph Journey.

Overall, Capital One miles have a higher value and more transfer partners while overlapping most of Wells Fargo’s partners. You’ll also get more benefits and perks like extensive airport lounge access . Even with the higher annual fee, the Venture X is a clear favorite almost across the board.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express

These two cards approach travel from opposite positions. While the Autograph Journey has a manageable annual fee and earns solid reward rates, the Amex Platinum has one of the highest annual fees out there and mediocre earning rates outside of its 5X rate on airfare and hotels purchased through Amex Travel. Beyond travel purchases, the Autograph Journey is superior for spending.

Where the Amex Platinum shines above the rest is its laundry list of perks and benefits . For as high as the $695 annual fee is, you can still come out ahead if you take advantage of all the credits offered, including:

• $200 annual airline incidental credit with your selected airline
• $200 Uber credit ($15 each month, $35 in December)
• $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit ($50 semi-annually)
• $200 annual credit with Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts
• $240 entertainment credit ($20 monthly)
• $189 annual CLEAR membership credit
• $300 Equinox/SoulCycle annual credit
• Walmart+ reimbursement ($12.95 monthly cost)
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit once every four years
• *Enrollment required for select benefits

Maximizing these credits more than compensates for the card’s annual fee, covering everything from travel and shopping to lifestyle purchases. In addition, you’ll get extensive airport lounge access, excellent travel protections, a superior list of transfer partners and complimentary elite status with Hilton, Marriott and several car rental companies. Here, the overall value offered by the Amex Platinum’s perks and credits far exceed any other card — if you can fully utilize them.

Our decision: Perks fall short but rewards measure up

These comparisons point to a glaring weakness of the Autograph Journey — its perks and benefits. Each main competitor card offers more value in credits, benefits and point value. Even the higher annual fee cards make up for that difference with superior returns in the benefits category. If you’re looking at this card specifically to handle your travel needs, you may want to consider one of the other cards, all of which give better returns.

However, the card holds up well with its reward-earning rates, particularly in the travel and dining categories. The rates for hotels and airfare purchases are strong and don’t require you to shop through a travel portal. This distinction can be helpful, as many hotel chains and airlines will deny your elite benefits when you book through a third party like this. With plenty of bonus categories, the Autograph Journey should be able to cover much of your everyday spending.

Airline and hotel transfer partners

Each card has its own set of airline and hotel transfer partners — multiple cards can cover some programs, while others may be unique to a single card. We’ve compiled a list of all the partners to help you decide which card is best for you. All transfer ratios are 1:1 unless otherwise noted.

Our decision: The Autograph Journey doesn’t measure up

As you can see, the Autograph Journey has the smallest number of transfer partners — each of which is covered by at least two competitors. Further, considering that the Autograph Journey comes with the lowest overall point value, the card’s competitors are likely to be a better choice if you’re looking for a specific transfer partner, given their wider selection and better value.

You could certainly use the Autograph Journey’s welcome offer to supplement the point balance in one of its partners, but in most cases, you shouldn’t use it as the primary method to accrue those points unless you’re spending in its top categories.

The bottom line

While introducing a travel card with transfer partners is a big milestone for Wells Fargo, the Autograph Journey unfortunately doesn’t quite rise to the level of its competition. While the reward rates are decent, the lower value of Wells Fargo points keeps it a step behind the competition. Given that, this card is best suited for people who may already have a solid portfolio of credit cards and are looking for a new program to supplement their points balances. But if you’re looking for your first premium travel card, you’ll likely get more value from one of the other cards in this space.

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• Delta SkyMiles Blue Card

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• Key takeaways

Is the Delta SkyMiles Blue card worth it? 

Delta skymiles blue card rewards, delta skymiles blue card benefits, delta blue card fees, rates & limit, how the delta blue card compares, is the delta skymiles blue card right for me, how do i apply for the delta blue card, faq: delta skymiles blue card.

Delta SkyMiles Blue Credit Card: Good for Occasional Delta Flyers

• The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card is a simple travel rewards credit card that earns miles for every qualifying purchase.
• What we think: The Delta SkyMiles Blue card is not nearly as perk-heavy as other Delta cards, but if paying an annual fee for an airline credit card isn’t something you want to do, this is a decent option. However, if you fly frequently, you’ll certainly find more value in a higher-tier card.
• If you spend $1,000 in six months after opening the account, you’ll earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 SkyMiles. 
• The Delta SkyMiles Blue card has no annual fee or foreign transaction fees ( see rates and fees ).
• Restaurant orders, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., earn 2 miles per dollar.

If you’re not a regular traveler, it can be hard to get enough value from a premium travel credit card to justify the annual fee. That’s where the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card comes in — this card gives you the opportunity to earn SkyMiles without paying an annual fee.

In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to understand about this Delta card from American Express , including:

• How to earn and redeem Delta SkyMiles rewards
• Cardholder benefits
• Fees and interest rates
• No annual fee
• 20% in-flight savings
• Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
• Low earning rate
• No free checked bags
• No priority boarding

If you’re loyal to Delta but don’t travel frequently, the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card could be a good option. 

It offers an easy way to earn SkyMiles on your everyday purchases, so you can save money on flights in the future — and you don’t need to pay an annual fee. Plus, you’ll get a few perks that come in handy on vacation and in real life, including car rental insurance and purchase protection.

Pros and cons of the Delta SkyMiles Blue card

• Solid welcome offer
• Straightforward SkyMiles earnings tiers
• Discount on Delta in-flight purchases
• No intro APR offer

Learn more about Delta SkyMiles Blue card

Terms apply / Rates & fees

The Delta SkyMiles Blue card from American Express is a co-branded card; instead of points, it earns Delta SkyMiles. That’s a great perk, especially if you tend to fly Delta more than other airlines.

Welcome bonus

If you spend up to $1,000 in the first six months of having the Delta SkyMiles Blue card, you’ll earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 miles. Only purchases of goods and services count toward this spending threshold; fees and interest charges, prepaid card purchases and gift cards do not.

Keep in mind that American Express may decide you’re not eligible for this welcome offer if you’ve ever had one of the following cards:

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Earn Delta SkyMiles Blue rewards

The most exciting aspect of this SkyMiles credit card is, of course, the rewards. There are three easy-to-understand earnings tiers. You’ll earn 2 Delta SkyMiles per dollar for every purchase you make at restaurants and directly with the airline. For all other eligible purchases, you’ll earn 1 mile for every dollar you spend. If you’re a Delta flyer, it’s relatively easy to accrue miles — a $500 flight earns 1,000 SkyMiles.

Redeem Delta Blue rewards

Delta and American Express offer a variety of ways to redeem the SkyMiles you earn with your Amex Delta Blue card. One of the most popular is the Pay with Miles option. When you book a flight on Delta, you can redeem miles to pay for part or all of the flight. Every 5,000 miles gives you up to $50 off the cost, which is a maximum value of 1 cent per mile.

However, it’s important to note that you can only redeem blocks of 5,000 miles. If your flight isn’t an exact multiple of $50, you’ll lose a bit of value. To pay for a $175 flight entirely with rewards, you’ll need to redeem 20,000 miles.

Can’t fly with Delta? You can also use SkyMiles to book SkyTeam Alliance flights. Member airlines include KLM, AirFrance, AeroMexico, Virgin Atlantic and Korean Air.

Other ways to redeem your Amex Delta SkyMiles rewards include:

Once you book a flight on Delta, use your SkyMiles to purchase an upgrade or select a preferred seat.

Checked bags:

Use miles to cover the fees for standard checked bags. This option is only available at a few airports in the United States.

Hotel stays:

With Delta Stays, you can use SkyMiles to pay for hotels.

Charity donations:

Don’t need your miles? Donate them to charity through Delta, and they’ll go to organizations that help children, veterans and natural disaster victims, among others.

Delta Vacations:

Make a booking through Delta Vacations, and you can use miles to pay for some or all of the cost.

Magazine subscription:

Choose from a wide variety of magazines, including Better Homes & Gardens and InStyle.

Premium drinks in Delta Sky Club lounges:

There’s no need to shell out for an expensive gin fizz the next time you’re in a Sky Club; just use your miles to cover the cost.

Delta Sky Club lounge memberships:

If you’re a SkyMiles Medallion Member, you can use your SkyMiles to buy lounge memberships. An individual annual membership is 69,500 miles, which is a value of $659.

Delta SkyMiles Experiences:

Get access to one-of-a-kind experiences, ranging from special chef dinners to VIP seating at sporting events — then pay for them with miles.

SkyMiles aren’t the only perk you get with a Delta Blue card from American Express. Your card also entitles you to a variety of benefits you can use while traveling or going about your life.

Travel benefits

Taking a trip? Make sure you’re taking advantage of these Delta SkyMiles card benefits:

• Car rental insurance:  With the Delta SkyMiles Blue card, you don’t need to worry if your rental car is damaged or stolen. As long as you book and pay for it with your card — not with miles — you’ll be covered for up to $50,000.
• In-flight savings:  Pay for food and drinks with your Blue card on a Delta flight, and you’ll automatically get a statement credit that equals a 20% discount.
• Global Assist Hotline: In trouble on the road? The Global Assist Hotline can help you access a range of services, including referrals for medical or legal assistance. It can even wire you cash if you can’t access it otherwise.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/​benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

Shopping and entertainment benefits

If you love to shop and seek out entertainment experiences, these Delta SkyMiles Blue card benefits may save you money:

• ShopRunner membership:  Your Delta SkyMiles Blue card entitles you to free two-day shipping if you enroll in a ShopRunner subscription.
• Amex Offers:  Use your Delta Blue card to enroll in Amex Offers, and you can earn extra SkyMiles on certain deals.
• American Express Experiences: Get access to exclusive tickets for events, including concerts and sporting events; these deals are available only to American Express cardholders.
• Send & Split: This special feature allows you to split payments with friends who use PayPal or Venmo — without ever logging into either platform. You can manage the split right in the American Express app.

Protections and assistance

If you love to shop, these Delta SkyMiles Blue card benefits can help you save:

• Purchase protection:  When you make a purchase with your Delta Blue card, American Express will reimburse you if it’s damaged or stolen in the first 90 days of ownership. That means if your brand-new laptop is stolen, you can get your money back — coverage includes up to $10,000 per item.
• Extended warranty: Get an extra year of warranty protection on eligible purchases with manufacturer’s warranties of up to five years. If you need to make a claim against the extended warranty, you can get up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 per card per year.

Before you make a final decision on the Delta Blue Amex card, make sure to consider the fees and interest rates ( see rates and fees ).

Delta SkyMiles Blue fees

When it comes to fees, the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express card offers a good deal — you won’t pay an annual fee or foreign transaction fees.

Here are the card’s standard fees:

• Annual fee: $0
• Foreign transaction fee: $0
• Balance transfer fee: N/A
• Cash advance fee: The greater of $10 or 5% of the transfer
• Late or returned payment fee: Up to $40

Delta SkyMiles Blue card interest rates

Your Delta Blue card from American Express includes a variable annual percentage rate (APR) of 20.99% to 29.99%. American Express will determine your APR based on your application and credit profile.

Here’s a look at variable APRs available at Delta SkyMiles Blue card:

If you make a late payment or if your bank returns a payment, American Express is within its rights to switch you to a penalty APR of 29.99%. It may not, depending on your creditworthiness and account history. After you’re hit with the penalty, this APR will stay for a minimum of six months.

Delta SkyMiles Blue credit limit

If American Express approves you for the Delta SkyMiles Blue card, your credit limit will be assigned based on a range of factors. This might include your income, credit history, credit score, debt and other factors the issuer decides are relevant. Most cardholders have a limit of at least $1,000; yours may be considerably higher.

Compared to other Delta airlines cards , the Delta Amex Blue card is a pared-down option.

Although it earns miles and offers a few perks, it doesn’t include benefits that are standard on other cards — namely, free checked bags. If you travel frequently, you’re probably better off getting a different card; the lack of bag fees alone will likely make up for the annual fee. If not, this card is a solid option; it’s a basic airline credit card with no annual fee.

Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

American Express issues both the Delta SkyMiles Blue and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card , but they sit at opposite ends of the travel card spectrum. While the Delta Blue is a no annual fee card , the Reserve will run you a whopping $650 per year ( see rates and fees ). 

The Reserve is geared toward frequent travelers — it comes with $2,500 Delta Medallion Qualification Dollars per year, free access to Delta Sky Clubs, a free round-trip companion certificate each year, and more. The Blue card, on the other hand, is intended for occasional travelers who are Delta-loyal.

Read our full Delta SkyMiles Reserve card review

Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card falls somewhere between the Blue and the Reserve cards. It has a $150 annual fee after the first year ( see rates and fees ). For that, you get a free checked bag, priority boarding, a $100 credit to Delta Stays and a $200 Delta flight credit after you spend at least $10,000 in a year. Plus, you’ll earn 2 SkyMiles for every dollar spent, compared to the 1 mile per dollar with the Blue card. 

If you’re a somewhat regular traveler but not quite ready for a luxury card, the Gold card is better than the Blue — it only takes five flights to make up for the annual fee in checked bag fees alone.

Read our full Delta SkyMiles Gold card review

Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card vs. Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a general travel credit card; instead of SkyMiles, it earns points that you can redeem for travel. You’ll need excellent credit to be approved for this Capital One card , compared to the good credit that’s required for the Delta SkyMiles American Express card.

Both cards eliminate foreign transaction fees, but the VentureOne is accepted in more places around the world — an important consideration if you plan to travel internationally.

Read our full Capital One VentureOne card review

You might choose the Delta SkyMiles Blue Card if you’re a Delta fan and you’re searching for a basic rewards credit card .

It’s an effective way to earn SkyMiles on your everyday purchases — and with no annual fee, you don’t have to worry about getting your money’s worth in perks. As long as you can spend an average of $167 per month in the first six months, you’ll earn a 10,000-mile welcome bonus.

If you don’t travel often, one of these general rewards cards may suit you better:  

• Amex Blue Cash Preferred card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards card
• Chase Sapphire Preferred card

You can learn more about the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card and apply online. 

To get approved for the Delta Blue card, you’ll need good to excellent credit . 

While American Express doesn’t give a credit score requirement, this usually means 690 FICO score or higher. When you apply, expect to provide your employment information and financial details.

What credit score do you need for Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express card?

There are no hard and fast credit score rules for the Delta SkyMiles Blue card, but you will likely need a minimum score of 690 to get approved. The decision will take into account factors that might include your score, credit history and income.

Is the Delta SkyMiles Blue credit card good?

The Delta SkyMiles Blue credit card is good if you’re a loyal Delta flyer and you want to earn SkyMiles. It doesn’t offer many perks, but it comes with a $0 annual fee.

Do you get a free checked bag with the Delta SkyMiles Blue card?

No, you don’t get a free checked bag with the Delta SkyMiles Blue card.

What is the credit limit for the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card?

The credit limit for the Delta Blue card from American Express varies based on your qualifications.

What are the benefits of Delta Blue Card?

The Delta Blue Card comes with benefits that include rental car insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty coverage and access to American Express experiences and offers.

Elizabeth Smith is an experienced travel and finance writer who specializes in topics including credit cards, travel insurance, and personal finance. Travel insurance, in particular, has both professional and personal significance for Smith. She’s traveled to 73 countries, and has extensive experience choosing and using various policies — she understands how valuable the right plan can be in an emergency, and loves to help readers find the perfect fit.

Smith comes to the world of finance from a scientific and technical background. She spent more than 10 years writing about engineering, science, and technology for universities and private companies. When she’s not writing or traveling, Smith can usually be found hiking or Nordic skiing.

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Introduction to AXA Travel Insurance

• Coverage Options Offered by AXA
• AXA Assistance USA Cost

AXA Customer Service Reviews

Compare axa travel insurance.

• Why You Should Trust Us

AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance Review 2024

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Travel insurance is important because it can help cover the cost of unexpected medical expenses while you're traveling. It can also reimburse you for lost or stolen baggage, canceled flights, and other unforeseeable problems that may occur while you're away from home.

Simply put, there's a lot to consider.

But not all policies are created equal, and you must understand what you're covered for before you purchase a policy. This article will look in-depth at AXA Assistance USA travel insurance. We'll discuss the costs, coverage limits, exclusions, and more to help you make an informed decision about whether or not this particular travel insurance provider is right for you.

• Trip cancellation coverage of up to 100% of the trip cost
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous medical evacuation coverage
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Up to $1,500 per person coverage for missed connections on cruises and tours
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Covers loss of ski, sports and golf equipment
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous baggage delay, loss and trip delay coverage ceilings per person
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage only available for most expensive Platinum plan
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. CFAR coverage ceiling only reaches $50,000 maximum despite going up to 75%

AXA Assistance USA keeps travel insurance simple with gold, silver, and platinum plans. Emergency medical and CFAR are a couple of the options you can expect. Read on to learn more about AXA.

• Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans available
• Trip interruption coverage of up to 150% of the trip cost
• Emergency medical coverage of up to $250,000

AXA Assistance USA is among the best travel insurance companies . It covers the fundamentals of travel insurance, with coverage for trip cancellations, medical expenses, and emergency medical/non-medical evacuation. With three plans, AXA also offers coverage for travelers with various budgets.

It's worth noting that many important add-ons aren't available for AXA's cheapest Silver plan, such as pre-existing condition coverage, rental car add-ons, and Schengen travel insurance. Cancel for any reason coverage is also only available for AXA's most expensive Platinum plan. 

Coverage Options Offered by AXA 

AXA Assistance USA offers three levels of coverage: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each plan comes with different protections and varying coverage limits, with the Silver being the most basic option and Platinum offering the most premium coverage.

Some policies might even include added coverage free of charge, such as a waiver for pre-existing conditions , which is free for Gold and Platinum plans as long as you purchase your plan within 14 days of your trip deposit.

Specialized Coverage Options

The plan you purchase will determine which add-ons are available. For example, those with a Platinum plan can add CFAR (cancel for any reason) coverage , allowing you to receive a full refund if you cancel your trip within 14 days of making the initial deposit.

Or, if you want extra protection for your rental car, depending on your AXA plan, you might be able to add a collision damage waiver (CDW). Policyholders with Gold plans can add $35,000 CDW, and those with Platinum plans can include $50,000 CDW.

If you're traveling within the Schengen Territory, which is made up of 27 European countries, you may eligible for Schengen Travel Insurance, which covers you in all 27 countries. This option is only available for Gold and Platinum travelers and coverage lasts up to 90 days.

AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance Cost

The premium you pay will depend on various factors, including the age of the travelers, destination, and total trip costs. The average cost of travel insurance is 4% to 8% of your travel costs.

After inputting some personal information, such as your age and state of residence, along with your trip details, like travel dates, destination, and trip costs, you'll get an instant quote for the plans available for your trip. And from there, it's easy to compare each option based on your coverage needs and budget.

Now let's look at a few examples to estimate AXA's coverage costs.

As of 2024, a 23-year-old from Illinois taking a week-long, $3,000 budget trip to Italy would have the following  AXA travel insurance quotes:

• AXA Silver: $83
• AXA Gold: $107
• AXA Platinum: $127

Premiums for AXA plans are between 2.7% and 4.2% of the trip's cost, well below the average cost of travel insurance. It's also relatively cheap compared to many of its competitors

AXA provides the following quotes for a 30-year-old traveler from California heading to Japan for two weeks on a $4,000 trip:

• AXA Silver: $109
• AXA Gold: $128
• AXA Platinum: $153

Once again, premiums forAXA plans are between 3.6% and 3.8%, below the average cost for travel insurance.

A 65-year-old couple looking to escape New York for Mexico for two weeks with a trip cost of $6,000 would have the following AXA quotes:

• AXA Silver: $392
• AXA Gold: $462
• AXA Platinum: $550

Premiums for AXA plans are between 6.5% and 9.2%, which is roughly in line with the average cost for travel insurance. This is to be expected, as travel insurance is often more expensive for older travelers.

How to Purchase and Manage Your AXA Policy

The process of purchasing an AXA policy is simple. After obtaining your quote, you'll need to decide which of AXA's three plans you want to buy. When you pay for your plan, be prepared to provide additional personal information, like your birthday, phone number, and address. 

Once you finalize your purchase, you'll have a 10-day free look period, in which you can cancel your policy and get your money back. 

How to File a Claim with AXA Travel Insurance

To file a claim with AXA Assistance USA, head to the claims forms online to find the appropriate form. Once you've filled out your form and gathered the required documentation, you can email them to [email protected] or send them by mail to:

AXA Assistance USA

On Behalf of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies

P.O. Box 26222

Tampa, FL 33623

If you need assistance when filing claims, AXA's claims office can be reached at 1-888-957-5015 (within the U.S.) and 1-727-450-8794 (outside the U.S.). Office hours are 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. ET on Thursdays and 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. ET on all other weekdays. 

AXA's U.S. branch has few reviews on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau — just over 20 between the two sites. Its UK branch has over 1,100 reviews, most of which are overwhelmingly negative. However, the quality of AXA Travel Insurance UK isn't necessarily indicative of its U.S. coverage. 

In fact, on SquareMouth, where the majority of AXA U.S.'s reviews, reviews are generally positive. It received an average of 4.22 stars out of five across over 900 reviews. Customers reported that adjusting an AXA policy was easy and the customer service team was responsive. However, reviews on the claims process was more mixed, with spotty communication and long wait times. 

See how AXA travel insurance compares to top travel insurance providers.

AXA Assistance USA vs. AIG Travel Guard

When comparing AXA to Travel Guard , we'll look at the coverage levels from their mid-tier plans, the Silver plan and Travel Guard Preferred plan, respectively.

With Travel Guard Preferred plan, you'll get:

• Trip cancellation coverage up to $150,000
• Trip interruption coverage up to $225,000
• Emergency medical coverage of $50,000
• Coverage for baggage loss, theft, or damage up to $1,000
• Travel delay coverage of up to $800

Comparing those Travel Guard coverages with AXA's Silver plan, you'll see that AXA's coverage limits are a bit higher. With AXA's Silver plan you'll get $100,000 in emergency medical coverage, for example. And the baggage loss coverage limit is up to $1,500.

If you're looking for greater coverage limits, AXA makes the most sense in this scenario. But premiums will also vary based on factors like the traveler's age, trip destination, and trip cost. So you'll have to run your own numbers to make a final decision.

Read our AIG Travel Insurance review here.

AXA Assistance USA vs. Allianz Travel Insurance

Allianz Travel Insurance provides single-trip and multi-trip insurance for travelers who want to go abroad for an extended period of time. And, like with all insurance, the various plans have varying degrees of coverage.

Allianz Travel Insurance's most popular single-trip option is the OneTrip Prime plan, which offers:

• Trip cancellation coverage up to $100,000
• Trip interruption coverage up to $150,000
• Emergency medical coverage for $50,000
• Coverage for baggage loss, theft or damage up to $1,000
• Travel delay coverage up to $800

Looking at AXA's mid-tier Silver plan, you'll see that, again, AXA offers more coverage for emergency medical and baggage loss, theft, or damage than Allianz Travel Insurance. That said, if cost is an essential factor for you, you'll have to get quotes using your personal trip information to make an informed decision.

Read our Allianz Travel Insurance review here.

AXA Assistance USA vs. Credit Card Travel Insurance

Already have a great travel credit card, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or American Express Platinum? Some of the standard coverages, such as rental car insurance, may be included in the card you already have. It's a good idea to research the terms of your credit card's travel protection before purchasing a separate travel insurance policy.

If you're driving to your destination and don't have any non-refundable trip expenses, the coverage from your credit card may be enough. Another time it might work is if you have health insurance covering you while abroad and you're in good health without worrying about possible medical costs.

It's essential to remember that credit card coverage is usually secondary. This means you'll have to file a claim with the other applicable insurance before filing a claim with your credit card company.

Read our guide on the best credit cards with travel insurance here.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed AXA Assistance USA

We researched AXA by evaluating its travel insurance plans compared to other plans from the top travel insurance companies. The aspects we looked at included, but were not limited to, different coverage options, claims limits, what is covered, available add-ons, and extra services for policy holders.

What's important when choosing a policy isn't just the price — it's making sure you're getting adequate coverage that meets your needs without breaking the bank. Filing a claim should also be easy and stress-free if you ever have to use your policy.

Read more about how Business Insider rates insurance products here.

AXA Assistance USA FAQs

If you're diagnosed with COVID-19 before a trip and need to cancel, AXA may cover your expenses. Additionally, a COVID-19 diagnosis during a trip may be covered under AXA's medical expense, trip interruption, and trip delay benefits. Be sure to review your policy to ensure coverage details. 

While you may extend your coverage in certain circumstances, such as extended hospitalization, and update your travel dates prior to your departure, you can't extend AXA travel insurance plans while you're traveling. 

AXA's Gold and Platinum plan cover pre-existing medical conditions as long as you purchase your policy within 14 days of your initial trip deposit. AXA's Silver plan does not cover pre-existing conditions and has a 60-day look-back period. 

You can download AXA claims forms on its website and email them to [email protected].

AXA isn't the most flexible travel insurance company and isn't great at specializing, but it offers comprehensive general coverage. Its prices aren't significantly more expensive or cheaper than its competitors.

• Main content

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve: Should you go mid-tier or premium?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card are two of the most talked-about travel credit cards on the market. That's thanks to the valuable Ultimate Rewards program , top-notch benefits and great travel protections . But which one is the best match for you?

You might assume that the Chase Sapphire Reserve — with a higher annual fee and more luxury benefits — is always the better choice. It is the higher-tier card, but that may not necessarily mean it's your best option. Depending on your spending habits, travel goals and existing credit card lineup, the Sapphire Preferred could be the more attractive option for your wallet.

We'll compare the two cards below to help you make the best decision.

Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve comparison

Sapphire preferred vs. sapphire reserve welcome bonus.

Currently, the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve have an identical welcome bonus of 75,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.

TPG values Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each, making these bonuses worth $1,538.

But remember that you're only eligible for a welcome bonus on one of these cards if you haven't received a bonus from one within the past 48 months . Additionally, both cards are subject to Chase's 5/24 rule , so make sure you're eligible for both the card and its bonus before applying.

Winner: Tie. Both cards currently have identical welcome bonuses.

Related: The best time to apply for these Chase cards based on their offer history

Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve benefits

The difference in benefits is where the Sapphire Reserve shines. With it, you'll get a $300 annual travel credit and access to Chase Lounges and Priority Pass lounges (including access to Priority Pass restaurants through June ). Cardholders also receive a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus fee credit of up to $100 every four years, which will increase to $120 when the Global Entry fee changes in October.

Additionally, the Sapphire Reserve comes with a complimentary two-year Lyft Pink All Access membership (activate by Dec. 31), a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for at least one year (activate by Dec. 31) as well as $5 in DoorDash credits each month, one year of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31) and up to $15 in Instacart statement credits per month through July 31.

Plus, the Sapphire Reserve gets you access to Chase's Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection , which includes benefits like daily breakfast for two and a $100 on-property credit for each booking.

Still, the Sapphire Preferred comes with a handful of benefits. With it, you'll get an annual $50 credit for hotels booked through the Chase Travel portal and an account anniversary points bonus of 10% of the total purchases you made that year. You'll also get a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for at least one year (activate by Dec. 31), six months of complimentary Instacart+ membership (activate by July 31), and up to $15 in Instacart statement credits each quarter through July 31.

While both cards have impressive travel and purchase protections, the Sapphire Reserve's protections are more substantial. For example, trip cancellation insurance on the Sapphire Preferred covers up to $10,000 per covered trip, whereas the Sapphire Reserve covers up to $20,000 per covered trip. The Sapphire Reserve also offers elevated coverage for rental car insurance , trip delay protection , emergency medical and dental insurance , and purchase protection.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The travel credit, airport lounge access and elevated travel protections are hard to beat.

Related: Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the annual fee?

Earning points with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve

The Sapphire Preferred earns five points per dollar on travel booked through the Chase Travel portal , Lyft rides (through March 2025) and Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 (with a max earn of 25,000 total points, through March 2025). It also earns three points per dollar on dining , online grocery and select streaming purchases , as well as two points per dollar on eligible travel purchases and one point per dollar on all other purchases.

The Sapphire Reserve , meanwhile, earns 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchased through the Chase Travel portal, Lyft rides (through March 2025) and Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 (with a max earn of 50,000 total points, through March 2025). It earns five points per dollar on flights purchased through the Chase Travel portal, three points per dollar on dining and travel purchases and one point per dollar on all other purchases.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. It earns more than the Preferred in most bonus categories.

Related: Which purchases count as travel with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Redeeming points with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve

Since both the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you'll have the same redemption options with either card. Your most valuable redemption option is to transfer them to any of Chase's 14 airline and hotel partners for the most value, but you can also use them to book travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal or use Chase's Pay Yourself Back option.

Additionally, you can redeem your points for cash back or gift cards, but you'll get a lower value from your points going this route, so we recommend using your points for travel when you can.

However, if you're redeeming your points through the Chase Travel portal or using Chase Pay Yourself Back , your points are worth more with the Sapphire Reserve. With it, you'll get a value of 1.5 cents per point, while you'll only get a value of 1.25 cents per point with the Sapphire Preferred.

Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The higher redemption value through the Ultimate Rewards portal and Pay Yourself Back give the Reserve an edge.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards for maximum value

Transferring points with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve

Both the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve allow you to transfer your points to any of Chase's 14 travel partners. Some of the most valuable partners include Air France-KLM Flying Blue , Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt .

Credit card writer Danyal Ahmed loves transferring his points to Aeroplan to take advantage of their region and distance-based award chart along with their impressive list of non-Star Alliance partners.

Winner: Tie. You'll get the same transfer options with either card.

Related: The complete guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners

Should I get the Sapphire Preferred or the Sapphire Reserve?

If you can take advantage of the annual travel credit and don't have another card that includes airport lounge access, you'll almost certainly get the most value from the Sapphire Reserve . However, if you want to keep your annual fee costs low or don't travel much, the Sapphire Preferred will give you good earning rates and redemption options for a much lower annual fee.

Related: 11 reasons to choose the Sapphire Preferred over the Sapphire Reserve

How to upgrade from the Sapphire Preferred to the Sapphire Reserve

If you have the Sapphire Preferred and want the Sapphire Reserve instead, the best strategy is to first downgrade your Preferred to a no-annual-fee Chase card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® . You can request this by calling the number on the back of your card. Then, you can apply for the Sapphire Reserve and earn the welcome bonus, as long as you are under Chase's 5/24 rule and did not earn the bonus on your Chase Sapphire Preferred less than 48 months ago.

Likewise, you can downgrade your Reserve to a Preferred card by calling the number on the back of your card. However, you will miss out on the welcome bonus on the Preferred, so it's better to downgrade your Reserve to a no-annual-fee card first and then submit a new application for the Preferred to earn the welcome bonus so as long as you did not earn the welcome bonus on the Sapphire Reserve less than 48 months prior.

You can also request a product change from either card to the other by calling the number on the back of your card. However, by going this route, you'll forfeit earning a welcome bonus on your new card.

Related: 5 reasons to upgrade from the Sapphire Preferred to the Sapphire Reserve

Bottom line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve are TPG favorites for their strong earning rates, extensive travel protections and valuable transfer partners. Which card is better for you depends on your travel goals and spending habits, but you can't go wrong with either card.

For more details, please see our full reviews of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve .

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve

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