Foreign transaction fees have become an increasingly rare nuisance on many of today’s best business credit cards, including the Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card by Citi, which killed the fee in early 2018. That’s the good news.
Unfortunately, there are still some pretty big-name cards that charge a 3% fee (2.7% on American Express cards) for any purchase you make in a foreign country, or even if the merchant just uses a foreign credit card processor. You get nothing in exchange for this fee, which means there’s no reason for you to pay it.
The best way to avoid getting dinged by a foreign transaction fee is leave any credit cards that charge the fee at home when you’re traveling internationally.
Several notable business cards from Chase and American Express still charge these fees, but in a survey of 27 business credit cards, we found just seven that will charge you extra to make foreign purchases. None of the offending cards are exclusively travel reward cards, which is a good thing.
If international business travel is on your horizon, make sure you’re carrying a business card that won’t erase all your reward earnings with a needless fee. Here are some of the best business cards that don’t charge a foreign transaction fee.
Business Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fee| Card | Best for | Current Bonus | Bonus Requirement |
| The Business Gold Card from American Express OPEN | Small business travel | 50,000 points | Spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Terms Apply. |
| The Business Platinum® Card from American Express OPEN | Travel perks; purchases of $5,000 or more | 100,000 points | Earn 50,000 points after you spend $10,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $15,000 in the first 3 months. Terms Apply. |
| Capital One Spark Cash for Business | Flat 2% return on all spending | $500 | Spend $4,500 on purchases in the first 3 months |
| Capital One Spark Miles for Business | Flat return of 2 miles on all spending | 50,000 miles | Spend $4,500 on purchases in the first 3 months |
| CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard | American Airlines flights | 70,000 miles | Spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 4 months |
| Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express | Delta flights | 30,000 miles | Spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Terms Apply. |
| The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | Hotels | 100,000 points | Spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Terms Apply. |
| Ink Business Preferred Credit Card | Shipping purchases | 80,000 points | Spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card | Earning the Companion Pass | 60,000 points | Spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months |
| United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card | United Airlines flights | 50,000 miles | Spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months |
Bonus: Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $5,000 in the first three months.
Rewards and Benefits: Earn 3 points per dollar on one category of your choice from a list of five options — airfare purchased directly from airlines, US purchases for advertising in select media, US purchases at gas stations, US purchases for shipping and US computer hardware, software and cloud computing made directly from select providers — and 2 points per dollar on the four remaining categories, on up to $100,000 in purchases in each of the five categories each year, then earn 1 point per dollar on all purchases.
Annual Fee: $0 the first year, then $175 thereafter.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express OPEN
SFO Centurion Lounge’s unique offering — Napa Valley wine tasting. Get free access to this perk with your Business Platinum card.
Bonus: Apply by August 8, 2018 and earn 50,000 points after you spend $10,000 in the first three months and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $15,000 also within the first three months from account opening.
Rewards and Benefits: Earn 5 points per dollar on airfare and on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel, 1.5 points per dollar on purchases of $5,000 or more (up to 1 million extra points per year) and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Redeem points directly for first or business class, or for any seat on the airline of your choice, and get a 35% points rebate. Receive free access to Centurion and Priority Pass lounges, plus Delta Sky Clubs when you’re flying Delta. You also get a $200 annual airline fee credit and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application rebate.
Annual Fee: $450
Capital One Spark Cash for BusinessBonus: Earn a $500 cash bonus after you spend $4,500 in the first three months.
Rewards and Benefits: Earn an unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. Employee cards are free.
Annual Fee:$95 (waived the first year)
Capital One Spark Miles for BusinessBonus: Earn 50,000 miles after you spend $4,500 in the first three months.
Rewards and Benefits: Earn 2 miles per dollar on all purchases with no minimum for redeeming. Employee cards are free.
Annual Fee: $95 (waived the first year)
CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select World MastercardBonus: Earn 70,000 miles after you spend $4,000 in the first four months.
Rewards and Benefits: Earn 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases and at gas stations, on car rentals and with certain telecommunications merchants, and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. Get a $99 companion certificate after spending $30,000 in a cardmember year and if the account remains open 45 days after the anniversary date.
Annual Fee: $95 (waived the first year)
Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card from American ExpressBonus: Earn 30,000 SkyMiles when you spend $1,000 in the first three months and a $50 statement credit when you make a Delta purchase in the first three months.
Rewards and Benefits: Earn 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. Get a first bag checked for free (maximum nine waivers per reservation), Zone 1 boarding and 20% off in-flight purchases on Delta flights.
Annual Fee: $95 (waived the first year)
The Hilton Honors American Express Business CardBonus: Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.
Rewards and Benefits: Earn 12x points at Hilton properties; 6x on wireless services purchased directly from US service providers and on US purchases for shipping, at US restaurants, on flights booked directly with airlines and through Amex Travel and on car rentals booked directly through select rental car companies; and 3x on everything else. You’ll also earn a free weekend night after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year and another after spending an additional $45,000 in the same year (so a total of $60,000).
Annual Fee: $95
Ink Business Preferred Credit CardBonus: Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Rewards and Benefits: Earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent on travel, shipping, social media advertising and internet/cable/phone services each account anniversary year, plus 1 point per dollar on everything else. This card also offers cell phone insurance when you use it to pay your (and your employees’) cell phone bill, and primary rental car insurance. Employee cards are available at no additional cost.
Annual Fee: $95
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Get great value from your Southwest card by earning enough qualifying points to grab a Companion Pass. (Photo by RaksyBH / Shutterstock.com)
Bonus: Earn 60,000 Rapid Rewards points when you spend $3,000 in the first three months.
Rewards and Benefits: Earn 2 points per dollar on Southwest purchases and Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Receive 6,000 points after your cardmember anniversary. Earn 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points toward Southwest elite status for every $10,000 you spend on the card annually (up to 15,000 TQPs).
Annual Fee: $99
United MileagePlus Explorer Business CardBonus: Earn 50,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months.
Rewards and Benefits: Earn 2 miles per dollar on United purchases and at restaurants, gas stations and office supply stores, and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. Receive priority boarding and a free checked bag for you and one companion on the same reservation. Plus, get two United Club passes each year.
Annual Fee: $95 (waived the first year)
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