Travelling is one of the most exciting things in this world. Do you know what’s not exciting? Getting your bank statement and realise you have been charged fees every time you used your card abroad. It is not the welcome home gift you want.
One part of travel that some people don’t think about is having suitable credit and debit cards. In this blog, I recommend my favourite travel cards, from collecting Avios points while doing your pre-vacation wardrobe to cash back when spending abroad.
The Benefits of Travel Credit and Debit Cards
Many regular bank cards, including ATM fees, will charge you whenever you use your card abroad. Travel cards have many benefits, including earning travel rewards, avoiding foreign transaction fees, and accessing travel perks such as insurance and lounge access.
Factors to Consider when Choosing Travel Credit and Debit Cards
There are a few essential things you should consider before selecting your next travel card, including:
- Annual fees and interest rates
- Rewards programs and redemption options
- Travel insurance coverage
- Accepted worldwide and ATM access
No one-size-fits-all travel card exists, so you must consider which suits your travel preferences and spending habits.
Key Tip
When you pay for something abroad or get money from an ATM, select ‘USE LOCAL CURRENCY’ and not your country’s currency. So, for example, I’m in Paris, and it says ‘PAY IN EURO’ or ‘PAY IN GBP’; even though it shows you what the total would be in both, the bank has a better exchange rate than the one shown. Always pay in local currency.
Introducing the Top 5 Travel Credit and Debit Cards
British Airways American Express® Credit Card
This is one of my favourite cards when home in the UK. I use this card as my general spending card for groceries, shopping and food, and I pay off the card with my regular bank. You collect 1 Avios point for every £1 spent, and then you can use Avios points for money off flights or even free flights. There is no annual fee, which is a big selling point. You can also collect more Avios points through the British Airways Executive Club website and app – when shopping online for clothes, hotels, trains, etc. Applicants must be UK residents with a UK bank or building society account.
Revolut
Revolut has become a known bank name globally, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a simple but effective card. You add money to your regular bank account and then spend, spend, spend. You can get up to 30% cashback in London and cities and enjoy exclusive discounts on well-known brands. You can quickly put money into a savings account, which you can access anytime.
Monzo
Monzo is similar to Revolut but has some extra features. Splitting up payments couldn’t be easier, whether the restaurant bill or household expenses, and you don’t have to get everyone’s bank details with the handy send and receive payment option. You can use a Pot, a fully customisable savings account to save for your next holiday, and keep bill money separate. You can add to this as little or as often as you like.
Wise Account
When I worked in Canada, I opened a free Canadian bank account so my employer could pay me. However, I had to get my money into a more accessible account to spend my earnings. You have to pay fees when transferring money from different countries, but I found the Wise account one of the cheapest and easiest to use. I transferred money from my Canadian bank account and paid it into my UK account so I could then add money to my pre-paid cards (Monzo, Revolut, Chase). It’s free to set up, and you get sent a bank card, so you can also use it as a spending card. You can send money quickly to 50+ countries, and it’s free from hidden fees and exchange rate markups. When you join today, you can enjoy a fee-free transfer of up to 800 CAD (or whatever currency you fancy).
Chase UK
This is my other regular spending card, so when shops and restaurants don’t accept American Express, I can use a card that still benefits me. You get 1% cashback on your everyday debit card and contactless spending for your first year with us. Like the other pre-paid cards, you can easily add money from your bank account and use it as you please. It has a great feature, too, where it rounds up your purchase to the nearest £/$ and then puts those extra pennies in a savings pot.
Comparison and Analysis of the Top 5 Cards
You don’t need to get every card I’ve mentioned. However, I do recommend having your money in different places. When travelling, we never know what will happen; you may lose or have a card stolen. It’s annoying and hard to get a replacement card sent to a random town in the middle of nowhere. If you have a couple of cards in different hiding places (one in your beltbag, one in your backpack, one in your suitcase, etc), you will always have a backup if needed. A good thing about these cards and their online apps is that you can quickly freeze or cancel a card if one gets lost.
I have one of these cards and accounts, which gives me the peace of mind that I will always have access to my money when travelling.
The best thing about these bank accounts is that they are free to set up and have, even the British Airways Amex. You can apply online or via the apps. So easy.
All the cards have different benefits, but the main one I see benefit from is the BA Amex. I earn points every time I spend money, and then I can use those Avios points for money off or free flights (what more do you want?).
Conclusion
Each of these cards has its benefits, but the main one is that it allows you to travel the world and not worry about the pesky fees that add up. You have to pick the best one(s) for you; from my experience, I can only speak highly of them all.
Please comment and let me know if you have a favourite travel card. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to message me, and I’ll do my best to help you.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link at no extra cost to you.