What cards to use when traveling abroad
- paulusofsinae
- Apr 6
- 2 min read
Choosing the right credit card can make a big difference when traveling abroad. The best cards offer no foreign transaction fees, strong travel rewards, and perks like airport lounge access or travel insurance. Whether you're booking flights, dining out, or exploring local shops, using a travel-friendly card ensures you earn valuable points while avoiding unnecessary fees—making every purchase work harder for your next adventure.
This guide is not about planning for travel but rather spending when you are at your destination. I only highlight relevant benefits and multipliers.
I divide the types of spending into:
Dining (Restaurants and Supermarkets)
Travels at the destinations
Universal
Candidates for my travel wallet:
Amex Gold
4x Points:
At restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per year.
At U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per year.
Verdict: High annual fee of $325
Sapphire reserve
3x points: Travel and dining
Airport Lounges: Priority Pass™ / Sapphire (most can be accessed through priority pass program)
Annual fee: $550
Sapphire preferred
3x points: dining
2x points: All other travel purchases
Annual fee: $95
Verdict (My pick):
Great for restaurants/public transports/tolls
Required gateway for Chase transfer partner (personal cards). Usually Sapphire preferred has higher signup bonus. Convert preferred card to reserve after a year.
Link for Sapphire preferred (100,000 points as of April 2025):
Citi Strata Premier
3X Points:
Restaurants
Gas station/EV charging
Supermarkets
Annual fee: $95
Verdict (My pick): 3x for Supermarkets/gas globally
Capital one Venture X
2X Miles: For everything
Airport Lounges: Priority Pass™ / Capital one's own lounges (best US lounges so far as of 2025)
Hertz' top tier status
Annual fee: $395
Verdict (My pick):
Universal card
Unique airport lounges
Easy to use annual credit
Capital one targets subprime market. This card needs to be applied for ASAP when you have great credit score, before building an extensive credit history.
Link for Venture X:
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