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The 6 Best Prepaid Travel Cards for Australians 2024

Here is a list of the 6 best prepaid cards you can take with you on your travels and the positives and negatives for each one:

• Wise - our pick for prepaid cards

Revolut - low fees

• Citibank - good for use at home
• Travelex - no fees for ATM withdrawals
• Australia Post - lock in exchange rates

HSBC - no international transaction fees

With a prepaid travel card you’ll load money - either in AUD or the foreign currency you need - in advance, which you can then use as you travel , for spending and withdrawals. Lots of cards let you top up and manage your account through an app, which means you can always keep up with your money, even when you’re away from home.

Picking the right prepaid card can mean you get more convenient ways to spend and withdraw when you’re abroad - and lower overall costs, too. Let’s look at some of the best prepaid travel cards on offer for Australians , so you can pick your perfect match:

Wise - our pick for prepaid travel card

• Top up for free in AUD using PayID or bank transfer
• No annual fee, hidden transaction fees or exchange rate markups
• No minimum balance requirements
• Allows you to make payments and withdrawals wherever you are in the world in over 40 currencies
• Local bank account details in Australia (AUD), the UK (GBP), the USA (USD), Europe (EUR), Canada (CAD) and New Zealand (NZD)
• Available in the US, UK, Europe, Australia, Singapore, Japan and New Zealand

Find out more about the Wise card .

With this card:

• It's very easy to set up and order
• Available as a  virtual card
• You can receive foreign currency into a multi-currency account linked to the card
• Pay with your Wise card in most places overseas where debit cards are accepted
• You can transfer money to a bank account overseas

It's not all good news though

• There is a 2% ATM withdrawal fee when you withdraw over $350 during a month
• It takes 7-14 days for delivery

Go to Wise or read our review .

• No hidden fees or exchange rate mark-ups (except on weekends)
• Very easy to use app
• Free to set up account and top up
• You can use it to transfer money to a bank account overseas

Read the full review

• No purchase fee, load fee, reload fee, exchange rate margin or minimum balance requirements
• Unlike other Travel Cards, its free and easy to use the balance of your currency or convert it back to AUD
• The exchange rates are unbeatable. They use the same rate you see on XE or Google with no hidden mark-up
• For the free Standard account, there is a 2% ATM withdrawal fee when you withdraw over $350 during a month
• The premium account costs $10.99 a month, which can really add up if you are not using it often
• Additional fees for using the card on a weekend
• 2% ATM fee once you withdraw more than $350 in any 30 day period
• 3-4 business days before you receive your card

Click here to see the full list of cards and how Revolut compares

Australia Post Prepaid Travel card - lock in exchange rates

• Load up to 11 different major world currencies
• Spend and withdraw easily around the world
• Get access to extras like free wifi when you travel
• Manage your card in online and via an app
• Transfer instantly to another Travel Platinum Mastercard

• Load up to 11 different currencies for easy spending and withdrawals
• Lock in exchange rates so you know what your travel money budget is in advance
• Get extra perks like free wifi when you load 100 AUD or more
• Get fraud protections from Mastercard
• 3.5 AUD international ATM fee, or 2.95% domestic ATM fee
• Exchange rates to add money in a foreign currency or spend a currency you don’t hold are likely to include a markup
• Some fees apply depending on how you top up your account

Travelex - no fees for international ATM withdrawals

• Load up to 10 major currencies at a time
• Spend and withdraw anywhere Mastercard is accepted
• Contactless payments so you can just tap and go
• No Travelex fees for international ATM withdrawals
• Free to spend currencies you hold in your account
• Order online and have it delivered to your home - or collect in store

• Top up and hold up to 10 currencies at a time
• View and manage your account online
• Spend online and in person, and make withdrawals as you travel
• No membership or account fees to pay
• Get exclusive Mastercard discounts and perks
• Inactivity fees apply if you don’t use the card for a year
• Not all major currencies are supported for holding - double check they have the currency or currencies you need

Go to Travelex or read our review .

Citibank Saver Plus - best for use at home

• No international ATM or transaction fees
• Fee-free international money transfers to any account worldwide
• SMS notifications through Citi Alert

With this card you can:

• withdraw money for free at over 3000 ATMs Australia-wide and overseas
• take advantage of no foreign transaction fees, monthly fees, or minimum opening balance
• transfer money to friends and family anywhere in the world for free
• Cash deposits available within 24-48 hours
• Can’t have two cards active at the same time
• $5 account closure
• Hold and exchange 10 currencies: AUD, USD, GBP, EUR, HKD, CAD, JPY, NZD, SGD, and CNY 
• No account opening or annual fees to pay
• No foreign transaction fee and no HSBC ATM fee at home or abroad
• Some cashback earning opportunity on local spending 
• Easy online overseas transfers - 8 AUD fee and exchange rate markups apply

• Hold and exchange 10 currencies
• No account opening fee, no ongoing fees 
• Get up to 2% cashback on eligible card spend
• No HSBC ATM fee
• No international transaction fee
• 8 AUD fee for sending money overseas
• Cashback on low value transactions made in Australia only
• Limits apply on how you can use CNY within your account

Read our HSBC Everyday Global Account review .

What are Prepaid Travel Cards?

Prepaid travel cards are a good international card alternatives to carrying cash. They look like credit or debit cards, but they function differently.

You're able to load the card with a set amount of money in the currency you need and can use it to make purchases online, in stores and to withdraw money at ATMs.

Most travel cards allow for multiple currencies to be loaded onto the card. So it's important to know what currency you'll be using on your travels. Airlines also offer prepaid cards so the money you spend can earn you reward points.

Find out how our 5 best prepaid travel cards for Australians compare in our best and worst travel cards article .

Looking for something different?

Read our guides on:

• The best travel debit cards
• The best travel cards for Europe
• The Wise debit card review
• Best virtual debit cards for Aussies

How does a prepaid travel card work?

Order a prepaid travel card online, through a provider app , or - in some cases - pick one up at a physical location or store. Generally to get your card you’ll need to show or upload some ID documents for verification - this is to keep your account safe and is a legal requirement.

Once you have your card account open , you can load funds . Different cards have their own supported methods for topping up, which usually include bank transfer, PayID, credit and debit card, and which may also allow you to deposit cash in some cases. Once you have funds on your card, you can switch to the currency you need for overseas spending. In some cases you can also leave your funds in AUD and just allow the card to convert for you - but do check that no additional fees will apply in this case.

Prepaid travel cards can then be used to tap and pay , make withdrawals and shop online . You can often also add them to mobile wallets like Apple Pay for convenient spending. Because your card isn’t attached to your everyday account it’s secure, and you can only spend the funds you’ve loaded, which means there’s no chance of accidentally blowing your budget.

Advantages and disadvantages of prepaid cards

Prepaid cards can be a handy addition when you’re abroad, as they are secure and convenient to use for payments and withdrawals. However, they’re not the only option. If you’re not sure about whether a prepaid card is right for you, check out these advantages and disadvantages to help you decide:

Advantages:

• More convenient than carrying cash, with easy access to ATMs to withdraw when you need to
• Not linked to your primary day to day account, which can be more secure and make budgeting easier
• Some accounts let you buy currency in advance to lock in exchange rates when they’re good
• You may be able to access better exchange rates and lower fees compared to using a regular bank card

Disadvantages:

• Some prepaid cards have fairly high fees - including charges when you add money to the account. Read more on how to find the best travel cards with no foreign transaction fees
• Not all prepaid cards support a broad range of currencies - check the currencies you need are covered
• Prepaid cards aren’t always accepted for things like paying security deposits - so it’s safest to have a credit card as well

Who is a prepaid debit card for?

A prepaid debit card is handy for many different customer needs. For example, you may choose a prepaid debit card in the following situations:

• You’re planning travel and want to set your budget in advance with no chance of accidentally overspending
• You want to be able to hold and exchange a selection of foreign currencies all in the same account
• You want to increase security by using a payment card that’s not linked to your main everyday account when you travel
• Some cards also offer other perks like ways to receive foreign currency payments conveniently, or cashback 

How can I get a prepaid travel card?

Different prepaid cards have their own order and activation processes. However, to comply with local and international law, providers will usually need to see some ID before you’re able to get a card - this verification step may be available online by uploading images of your paperwork, or in person by visiting a branch. 

Here’s an outline of the basic steps you’ll take to get a prepaid travel card:

• Pick the right card for your needs
• Visit the provider’s website or app - or call into a branch if you’d prefer a face to face service
• Complete a travel card order from, which will include your personal information
• Get verified - usually this involves showing or uploading ID like a passport or driving licence
• Add money to your card, which could be in cash, with a bank card, or by bank transfer
• You can now get your card, and manage your account online or in the app

If you’re ordering a card in person you’ll be able to start using it right away. If you’ve ordered online for delivery, you’ll need to wait a few days, to a couple of weeks, depending on the provider you’ve picked, for your card to be available. You might be able to access virtual card details in the meantime, to start spending right away.

How to choose a prepaid debit card

There are many different prepaid debit cards on the Australian market - so picking the best one for you will require a bit of research. Starting with this guide, compare a few different prepaid debit cards based on features and fees. Here are a few pointers to think about:

• Make sure you know about any opening or card delivery fee which will apply once you order your card
• Check how long it’ll take to get your card if you’re ordering online for home delivery
• Make sure the card you pick can hold a broad selection of currencies, so you can use it for more than one trip away
• Check the fees for adding funds, making ATM withdrawals and converting currencies
• Look to see if there are any account close, cash out or dormancy fees that apply once you stop using the card
• Make sure the card is well rated by other users, and from a trustworthy provider

Where can I get a prepaid debit card?

Generally you can order your prepaid debit card online or by downloading your preferred provider’s app. Some cards, like the Auspost card, can also be collected in physical branch locations.

FAQ - 6 Best Prepaid Travel Cards

Are prepaid cards free.

Prepaid cards may be free to order, or you may pay a small one time fee, depending on the provider and card you pick. Once you have your card you may also pay transaction fees such as exchange rate markups when you switch currencies, and ATM withdrawal charges. Read the card’s terms and conditions carefully so you’re aware of the costs involved.

What are the best prepaid debit cards for international travel?

There’s no single best prepaid debit card - it’ll come down to your personal preferences, where you’re travelling, and the type of transaction you need to make. Pick a prepaid card which is easy to use, which supports the currency you need, and which offers a good balance of low fees and good exchange rates.

What is the best reloadable prepaid card?

There’s no single best reloadable prepaid debit card. Use this guide to compare a few options to pick the one that’s right for you, thinking about features, fees and the range of supported currencies you’ll need.

Should I use a Mastercard or Visa for overseas?

Both Visa and Mastercard are very broadly accepted globally. It’s often a good idea to have a prepaid, debit or credit card on each of these networks, so you’ll always have a backup if for some reason one network isn’t available wherever in the world you are.

Are prepaid currency cards worth it?

Picking the right prepaid currency card can help you save money on currency exchange and access low fee international transaction services. You might also get extra perks like easy ways to lock in exchange rates in advance, so you can get a good deal and fix your travel budget before you go away.

Your currency knowledge centre

5 Best Debit Cards for Australians Travelling Overseas

Travel debit cards are a good alternative to carrying cash. They also offer the convenience of a credit card, but work differently. Here is a list of the 5 best travel debit cards you can take with you on your travels and the positives and negatives for each one.

• Read more ⟶

Wise Debit Card Review

The Wise Debit card give customers an easy way to spend their balances in multiple countries. With interbank rates and low fees, this product is available in Australia for both personal and business customers.

8 Travel Traps to Avoid If You're Heading to Europe

To help you avoid spending money unnecessarily, here are some pretty important travel money traps you want to avoid if you travel to Europe.

The Best Travel Debit Cards for Australians In 2024

Tom Goward | 27/03/2024

TLDR ; our experts rated Up ($15 free bonus), Ubank ($10 free on with code C7N1TAZ ) & Revolut (Free $15 exclusive Flight Hacks bonus) as the best travel debit cards for 2024.

No matter where you’re going or for how long, making use of a good travel debit card is one of the easiest ways to save money overseas. The problem is that amidst the excitement, the importance of selecting the best travel debit card often slips the minds of many Australians until the eleventh hour. Most novice travellers fail to realise their mistake until arriving home with an overstuffed suitcase and card fees that could’ve been easily avoided.

The harsh reality is that banks and airport currency exchange services will often rip you off, despite their claims of ‘zero fees’ or ‘0% commission’. Think about it, how can an exchange booth afford the insane airport rent if they don’t make a cent from running their business?!

The good news is that Australians have a few brilliant options when it comes time to select a travel money card. While the array of choices can be overwhelming, with a little research and planning, you can save a considerable sum just by using the right card!

WATCH: our video comparing 11 of the most popular travel cards in Australia!

In this post:

What About Prepaid Travel-Branded Cards?

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Many amateur travellers will use their day-to-day debit card overseas, simply because it’s easy to use a card that already has your money loaded and ready to go. But before tapping away, it’s important to understand the fees you’ll be in for.

When making international purchases, there are three main fees you should understand;

• International Transaction Rate: Charged when you make a purchase with an overseas merchant, often as a percentage of the total transaction. In Australia, many banks charge a foreign transaction fee of 3% or higher.
• Overseas ATM Withdrawal Fee: Charged for the privilege of withdrawing your own money at an overseas ATM, typically a fixed dollar amount per withdrawal. Sometimes the ATM operator will charge an additional fee for using their ATM. How fun!
• Foreign Exchange Markup: This is where banks are especially sneaky. While you might think you’re getting the real exchange rate, like you’d see searching Google or XE, banks will make up their own rate which includes a hidden fee on top. Of course, you will only be shown the ‘final price’ to hide the fee applied to the real rate.

If you’ve been looking for the perfect card to use overseas, you would have seen big banks and loyalty schemes offering travel money cards. But just because your day-to-day bank offers a dedicated travel card, it doesn’t mean you should get one. In fact, if a card has the word “travel” as part of its name, RUN AWAY while you still can. That is, unless you like being shafted by some of the richest companies in Australia.

Prepaid options like the Commbank Travel Money Card and Qantas Travel Money Card typically offer a portal where you can preload a foreign currency, before arriving at your destination. While it might sound logical to have your money in the correct currency before payment, the fees involved can be astronomical. Despite the promise of “fee-free load options”, there’s almost always a huge foreign exchange markup when you send Australian Dollars to a prepaid card.

The other downside is that you’re forced to lock-in the exchange rate when loading Australian Dollars. While this is marketed as a perk, it’s also a potential disaster if the exchange rate moves against you, after you’ve transferred your entire spending money across. So, unless you have a crystal ball that predicts when the exchange rate is best, I wouldn’t see it as a benefit myself.

Although Visa and Mastercard don’t offer cards themselves, they do have a say in determining the foreign exchange rate you’ll get. While prepaid cards devise their own inflated rates, the best cards, which we will share below, utilise the Visa or Mastercard exchange rate without applying a markup. The difference between the two is almost non-existent, so there is no point in selecting your card based on the payment network.

The table below shows how much Visa and Mastercard offered for 1 AUD as of 27th March 2024. As you can see, the rates are identical, except for JPY where the difference is minuscule anyway.

How Much Can I Save By Using A Good Card?

How much you can save will depend on the fees associated with your day-to-day card, how much you spend and where you spend it. Let’s compare transactions if you were to use the Commbank Travel Money, Qantas Travel Money or Up Debit cards.

The Commbank Travel Money card charges a flat 3% fee for currency conversion on purchases and withdrawals. Qantas Travel Money claims to have “no fee” for purchases in their marketing material, but their foreign exchange rate adds an insane markup.

As an example, say you paid your 500 Euro hotel bill using one of these cards. Based on our testing (on 27th March 2024), Commbank would charge a $24.92 fee, while Qantas slaps a disgusting $47.13 or 5.67% markup on top of the real exchange rate. Remember – the Qantas card has access to Mastercard’s foreign exchange rates, and if they so pleased, could offer the same true fee-free rate as Up’s Mastercard option.

The Commbank Travel Money card charges $3.5 for ATM withdrawals, charged in the currency from which you’re making the withdrawal. Qantas charges a different rate depending on which currency you’re withdrawing, but for Euros, it’s €1.5. Of course, Up doesn’t charge a fee.

As an example, say you need to withdraw 500 Euros from an ATM. The conversion fees are the same as above, but you’d need to pay an additional fee for using the ATM. Keep in mind that the ATM you use could charge its own fee, but this will apply to most cards so it’s the same across the board.

Our Picks: Best Travel Debit Cards In 2024

Now that you understand how critical it is to utilise a good debit card overseas, it’s time to explore the best options for Australian travellers. Not all banks provide the same features, so be sure to shop around and find a good fit for you. We’d also recommend packing at least one backup card in the event your main card becomes lost or stolen.

• Payment Network: Mastercard
• International Transaction Rate: 0%
• Overseas ATM Fee: $0
• Account Fee: $0

Sign-Up Bonus: $15 – For a limited time, you can receive a $10 welcome bonus for becoming an Upsider! Join using our Up Bank invite code to score $15 after joining.

Up is a digital bank (owned by Bendigo & Adelaide Bank) that proves it’s possible to love your bank. Setup is a breeze, and of course, Up charges absolutely nothing when you use an Up Debit card overseas. As a neobank, Up doesn’t have any physical branches, with everything easily handled from within the best banking app I’ve ever used. It’s super clean by design and packed full of useful features like payment splitting, the ability to detect recurring charges, easy payments to friends by name and detailed spending insights.

Want the full story? Check out our detailed Up Debit Card Review !

• Payment Network: Visa

Sign-Up Bonus: $10 – For a limited time, you can use our Ubank referral code C7N1TAZ to score $10 in your new Ubank account after making 5 purchases within 30 days of signup.

Ubank is another digital bank with zero fees for using your connected debit card overseas. While the app isn’t quite as fantastic as Up’s offering, Ubank is still a great option. The upside is that Ubank also offers savings accounts that have consistently given some of the highest interest rates in Australia. Not to mention joining takes just a few minutes and they offer a joint account option.

After more info? Read out our complete Ubank Debit Card Review !

• Overseas ATM Fee: $0 ($350-$1400/m fee-free limit based on plan)
• Account Fee: $0-$24.99/month (based on plan)

Sign-Up Bonus: We’ve partnered with Revolut to offer Flight Hacks readers an exclusive $15 in their new account. Join via this link to score $15 after making 1 transaction within 14 days.

Everything money is accessible with Revolut, from spending on your debit card to investing in stocks and EFTs, crypto, gold and silver. From a travel perspective, Revolut offers minimal fees and the ability to preload your card with one of several currencies or spend using AUD at the current exchange rate. SmartDelay also offers complimentary airport lounge passes for you and up to 3 friends when your flight is delayed by more than an hour.

Revolut is also great for those travelling with anyone aged 6 to 17, thanks to the option for parents and legal guardians to create a linked account for their children. The main account holder gains access to a bunch of insights and controls, while under 18’s can spend their own funds with the same money-saving perks as the main account holder.

In Australia, Revolut offers users a free Standard plan, in addition to increased perks on a Premium ($9.99/month) or Metal ($24.99/month) membership. While also including a solid reinforced steel card, the Metal option offers monthly benefits like three fee-free international payments, unlimited fee-free weekday currency exchange and fee-free ATM withdrawals up to $1,400. Not willing to pay for a full year? You can always upgrade for your trip and cancel the plan once you return home.

Ready to learn more? View our Revolut Australia guide !

• I nternational Transaction Rate: 0%

If you’re after a debit card for travel from a big bank, but not quite big enough to rip you off, Macquarie has you covered. Although the app and online banking portal are in desperate need of an update, the product itself is hard to fault.

Macquarie also offers a few perks like a luggage return service that will pester the airline on your behalf, if they mishandle your checked baggage. There is a small service fee for this, but if your bag is not returned within 96 hours, you’ll receive a $100 payout per lost bag. In addition, cardholders have access to a concierge service, card purchase cover and wallet guard cover. Considering this is just a debit card, those are some nice benefits to have up your sleeve.

Deposits made on a Macquarie Transaction Account can also earn interest, up to 4.75% p.a (as of March 2024).

HSBC’s worldwide reach makes its Everyday Global Account an attractive offering. If you need to make an ATM withdrawal, you can visit a HSBC ATM to guarantee zero withdrawal fees around the world! The exception is in Argentina, France, Greece, Mexico, Malta and Turkey where there is a small fee.

There’s an option to buy and transfer between ten currencies (AUD, USD, GBP, EUR, HKD, CAD, JPY, NZD, SGD, CNY), although HSBC does hide a foreign markup here by using their own HSBC Daily Exchange Rate. For the best rate, simply load AUD onto the debit card before spending overseas, where the Visa exchange rate will apply with zero markup.

Plus, if you deposit at least $2,000 into your Everyday Global Account before the last business day of each calendar month, you can earn 2% cashback up to $50 per month. You’ll earn cashback on eligible purchases with Australian merchants under $100, when you spend via payWave, Apple Pay or Google Pay. There are a few transactions that won’t be eligible, including public transport, car parking and vending machines.

• Overseas ATM Fee up to 350 AUD/month: $0
• Overseas ATM Fee over 350 AUD/month: $1.50 ($1.50+1.75% for 3+ withdrawals)
• Card Load Fee: 0% to 2% depending on currency
• Physical Card Fee: $10

Wise (previously Transferwise) used to offer one of the best cards out there, until moving to an overly complex fee structure that feels very ‘banky’. That includes a $10 fee if you’d like a physical debit card, and high fees for withdrawing money overseas, once you go over the small monthly allowance. We do appreciate that those fees aren’t hidden, and you’ll see the exact exchange rate and the Wise fee applied before completing a transfer.

Because they still offer a real mid-market rate and are one of the best options for transferring foreign currency between friends, Wise still makes our list. They also offer a cool virtual card feature, that can be useful for pesky subscriptions or transactions where you want to cancel your card afterwards, without the consequences.

All up, Wise is a solid option if you need to make a bunch of transfers, but one to avoid if you plan on using overseas ATMs.

Keen on Wise? Why not read our Wise Australia review !

We’d be here all day if we reviewed every Aussie debit card with zero foreign transaction fees and fee-free overseas ATM withdrawals. Our guide above covers the best options for most travellers, but there are a few cards that deserve an honourable mention.

• Bankwest Easy Transaction Account
• ME Bank SpendME Transaction Account
• Suncorp Everyday Options Account

Australia’s Worst Travel Debit Cards Revealed

Many big banks and frequent flyer schemes market travel money cards, but often, these come packed with hidden fees that make them completely useless. Unless you enjoy giving away your money (in which case you should send it directly to us), here are some popular options to avoid;

• International Transaction Rate: “free” with hidden markup
• Overseas ATM Fee : approx. $1.95 – $3.00 (varies with currency)
• Card Load Fee: 0.5%

Qantas Travel Money is possibly the worst travel card out there. While advertising zero exchange fees, the ridiculously expensive “Qantas Travel Money Daily Rate” is used when you transfer funds between currencies or make a purchase. For example, in our €500 spend test above, using the Qantas Travel Money would cost a whopping $47.13 more than using a fee-free Up debit card. That’s a hidden markup of 5.67% – and Qantas will still charge an ATM fee!

For international purchases, you can earn 1.5 Qantas Points for every $1 equivalent spent in foreign currency. Even though we love Qantas Points, the insane nearly 6% markup is a complete ripoff and not worth paying to earn points.

• Foreign Exchange Rate: 3%
• Overseas ATM Fee: A$3.50
• Card Load Fee: “free” with hidden markup

Despite its widespread usage, the Commbank Travel Money Card is another terrible option for overseas spending. That popularity comes from Commbank’s extensive customer base within Australia, with many travellers sticking with the one bank, instead of exploring better alternatives. But the thing is, each of the no-fee options listed above can be funded instantly from your existing Commbank account, so there is no upside to using Commbank Travel Money.

While the card itself is free to hold, there’s a 3% conversion fee applied with each transaction made in a different currency. Additionally, you’ll pay $3.50 for every overseas ATM withdrawal. Commbamk becomes an even worse option once you realise how misleading their advertising of “no reload fees” is. While technically true, Commbank makes up its own exchange rate for card loads, which is approximately 4.4% worse than the Visa rate (at the time of writing). Essentially, this translates to a 4.4% fee when loading foreign currency onto the Commbank Travel Money Card.

• Overseas ATM Fee: $5
• In-Store Load Fee: 1.1% or $15 (whichever is higher)
• Online Load Fee: $0
• Inactivity Fee: $4 monthly (once your card is inactive for 12 months)
• Closure Fee: $10

You only have to read the endless list of fees to realise the Travelex Money Card is about as deceptive as it gets. Travelex does offer unlimited fee-free overseas ATM withdrawals, which is nice, but once you realise the other fees that are adding up and decide to close your account – oh wait, there’s a fee for that! You’ll also need to pay Travelex a monthly fee for the privilege of NOT using your card, once it becomes inactive for 12 months.

Travelex’s PDS says their foreign exchange rate is “set and determined by Mastercard”. What they don’t openly admit is that there is a hidden markup, which is easily spotted when you compare the Travelex exchange rate to that offered by Mastercard.

• International Transaction Rate: 3%

When NAB acquired Citibank in Australia, they removed one of the best big-bank travel cards available (the Citibank Saver Plus) and directed new customers to the NAB Visa Debit Card. As far as international spending, this new option is an absolute waste of plastic.

Instead of guaranteed free transitions at Citibank’s enormous overseas ATM network, you’ll get charged $5 at every single overseas ATM – yay! There’s also a juicy 3% international transaction rate, so you’ll pay a fee regardless of how you spend your money overseas.

ANZ Plus is ANZ’s new digital banking service that comes with a transaction account and a linked savings account. ANZ and ANZ Plus are like two peas in a pod, except one pea decided to get a snazzy makeover and call itself ‘Plus’. It’s as if ANZ woke up one day and thought, ‘You know what this bank needs? Another version of itself that’s slightly better but nearly identical’.

In all honesty, ANZ Plus is a solid product to use within Australia, with a cool banking app, competitive interest rate and useful insights to help you save money. But the good news stops there, with ANZ’s better version of itself keeping the fees for international use. You’ll pay $5 for overseas ATM withdrawals and a 3% fee on foreign transactions.

• Foreign Exchange Rate: 0%
• Overseas ATM Fee: approx. $1.50-$3.50 (varies with currency)

As far as big-bank travel cards go, Westpac’s Travel Money Card (also known as the Westpac Worldwide Wallett) isn’t quite as terrible as the rest. Although there are still hidden fees when you load your card, as well as when you withdraw money from an overseas ATM. The only reason we say Westpac’s travel card isn’t as awful is that they use the Mastercard rate when spending in currencies you don’t have loaded, without a markup. But overall, this is still one to avoid.

We used to love ING’s Orange Everyday card for overseas spending. But as the card became more and more popular, ING decided to capitalise by introducing international transaction fees, and then raise them even higher.

You can get all international transaction fees rebated, but you’ll need to make at least 5 eligible purchases and deposit at least $1,000 to one of your personal ING accounts every month. The same can be said for overseas ATM withdrawals, of which the first five fees can be rebated provided you make at least 5 eligible purchases and deposit at least $2,000 to one of your personal ING accounts every month.

Because of this unnecessary step to qualify for zero fees, we no longer recommend the ING Orange Everyday for travel.

With so many fee-free travel debit cards available, there’s no reason why you should pay banks every time you need to spend money overseas. With a little research into a travel debit card that suits you, it’s pretty easy to save thousands in bank fees.

Alongside a fee-free card, be sure to employ these tips when spending overseas;

• Never pay in Australian Dollars: It’s one of the biggest travel card scams out there as merchants will make up their own terrible foreign exchange rate, and then charge a fee on top, to convert the local price to Australian dollars. You’ve probably paid with an EFTPOS machine or used an ATM that asks if you want to pay in AUD instead of the local currency. While it might sound like you’re getting a better deal with Australian dollars, this is almost never the case. Be sure to pay in the local currency, using a fee-free card above.
• Check for fees applied by the ATM: While any good debit card will offer zero ATM fees, that doesn’t stop ATM operators from charging their own fees. The machine should tell you before charging a fee.
• Be prepared with multiple card options: In case your card stops working, is stolen or becomes lost it’s a good idea to have a backup card.
• Use your travel debit card for online purchases: Avoid foreign transaction fees when shopping online with overseas merchants by using your card for travel.

I am going to visit [insert destination] – which card should I use?

The cards we recommend above are great for spending overseas. Be sure to consider the features important to you (eg. no ATM fees) when selecting a card for travel.

Which card uses the best currency conversion rates?

We have compared Visa and Mastercard’s spot rates above – there is little difference. Be sure to use a card that uses these spot rates, without applying a markup.

Can I use any Australian debit card overseas?

Nearly all Australian debit cards with a Visa or Mastercard symbol will work around the globe. There are a few exceptions, for example, many cards are currently blocked within Russia and other regions of conflict.

Should I tell my bank where I’m going?

It’s not something we regularly do, but it doesn’t hurt to notify your bank that you’ll be travelling overseas to avoid international purchases being mistaken for suspicious activity.

Why shouldn’t I transfer a bunch of AUD to the currency I will be spending?

It’s a bad idea to convert money ahead of your trip unless you have a crystal ball and know which way the exchange rate will move. If the exchange rate changes in your favour, you could lose out big time. The most accurate rate is achieved with a fee-free card loaded with AUD, using the payment provider’s spot rate

Can I use any frequent flyer credit card overseas?

While your Australian credit card will work overseas, most will charge a 3% fee when spending in a foreign currency. If your card earns a high number of points per dollar, that fee could be worth paying. It just depends how many points you’re going to get, and what fee you’ll be charged.

Which travel debit card is best for international travel?

The best travel debit card is going to have low or no international transaction fees, as well as the features that best suit you. Be sure to check out the best cards listed in this guide.

Chief Operating Officer & Aviation Nerd at Flight Hacks

Off to Singapore and KL in October, got the BankSA Worldide Wallet card. Unsure whether I’d be better off using a card like the Up debit card instead.

Seems like an “ok” product but they charge for ATM withdrawal, in Europe 2 euros per transaction, 2USD in the US and 1.5GBP in the UK unless you use one of their partner ATMs. I’d say use UP if you’re unsure about whether the ATM you’re about to use is affiliated with Bank SA to save on the fee.

Hi Emmanuel, with the up debit card an u bank card , can you load the money from central america on there to take out? and or can you use the card over there anyway?

No, you can’t. If you want to load a foreign currency, I’d use Revolut or Wise.

Re: unbanked & up – both are digital banks so when I go overseas to Europe how do I notify these digital ‘banking institutions’ of my overseas travel dates so they don’t block my cards?

Hi Jefr, digital bank only means they don’t have a physical branch you can walk into. Personally, I can’t recall the last time I went into a physical bank. As for letting them know you’re travelling, I’ve never done this with either Ubank and Up and have had zero problems. When it comes to fraud, 99% of happens online so they do have a function where you can turn on or off international payments within the app. When you’re traveling and shopping, most of the banks now are smart enough to detect genuine transactions and don’t block you.

I have the Citibank one, it’s fantastic I find. Good rate which I locked in before travel so I know exactly how much I have to spend, I am even in Hawaii at the moment and even though the ATM operator says it charges $4.35USD per withdrawal, my card has not charged it.

I think it’s a mistake to lock in rates before you travel unless you have a crystal ball and know which way the FX market is going to move. Personally, I prefer to convert on the spot which gets you the best rate each time.

Not sure why Wise (previously known as Transferwise) makes on the list but HSBC Everyday Global Account didn’t make the cut. They also offer $0 ATM fees (no cap on withdrawal per month) and 0% overseas transaction fee.

Hi JW, it’s definitely not a complete list and HSBC is a pretty good product as well. I’ve got an HSBC Everyday Global Account but don’t use it because the app is a pain.

how about Bankwest https://www.bankwest.com.au/personal/bank-and-save/bank-accounts/easy

Also not a bad product, does pretty much the same as Up/Ubank etc.

what do you think is the best travel card for Moldova? I know not many people go there, but being a non EU country whose currency isn’t in much demand, I think we get stung when withdrawing from an atm. I’m using the QANTAS travel card. It was many currency wallets, but no Moldovan Leu. In Chisinau, Moldova seems to default to taking US dollars. I get the feeling we are double converting. AUD to USD and then to Leu. Ouch!

Do you know any other alternative?

Hi Ben, one of the debit cards listed here will work just as well. You should never convert money beforehand unless you have a crystal ball and know which way the FX markets will move 😀 The Qantas travel debit card isn’t a great product as they take a much too large percentage on every transaction or conversion you make. I would just use a debit card (or credit card) that doesn’t charge FX and let your bank do the conversion on the spot, much easier.

Thanks for a very interesting article about these attractive products. However, a doubt remains – how do these cards make money out of you? That is, what they do not take with one hand, must be taken by the other.

Hi Tom, most products listed above are not advertised as a “travel card”; why is that you may ask? It’s because the features they offer don’t make them much money, sure they might get a cut from the Mastercard or Visa spot rate but that’s not their main breadwinner. These products offer these specific features in the hope that you will move away from your traditional bank (think Westpac, Commbank, ANZ) and do all your everyday banking with them.

What do you think is better the citibank card, ubank or travelwise? 🙂 Tossing between those 3.

I’d go with Ubank since they are an actual Australian bank and the limits of Transferwise are somewhat limiting (no pun intended). Citi is also good but the app and website are not user friendly IMO. Bonus of Ubank is that they give you $20!

Could you please elaborate more on what the limits are for the Transferwise?

No limits for card payments but there is a very restrictive limit for ATM withdrawals which is $350 a month with max 2 cash out transactions. After that, they charge a fee.

JEN, Citi have withdrawn from the multi currency markets since they where purchased BY NAB. SAD, they were a great card

I have been researching some of the reviews on the cards, some adamantly say don’t use ING because of poor customer support when something goes wrong. Do you know of any that standout as having a good track record for customer support?

I’ve used ING in the past, and didn’t have a bad experience. That said, I’ve never been in a situation where I would need real customer support. For what it’s worth, Up bank has a chat feature within the app so that’s handy when you need a replacement card or something.

Can confirm support is not great, had several issues lately. Call centre times 20-30+ minute wait minimum, which especially sucks while overseas. Need to use Skype, etc or request a call back which can take days. Trying to resolve via messages is useless, appears they are unable to authorise anything this way.

On the plus side only ones that refund ATM fees so unfortunately still recommend them, have saved me a significant amount. Make sure you have several backups, to be honest have all the cards recommended – no fees and no stress if issues occur.

Hey Immanuel, Which is the better of Ubank and Up and why, especially considering you say Mastercard gives better rates than Visa? Thanks in advance!

Also between those and Travelex which I keep reading about?

Maybe times have changed but Travelex offers the worst travel cards/services IMO. As a general rule it’s safe to avoid anything that has the word travel in its name.

I found out that Travelex have competitive rates on their card – and the fees are $0 from our point of view. We can’t protect ourselves from the other side, but at least we can protect ourselves from the Australian point of view.

Plus, you can talk to a physical person in store about it. You can’t do that with the others – I’ve tried wise – and you do a chat – which i hate. I prefer the customer in person approach – especially if things go wrong – you can talk to a person in person and over the phone – and they have toll free numbers around the world for help.

Rates and fees are one thing – BUT HELP AND SUPPORT is a big factor for me when using a Travel card overseas.

Hi Miguel, I would argue the opposite. Travelex makes some of the worst products on the market, that said they do offer convenience (exchange money at the airport). For this, you’re paying a conversion fee of 3.65% (based on the Visa spot rate AUD-USD calculated today), this might not sound like a lot but it’s a rip-off in my book. Up, Ubank, Revolut, Citi Bank, ING etc. offer far superior products with full support (they have a banking license) and best of all they don’t charge fees, on top of that they’re just everyday bank accounts which is an added bonus. The physical people you talk to at Travelex are just salespeople, I’m not sure what sort of support you would need/expect from them? Personally, I carry multiple (free) cards with me so if one gets blocked for whatever reason (which has never happened) I just switch to the other one. Cheers, Immanuel.

Both are pretty much the same, bonus is that you get $20 with Ubank. For rate difference between Visa and MasterCard to matter much you would need to spend a lot of $$, instead, I would prioritise ease of use.

Going to US in 2 weeks. Just wanted to check your advice please. You mentioned “You should never convert money beforehand unless you have a crystal ball and know which way the FX markets will move”. Does this mean I should load up a Ubank Card with AUD and use this for both direct purchases and ATM withdrawals & rely on spot rates? It seems from the discussions above that foreign exchange occur at the UBank end. Is this a correct understanding?

Hi Geoff, your understanding is spot on. Converting currency in advance, hoping you will get a good deal is the equivalent of gambling, nothing wrong with it but the chances you get it right are just as good as the chance of getting it wrong. Ubank is just like any other Australian bank account, free to have money in your account and once you pay with your card it will be converted on the spot by Ubank.

Is there a conversion fee when you buy on the spot with a Ubank or Up card? Also can i book accommodation here in Australia and then just pay at the hotel using the Ubank card and it will just convert with no transaction or conversion fees?

Ubank is an Australian bank, they issue a free debit card (just like any other bank in Australia). You can’t have any currency other than AU$ on it so yes, your account will always have AU$ and it will be converted on the spot to pay for any transaction in any currency that’s supported by Visa, as per our article there’s 0% conversion fee imposed by Ubank (that’s why we like it). The card and bank account have no fees so of course you wouldn’t be charged a fee for booking accommodation using this card either.

Thanks for the article. Do the recommended cards offer travel insurance?

Hi Raymond, for cards with travel insurance you can check out our frequent flyer credit cards here , I can’t think of any debit cards that would offer free travel insurance. Since insurance is very personal, I can’t give you a recommendation as I don’t know your circumstances. However, I can tell you which one I personally use. For me I rely on Amex Business Platinum travel insurance as it’s activated even if I don’t use the card to purchase my flights, it also covers additional card holders so anyone I have listed on my account is automatically covered.

Amex non business credit card don’t give you travel insurance unless u buy your ticket with their card. The issue is if you buy a points flight, which is only technically paying tax, not actual flight, they won’t cover you with travel insurance when u claim as haven’t actually bought a fight. Hard lesson to learn.

ANZ Black or Platinum give you 6 months travel insurance per trip ( including family traveling with you) plus 6 months income protection of $1700/month(may be more $ now, they paid that much in 2017). As long as you spend $250 of your trip eg accommodation on your ANZ card and have a return ticket which can be a points bought one before leaving Australia. Also any auxiliary card holders are entitled to this insurance cover if travelling independently from you. Both my adult children used this to cover them on international trips at great savings. Also earn the most points / $ spend with ANZ black of any credit card except maybe business AMEX card. I never paid for travel insurance and have saved heaps over the years with this. Non cover you for extreme sports though or riding motor bikes if don’t have a bike licence in Australia or illegal to in the country you are riding eg Vietnam. Also can get a certificate prior to leaving saying they are covering you in certain countries of travel if needed.

Hi Immanuel I have a 15 year old daughter going on a 3 month student exchange to Italy at the end of this month. A number of travel websites recommend paying in cash in Italy so regular ATM use will be expected. She will be staying in a smalll village in Tuscany so may not have access to some of the “international/fee-free” ATMs. She will likely be spending around $600 per month (which exceeds some of the monthly fee-free ATM limits). A lot of the recommended debit cards have restrictions for under 18s. What do you recommend for her? Thanks

Hi Stephen, I believe all of these products have an age limit of 16 or older, not sure why but no doubt has something to do with government legislation. What I would do is open an account in your name and just give her the card to use and app login to manage her money. Paying by card is much more popular in Europe now than it ever was and it’s especially usefull when adding the card to a mobile wallet such as iPhone/Samsung etc. Ubank and Up are both very much geared towards young people so I think those would be good options to try out.

Great discussions. Thanks all. How about these cards Westpac – http://www.westpac.com.au/international-travel/travel-money-card/ Commbank Travle money card – https://www.commbank.com.au/travel/travel-money-card.html?ei=prod_TMC

Please advise. Thanks once again.

Westpac is alright but they charge ATM fees so I’d pass for that reason alone. Commbank, avoid unless you want to pay 3% on your transactions. The problem with these cards is that they want you to load it up with foreign currency, however, unless you’re a successful FX trader by profession, the chance of you timing the markets is slim. So essentially you’re gambling on the idea of currency either going up or down, if you were to just let your card convert it on the spot, you would always pay the market price which would then average out over time.

Thanks Immanuel, great discussions. How about wise card and what’s your opinion about it.

Also good but the limits are somewhat prohibitting.

Do you know if you need to convert currency with the Westpac worldwide wallet? I’m travelling to Vietnam and it’s not a listed currency. I would like to withdraw cash.

Hey Mae. Yes, Westpac Worldwide Wallet would require you to convert AUD before using the card, essentially gambling on the exchange rate. While that could work in your favour if the exchange rate worsens, you could also lose out big time. Westpac Worldwide Wallet does not currently support VND. Because of this and the extra fees Westpac charges, you might prefer the UBank or Up cards as mentioned above. Happy travels, Tom.

What is the best travel card for ATM withdrawals. We intend to pay for most things such as meals, taxifares and public transport by cash in the UK and Ireland. Is this the most cost effective method or are we better off just presenting our card when paying for goods and services. TIA

Hi David, Ubank and Up both don’t charge ATM fees so that would be my pick. When paying, it might be easier by card as then you don’t have to convert any leftover currency back but it depends where you go. Small towns in Europe for example sometimes don’t have card facilities so it’s just easier to pay in cash.

Hi Immanuel.

Just confirming, is the link below the ‘travel’ card for UBank, as it is coming up as a ‘transaction’ account rather than ‘travel’ card, so I want to make sure it is the right one?

https://www.ubank.com.au/banking/transaction-account

Any other advice regarding using this card (if the correct one) or UBank’s travel card (please send link) would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

Hi Joe, they only have 1 type of account as far as I’m aware. The product isn’t advertised as a “travel card” because they don’t really make money from it. That said, it makes an excellent travel card because it doesn’t charge fees, it’s easy to manage, free and they give you $20 for joining. As previously mentioned, by warry when a product brands itself as “travel” related; there are usually fees associated.

Hi, I was just wondering with up bank do I have to create another account with wise. Just a bit confused. Thanks

Hi, no you don’t unless you plan to send money to family/friends via international transfer. If you just want to use the debit card to pay for stuff and take money out of the ATM, you don’t need to do anything.

Hi Immanuel, Do you know which card would be best to take to Bali? My son will be taking AUD cash as well to change over there for a more favourable rate but lots of cash is a risk.I’ve also heard that ATM’s charge their own fee (randomly) and when making purchases using a credit or debit card a 3% fee is charged. Can you confirm or deny? 🙂 Thanks

Hi Jenny, I wouldn’t take cash, the rate you would get from a vendor will most certainly be worse than what you can get at an ATM. The debit cards listed above such as Up, Ubank etc don’t charge any fees. If an ATM charges you fees, it will always disclose this before you proceed with the transaction, most often it’s a fixed amount. Always use reputable bank ATMs and you will be fine 🙂

Hi Immanuel, thanks for the advice above.

Which is the best card for us?

My partner is heading of the the USA, Canada. Then we are flying across to meet her in Netherlands, then Scotland followed by a trip to Italy for a holiday.

She likes the Wise Travel, I like the Macquarie. I think the limit on withdrawals from atms is a pain in the wise one. She thinks the Wise one has a better currency conversion rate since Macquarie uses Mastercard rate.

What are your thoughts? It’s hard to find detail on ubank and what their currency conversion rate is.

If you plan to use the ATM a lot, I’d stay clear from Wise as they are very limited on withdrawals. If the cards are free, get both that way you always have a backup. Personally, I take an Up debit card and Ubank debit card, if one gets blocked or I lose it somehow I have a backup and it takes seconds to transfer funds from one account to another.

Hi. Just trying to understand how you transfer money if one card has been lost/ stolen, wouldn’t every transaction be blocked ??

You can just lock the card it self. This means you can still use the account.

I just wanted to come here to say thank you Immanuel, so much information – exactly what I wanted to know and have been agonising over! The fact you are still answering the questions a few months after the article was written!

Hey Chantelle, thanks for the kind words! We’re actually planning to add more products to this article soon to expand the comparison for people.

Ditto from me – your info has been really helpful to me to choose the right card for travelling o/s. Just got word from Citibank that they will be closing down their travel card that I have used for last 10 years, so I am in the market for a new one. This article and the follow up discussions have been invaluable. I’m tossing up between UBank & Up Bank. Thanks again for a very informative article and more importantly, the follow up discussions.

Thanks Lisa! Both Ubank and Up are pretty much identical when it comes to real world use. It will come down to which app you find easiest to use. Try them both, it’s free after all 🙂

Totally agree!! How often do we find a site with an article and ability to comment…only to never hear from the author…way too often!

I travel internationally on occasion (Australia bound next month) and I think this discussion is incredibly valuable!! I’ll be getting both Up and Ubank as there is really only an upside to both.

Thanks for the feedback Bryan! When readers take time to comment, we take time to respond. It’s also very useful for others reading this article as it adds information that might not have been clear or mentioned in the main content.

Hi After reading all this I’m still not too sure. I’m traveling to UK and USA in December 22 and have applied for a Revolut card, what do you think? Regards Elly

Hey Elly, Revolut is also really good. You might even want to consider switching to their premium product for the duration of your travel as it might be worth it 🙂

Hi, Interesting article on paying for things overseas! One question/comment. I think it is necessary to advise the bank that your card will being used overseas? Otherwise the bank may put a stop on the account in case it is being used illegally.

Hi Neil, I personally don’t advise them and haven’t experienced any issues (with debit cards that is)

Hi Immanuel, we are travelling to Thailand next year. My sister uses Latitude 28 Degrees Global Platinum Mastercard. Is this any good? Otherwise, I’ll go with the Ubank card. Thanks for some great advice. Regards, Melissa

Yes, it’s good, no FX fees but it’s a credit card so not good if you want to take cash out. Ubank is a debit card/bank account so it’s perfect for taking cash out of ATMs etc.

Hi Just want to which debit card is best for Switzerland? I am traveling from Australia

Hi Ali. Any of the six cards we have listed above will suit your travel to Switzerland.

Im going to europe this year, ill be using card a lot, dont think i need to use atm much. Im considering either UP, wise or NAB platnium. I have considered the NAB platnium because they offer free travel insurance. Do you have any more advice, which would be best for me. Thank you.

Hi Karla, if you plan to use the card a lot it should work out ok since they charge $10 a month account-keeping fee which can be offset by the cashback rebate of up to $10 per month. Just make sure you read the T&C of the insurance to make sure it’d adequate for you.

Hi Immanuel going to Bali and if I get the UBank card do I just put aud in it, and when I pay at restaurants does it just convert to IDR then or do I have to change my Aud to idr.

Hi Chrissie. Good choice! Just load your UBank card with AUD and when you pay it will convert to IDR automatically. Blue skies, Tom.

Hi, thanks for providing such great information it’s really helped narrow down the search for the best debit card to use for our honeymoon. We are travelling to Cancun Mexico and considering either Citibank Plus or HSBC Global account. Do you think we will be fine with these cards?

Hey Adele. HSBC is a good product, although the app needs some serious work. Citi will serve you well along with the other cards listed here. Happy travels, Tom.

Am going on a six month trip – 3 months total in Morocco and Tanzania, and then 3 months in Europe. Am agonising over how to do the money thing – don’t want to carry wads of cash and don’t want to pay loads of fees if I pay by card or make frequent atm withdrawals. Would the Ucard be a good option for me if I just load it up with AUD before I go?

Ubank, Up, Revolut… all good options and will do exactly what you need.

Choosing a card is really hard as the reviews are not that great with any of them. Want to get a card which offers security for my money and easy access to it. I am planning to go to Europe and am worried I wont be able to use my card because its blocked or funds have disappeared (comments in a few google threads). Are all these cards covered by the government guarantee? Are these cards supported by large banks with good customer support should something go wrong?

Many thanks

Hi Diane. We have listed the best cards for travel above, you may wish to consider these for your trip to Europe. Under the Financial Claims Scheme (FCS), deposits of up to $250,000 are protected at licenced banks in Australia. As for the neobanks cards above, Up is backed by Bendigo Bank and UBank by NAB. In my experience, their customer support is fantastic. Cheers, Tom.

Hi Diane. We have compared Visa and Mastercard currency conversion rates above – there is little difference here. As long as you are using a card with zero foreign transaction fees, these are the rates that will apply. Cheers, Tom.

Thank you for the article. My concern is how long will it take for money to be transferred from another bank account onto these Travel Cards so that funds are available? Are you better off getting a travel card from your current bank to get the instant transfer?

Hey Poppy. If your current bank and the the card you will use for travel both support Osko, deposits will be instant. You can check what banks support Osko by clicking here . Cheers, Tom.

Surely ING is worth a mention? As far as I know they’re the only one that offers ATM fee rebates. Unfortunately they’ve recently limited this to 5 per month (whether domestic or international), but depending on the country this could still be worth ~$50. If you only withdraw cash once a week or so while travelling this really isn’t an issue. It’s saved me 100s of dollars in the past while travelling so I’m happy to deal with some sub par support!

Hey Jordan. We did have the ING Orange Everyday card listed when putting this guide together a few years ago. ING was since removed after the benefits became slightly more restrictive, although it’s still a worthy contender for travel. Blue skies, Tom.

We’re going to Argentina in January, which is a money minefield! – with the official dollar rate via banks vs the blue dollar that is worth nearly twice as much when exchanged for USD cash. Apparently the govt is in the process of introducing blue dollar (or better) rates for tourists using foreign cards, so that makes taking a debit card instead of wads of USD cash much more feasible. Are you aware of this? Do you have any advice at all? If not, we’ll take a chance on one of your recommended cards and hope that it works over there. Thank you!

Hi Diane, yes Argentina isn’t your typical country haha the “blue dollar” is the black market exchange rate for USD to the native peso and indeed, you will be much better off bringing USD (make sure you get the newer bills) as everyone in the country wants them. You will still be able to use a debit card at ATMs but when doing so you will convert at the official rate which as you stated is far from favorable. Are you transiting via the USA before getting to Argentina? In this case, I would get USD cash from US ATMs using an Australian debit card, this way you will get the best exchange rate, then take the cash to Argentina and exchange it to Peso on the black market.

Thanks so much for your reply and advice Immanuel. We are flying direct from Sydney to Santiago and from there to Buenos Aires, so no opportunity to use a US ATM I’m afraid. We’ll continue to watch the situation (with a sceptical eye) and assume that USD cash is still the way to go. Sigh.

Hi Diane, if you use Western Union they give you the Blue $ exchange rate. Initially I thought this was only with US $ but according to a discussion on Travel Advisor, it works for other currencies as well. By setting up an account and have Argentina as your home, you can apparently transfer au $ to Pesos while you are in Argentina. Although sometimes hard to find a WU office that hasn’t run out of $, and not always an instant transfer. Apparently you can play around on the WU site to check your exchange rate before doing this. If you already have USD in $100 bills, all very new and clean, you can go to an Arbollito on Florida St and exchange. Remembering the Blue rate does fluctuate.

Cheers Annmarie

link to recent TA conversation if you want to read info https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g294266-i977-k13815837-o30-How_to_get_dollar_blue_exchange_rates_through_Western_Union-Argentina.html

Hi there, I am travelling to the UK and Europe for 4 weeks and tossing up between two options which I can’t choose from. Is it better to use a fee free card overseas (Up in particular) and convert on the spot and cop the varying exchange rate, or preload a travel card so I have converted funds, but risk the fees from ATMs and conversion fees when I need to do so? Cheers

Hi Michael. Check out our section on travel-branded cards above. It is just as likely to lock in a bad exchange rate as it is to lock in a good one. It’s up to you, but seeing I don’t hold a crystal ball I avoid gambling on the exchange rate. Once you pay in foreign currency using Up it will be converted to AUD at the current rate with no fees or markup. Cheers, Tom.

Thanks mate, I’ve made the decision to use Up and even going to change my regular banking there cause I love it! Thanks again

Signed up for the U Bank card, used the code – it appears that actually the referrer gets the $20 credit, not the new signed up customer. I used the code C7N1TAZ as mentioned above.

Hey Dinny. To score the $20 you will need to be a brand-new UBank member and make three card purchases. Cheers, Tom.

Hi! Im travelling to the UK and Europe for a month is December and would prefer to use a travel card as opposed to cash. I’ve looked at all of these options but the reviews are a little worrying. Have you used any personally? What would you suggest? Im ideally trying to not spend a whole heap on fees and things and I dont plan on taking much out at an ATM if at all. Also looking for a card that wont cost be a fortune to put the left over money back into my bank account once ive returned. I was originally going to get a qantas card but once again reviews arent very good. Thanks

Hi Hunta. We have tested and would recommend any of the above. Up or UBank might be your easiest option. Cheers, Tom.

Hi there! How about the Macquarie debit card? seems as good as Ubank!

Yes just as good but you don’t get free money for signing up haha! Also, I’m not sure if their application process is as straightforward. Both Up and Ubank instantly activate your digital wallet while you wait for a physical card.

Thanks for the detailed articles team, I’ve always used cash when I travelled in the past but after reading this article I’ll use debit card instead.

Quick question though, would you recommend using Australian credit card overseas? I understand there’re fees (1-5%) but it earn points in return. Still tossing if points are worth the additional fees.

Hi Daniela, most Australian credit cards will charge you a 3% fee on each converted amount. It’s pretty high but if you earn points it can somewhat offset the cost. There are some credit cards that have no fees and earn points but the earn rate is generally pretty bad + they also have annual fees which might outweigh the benefit of saving 3% Macquarie Platinum Qantas, ANZ Travel Adventures, and Bankwest are a few you can look into.

Hi Immanuel, My 15 year old daughter is going to Japan on exchange for a year. I am a bit worried about sending her with a card in my name in case she is questioned (why she has a card in another person’s name). Other kids are going with CommBank as kids 14 and over can use it but I don’t like the sound of their fees. Any suggestions? Thanks

hey Elizabeth, to play it safe you can always have a Commbank account as a backup. Transferring money from Australian banks is instant via Osko so in theory you could give your daughter a card in your name (to take advantage of the low fees) and have a Commbank card as back up if it should be required. That said, you can also use mobile wallets to store Up, Ubank etc for contactless payments, this way the name on the card isn’t shared or displayed.

If I already have a Ubank account (for savings), will this suffice for using on overseas trip? Don’t have a card attached to it, but daresay I could apply for one. Travelling in the new year to UK and France. Thanks

Hi Denise, yes the Up savings account you got now is what you can use overseas. If you don’t have a physical card, you can order it via the app. It usually takes a week or so.

Which is the best card for recieving overseas payments like the japanese yen, etc. ?

Hi Zara. Any of the above cards can receive overseas payments, but Wise was designed especially with regular international payments in mind. Cheers, Tom.

Hi Zara – this is an excellent site and your advice much appreciated. My 19 year old son is going to Japan for working ski holiday next week for 7 weeks. He will need to use cash Yen in most places and hence, a number of ATM withdrawals. From what I read above, he would probably be best off just using his existing Bendigo Bank debit Mastercard – as he can use for payments as well as ATM withdrawals. Do you agree? Thanks in advance – Ian

Hi Ian, Bendigo bank charges 3% on each converted transaction overseas (that’s very high). Since your son is 19, he would be much better off switching to a bank that doesn’t charge those fees. Up bank, Ubank, Revolut, ING etc all offer better banking features and no fees.

Hi Immanuel, I plan to use Macquarie debit card for my upcoming overseas travel. How does Macquarie debit card compare to Citibank? And would Aud convert to other currencies automatically when I pay with my debit card?

Hey Linh. Your Australian Dollars will convert automatically for all cards listed above. Both Macquarie and Citibank offer good products with zero fees, although I’m not a fan of their mobile apps. At least Citi has a worldwide presence. Cheers, Tom.

Hi, I’m travelling to Vietnam, I have the 28 degree MasterCard but need a debit card to withdraw cash. What are your thoughts on Westpac worldwide wallet? I don’t want to lock in a currency.

Hey Mae. I wouldn’t recommend the Westpac Worldwide Wallet as you will pay extra fees compared to any of the cards we have listed above, for no reason. You would also need to lock in the currency, plus the card does not support VND. The 28-degree MasterCard is also one I would avoid, as you can’t make fee-free withdrawals and they apply a markup to overseas transactions. You might prefer the UBank or Up cards as mentioned above. Happy travels, Tom.

Just fyi – ubank is no allowing joint accounts at the moment. Very annoying as all their marketing says they do, but you get to the “new account” section and get a weird error message. Only after 50mins on hold to the call centre did it all become clear.

The argument is that they are being used for phishing which seems odd/unlikely – each of the joint owners need to give over ID but after Optus etc who knows.

I’ll be checking out some of the others – thanks for the tips!

Interesting, I didn’t know! Any benefit to having a joint account?

I’m hoping to take advantage of the exchange rate for japAn before it drops, I have a trip booked in April.

Can you please advise which travel card would be best. I want to transfer $2000 across as a piggy bank. And then continue to use my up account for purchases once this $2000 is gone.

Would it be better to do this or go to a cash exchange in Australia and change money before I leave as a lot of purchases will be in cash?

How do you know the Aussie will drop against the JPY? If you know for sure, why only bet $2,000? Jokes aside, Revolut would be my #1 choice for converting currency.

I feel that when you recommend these cards you take customer service into account. UBank has been in the news of late for poor service and I wouldn’t have believed it unless I experienced this myself. My daughter is in Rome with a UBank card, that we got for her because we read this review. They did an upgrade last night during the early hours of the morning AEDT but that was peak time in Europe. She was not able to use her card and then when they came back online, she still can’t use the card. I was in a queue for over two hours, which is minimum for them, no chat option, which is terrible for a bank. I spoke to someone and they assured me they would fix it and they still haven’t. Luckily her friends are with her and they are paying for her items, but this is a terrible bank it really is. Please factor this into your reviews and don’t worry about the referral fees, think about the people this affects.

Hi Bill. Sorry to hear about your daughter’s poor experience. I have never had an issue using my UBank card overseas, including getting through on the phone. In my experience their customer service is fantastic, but perhaps following the NAB takeover this is no longer the case. Of course, we would always recommend having a few good travel debit cards at hand, in the event that one card is stolen or stops working. Limiting yourself to a single card is undoubtedly risky, hence why we have listed several above. All the best, Tom.

Hi, I’ll be traveling to Germany and Denmark at the start of next year, all of these cards look viable. Is there a specific one that you would recommend…maybe location-wise? Thanks

Hi David. I am a fan of Up Bank for their outstanding customer support and ideal app layout. But yes, all of the above could work for your travels. Cheers, Tom.

Hey Tom, just opened both an Up Bank and Wise account for my Europe trip , thanks for your help there. If I understood correctly, if I tap and buy something with the Up Bank card, it converts the Australian dollar I have in my account at the Mastercard rate and if I tap and buy something using the Wise card, it converts using the Wise Transfer rate? (assuming I haven’t preloaded the Wise card with Euros already)

Hi Tom So is this correct? I miss my choice if card(atm between Up, UBank & Wise) with AUD and use it to pay for things OS (Canada). Therefore I won’t be charged any fees and the money is converted to CAD at the time of transaction? If I choose to withdraw actual cash OS then I may incur a fee of over $350 is withdrawn for the month?

Hi Jo, each card is different: Up, Ubank don’t have withdrawal limits, Wise & Revolut do have limits on free withdrawal, go over and you will incur a fee. Hope that helps?

Hi Immanuel Yes thanks so if I’m mainly using the card as a debit card and not to withdraw cash, then any of those 4 would be ok? If I want to withdraw cash – more than $350 a month- (I’m assuming it’s withdrawn as CAD) then Up & Ubank are best? Is this correct?

Hi, Im going to Europe for 2 months next year which would be the best travel card with the lowest fees? as i will only be using euros and pounds for the trip. My last pre- covid trip I used an ANZ travel card but they dont offer them anymore.

I would go for either Ubank or Up if you want unlimited ATM use with no fees. If you won’t take out much cash but prefer to pay via card, go with Revolut .

Hi Immanual, I’m travelling to Mexico and Hawaii in feb for the whole month and I’m stuck on which card to get. I’m unsure if I should get a prepaid or a debit card. Do you have any tips? I assume in Hawaii I’ll be using eftpos (transaction) more, whereas Mexico I think cash. But I’m really not sure, I’m just going off what people have said in travel blogs. Thanks!

Hi Ava, the answer to your question is in the article, but in short: pre-paid travel cards suck. Get a debit card or if you want to convert currency before your trip, get Revolut. Pro tip: get 2 accounts, that way you have a backup in case you lose a card or it gets blocked.

Can you sign up to revolut as an Australian? I was looking into Up too. What would be better?

I’ve got HSBC, Revolut, Wise and Qantas. Don’t know why people criticise the HSBC website and app, I’ve never had any issues. Exchange rates are pretty good and there’s 2% cashback on paywave purchases under AUD$100 (not sure if this applies OS). Revolut and Wise have the best exchange rates. Revolut Metal plan offers more ATM withdrawals. Lounge access is nothing special (slightly below normal fee unless there’s a +1 hour delay). Wise has no subscription fee. Qantas exchange rates are terrible, points bonus kicks in for overseas spending. I think Wise is the best all-round option if you don’t need many ATM withdrawals.

Hey John. I find the HSBC app outdated and clunky, but if it works for you that’s great. The HSBC 2% cashback will only apply to purchases made in AUD. Personally, I feel Wise and Revolut are far superior as above. Cheers, Tom.

Hi Emmanuel Travelling overseas first time to Europe for five and half weeks. Spain, France, Italy and Greece. I’m looking at both of these, Up Mastercard Debit card and UBank Visa Debit card, as you said have a back up. 1- I have a westpac bank account, how do I transfer money onto these cards from westpac, will I be charged any fees for transferring? 2- For security is it best to have a seperate westpac account with x amount $ in it that is for transferring onto these two debit cards while over seas? 3- Reason I ask about seperate westpac account, if scammed or the debit card is hacked can the scammers get into my main westpac accounts? 4- Do I transfer onto both cards or just one at a time? 5- Would I only have one as back up with no funds on it, and if needed can I transfer while in Europe? 6- As you mentioned, if the card I’m using eg: Up Mastercard Debit card is stolen, lost or blocked can I automatically transfer the funds on that card to my back up card eg: UBank Visa Debit card? Or because it’s compromised I wont be able to transfer those funds to my back up Debit card? 7- If that happens are my funds gone/ lost. Or will the banks that back these cards reinburst me for funds lost? 8- Is Up Mastercard Debit card backed by Bendigo Bank and UBank Visa Debit card backed by NAB bank? 9- With any funds left on these two cards once back in Australia can all the funds be transferred back into my westpac accounts, is there fees to do this? Thanking you in advance for your reply to all my questions.

1 – You can make a bank transfer the same way as any other bank account/debit card. 2 – Personally I don’t worry about this. 3 – No they are separate banks in the same way Westpac and Commbank are separate. 4 – Up to you, but it can be nice to have a backup. 5 – It is good to have a backup loaded with enough cash to get you out of trouble, but it is very easy to transfer in a pinch. 6 – Yes you can transfer funds and lock the card. 7 – It depends but you might be protected under the FCS. 8 – Yes. 9 – Yes you can transfer AUD back with no fees.

Cheers, Tom.

Hi my grand daughter is travelling to the U.S.A, For sport competition, what would be the best travelcard for her as she is a minor.

Hi, the Revolut card will be the best option as you can set up a free sub-account for a minor. See our full review for more details on this feature: https://flighthacks.com.au/revolut-australia-review/

Hi Immanuel I’m travelling for the fist time overseas to the Pacific Islands of Fiji for a 2 week holiday with family and kids. What card would best suit me? I do have accounts with Commonwealth and ANZ if it matters? Regards Mick

Hi Mick. Any of the cards we have covered in this article could work well for your trip. Enjoy Fiji! Blue skies, Tom.

I’m off to Nepal and Bhutan shortly. What is your opinion on the NAB Platinum Visa Debit Card? I believe it’s targeted at o/s travel but I wonder why it hasn’t made your recommendation list. Cheers

Hi Simone. We haven’t included the NAB Platinum Visa Debit as there are better cards out there (eg. Up Bank, UBank and Revolut). NAB charges a $10 monthly card fee, $5 per overseas ATM withdrawal and $1 per overseas ATM balance enquiry (in addition to what the ATM itself charges). You might be better off with one of the cards mentioned in this article, as many won’t charge these fees. Cheers, Tom.

Hi Tom, We are going to the Maldives in Feb and Europe in June/July, it looks like UP or Revolut are our best options. We are with HSBC which doesnt have OSKO. Would we be best to open an account with these other banks for easy transfer. Do you know if you can get multiple cards for the one account with UP & Revolut?

Hi Heidi, I find that transfers from HSBC usually take 1 business day so while it’s not instant like it is with Australian-based banks, it’s also not that slow. You can only get 1 card for your Up/Revolut account but both options also allow you to generate digital cards which you can generate as often as you want.

Hi – I am curious about the markup fees on these cards. Upbank clearly states they don’t do forex markup fees, but I cannot find information on the others. HSBC Everyday Global Rewards does have a forex mark up fee for the currencies you can load into the card for example. What about Ubank?

Hi Alee, HSBC charges a markup if you exchange money within your account; there’s no fee if you exchange it using the spot rate by paying or using your card in a foreign country. As I’ve said many times in these comments: there’s no benefit in exchanging money beforehand UNLESS you have a crystal ball and know what a currency will be worth at the time that you need it. So I never exchange money, all the cards we listed here do that automatically when you pay or use an ATM and do so without any fees.Ubank doesn’t have any exchange fees for the fact that it doesn’t have the option to convert currencies ahead of time, it simply converts based on the best spot rate as stated above.

Hey! Firstly this is the greatest thread regarding travel cards! Thanks for the replies!

I am travelling to Europe in June with my partner, we are heading to Denmark, UK, Greece, Croatia, Albania, UAE, Italy, France, Macedonia and Lebanon (just over 3 months).

I was originally considering Wise, however I see your point on withdrawal caps without fee.

Tossing between the Citibank plus, Wise, HSBC global and now the UP and UBank (open to others)

What would be your best recommendation for no fees and best exchange rate for these countries?

Could I get 4 best card recommendations for;

1/ Exchange rate and fees? 2/ Exchange rate, fees and atm withdrawal 3/ Atm withdrawal 4/ A extra card to carry to withdraw USD dollars to take to Lebanon (don’t want to be carrying a large amount of cash that I need for my last destination)

Thank you in advance! 🙂

Hi Faydi, personally, I use Revolut, Up and Ubank. Mostly because I like the apps they have; my issue with Citi and HSBC is that the mobile applications are somewhat clunky and not as user-friendly. When it comes to rates, all the cards we’ve listed here either use Visa or Mastercard spot rates (these are the best you can access as a consumer), all the cards listed above have no fees. In any case, I would made sure to have at least 2 debit cards (they are free anyway) so you can transfer money between if one stops working for whatever reason or if you lose a card. With Lebanon, from what I hear, it’s best to avoid ATMs because they will exchange your money at the official rate, since the people there want USD, there is a “black market” rate which is much more favourable but this would mean you have to carry some USD with you.

Hi Emmanuel,

Regarding withdrawing USD to use in Lebanon, my plan was to withdraw the USD in a different country (possibly from Macedonia) so I’m not carrying the cash for 2 months around Europe.

Any cards that are best for withdrawing money from ATM’S?

There’s also ING Orange everyday card? Similar product/benifets?

Thank you for taking the time to hear me out. What would be your best recommendation as I am trying to do a lot of research on what would be the best debit card to use for overseas this year. Travelling through to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Malta, London and Dubai. Would probably mainly try to use the debit card mostly for purchases if that’s what would be best recommended and do minimal cash withdrawals from the ATM. What would be best for saving money on 0 fees and also what would offer the best exchange rate? Secondly would you recommend to load whichever card with AUD and then spend overseas and then apparently when I go through the eftpos machine select the purchase in euro option or exchange the AUD to euro before travelling? And lastly with taking out cash in euro or gbp would you recommend to take out at an exchange rate or public ATM when overseas or exchange it in AUS before travelling ?

Hi Nicholas, in the article, we have listed all our favourite cards. These are the best you can get (in our opinion). While features and fees might vary slightly, it’s negligible. If you plan to mostly pay using the card, I’d go for Revolut as the app is my favourite. As a backup, take Up or Ubank. You can’t go wrong. As for loading money: ALWAYS load AUD. Unless you like to be ripped off. Your card will do the conversion for you at the ATM or eftpos machines. And yes, always chose to pay in local currency overseas, never let the machine offer you a converted AUD rate. As for ATM, again, always take out cash at your destination if you can. This way, you will avoid the fees.

Hi. In regard to using an ATM with an Australian account, do I press the debit or credit option using a debit card??

Debit card because that’s what it is 🙂

Hi there. You mention… many of our top picks use either Visa or Mastercard’s exchange rates, without applying any markup. which ones are these?

All the cards we mention in this article 😀

Between Wise and Revolut which one do you think is better? and why?

Revolut, as they have no fees and the app is better/more functionality.

Hi Immanuel, What a great article! Thank you so much. Can I ask how you think the Mastercard rate compares to the mid-market rate offered by Wise? Thank you.

Wise has a variable fee of 0.44, so the Mastercard spot rate is still better. I’m planning a real-life comparison between all the cards so that should interesting 😀

Hi there. I’m slightly confused with all these options. I have been flying to EU in past and using INg.. would UBank compare? What do I go for? Thank you.

Hi Irena, nothing wrong with ING; it’s actually a really good travel card. The only reason we haven’t listed it is because in order to get the benefits out of ING it takes a lot of requirements to maintain. In our opinion, it’s too annoying to keep track of. Ie: in order to get the fees waived you need to make 5 purchases a month and deposit $1000. This is ok if you use it all the time but it’s too much work if you casually use it as a travel card.

How would you compare the Qantas Frequent Flyer Card thet can be loaded with dollars and used overseas

We have a whole section in the article dedicated to this product and even compared it with the spot rates, did you read it?

hello , we are travelling from AUS to US and staying in multiple hotels and conscious of the Hotel pre-auth holds whilst using Debit cards – could you recommend the best travel credit card for first time users

Hi Ren, there are a few credit cards that don’t charge 3% on top of each converted transaction but the downside is that they have poor points earn rates, and usually they also have high annual fees. Personally, I have Amex Platinum but also use Macquarie Qantas Platinum Visa (only because I get this product fee free). Key ones to look at are Bankwest Platinum & World Mastercard, ANZ Adventures Visa, and Commbank Ultimate Mastercard. There are probably some others I’ve missed but these are the main ones that earn points. I avoid credit cards that don’t offer rewards as they have no purpose other than to create debt. One exception might be 28 Degrees as they have a fee-free card with no annual fee.

Thank you for your reply , totally on your same page about not wanting to get a credit card either but unsure on other options when hotels will take large holds which can take some time to be released , have you used debit cards previously ?

Regarding withdrawing USD to use in Lebanon, my plan is to withdraw the USD in a different country (possibly from Macedonia) so I’m not carrying the cash for 2 months around Europe. Any cards that are best for withdrawing money from ATM’S? Thanks! 🙂

Hey Great article! I am travelling to Japan and Mexico in a month and was wondering what cards I should use while travelling and why. I have the following transaction accounts/cards already Up, Ubank, ING and Commbank debit. I also have a Westpac altitude black credit card. Thanks

Hi Wade. Glad you enjoyed the article. Check out our six cards listed above as we have outlined what you should use while travelling. Cheers, Tom.

Hi thank you this article was very useful for me as I was planning on using a travel money card with preloaded converted currency. I will be travelling to Europe soon, I currently have a Bankwest Easy Transaction account. They do not charge international transaction fees or ATM withdrawal fees. However I don’t know whether they charge any hidden foreign exchange markup fees. Would you recommend this card for travelling.

Hi Fiona, the Bankwest debit card is actually another good one! They also use Mastercard spot rates, so it will be comparable to the likes of Ubank/Up. They have no hidden fees from what I can see. One thing I didn’t like about BW in the past is their somewhat clunky mobile app, but maybe this has been updated since? In any case, make sure you have a backup card of some sort; transferring money from a Bankwest to another OSKO-supported account such as Up, Ubank etc, would be instant.

Thanks for this article, it is really helpful as we try and narrow down our best option. Do you happen to know if the UBank one lets you have a joint account for the times my partner and I are not together ? I will control the app (not his forte) but I would prefer we both have a card we can load to Apple Pay so we can go our own ways at times.

Hey Karen! Yes, they do offer a shared account, you can choose this option during the sign-up process. It will also give you 2 debit cards (one purple and one aqua) to keep it simple to manage. Both of you will need to download the app to verify your identity etc.

Great article – I got the Ubank card without fuss and it has worked without hassle – at a good exchange rate too (way better than i could get cash pre departure).

Only concert is in Apple Wallet you have to choose between Visa, eftpos Savings, eftpos Cheque. Neither of the first 2 worked, i didn’t try Cheque, but the physical card worked. Don’t know why this would be

Hey Alex, thanks for the kind words! As for Apple pay, sounds odd? Which country did you experience the issue? I’ve got Ubank added to apple pay but never had an issue.

Hi Great advice. I am travelling to America, England and Switzerland this year. I will mainly use a card for tap and go purchases what would you suggest. With the CHF is it costing me twice as it appears most options is Euro and not CHF. Thank you

Hi Sarah, both CHF and EUR are very much on par at the moment. Nor sure why it would cost you double? If you don’t take out much cash, I would go with Revolut.

Hello. What would be the best card to use in New Zealand (I am in Australia).

Thanks in advance.

Hi Chris, all the cards we mention here are our favourites. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Personally I use Ubank, Up and Revolut.

Hi! Great article! Have planned a trip to Japan and Korea for March and this is exactly what I needed do THANKS. I’m thinking of getting the Citibank and the UBank cards — thoughts on these for Japan and Korea? I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on the Citibank card since they have been acquired by NAB. Or do you have any other recommendations on top of the previous ones in the article?

Additionally, along with my current NAB debit card (for emergency, if the previous two cards fail), would you recommend bringing a credit card as well? Thanks again!!

Hi! Yes, Citi is now part of NAB, but NAB also owns Ubank. The key difference would be in the user-friendly side of the apps. Personally, I’m not a big fan of the clunky Citi mobile app. Also, Ubank gives new members $30 with zero strings attached… might as well have a free beer in Japan at their expense 😉

Hi, I’m travelling to Hawaii in a few months and need a new travel card. I’ve always used the Virgin one which was great, but it’s now closed. I’ve been looking at the Westpac Worldwide Wallet, just keen to here your thoughts? They seem to have no fees and the best conversion rate at the moment. The downside it seems is I have to be a Westpac customer. I’ve had poor customer service with uBank before so I want to steer clear of them.

Hi Sam, it’s an “OK” product; however, they do charge ATM fees which we’re not a huge fan of. In Hawaii, you’d be stung US$2 each time you take out cash. As for the exchange rate, it’s a MasterCard, so the spot rate will be identical to Up & Ubank (owned by NAB) and all other debit cards that use Mastercard for their product.

Hi, is it true that Wise has one distinct benefit for travel….it allows purchase verification codes via the app….not SMS? This would be a game changer for me when using o/s sim in phone.

Hi Gary, yes both Wise and Revolut use the app for the verification of payments (usually happens when you make a purchase online)

Hi Immanuel,

I’m travelling to Europe and with NAB – and they don’t seem to have a free option! I’ve clicked the link to Up included in your article. I just followed the prompts and now have a digital card – am I now free to use the digital card on my phone in Europe and incur no fees? Thanks so much for this article by the way!

Hi Micaela, yes that’s correct! You can use the digital card with your phone to tap and pay without fees. Make sure to always pay in the currency of the country you’re in. Sometimes (actually most of the time) the machine will prompt you to choose between Euro or Australian dollar. Always chose Euro as otherwise, you’ll pay 5% for no reason. Up should get you a free physical card within a few days as well though.

Is the westpac worlwide wallet able to be used in unsupported countries such as Denmark? Will it just convert the aud in the account at the time of a purchase?

It will just convert at time of purchase using Mastercard spot rate with no markup. The card is ok but we don’t rate it highly since they charge ATM fees for taking out cash overseas.

Thank you for the article and recommendations. I have been leaning towards the Citi Debit Card to use alongside the Latitude 28 degrees credit card for my 6 weeks overseas trip to Italy in May. This was because the Citi Debit Card has essentially no fees and a worldwide presence (although I am concerned about the constant reference to non user-friendly app). I have just read that NAB will cease sign up to new Citi accounts from May 20th 2023 but will still support active Citi accounts which were opened prior to that date (I’m guessing they are trying to move customers to their UBank product???). Sounds to me that there would be extra risk going abroad with a Citi debit card and it seems from posts by your readers, that there is some question surrounding recent customer service with UBank. I plan to use the Latitude card for most of my purchases and the Debit card for incidentals and ATM withdrawals where necessary. This will be my first foray into the world of internet banking and as such I’m still uncomfortable with the idea of a ‘digital bank’. I will therefore hold my savings in my regular bank account and transfer money from there to my ‘travel debit card’ and my Latitude 28Degrees account. I am thinking to get another debit card as a backup for my Citi card and to cover bases am thinking to go with a Visa network card. I have read your article in Flighthacks re: Revolut Premium. I note that the Standard card does not have 24/7 customer support and I am not keen on paying the monthly account keeping fees when I return to Australia. Could you suggest a pair of Debit cards that can team with my Latitude card to see me comfortably through my travel?

Hi G, digital bank just means they don’t have a physical branch, apart from that they have to comply with all the regulations like any other bank. For example Ubank is just a brand from NAB but geared to a younger audience which means everything can be done via their mobile app. I can’t recall the last time I visited a bank branch. As for support, I have all of these cards and travel frequently. Not once have I had to get support, so for me, it’s not a priority. As always, when it comes to feedback regarding banking support, you will be able to find negative comments on every bank… it’s simply because people don’t complain when everything works as it should. For me the priority for a travel debit card is that it A) has no fees and B) user user friendly app where I can check balances, make transfers and do things efficiently on to go. As for Citi, nothing wrong with it but it’s pretty much the same as all the other products we mentioned with the key difference being an outdated app that will probably lose updates and supports going forward as NAB attempts to integrate these into their own ecosystem. In any case, it’s always smart to have 2 debit cards (since they are free) incase something happens with one you can transfer money to the other one.

I have read most of the comments and will go with one of your suggestions for sure. Only question I have is that I have a few grands of EURO in cash from my last trip and I don’t want to carry it on with myself to spend it. Is there anyway that I load that money to one of the above cards so that I can use it in Europe?

Hi Sam, no you can’t. There’s no way to load Euro to an Australian account without converting it twice. If you were to deposit it, it’s always going to get converted to AUD first. I’d just keep it in cash, alternatively lose a few % and convert it back to AUD at a currency exchange.

Hi there, we have Citi and 28 degrees and have always found them to have the best exchange rates when paying local currencies overseas. Has this changed at all in the last 3 years since we’ve travelled? I did notice on Citi with the new feature to add a global wallet, the exchange rate to lock in a transfer now seems quite a bit lower than the wholesale rate. Is this the new rate that Citi uses even for on the spot transactions overseas?

Citi just uses the Mastercard spot rates so it’s the same as all the other ones that use Mastercard. Exchanging currency within a wallet is always a bad idea, the spot rate will give the best rate on the date as no one can predict FX movements.

Hi Can you tell me if there is a daily withdrawal limit for both Up & Ubank cards.

It’s $1000 for Up and $2000 for Ubank

UBank and Up Bank have appalling review on ‘Product Review’ website, mostly related to customer support and account accessibility. I had personally experienced that with UBank when trying to open a term deposit account and ended up giving up. If one has difficulty, stress, time pressure and frustration getting customer support at home in your comfort zone, imagine what you will experience if you need customer support while overseas. I am sure it will spoil your holidays or might end your holidays with a fatal heart attack. Very afraid and concern about given UBank anothergo and Up Bank ago. I believe online and/or neobanks have less than satisfactory and acceptable customer support. One may also say that customer support by most business are substandard and not meeting consumer expectations and neeeds.

From what I read and understand, Up Bank is not actually a ‘bank’ and not listed as an ADI by APRA but a brand of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited covered by it.

Relating to the above mentioned, do you have any comments or advice regarding other products mentioned in your article or any others not mentioned such as Bankwest, HSBC or Suncorp? Are you aware of any credible and sizable database review by real people using these or any cards while travellig overseas particularly in Europe and ASIA?

Finally, I complement Flighhacks for a well presented article on the topic and so glad that I came across it. Your ongoing discussions and support to readers via this forum is highly commmendable. The fact that I joined the discussion group speaks for itself because I rarely do so. It has been tremendous help and I thank you. I am sure my appreciation is shared by all your readers. Keep up the good work. If banks and businesses are as good and committed as you guys, the world would be different.

Hi Bill, I do my business banking with Commbank. Normally I can do everything online but the other day I got locked out after entering a wrong password. After being on the phone for 2h waiting for “Australian support” the guy told me he couldn’t help because they were also doing a system upgrade. Annoying… yes. Will I run off to “product review” to leave a negative review, probably not but a lot of people would. In any case, my point is that whatever bank you use… sometimes you will run into a less-than-ideal experience. It’s wort noting that Product Review is full of people who are pissed off and want to vent their frustration, people that are happy don’t tend to bother writing reviews about these kinda services so take it with a grain of salt as reviews are skewed to the negative side. I’ve been with Up (Yes they are owned by Bendigo Bank) for 3 years and 10 months. Never had an issue. Customer support is done via their app chat system which for me is super convenient. The only time I’ve hat to reach out was to request a new debit card after mine was stolen. Apart from that it just works… I’m not sure what your issue was opening a Ubank account but I’ve also been using them and had no issues. Bankwest, HSBC, Suncorp also offer similar products. I’ve actually just signed up to Suncorpt to test out their debit card as it has no atm fees and no FX markup which is good for what’s a bigger bank.

Are there any advantages of Ubank over Citibank??

From a fee perspective, no. The only difference: you get $30 for signing up for a free account + the app is lightyears ahead of Citi so it’s just more user friendly.

Hi there. I’m off to Japan in May and I’m considering using the Westpac Worldwide Wallet. I’ve seen your comments about not recommending this option because of ATM withdrawal fees but according to the Westpac website there are no ATM withdrawal fees. Just wondering if I’ve read it wrong.

Hi Tom, Westpac only allows free ATM use when you use a “Global Alliance”. There are no such ATM’s in Japan, so you will be paying the fee. While you did read it correctly on their product page, you should also read the fine print as that’s where they tell you about all the fees.

Hi there, I’m 18 and going to be travelling around europe for 2 months. I’ve read all the comments and it seems like Up or Ubank is the way to go… is there much difference between them which could help me decide what to pick? Would getting both cards be a good idea incase one has issues (lost, not working, etc)? Thanks heaps

Not a huge difference. I think Up is easier to deal with because you can message them in the app. But otherwise just as good, both are free and offer a welcome bonus to sign up 🙂

Im heading to Europe for 2 months and will be in countries that use the pound and euro. What would be my best option regarding what would be the best travel card to take, I’ve been looking online and there is so many options that its kind of confusing me (wise/revolout/aus post/travelex just to name a few) and are travel cards the best option to take?

Just wondering what your opinion would be for the best options, thanks!

Hi Ash, all the products we’ve listed in this article are very good and will suit your purpose. Avoid Aus Post and Travelex unless you want to pay fees for no reason. As I’ve mentioned a few times, personally I use Revolut, Up and Ubank.

Hi Tom, I am going to Europe for 7 months. I have got the basic Revolut plan with the cards. I have already put some Aud and Euro on the card. I have added the Revolut card as my payment card on booking.com and Airbnb. If I choose to pay this accommodation now using this card will they take the money out in Euros or Aud( as I have both on my card?) Also, for a longer stay trip like this should I upgrade my plan? Thankyou for all your advice Leanne

Hi Leanne, it depends on what currency AirBnb is going to charge you in. For example, if AirBnb says AUD$100, you will be charged in Australian Dollars so long as you have enough of that currency in your account. If you had AUD$0 and EUR$200 on your card, you would be charged in EUR as it is the only currency loaded to your Revolut card. As far as upgrading your plan I can’t provide financial advice but can suggest you work out how much you plan to spend, and then compare the fees on a Basic and Metal account. Hope this helps, Tom.

I will be doing some travel in Europe (Malta, Greece, Spain, France etc) before living and working in the UK for a couple of years, paid in GBP. Do you think I should open a local UK bank account to get paid or will one of these travel debit cards work for me as a good allrounder? If yes, which would work best. Just looking to keep it simple.

Hi David. If you are looking to keep it simple and will be in Europe for several years, you might as well open a UK account. You can also get a travel card for when you travel. Cheers, Tom.

Great article / recommendations 🙂

I’m travelling from OZ to the UK, stopping at potentially some European countries (for a few days) I have a bank acc in the UK so can transfer money there (and use UK card in UK where I’ll spend the majority of my time) I’ll probably use the travel card to pay for all bills if possible (rather that use cash)

I’m tossing up between UP card / U Bank?

Any advice from yourself on a preference, and can I get an additional card linked for my partner or do I have to get a separate card?

Thanks in advance for your help 🙂

Hi Matt. Both are good options but I think the Up app is superior, plus the customer service is better and you can message them directly from the app. Both are free and offer a welcome bonus to sign up. Cheers, Tom.

We are a family of 4 (2+2) going to be travelling in India for 1.5 months. Just wanted to get your thoughts on what’s the best card to carry to cover our expenses in India (ATM withdrawal, paying for restaurant/shopping etc.).

Hi Alap. Please read the article for a list of the best travel debit cards. Any of these would work in India. For ATM withdrawals and general spending, I like my Up Debit Card. Cheers, Tom.

Hi I’m travelling to Europe in June for a month with my husband and I’m wondering if wise or Revolut would be best to use? Not sure which one is better but they seem to be very similar, or do you have any recommendations on any other cards Thanks!

Hi Rebecca. Both Wise and Revolut offer a cheap way to spend overseas and you are right in saying they are very similar. The major difference is when you go to make an ATM withdrawal. Both offer AU$350 equivalent of fee-free ATM withdrawals per month before Wise charges 1.75% plus AU$1.50 where Reolut charges 2%. If you subscribe to Revolut Metal for AU$24.99 per month (cancel anytime), you can withdraw AU$1,400 every month before that same fee kicks in (remember the ATM itself might charge a fee). Personally, I like the Wise app more, and use my Up card for unlimited fee-free withdrawals. Safe travels, Tom.

Hi there Thanks so much for this article , it was so helpful I opened a Citibank currency card but they are now closing . I’ve got an Ing orange everyday card which I’ve used before I’ve traveled to japan. Apart from the other comments saying about the bad customer service If you needed to call . And keeping in mind the 5 withdrawals fee free . Do you think it’s on the same level as one u bank ? Much of a muchness ? I won’t be missing out on much if I just take my ing card for convenience sake ? Thanks again

Hi Kath. My preference is UBank has a superior app and more features. Cheers, Tom.

Im travelling Europe later in the year and was wondering with the UP bank card do you convert AUD currency into (euro/pound) or is it payed in AUD? so would you just transfer AUD currency to the card and it withdraws from that?

Hi Jessica, the card automatically converts the money for you using the spot rate. If you use a product that allows you to convert currencies, you’re essentially betting on FX rates going either up or down. Unless you can predict the future, it’s probably smarter to average your FX rates at the time of transaction.

Hi im traveling to Malta soon .Im i better off to use u bank or Up .

Same same really. I use both 🙂

Hi Immanuel, Thanks for the great article and all the chat.

We’re going to France for 10 weeks in late June. We’ll want to be able to pay for some things by card and also withdraw cash. I note you recommend Revolut for paying by card and Up or Ubank for withdrawing cash from ATMs. Is it not possible to pay for things using a debit card? For example, could I pay for hotel accommodation, or some clothing using an Up debit card for example?

We’ve not had a Debit card before, always just had one credit card (NAB Platinum). When travelling in the past we used a NAB travel card and if necessary we used our credit card and accepted any fees that applied. A couple of questions:

1. If we open an Up or Ubank account should we just open it as an individual account for one of us rather than a joint account?

2. You suggest having more than one debit card. Would it be worth getting both an Up and a Ubank debit card or would we be better to get a Revolut card, and either an Up or Ubank debit card?

As we are in WA we might also look into a Bankwest account with a debit card. Thanks.

Hi Michelle, Revolut is a debit card as well. I just like the app interface and they have some extended functionality. It’s definitely possible to pay for things with a debit card. If you have a bank account in Australia, you also have a debit card. Joint or personal… it’s up to you. It would depend on how you like to manage your money. You can try both Up and Ubank and see which one you like the best. The difference would come down to how easy you find the app to use, apart from that they are pretty much the same. As for Bankwest, their debit cards are also pretty good. Just avoid Travelex and Commbank Travel Money card and you’ll be fine 🙂

Thanks for responding Immanuel. I got an Up in my name and my husband got a UBank in his. We haven’t got the physical cards as yet and we haven’t tried the Apps yet so not sure which one we will find the best to use. I think two debit cards will be sufficient so I probably won’t worry about Bankwest. It seems easy to transfer funds from our NAB account to the cards so it should work well overseas. We now just need to decide how to manage internet access whilst out and about in France! Any hacks on best e-sims for data when travelling in Europe?

Hi Michelle, perfect! Yes, you’ll have no issues funding either account from NAB as it’s all instant using the OSKO protocol. For eSim I’ve used Airalo in the past, they are one of the biggest providers. We actually partner with them and we have a discount code for 10% off all their plans with code “HACKS10”. If you do sign up, consider using our affiliate link 🙂

• https://flighthacks.com.au/recommends/airalo/

I am wanting to go overseas and currently have a 28Degrees, Up and Citi account.

With the recent cyber attacks on Latitude would you still use the card while overseas? Would you recommend getting another card together with the Up and Citi or will these two cards be enough.

Also with Citi not taking new customers from May 23 am concerned there will be issues with this card as well.

I am worried as I do not want to be without access to funds should I go overseas?

Appreciate any suggestions you may have.

Thanks so much.

Hi Alisha, I think the Latitude issues only revolve around them exposing your personal information (which is bad), however it shouldn’t affect their credit card product. Up has been great for me and hasn’t skipped a beat. My understanding with Citi bank is that they will be closing down account sometime in the future since NAB now owns them and they are probably not getting much money out of the debit card side of the business.

Hi, what is quickest way to get a travel card in Australia- Westpac travel card any good as believe I can pick up one in person at bank? Thanks RA

We recently did a test and the Westpac Worldwide Wallet card came out as one of the worst options, from our tests you would be 4.6% worse off compared to using the Up debit card. Most cards take about 1 week to arrive so I would go for Up, Ubank, ING, Macquarie, Revolut or Wise. I’d say from all of them my Revolut was the fastest one to get to me.

Hi Immanuel, As we are tight on time, and only travelling to NY for 10 days we would only use the Westpac card for direct purchases (ie: no ATM use as we’ll take a little cash). Would that be a feasible option? Kind regards RA

Hi Immanuel, When comparing the Ubank Visa Debit foreign exchange rate versus the Wise mid market rate + Wise exchange fee, which provides a better exchange rate usually for UK and America? Or is there a general trend, where one is just better than the other?

They are pretty much the same, on the test we did, Wise came out slightly worse. We cashed out 10k JPY, Wise converted that to AU$114.98 and Ubank converted it to AU$114.76 (all fees included). If you’re sending money overseas, the contenders would be Wise and Revolut.

Hi Immanuel, Thanks for the reply. May be a bit of a silly question, but are you saying, if I want to pay by card when overseas, Ubank is marginally better, whereas if I want to send money overseas, Ubank can’t do that, and you recommend Wise and Revolut?

Thanks so much for doing the real world comparison between wise and ubank. I read right through the entire thread to find it after you suggested you might do one. I have to say your responses are outstanding and it’s a rare thing to see an author so committed to sharing useful information.. Also I would like to commend you for your polite manner in the face of so many people asking questions that could easily be answered by actually reading the article and your previous responses. That must be very frustrating. Impressive!

Thank you! I really appreciate it : )

Hi Immanuel, thanks for your dedication to this post and the discussion thread – both insightful and incredible! I’d be grateful for your opinion on the best card for travelling through Taiwan for a couple of months. I expect to be able to pay with a card at most places in the city centres (Taipei, Taichung, etc) but many places only accept cash. So I’ll need the occasional ATM withdrawal facility, preferably with a bank that has a strong local presence in Taiwan. I’d be grateful for your recommendations. Thanks in advance Tony

Hi Tony, any of the card we’ve mentioned here will work perfectly fine for you. Visa/Mastercard are some of the most accepted worldwide and in Taiwan. In our recent test, both Ubank and Up came out on top in terms of the best rates.

What are your thoughts on the ING Everyday Debit Card for travel in The UK and Europe?

Great card, as long as you meet the minimum spend requirements and funding requirements each month. The reason we don’t list it here is because if you are a casual user, the ING Everyday debit card actually works out very expensive. FYI; you need to make 5 card purchases each month as well as deposit $1000 each month to get the benefits.

Hi Immanuel

My partner and I are travelling to Spain/Portugual/Morroco in June. We would like to usE a combination of ATMs (take out a larger sum of money) and travel cards. We also current customers of Macquarie Bank. My partner is a little hesitant in using banks/travel cards of merchants she’s not heard of. Should we contact Macquarie and use one off their Visa cards or get a travel card. Any advice would be great

Hi Scott, yes the Macquarie Platinum Debit card is just as good as Up/Ubank etc. Only difference is that it doesn’t come with free $$ to open one 😀

I was about to open up a CBA Travel Money Card (Visa) and a Westpac World Wide Wallet (Mastercard) today with foreign currencies pre-loaded, but fortunately I stumbled across your site and I’m now going to open up 2 debit cards instead because they have $0/low transaction/international fees. I do like taking both a Visa and a Mastercard overseas in case one of them is not accepted. I’ll probably be applying for an Up Bank (Mastercard) debit card and a UBank (Visa) debit card. Many thanks for your advice.

Glad to hear that David! We’re currently working on a video comparing 11 different debit cards and so far CBA came out as one of the worst options on our real-world test taking out money and spending on the card.

Hi, Great content here and advice – thank you! Quick question though – Have you evaluated the different fx rates between Wise, Ubank or Up at one point in time? Considering either one of these and leaning to Ubank or Up given no ATM withdrawal fees but are there rates worse than Wise?

Hi Adam, yes we have! I’m actually making a video about it but it’s still being edited. We tested both ATM withdrawals overseas and in-store transactions for 11 different cards. Up & Ubank both came out on top with the same rate for cash out at ATM and also the same rate for in-store purchases. Wise came out slightly worse but only by 1c ($1.34 vs $1.35). For cash-out, 10k JPY converted to $114.57 for both Up and Ubank and $114.98 for Wise. Hope that helps!

Hey, I’m off to Japan in a few weeks. Last year when I went to South Korea I got a Wise card/account which is still active. I’m also a Westpac customer and while at the bank today mentioned I’m going to Japan and they gave me a Worldwide Wallet pack with the two cards (why two cards?). What would be the better option? Sticking with Wise, or going Westpac WWC?

They give 2 cards in case you lose one or it gets eaten by an ATM machine or stolen etc. Westpac Worldwide Wallet is one of the worst products we’ve tested. I’d avoid it. Your Wise card is exponentially better.

Hi, just about to go travelling to Europe and came across your article which is very helpful – thank you. I will now be getting an Upbank and U bank debit card based on your recommendation. I was also wondering if you could recommend a good credit card for large purchases when overseas. I currently have a CW platinum Visa. TIA

Hi Colette, for credit cards the ones that don’t surcharge overseas usually have a poor earn rate for reward points. In general, I never recommend credit cards that don’t provide rewards as there’s no real benefit. For reward-earning cards with no 3% surcharge: Commank Diamond, ANZ Adventurers, Bankwest QF Platinum & World Mastercard, Macquarie Qantas Platinum Visa (that’s all i can think off top of my head).

We are travelling to USA/Canada in a few weeks & are still unsure whether to take cash & a credit card or cash & travel card (currently have Stgeorge World Wide Wallet).Any advice would be appreciated TIA

Hi Michael, why would you take cash? Just leave it in your bank account and use an ATM when you’re in the USA/Canada to take out cash when you need it using one of the travel cards we suggested. Converting your AUD to USD in Australia (or US) in an exchange is a rip-off.

Thanks Immanuel – Great advice

Thank you for this article. I am frequent visitor on your website. Always great content. Just a quick question, I have had Citibank card for decade and have enjoyed benefits while travelling overseas. Since they have been bought by NAB and they are changing product services one by one. Have their transaction account been affected as well or they still offering same benefits? Website doesn’t give clear information either.

Hi Manish, from what I understand they will be closing down the free debit card at some stage this year. Personally, I’ve switched to Up/Ubank for my ATM cash-out needs overseas and Revolut for sending money internationally as they have the best rates.

Hi Immanuel, Just wandering if there is much difference between using my standard Suncorp debit card while travelling Europe in comparison to actually getting a travel card like UP? thanky ou

I don’t think there is, I’ve been wanting to test Suncorp as they also offer no fees but I’m yet to receive my debit card after waiting a month!.

I have the Westpac worldwide wallet travel card that I have loaded money into. I was told it is fee free. So I hope that’s true. I also have the Qantas cash card, but the exchange rate is not as good as the westpac card.

Both are pretty bad. We recently did a test of 11 of the most popular debit cards in Australia and Westpac Worldwide Wallet came in 7th place. Their rates where 4.63808% higher than what Up Bank charged. Qantas Money came in 19th place…

Hi, tossing up between UBank, Up or Wise debit card? I can’t decide, which one would you go with? And, was looking at getting the BankWest Breeze Platinum Credit Card? Is this a good credit card to use when travelling in Europe? Lastly, is it best to order Euros before i travel (was going to order thru S Money) or use an ATM in Italy with my Debit card? Many thanks 🙂

Hi Mel, I’ve just posted a video today which answers all your questions. We tested 11 different debit cards to see which one came out best: https://youtu.be/5KjgrNJTe1s

Firstly let me say this site has been extremely helpful and your recent video comparing 11 cards in Japan was also very informative.

A big thank you for creating this site and spending time to make things easier for travellers who need clarity around this topic.

I am about to travel to Europe and thanks to your post have both an Up and Ubank account. I understand there are no fees from these banks to use these cards overseas however I have been told I will still be charged fees by the overseas banks when using their ATMs to make withdrawls and making overseas instore card purchases? What are these fees? Is there any way these fees can be avoided?

Ideally I dont want to pay any fees to banks while I’m overseas and would like to maximise my funds while on my holiday.

Appreciate your time and advise

Hi Dianne, there are no fees charged by Up/Ubank but the owners of the ATM you use will generally charge a fee (that’s how they make money). It varies, for example for the video we made the ATM charged us AU$1.25 for taking out cash. My tip would be to use the ATM of big brand banks as their fees will be reasonable. The fee is always displayed on the screen and the machine will prompt you to accept it or deny. If you deny, your card comes out. There’s no fee for making in-store card purchases with these cards, your AUD is converted on the spot by Mastercard or Visa which is the best rate you can get as a consumer using a card to pay.

Thanks for this awesome up to date review and the video – so helpful. I’ve been reading up the last few weeks in prep. for our next trip knowing you have to be organised well ahead.

I’ve been a UBank and ING customer for years and was planning on using ING for Cash withdrawls on our next trip but was reassessing because they dropped the ATM reimbursement.

I’ve always used 28degrees Mastercard for purchases thinking it would be a better exchange rate than UBank or ING – I don’t know whether they are or not.

Anyway, reason I’m commenting because there are many many articles online saying how good Wise is. Unfortunately, last night, before reading your article and watching the video I joined Wise and was charged $10 for the Card. I paid before reading this article and am really annoyed about it. I paid because I thought they were way ahead on exchange rate so thought overall I’d be better off. But it seems ING and UBank are as good if not better and their cards don’t cost anything.

I’m thinking of cancelling my Wise card – in principle.

What do you think ?

Did you know there was a $10 fee to get the Wise Card ?

Hi Barbara, thanks for the kind words! Your 28 Degrees credit card will use the same Mastercard spot rate used by Up for example. Therefore I’d expect the conversion to be pretty much the same. Wise is really good for sending money overseas but I feel their debit card (although it’s also one of the best) is somewhat lacking compared to the free options out there. My key concerns with them are: card fee for ordering a card as you mentioned, limitation to cash withdrawal and as per our test their conversion rates on in-person payments and ATM cashouts where beaten by Up and Ubank which are both free and have zero limitations.

The Westpac World Wide Wallet card will cost you hundreds of dollars. Westpac claim no fees, but their exchange rate is always poor and slow to change. I have already lost hundreds of dollars converting to Euros. My cousin has one, and he consistently gets a higher exchange rate than myself, because he has more money in his Australian account than I do. I complained and was blown off, my cousin’s higher exchange rate wasn’t even addressed. I wish I’d read some reviews before blindly accepting their lies. There are better cards out there, you might pay a fee, but the better exchange rate will save you a lot of money.

Absolutely! It was one of the worst cards we tested. The best cards are actually free, for our tests Up and Ubank came out on top: zero cost to get it!

So confused with debit cards, travel cards, varying reviews on which one is best and worst. Please help.

Travelling to Europe for 7 weeks in June and we already use a NAB visa credit and an AMEX card so do we need yet another card?

I understand we have fees to tap and use at places and also for atm withdrawal etc but from what i can find its not a lot of $ but guess over 7 weeks it will add up.

Should i get a NAB Ultimate or Mastercard debit card or just use our current visa amex cards? Thanks for any help in advance everyone. Thank you

Hi Chris, this article is mainly focused on debit cards which you’ll need if you want to take money out of an ATM. Credit cards are good for in-person payments but you’ll get charged cash advance fees if you use credit cards to take money out. Also, keep in mind that a lot of credit cards will charge a 3% fee on the converted amount (if you’re earning reward points this is somewhat offset by the value you get back). As for debit cards, we’ve compared 11 of them in our latest video: https://youtu.be/5KjgrNJTe1s

Thank you for the link to video and very informative. When you check out reviews of both Ubank and Up however there is more unhappy customers than happy. Again my confusion grows as to whats best and who actually tells the truth about these cards.

Currently a ING customer. Travelling to Greece,Crotia and Italy. Looking at Up & UBank any preferences on either? Will be hopefully using card most of the time. Should I look at other options? Should I get hung up on currency conversions that HSBC and Wise offer?

Thanks again for the article

Hi Grant, we compare them all in our video so you’ll see that the difference between the top cards is pretty negligible vs the worst offenders. Personally, I’d go with whichever app/website you prefer. https://youtu.be/5KjgrNJTe1s

Hi Immanuel, the Bankwest Debit card seems to offer no fees for international transactions. Is this a good option for travelling overseas, paying and also withdrawing?

AWESOME REVIEW! Just what we’re looking into right now. What do you think would be the best option for travel to the UK.

I previously used the Qantas Cash Card but that was a disaster

Hi Steven, any of the cards mentioned here or in our video will be exponentially better than the Qantas Cash one and will do the job just fine.

Hi I intend travelling to Europe late next year and want to start saving now by putting a certain amount in a card monthly now. I will probably lean toward the ubank option because of their benefits. Is it too early to apply for a card now

Hi Gordon, it’s a free bank account so there’s no such thing as too early 🙂

Hi Immanuel, your article and answers here are incredibly useful. Thank you so much! I will be touing in Morocco for 2 weeks, and of course will have to buy things!. What is best card for me to use please? I have a Wise card already. Should I get another one as well? many thanks

Hi Christina, Wise is great but they do limit how much money you can take out. From our tests Up and Ubank had the best conversion rates.

Hi Immanuel, My wife and I are travelling to Europe for 3 months and whilst we already have Cash Passport cards pre-loaded with some Euros from last year, we are considering debit cards, but need one that provides 2 cards for joint access to the one account. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Hi Kym, from our tests, Cash Passport came out as one of the worst in terms of fees and conversion rates. As for joint account, it’s probably much easier to open a new account for your other half. Up/Ubank both use OSKO which means transfers from 1 account to the other are instant. From what I know, Ubank does offer join accounts during sign up.

Hi there We are travelling to UK/France/Italy next month. Originally we were going to get the card from Travel Guides TV show LOL travelmoneyoz.com/travel-money-card – after reading the comments and your article would it be safe to say the UBank option would likely be better as i think you have to preload the currency onto the Travel Guides one?

Hi Dan, from what I can tell it’s pretty much the same as AusPost and the likes. The giveaway is in their name “travel money oz”, golden rule is to avoid any company that really advertises the travel aspect of their product as the best cards don’t really advertise or push these features (because they don’t make much money from it). You will 100% be better of with Ubank, Up, Wise, Revolut etc.

Hi, thank you for the advice above. As yet, I don’t think anyone has asked about cards for India and Nepal. Do your suggestions of Up, UBank and Revolut still the best for these countries. They do prefer cash in many places so am guessing atms will be needed regularly.

Same rule applies for all countries where mastercard/visa are accepted.

Hi, great review. The one thing I am not clear about is the difference between the VISA or MasterCard exchange rates vs the mid point rate that WISE provides. Can that be a big difference? Also not clear which rate Revolut uses

Hi, Wise uses Visa so to convert transactions on the spot, the mid point rate you refer to only applies when you’re converting money within your Wise account. However, it’s always smarter to convert on the spot. From our tests, the Mastercard spot rate is slightly better than Visa at the moment but it’s negligible. You can check out our video where we test 11 travel debit cards: https://youtu.be/5KjgrNJTe1s

Presently in Japan on vacay, and signed up for the UP BANK, thanks for the referral bonus. As a digital card in Apple Wallet it works well, except a lot of places (regardless of store size) here “no touch, insert card only.” So if coming to Japan, grab UP’s physical card as well. The SUICA travel card is also available in Apple Wallet, and is easiest topped up from your UP BANK. This reduces your need for cash. The exchange rate for UP BANK Mastercard is so much better than CommBank Visa, and am only using the Visa when paying with the phone is not accepted. UP will probably end up being my default bank when we get back.

Hi 🙂 I’m heading off to Singapore in Sept/Oct, in which you can use mostly debit but I will likely withdraw small amounts of money. I already have a ubank card (from back when they were 86 400). I am looking to grab a backup card. Do you think the Wise or Up Bank, and would you suggest 1 VISA and 1 Mastercard to cover all bases? Thanks so much, Bianca

Hi, Up Bank came out on top during our tests. Probably a good back up (no pun intended!).

My partner and I are going around Europe for a month during December and a deciding what cards to take over with us. Based off your article and the majority of the comments I have read through I am thinking the Up or Ubank will be the way to go and also easiest as we won’t have to worry about have lots of different curriences or enough of each currency like a travel card. I also have a Suncorp banking debit card that has no international conversion fees I can take as a backup.

We are just wondering about security deposits for hotels that are paid when checking in- I have read that using a debit card for these can be a disadvantage as the money is withdrawn and can take a while to come back into your account after checkout, leaving you down a few hundred dollars in the meantime. Do you think it would be beneficial to have a credit card for these type of situations? Or would all associated fees make it better to just cut the losses with the debit card and factor in that “missing money” when planning budgets.

Hi Keely, looks like you got it sorted for debit cards! Personally I try use my credit cards as much as possible in order to earn points and have added benefits of not having to touch your own funds as well as the insurance benefits etc. However, I do understand that a lot of people don’t like using credit cards for whatever reason which is one of the main reasons this article exists 🙂 I use my debit cards to take out cash mainly as doing this on a credit card would attract cash advance fees and currency conversion fees. As for credit cards, there are a few that don’t attract foreign exchange fees but their annual fees might make it a not so attractive proposition. I mainly rely on my American Express (Platinum) and Macquarie Qantas Platinum Visa for daily use. I don’t hold any cards that don’t earn points but if you’re after a fee free card that doesn’t earn points but also doesn’t charge exchange fees, 28 Degrees by Latitude is an ok option.

Hi, is one better than the other hsbc vs ubank? Looking at switching from Citibank.

HSBC uses Visa so it would be mostly a Visa vs Mastercard thing. Difference will be minimal but from our testing, Mastercard is currently slightly better. One other downside of HSBC is that they don’t participate in OSKO so if you transfer money it usually takes 1-2 days.

I am travelling to Japan in couple of weeks and interested to hear what debit card is best to use in Japan? Hoping to be able to get actual physical card within a coming week.

Appreciate all your insights, so amazing is come across this article!

Hi Dragan, we answer this exact question in our video, you can check it out here: https://youtu.be/5KjgrNJTe1s

Hi Immanuel, I’m travelling to Egypt in October, and trying to figure out how to handle my money there… This is a great article and has given lots of good info, but wondering if these recommended cards would be OK for travel in Egypt?

Hi Zelly, the same rules apply in Egypt. The Egyptian pound is what they use there and Visa/Mastercard are widely accepted so you shouldn’t have any issues taking out the local currency via an ATM.

I’m travelling in October and was researching cards and saw your site. I was sold on Ubank but not only can’t I complete registration on the App which is so frustrating , I also checked out Customer Reviews on various sites and nearly all the reviews weren’t only bad, they were horrendous. Confused but definitely no longer confident

Hi Deb, with many review sites people are usually incentivised when something goes wrong. That said, I can only speak from personal experience. Having banked with Up since 2019, I have had zero issues. What a lot of people do is just transfer money from their “everyday bank” for example, Westpac, Commbank etc. to Up, Wise, Ubank etc when they need the money for overseas use and just transfer as much as you need.

Hi Deb, we have been with UBank for a very long time with multiple accounts – including travelling overseas very recently. They have been awesome. Hopefully this gives you some confidence, cheers Barbara

I saw ‘Revolut’ on the list above and I wouldn’t touch them with a bargepole. They hold the accounts of, in particular, the Microsoft Scammers. I stupidly got scammed and wrote a VERY bad review on Trustpilot and Revolut responded with a link to address the issue and reimburse the money but the link didn’t work and I never got a refund.

If you get scammed it’s hard to put the blame on anyone other than yourself… not exactly the fault of Revolut.

Update 23 October – Singapore, Spain and Portugal

sorry, some of this might be a repeat of what you have already provided:

I’m not sure where is the best place to put this up to date information as of October 2023: Have just been to Singapore, Spain and Portugal. I hope this information is helpful. Full disclosure – I am allergic to Bank Fees.

Cash – Good News: before leaving Australia how to obtain cash in a cost effective way took a lot of effort searching the internet and I still wasn’t sure until actually travelling and testing ATMs whether we would be successful keeping fees to a minimum.

First Rule: in case you have not read this before – Do Not Use any ATMs associated with Euronet – ever! The charges are outrageous. And Euronet are everywhere, outside convenience stores, restaurants etc… so very tempting – I cringed everytime I saw someone at an Euronet.

ATM machines – Debit Cards (hopefully you know not to use your Credit Card at a ATM) UBank Debit Card & ING Card were equivalent to each other with no fees and the same fair exchange rate: ING has more rules – but I was already used to their rules and managed to do my 5 transactions at the beginning of every month to meet the requirements. If that is too difficult – UBank is awesome. I used UBank and kept ING as my back-up. You need a back-up.

ATM machines – countries Singapore – one ATM was going to charge 8SGD we walked around the corner to Maybank (yellow colour) and it was zero fee. Suggest google the nearest Maybank to your accommodation – there might even be one at Changi. I took out $20 with ING, UBank and Wise to test their exchange rates (fee free so it was a worthwhile exercise as I was travelling for 66 days). All 3 were similar. I don’l like Wise because they charge you to move your money around. UBank and ING are truly fee free.

Spain – The first banks we tried charged Euro8 or more; the 3rd bank we tried was Deutsche Bank, charged Euro3 on a withdrawl maximum of Euro300, and we went with that. I would google Deutsche Bank and go to the nearest one to your accommodation.

Portugal we used Multibanco – Caixa Geral de Depositos and got charged zero fees. Apparently all Multibancos do not charge a fee – but we stuck with the same brand after having success at Caixa Geral de Depositos in Lisbon. We found that brand everywhere in Portugal.

The maximum withdrawl at one time was Euro200. It didn’t matter because 3mins later or after someone else used the ATM or using a different card accessing the same account you can get another Euro200. We got Euro600 out at a time, (3 times) because in Portugal they appreciate cash – and some smaller businesses only accept cash – fair enough.

Note that during the process the ATM asked if we wanted to accept their exchange rate and we pressed Decline, then it asked a second time in a different way, like do you want to lock in the the exchange rate?, we pressed Decline again – then it processed the withdrawl at our banks exchange rate – which is many many Euros better than the rate offered by the ATM – for us anyway as we were using a Debit card with Australian UBank and Australian ING and both give the best exchange rates on offer.

Credit Card – Lattitude 28 degrees: for good exchange rate and no fees is still the best Credit Card for overseas travelling – in my opinion. Unless you are a points gatherer the best fee free / no points earning credit card. As a couple we have an account each and each of us has an additional card with the others account. We use one card / one account all the time – it’s easier to track our transactions using only one card – and therefore to know quickly whether there is a fraudulent transaction. We have the other card as our back-up. You need a back-up. Travelling alone I would either use my UBank Debit Card for everything and keep the 28 degrees Credit Card as back up – or the other way around.

I hope this is helpful

Thanks for sharing such a detailed report!

Thank you for all this information. I have poured over all the posts several times. For three weeks in EU countries, making ATM withdrawals where we have to pay cash (local transport costs mainly, I guess) but mainly using a card to pay for expenses, am I correct in thinking that UBank or Up would be the best options? I read that you personally use these two, but then I also saw that you recommended Revolut for card payments, with UBank or Up as backups (for ATM withdrawals, I assume). I have poured over your comments and exhaustively researched other sites, but I cannot find out why you would use Revolut as your first option for card payments. They seem to offer the same exchange rate as UBank and Wise, whilst Up seems to offer a very slightly higher rate (MasterCard rate). Would you mind telling me what would be the advantage of using Revolut (or Wise) ahead of UBank or Up as your main payment option please? I am not concerned about ATM withdrawal fees in relation to Revolut or Wise, as we would use UBank or Up for these. I am just trying to figure out whether we should open both a UBank and an Up account and nothing else, or whether we should open either a UBank or an Up account and then also get a Revolut or Wise card – two bank debit cards OR one bank debit card and one travel money card? I would really value your advice! Thank you.

Hi Julie, you can check out our video review of 11 of the most popular cards. Up and Ubank do come out on top, I have accounts with all of them (cause it’s free). I use Revolut mostly for sending money overseas (it has the best rates for that) and also as a back up. If you go for their Metal plans they do offer cash back as well overseas which can be handy.

We currently have Commbank Travel Cards, a friend said she tried the Ubank and UpBank cards and said they were good no fees, but can you load more money onto them whilst you’re away? Can the Citibank one be loaded as well.

Hello Fay. You can load money onto a debit card when you have an internet connection, reguardless of your location. Cheers, Tom.

Thank you for this article- I’ve since decided on an Up card for my travels! Out of interest have you encountered many places that only accept Visa and not MasterCard or vice versa?

I don’t think i’ve ever found a place that only accept visa or only mastercard

Went to sign up to the Ubank Debit Card and followed the link, and it says it’s $10 sign up bonus.

Is it now $10 or is it actually $20 if you enter the code?

I can confirm that the $20 bonus is no longer, it is only $10 from FlightHacks.

Money landed in my account this morning.

Citibank Plus account is gone now, except for those grandfathered in who got given a special version of the a NAB account with no forex/ATM fees.

Hasn’t been taking new applications for months, and will close for existing customers in the coming months (except for the aforementioned NAB account, which isn’t available to new customers, afaik).

Thank you for the comprehensive replies and generosity of info provided. It seems Wise & Revolut have the advantage of international money transfers over and above their use as a debit card. However there is little mention of whether fees are charged moving money in or out of these accounts?

I have a number of cards similar to your good self. I also find the Macquarie card of a high standard. Moreover they have an Authenticator app that may be useful if there are issues with a transaction and you don’t have an internet connection

Thanks again for the invaluable advice

Why is Citibank Plus still on this page? It no longer exists. Sadly.

Not to worry! We’ve got a big update to this article coming out soon 😉

Hi. Will your update be available by mid April? I am hoping so as I am off overseas from the 1st week in May.

Hi Jen, we just updated this article a few days ago 🙂

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The 6 Best Travel Money Cards for Japan

When visiting Japan, using a travel money card specifically designed for yen transactions can make spending and withdrawing yen cheaper and more convenient. There are various options available, such as travel debit cards, prepaid travel cards, and travel credit cards, each tailored to different customer requirements. The right one for you will depend on your personal preference and how you like to manage your money.

Keep reading to explore the different types of travel money cards, look at some great options to consider, and the sorts of fees you need to think about when you choose.

Wise - travel debit card for Japan

Before we get into details about different travel money card options, let’s start with the Wise card as a good all round option for a travel money debit card you can use to hold and spend JPY and a good selection of other currencies too.

Wise accounts can hold and exchange 50+ currencies , and you can get a linked Wise card for a one time delivery fee. Top up your account in pounds and switch to JPY before you travel, so you know your travel money budget in advance. All currency conversion uses the mid-market exchange rate, with low fees from 0.41%.

Here are some of the pros and cons of the Wise travel money debit card , to help you decide if it’s right for you:

Hold and exchange 50+ currencies alongside JPY

No fee to spend any currency you hold , low conversion fees from 0.41%

Mid market rate on all currency conversion

Some fee free ATM withdrawals every month

No ongoing fees and no interest to pay

7 GBP delivery fee

No option to earn points or rewards

Click here to read a full Wise review

What is a travel money card?

Similar to a regular bank card, a travel money card can be used for online and in-store payments, as well as cash withdrawals. However, with a travel money card you’ll find the features and fees have been optimised for international use. That might mean you get a better exchange rate compared to using your normal card overseas, or that you run into fewer fees. Some travel cards also have options to earn cashback and rewards when you use your card internationally.

6 travel money cards for Japan compared

We’ll look at each of these card options in a little more detail in just a moment, but let’s start with an overview of how 6 top travel money cards for Japan line up side by side:

As you can see, the features of different travel money cards can vary pretty widely. Travel debit cards are typically a convenient and affordable option, whereas travel credit cards may offer attractive rewards such as cashback. However, using a travel credit card could potentially lead to interest charges and late payment fees, depending on how you choose to clear your bills.

One important consideration when heading to Japan is how much it’ll cost you to make cash withdrawals while you’re there. Japan is still a very cash dominated country, so while carrying a large sum of cash isn’t a smart idea for security reasons, having a card which has low or no ATM fees is.

Ultimately which card is best for you will come down to how you like to manage your money - we’ll dive into a few more details about each card type, next.

What are different types of travel cards?

Broadly speaking, UK customers are able to select a travel money card from either a regular bank or a specialist provider, which may be a travel debit card, travel prepaid card or a travel credit card. We’ll walk through what each travel money card type is, and pick out a couple of good card options, so you can compare and choose.

1. Travel debit cards

2. Travel prepaid cards

3. Travel credit cards

1. Travel Debit Cards

Specialist providers often offer travel debit cards that come with linked digital accounts to manage your currency balance. Although different cards may have their own features, they are typically easy to top up online or through a mobile app, with the added convenience of receiving transaction notifications and tracking your balance via your phone. That makes it easier to keep on top of your money, no matter where in the world you are.

Travel debit card Option 1: Wise

Wise is our best value travel money debit card for Japan. There’s no fee to open a Wise account, and just a small delivery fee for your Wise card, with no minimum balance and no monthly charge. You just pay low Wise fees from 0.41% when you convert currencies, and transparent transaction fees when you exhaust the monthly free transactions available with your account.

No fee to open a Wise account , no minimum balance requirement

7 GBP one time fee to get your Wise card

2 withdrawals, to 200 GBP value per month for free, then 0.5 GBP + 1.75%

Hold JPY and 50+ other currencies, convert between them with the mid-market rate

Get local account details to receive 10 currencies including GBP for free

Travel debit card option 2: Revolut

Revolut has a selection of different account tiers, so you can simply pick the account you prefer - from free Standard plans to the 12.99 GBP/month Metal plan. All Revolut accounts have linked cards, although exactly what type of card you get depends on your account tier. You can hold around 25 currencies including JPY, and convert currencies with the mid-market rate to your plan’s allowance.

No fee to open a Standard Revolut account, or upgrade for up to 12.99 GBP/month

Card delivery fees may apply depending on your account tier

All accounts have some fee free currency conversion with 0.5% fair usage fees after that

Standard plan holders can withdraw 200 GBP (up to 5 withdrawals in total) per month for free

Hold JPY and around 25 other currencies

Pros and cons of using debit travel cards in Japan

No interest costs or late payment fees

Hold and convert currencies in advance or at the time of spending

Accounts can be topped up, viewed and managed digitally

Safe to use, as accounts aren’t linked to your main UK bank account

Travel debit cards are issued on popular global payment networks

Transaction and currency conversion fees may apply

Cash back and rewards may not be available

Click here to read a full Revolut review

How to choose the best travel debit card for Japan?

The best travel debit card for Japan really depends on your personal preferences and how you like to manage your money. If you’ll be travelling widely it makes sense to look for an account with mid-market currency exchange and a large selection of supported currencies as well as JPY, like Wise. Other providers like Revolut can also be a good pick, particularly if you’ll use your account very frequently and would prefer to pay a monthly fee to unlock lots of fee free transactions and extra perks.

Is there a spending limit with a travel debit card in Japan?  

Different providers set their own limits for card use. Limits may apply daily, weekly or monthly, and can apply to different types of transaction. Daily limits may apply to the number of ATM withdrawals or the amount of contactless payments you can make, among other things. These limits are set for security and can sometimes be managed and changed in the provider’s app.

2. Prepaid Travel Cards

With a prepaid travel card you’ll need to order a card and add funds in the supported currency of your choice. Once you have a balance you may then be able to switch to the currency you need, to pay merchants and make cash withdrawals. While prepaid travel cards are usually issued on large global networks - and can therefore be used pretty widely - not all cards support all currencies, so you may find you pay a foreign transaction fee if you pick a card which doesn’t support all the currencies you use.

Prepaid travel card option 1: Post Office

You can pick up a Post Office prepaid travel money card in a Post Office branch or order one online. You’ll then be able to top up in pounds or one of the 22 supported currencies, which includes JPY. If you hold JPY in your account there’s no fee to spend when you’re in Japan, but if you don’t have a JPY balance - or if your JPY balance isn’t high enough for the transaction, you’ll pay a 3% foreign transaction fee.

Hold and exchange 22 currencies including JPY

No fee to spend a balance in a supported currency

3% foreign transaction fee when spending a currency you don’t hold on the card

Variable ATM withdrawal fees - 200 JPY for use in Japan

No interest to pay

Click here to read a full Post Office review

Prepaid travel card option 2: Monese

Monese accounts can be opened by UK residents to hold GBP, EUR and RON. There are several different types of accounts, from the Simple account which has no monthly fees, to fee paying account tiers which have more features. It’s free to spend a balance you hold - but as JPY isn’t a supported currency, you may find you pay a foreign transaction fee of 2% when you’re spending in Japan. Foreign transaction fees may be waived for higher tier account holders.

Hold a balance in GBP, EUR or RON

Choose a free Simple account, or upgrade to an account with monthly fees

Foreign transaction fees of 2% may apply depending on your account tier

ATM withdrawal fees may apply, depending on the value of withdrawals and the account tier you hold

Track and spend Avios reward points within your account

Pros and cons of using prepaid travel cards in Japan

Manage your account online or with an app, to add more money or convert funds

No monthly fees for some account options

Multiple supported currencies, with no fees for spending a currency you hold

Global ATM withdrawals offered

Some accounts have extras like options to earn reward points

Typically not a huge range of currencies supported

Transaction fees apply to most accounts

How to choose the best travel prepaid card for Japan?

There’s no single best travel prepaid card for Japan - it’ll come down to your personal preference. If you hold a Monese Classic or Premium account already it’s good to know that the 2% foreign transaction fee is waived, which means you get the card network rate when you spend in Japan. This may be cheaper than using your regular bank card. The Post Office card can also be a strong pick as you can hold a JPY balance, which you can spend for free, plus you can get a card instantly by walking into a Post Office branch.

Is there a spending limit with a prepaid card in Japan?

Different prepaid travel cards set their own limits for spending and withdrawals, which can  vary between currencies. You’ll need to check your card’s terms and conditions carefully to make sure you pick a provider which suits your needs.

3. Travel Credit Cards

Travel credit cards come with added international features such as low or no foreign transaction fees and rewards for international spending. Although they are safe and convenient, they can be more expensive compared to using a debit card. Before you select the right card for you it’s important to check the fees, rates, eligibility rules and interest rates which apply, so you can make sure it’s a good fit for you.

Travel credit card option 1: Barclaycard Rewards Visa

The Barclaycard Rewards Visa card has no foreign transaction fees and no international ATM fees. Instead, your overseas spending is simply converted to pounds using the Visa exchange rate, before being added to your monthly bill. You’ll need to repay your bill in full every month to avoid fees and interest, but can earn cashback on your day to day spending.

No foreign transaction or foreign ATM fee

Earn cashback at 0.25% on spending

Protection on purchases over 100 GBP

International spending uses the Visa exchange rate

Variable interest rates which apply if you don’t pay off your bill in full

Travel credit card option 2: Halifax Clarity Mastercard

The Halifax Clarity Mastercard has a variable interest rate which you can see when you check your eligibility for the card. There’s no foreign transaction or foreign ATM fee to pay, and all currency conversion uses the Mastercard exchange rate.

Variable interest rates

Check your eligibility and order a card online easily

No foreign transaction fee

No ATM fee - but interest will accrue instantly when you make a withdrawal

Mastercard exchange rates apply

Pros and cons of using credit cards in Japan

Spending from 100 GBP has extra consumer protection

Spread the cost of your travel over several months

Check eligibility for a card online with no impact on your credit score

You may pay no foreign transaction fee and no ATM fee

Network exchange rates usually apply, which are usually pretty fair

Interest charged if you don’t repay in full every month

Eligibility rules apply

How to choose the best travel credit card for Japan?

The best travel credit card for Japan will depend on your personal preferences. If you’re interested in earning rewards and cash back on your overseas spending, the Barclaycard Rewards Visa might be a good pick, as it has no foreign transaction fee and offers cashback on all spending. Whichever card you’re considering you’ll want to weigh up the potential fees you’ll need to pay against the rewards you can earn to make sure it’s worthwhile.

If you’re off on a trip to Japan you might want to get yourself a travel money card for convenient spending in JPY. Travel money cards have different features, and can be picked up via regular banks, online specialists and even the Post Office.

You could opt for a low cost travel debit card which comes with a linked account to hold a selection of currencies - like the Wise account. Or you might prefer a prepaid travel money card like the Monese card which can be linked to either a fee free account or an account which has monthly fees in exchange for lower transaction charges. Finally, another option is to get a travel credit card either to earn cashback and rewards, or to avoid foreign transaction fees.

You'll be pleased to know that there are plenty of options available in the UK for travel money cards. Use this guide as a starting point to research and find the best option that fits your specific needs.

FAQ - Best travel cards for Japan

You can usually make cash withdrawals with a credit card in Japan at any ATM that supports your card network. Occasionally ATMs in Japan can’t accept foreign issued credit cards, although this is becoming less common over time. You’ll often find that a fee applies, and you may start to accumulate interest on the withdrawn amount immediately. Travel money debit cards from providers like Wise and Revolut can be a lower cost option for cash withdrawals in JPY.

You can use your debit card anywhere you see the card network’s logo displayed. However, it’s worth being aware that card acceptance in Japan isn’t as high as in the UK, so you’ll also need to carry cash just in case. Visa and Mastercard networks are very well supported globally, including in Japan, making these good options to look out for when you pick your travel debit card for Japan.

Prepaid cards from reputable providers are safe to use at home and abroad. They aren’t linked to your main bank account which can offer extra peace of mind, and may also make it easier to manage your travel budget. However, you’ll need to check the card features and fees carefully to make sure you're getting the best match for your needs.

Editorial note: We may not cover every product in this category. For more information, see our Editorial guidelines .

Best travel money cards in 2024.

Travel money cards are essential when travelling overseas.

They allow you to easily make payments whilst travelling overseas. They make paying easier for shops, restaurants, hotels and ATMs.Travel money cards work in a similar way to ATM cards. They use a pin when you purchase goods or services overseas.

In this guide, we have compared travel money cards to help you make the best selection for your next trip.

Best Travel Money Cards:

• Wise Travel Card Best Exchange Rates
• Revolut Best for Low Fees
• Travelex Money Card Best All Rounder
• Bankwest Breeze Platinum Best Travel Credit Card
• Pelikin Student Traveller Card Best Student Card
• HSBC Everyday Global Travel Card Best Travel Card by Bank
• Qantas Travel Money Card Best Reward Benefits

Wise Travel Card - Great Exchange Rates

• 40+ currencies available
• Best exchange rates globally
• One of the lowest conversion fee on the market
• No international transaction fees
• No annual or monthly fees
• Extremely low costs to send money overseas

Wise Travel Card

• Cross currency conversion fees are between 0.24–3.69%. AUD to USD, EUR or GBP was 0.42%, which is one of the lowest on the market
• Free cash withdrawals up to $350 every 30 days. However after that, Wise charge a fixed fee of $1.50 per transaction + 1.75%
• Daily ATM withdrawal is $2,700
• Issue up to 3 virtual cards for temporary usage
• It takes between 7 to 14 business days to receive your card
• Can be used wherever MasterCard is accepted

The Wise Travel Card is great for frequent travellers as it offers over 40 currencies at the inter-market exchange rate, which is the cheapest rate globally. In addition you can buy goods online from overseas with no transaction fee plus get the best exchange rate. However if you use ATMs frequently this is not the card to use due to the fees. Finally Wise Travel Card lets you transfer money to an overseas bank account with extremely low fees and the best exchange rate.

Our Wise Travel Card Review

Revolut - Low Fees

• 30+ currencies available
• One of the best exchange rates globally
• No annual or monthly fees for standard membership
• No initial card fee
• Instant access to a range of cryptocurrencies

Read our Revolut Card Review

Revolut Travel Card

• No fee ATM withdrawals up to A$350, or 5 ATM withdrawals, whichever comes first, per rolling 30 day period and 2% of withdrawal amount (minimum charge of A$1.50) after that
• Exchanging currency on the weekend can incur a 1% mark-up fee
• Fees on international money transfers were introduced in April 2021.
• Can be used wherever Visa is accepted

The Revolut Travel Card is a decent option for those who travel a lot as it offers over 30 currencies at a great exchange rate, which is the cheapest rate globally. However if you exchange currency on the weekend you can incur a one-percent mark-up fee. In addition they have introduced fees for international transfers. Finally if you use ATMs frequently this is not the card to use due to the fees.

Travelex Money Card - Best All Rounder

Best features.

• Unlimited free ATM withdrawals
• 24/7 Emergency Assistance
• Initial and replacement card are free
• Lock in up to 10 currencies

Read our Travelex Travel Card Review

Travelex Money Card

• Minimum load of $100 and maximum load of $100,000
• Can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted
• Fees include a $10 closure fee, $5 for an additional card and $4 inactivity monthly fee.
• While Travelex don't charge ATM fees, some ATM operators may charge their own fees.
• Currencies that can be loaded are AU$, US$, EU€, GB£, NZ$, TH฿, CA$, HK$, JP¥, SG$
• If your card is lost or stolen you can access cash in your account through Moneygram or Western Union agents, with no charge
• Boingo hotspots offer free wifi and you can look at their number of free hotspots per country on this map

The Travelex Card is a good all rounder.

You can use it to take money out of the ATM, for merchant purchases like restaurants and even for online shopping in foreign currency. While the exchange rates aren't as good as the Wise or Revolut Card abroad , the support network if the card is lost or stolen is very good.

Bankwest Breeze Platinum Credit Card - Lowest Interest Rate

• Lowest interest rate at 9.90%
• No international transaction fees on purchases
• 0% p.a. on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months
• Up to 55 days interest free on purchases
• Low annual fee
• Complimentary international travel insurance

Bankwest Breeze Platinum Credit Card

• Free annual fee first year, then $69 annual fee
• 55 interest free days
• Free international travel insurance that includes the basics but does not cover cancellation costs, pre existing conditions and travellers over 80
• $6,000 minimum credit card
• 0% p.a. on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, then reverts to 9.90%
• 21.99% interest rate on purchases and cash advances
• Cash advance fee of the higher of $4 or 2% of cash advance

The Bankwest Breeze Platinum is a great no frills credit card that offers ‘no foreign transaction fees’ and the lowest interest rate on the market, at 9.90%. These two factors alone will save you hundreds of dollars when travelling overseas.

In addition it has a low annual fee and complimentary international travel insurance. Finally for its price point it is a great value credit card that will be accepted most places around the world.

HSBC Everyday Global Debit Card

• No initial card or closure fees
• No monthly or account fees
• No international ATM fees
• No cross currency conversion fees
• Lock in very competitive exchange rates before travel
• No maximum balance
• Earn 2% cashback

• 10 Currencies can be loaded are AUD, USD, GBP, EUR, HKD, CAD, JPY, NZD, SGD, CNY (currency restrictions apply to CNY)
• Awarded 5 gold stars by CANSTAR in 2021 for Outstanding Value
• Very competitive exchange rates on all currencies when you have currencies already loaded on your card
• ATMs within Australia need to be HSBC and overseas they need to display a VISA or VISA Plus logo, not be be charged fees
• Earn 2% cash back when you tap and pay with Visa pay wave, Apple Pay or Google Pay for purchases under $100. With a maximum of $50 cash back per month. In addition you need to deposit $2,000 or more into your Everyday Global Account each calendar month.
• Daily maximum ATM withdrawal is $2,000
• Fraud protection covered by Visa Zero Liability

The HSBC Everyday Global Debit Card is a good option to take travelling and to spend money in Australia with no international transaction fees, international ATM fees and monthly fees. In addition there is no maximum balance on currencies held and a 2% cash back incentive when you tap and pay under $100.

Finally it is one of the only travel cards that offers Chinese Yuan. To avoid ATM fees you need to find HSBC branches in Australia and only use ATMs overseas with a VISA or VISA Plus logo.

Best Student Card

Pelikin student traveller card.

• Use promo code SMONEY10 for a $10 discount
• Up to 15% off international flights
• A globally accepted virtual student ID card
• 2% cash back on food & drinks, transport and accommodation
• Over 150,000 discounts worldwide

• $30 for 12 months
• 20+ currencies available
• Split bills, pay and get paid instantly

Pelikin is one of the only travel cards in Australia specifically for students. While it has a small annual fee, the range of discounts and offers more than make up for it.

The app is relatively easy to use and card arrives in under a week.

Best Rewards Card

Qantas travel money card.

• No monthly fees, purchase fees and currency conversion fees
• No load fees if you pay by bank transfer or BPay
• Locked in exchange rates: 4%+ margin on exchange rates
• Earn 1.5 Qantas points for every AU$1 spent in foreign currency

• 10 currencies offered USD, GBP, EUR, THB, NZD, SGD, HKD, CAD, JPY, AED
• Free Australia ATM withdrawals
• 0.5% fee debit card reload fee
• ATM fees overseas (USD 1.95; GBP 1.25; EUR 1.50; THB 70; NZD 2.50; SGD 2.50; HKD 15.00; CAD 2.00; JPY 160; AED 6.50)
• Minload of $50 and max of $20,000
• Available to 16 year olds, has a lower age restriction than most credit cards (18 year olds)

Qantas Travel card is a great option to spend foreign currency overseas if you are already a loyal Qantas customer and use your frequent flyer points regularly on flights, accommodation or gifts. The fees are low, the exchange rate is average however the ATM fees are expensive and will easily add up.

Other popular travel money cards

Aside of the Top 5 travel money cards, there are many more options to consider. These include well known brands such as the Commonwealth Bank and Travelex and less known services like Up Bank and Revolut.

Here is a rundown of their best features, fees and available currencies:

• 13 currencies available, including Vietnamese Dong and Chinese Yuan
• No issue fee, load fees, closure and card replacement fees
• Additional card offered
• Can be accessed through Commonwealth Bank app

Commonwealth Bank Travel Money Card

• $3.50 fee at ATMs overseas
• 13 currencies offered USD, GBP, EUR, THB , NZD, SGD, HKD, CAD, JPY, AED, AUD, VND & CNY
• Minload of $1 and max of $100,000
• Available to 14 year olds, has a lower age restriction than most credit cards (18 year olds)
• When you use your card for a purchase or withdrawal in a currency that is not loaded, or when they automatically transfer funds between the currencies on your card to enable the completion of the transaction at the Visa retail exchange rate plus 4%
• To transfer money between currencies or a transaction account, it will be at the bank rate which is normally 4% above the market value

The Commonwealth Bank travel money card is great if you are already a Commonwealth bank customer who banks online and knows exactly how much money in each country you want to spend. However if you need to transfer between currencies or make a purchase in a currency you don't have funds loaded, then you can get an additional expensive charge. Watch how many withdrawals at ATMs you make as well to keep the costs down.

• Exchange rates most competitive for USD, GBP and THB
• No fee on initial card or load (not BPay)
• No fee on reloads via bank transfers
• No monthly or inactivity fees
• Card is valid for 5 years

Travel Money Oz Currency Pass

• 1.1% reloading fee via Travel Money Oz Login or with debit or credit card
• 1% reloading fee for BPay
• $10 closure fee and replacement card fee
• 2.95% on withdrawals from Australian ATMs is expensive
• Roughly $3.50 on withdrawals from overseas ATMs is expensive.
• $3.99 + 5.95% fee on cross currency transactions
• 10 Currencies can be loaded are USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, CAD, HKD, JPY, SGD, THB & AUD
• Exchange rates for SGD and CAD are the least competitive
• Minload of $20 and max of $10,000
• Only 1 card per account
• According to the website they won't take online orders if you are departing within 14 days as the card can take up to 2 weeks for delivery.

The Travel Money Oz travel money card seems to be an outdated version of the Travelex or Australia Post travel card as it does not offer Global Emergency Assistance or Boingo hotspots. However exchange rates and fees are similar to Travelex, so if you are travelling to the US, UK or Thailand, this is a great card to pay for accommodation and things in shops. We would avoid using it at any ATM, to save costs.

• No ATM fees in Australia or internationally
• No minimum monthly deposit
• No account keeping fees
• Can be used in Australia as an EFTPOS card
• Available to 14 year olds and older

Macquarie Travel Card

• $2,000 daily limit for ATM withdrawals
• Simple and easy to work out costs for account
• Exchange rates are MasterCard exchange rates, which are normally 4%+ market rate.
• 90-day theft and damage protection on eligible purchases and stolen wallet protection up to $500
• Can be used in Australia to buy goods overseas and not pay international transaction fees
• Get discounts of up to 10% on eGift cards to use at over 50 leading retailers

The Macquarie Travel Card is a very good option to take overseas for ATM withdrawals as they are all free. In addition in Australia you can buy goods online and not pay an international transaction fee. Furthermore you can use the card like a normal debit card in Australia with no hefty fees or monthly minimum deposits. However the exchange rate is the MasterCard rate which is normally 4%+ above the market rate. Finally we would recommend this card for cash withdrawals at ATMs internationally but not paying for accommodation due to the added margin on the MasterCard exchange rate.

• Cheapest way to send money overseas through a bank
• UI and UX better than traditional banks making it super easy to use
• Competitive savings interest rate

Up Bank Travel Card

• Backed by Bendigo Bank and Adelaide Bank and partnered with Wise so it has financial backing and access to the cheapest exchange rates to send money overseas
• Nifty online tools to help you track spending, budget and save. These include a detailed transaction history often including a company logo, when you paid down to the minute and the suburb where the transaction was made. In addition it has a ‘Regulars feature that detects regular billers and estimate of upcoming bills so you get a heads-up before they are due
• Good savings account interest rates of 1.85% (0.10% base rate plus 1.75% bonus). Bonus interest is easily unlocked after making five successful card or digital wallet purchases each month

The Up Bank Travel Card is aimed at younger markets who are looking to save on bank costs and receive online tools to help them budget and save for their goals. It is also able to be used overseas at any ATM without fees, no international fees and is the cheapest way to send money overseas through a bank due to their partnership with Wise (the largest money transfer company in the world). In addition the exchange rates are Mastercard rates which are normally 4% above interest rates. Finally, while this card is very useful domestically and for ATMs overseas we would not recommend it for big ticket items overseas as it is an expensive card to use.

• No foreign transaction fees
• No fee on initial card, load, unload or inactivity fees
• No cross currency transactions fees
• Lock in exchange rates before you leave
• Exchange rates most competitive for USD, GBP, EUR and CAD and JPY
• No ATM fee at 50,000 Global Alliance ATMs worldwide
• Free additional card
• Flight delay pass

Westpac Travel Money Card

• 11 Currencies can be loaded are USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, CAD, HKD, JPY, SGD, THB, AUD & ZAR
• $2,000 maximum limit on ATM withdrawals overseas within 24 hours
• $50,000 maximum limit on currencies loaded on to travel card
• $3 roughly for ATMs that are not within the Non Westpac Global Alliance
• If you run out of one currency on the card, you can pay with other currencies without the expensive cross currency transaction fee
• No foreign transaction fees, initial card, load, unload or inactivity fees
• According to the Westpac it can take upto 8 business days to receive the travel card
• Secure from fraudulent transactions with Mastercard Zero Liability protection
• 2 cards per account for free

The Westpac Travel Card is a no frills handy travel card with very low fees, no foreign transaction fees, access to some free ATMs worldwide and competitive exchange rates, especially on USD, EUR, GBP, CAD and JPY. In addition it has the South African Rand (ZAR) which is not common in prepaid travel cards. Finally it has access to a flight delay pass in case your flights are delayed and you need to access airport lounges.

• Linked to ANZ Rewards program
• 7 types of insurance for free
• 55 days interest free
• Good security on card purchases

ANZ Travel Adventure Card

• 20.24% interest on purchases and cash advances
• $120 annual fee
• No international transaction fees in person or online
• Offer 7 types of insurance for free
• ANZ Reward points can be used to buy gift cards, swap for Virgin or Singapore airline points or cash into your account.
• Earn 1.5 Reward points per $1 spent on eligible purchases up to $2,000 per statement period
• ATM fees at non ANZ ATMs
• Minimum credit of $6,000

If you utilize rewards points then the ANZ Travel Adventure Card might be suitable for you. Reward points can be used to buy a wide range of gift cards, swap for Virgin or Singapore airline points or cash into your account. In addition no international transaction fees are charged for purchases online or whilst you travel overseas. Finally this card is not recommended for cash withdrawals as the interest rate of 20.24% will eat up any savings.

• No ATM fees
• Can be used in Australia with no additional costs
• No fees for paying via bank transfer or Bpay
• Transfer limits can be set by user

ING Orange Everyday Account Debit Card

• As long as you you deposit at least $1000 and make at least 5 payments each month ING will waive international transaction fees and refund overseas ATM withdrawal fees
• Can be used in all countries
• Works with Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Visa currency conversion rates apply, which are normally 4% above market

The ING Orange Everyday Account Debit Card is a good card for most Australians travelling overseas for ATM access, with no fees. It also allows you to to buy goods online without an international transaction fee.

Furthermore you can use it in Australia for free and there are no fees to get your initial card, for account keeping or to top up your card. A word of caution however, if you travel overseas for longer than 1 month, you still need to deposit at least $1,000 and make at least 5 payments each month to get the rebates.

• Initial card and replacement cards are free
• Increased protection with Mastercard Zero Liability
• Access to cash from your account through the Global Emergency Assistance, if your card is lost or stolen

Australia Post Travel Money Card - Platinum Mastercard

• 1.1% Admin fee for instore loads, including initial load
• $5 fee for reloads via debit bank card
• $10 closure fee
• $3.50 on withdrawals from overseas ATM is expensive
• Currencies that can be loaded are USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, THB, CAD, HKD, JPY, SGD , AED and AUD
• Minload of $100 and max of $100,000
• If your card is lost or stolen you can access cash that is in your account through Moneygram or Western Union agents, with no charge
• Boingo hotspots offer the free wifi and you can look at their number of free hotspots per country on this map

The Australia Post travel money card is a popular option for Australian travellers due to the convenience of stores. However we would recommend the Australia Post travel money card for paying in shops or accommodation as it is costly to withdraw cash from ATMS. As the Australia Post travel money card is fee heavy we recommend not making withdrawals at ATMs or making cross currency transactions to keep additional fees down.

• Up to 11 currencies available
• Manage your account and card online
• 24/7 global assistance
• Access to emergency cash
• Free additional card when ordered at time of purchase
• Can be used at millions of locations worldwide – wherever Mastercard purchase symbol is displayed

Greater Bank Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard

• $5 fee for reloads via debit bank card, FREE reloads via BPAY
• Admin fee of up to the greater of 1.1% of the load/reload amount or $15 for in-store purchases
• Debit card load fee 0.5% of the amount loaded, per Debit Card Load transaction
• Domestic ATM fee 2.95% of value Withdrawn
• International ATM fee USD 2.50, EUR2.50, GBP 2.00,NZD 3.50, THB80.00, CAD 3.50,HKD 18.00, JPY260.00, SGD3.50, AED 10.00, AUD 3.50
• Minimum load of AUD100 and a Maximum of AUD100,000

The Cash Passport is one of the most popular travel cards in the Australian market. With Greater Bank, you can purchase it online and at one of their branches, then download the app or use the website to manage your card. While the card may be useful for international purchases, be mindful when using an ATM both locally or overseas as the fees can add up if you are withdrawing money often.

Learn more about the Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard through Greater Bank .

The best travel card in Australia depends on its use, for ATM withdrawals it is ING Orange , for best exchange rates it is Wise Travel Card, the best credit card is Bankwest Breeze Platinum , for overall best card by a bank its HSBC Global  and the best rewards card is the Qantas Travel card .

A travel money card is safer than cash overseas and if you select a Wise travel card , it is the best exchange rate as well. Most places around the world accept MasterCard or Visa, so you should be able to pay for all your purchases by card.

Yes you can use all travel cards in Australia but you might choose not to due to the fees. ING , Macquarie , Up , Citibank are all good examples of travel money cards that do not charge for ATM withdrawals in Australia. However examples of travel money cards that charge $3.50 per Australian ATM withdrawal include Travelex , Australia Post and Travel Money Oz .

Both if you buy your cash from S Money and pay with a Wise card overseas, as they both use the exchange rate you see online and charge very low fees. However if you buy your foriegn currency at the airport, you are paying top prices so using a card is cheaper.

There are many travel money cards that no longer exist but appear in search engine page results. Travel money cards that no longer exist include 7-11 Just Go, NAB Travel Money Card, Travelex Cash Passport, Australia Post Cash Passport, ANZ Travel Card, Westpac Global Currency Card and the Virgin Velocity Global Wallet program.

Learn more about the best debit, credit and prepaid cards for travel

Best Prepaid Cards

Credit Card

More Travel Card Guides

Learn more about the best travel money cards for your holiday destination.

ASIC regulated

Like all reputable money exchanges, we are registered with AUSTRAC and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC).

S Money complies with the relevant laws pertaining to privacy, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism finance. This means you are required to provide I.D. when you place an order. It also means the order must be paid for by the same person ordering the currency and you must show your identification again when receiving your order.

Best Travel Cards in Australia in 2023 For Overseas Travel

Byron Mühlberg

Monito's Managing Editor, Byron has spent several years writing extensively about financial- and migration-related topics.

Jarrod Suda

A writer and editor at Monito, Jarrod is passionate about helping people apply today’s powerful finance technologies to their lives. He brings his background in international affairs and his experiences living in Japan to provide readers with comprehensive information that also acknowledges the local context.

Links on this page, including products and brands featured on ‘Sponsored’ content, may earn us an affiliate commission. This does not affect the opinions and recommendations of our editors.

From the multitude of bank fees and ATM charges to hidden currency conversion fees, there's no question that travelling abroad can be a costly endeavour — and that's saying nothing of the cost of the holiday itself!

As you prepare for your trip abroad, the golden rule is to pay using the local currency of your destination. This means accessing local cash with ATMs and using a prepaid debit card that can access the local currency. If it's not possible for you to spend in the local currency when travelling abroad, then spending in your home currency while using a card that doesn't charge any hidden exchange rate markups from your bank (e.g. only paying Visa or Mastercard exchange rates to convert currency) is still a good bet for most Australians when travelling abroad.

In this guide, we explore cards like Revolut and Wise that can lower ATM fees and hold multiple currencies. Spend on your holiday like a local and enjoy peace of mind after each tap and swipe.

In general, we consider Revolut to be the best travel card in Australia for all-around use, as its versatile account and card can be used to spend like a local pretty much anywhere in the world. With Revolut, you'll get a debit card, multi-currency account balance in 32 currencies, and a savvy mobile experience.

Best Travel Cards in Australia

• 01. Revolut — Best all-round travel card in Australia scroll down
• 02. Wise — Best for number of currencies and foreign account details scroll down
• 03. Considering going through your bank scroll down
• 04. Compare the best travel cards in Australia scroll down
• 05. Tips to save money when travelling overseas scroll down
• 06. FAQ about the best travel cards in Australia scroll down

Revolut: Best All-Round Travel Card in Australia

Revolut is impressive for its vast currency options and additional services, such as international money transfers and a money management interface. Revolut is one of the most well-known mobile finance platforms in the world because it offers services not only in Australia but also across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

Like Wise, Revolut converts your currency to the local currency of your travel destination at the Revolut rate, which is close to the real mid-market exchange rate. It does set a cap on free allowances, however, since fair use limits and weekend surcharges may apply (Revolut's Standard Plan only allows free exchanges for transfers worth $1,000 per month). Once you make your exchange from AUD to the local currency of your destination, your card will be treated like a local card (avoiding foreign transaction fees or dynamic currency conversions ).

ATM withdrawals are also free for the first $350. These allowances can be waived by upgrading memberships. Bear in mind that third-party ATM fees may apply, even though Revolut doesn't charge any fees of its own for withdrawals up to $350 per month.

• Trust & Credibility 8.9
• Service & Quality 7.9
• Fees & Exchange Rates 8.3
• Customer Satisfaction 9.4
• Account name: Standard
• Account type: Personal account (not a bank)
• Total cost: $0 per month .
• Noteworthy features: AUD account details, multi-currency balances.
• More info: See our full Revolut review .

Wise: Best for Number of Currencies and Foreign Bank Details

Wise has one of the best multi-currency cards available on the market. Load up to 54 currencies onto this card at the real exchange rate, giving you access to truly global travel.

Unlike banks, credit unions, airport kiosks, and foreign ATMs, Wise is transparent about never charging a hidden exchange rate margin when you convert your home currency into up to 54 currencies. The live rate you see on Google or XE.com is the one you get with Wise. An industry-low commission fee per transaction will range from 0.35% to 2.85%, depending on the currency.

• Trust & Credibility 9.3
• Service & Quality 8.9
• Fees & Exchange Rates 7.6
• Customer Satisfaction 9.6
• Account name: Multi-Currency Account
• Account type: Electronic Money Account (held by local banks).
• Total cost: $0 per month.
• Noteworthy features: International money transfers, multiple account details, multi-currency balances.
• More info: See our full Wise Account review .

Consider Your Australian Bank Travel Money Card

Another option for spending abroad is to use your bank. Some Australian banks offer prepaid debit cards onto which you can load AUD and convert it into many countries around the world. These include the Commbank Travel Money Card. However, as of 2023, some banks such as ANZ, NAB, and Westpac have cancelled their travel card offerings, meaning you'll need to use a third-party prepaid card like Revolut .

You could also travel abroad with your ordinary debit or credit card, however, this will generally be the most expensive choice , as in most cases you'll pay an exchange rate fee plus a currency conversion fee. If you decide to use a standard bank card, make sure that you choose a card produce that explicitly waives foreign transasction fees .

What’s the Best Travel Card in Australia?

To discover the best travel money card in Australia to suit your overseas travel needs, compare the two fintech offerings we discussed above, Wise and Revolut, with a typical bank travel card like CBA's Travel Money Card:

Last updated: 6/1/2023 ¹ Bank account details in USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, NZD, SGD, CAD, RON, HUN, and TRY

Money-Saving Tips When Traveling Abroad From Australia

When you convert Aussie dollars into a foreign currency, foreign exchange service providers will charge you two kinds of fees:

• Exchange rate margin:  Providers apply an exchange rate that is poorer than the true  "mid-market" exchange rate . They keep the difference, called an  exchange rate margin .
• Conversion fee:  This  fee  is usually a percentage of the amount converted or a fixed amount, which is charged for the service provided.

With these facts in mind, let's see what practices are useful to avoid ATM fees, foreign transaction fees, and other charges you may encounter while on your travels.

Tip 1: Avoid Bureaux de Change

Have you ever wondered how bureaux de change and currency exchange desks are able to secure prime real estate in touristic locations like the Champs-Élysées in Paris or Covent Carden in London while claiming to take no commission? It’s easy: they make (plenty of) money through hidden fees on the exchange rates they’re giving you. 

Our study shows that Bureaux de Change in Paris charges a margin ranging from 2.15% at CEN Change Dollar Boulevard de Strasbourg to 16.6% (!!) at Travelex Champs-Élysées when exchanging 500 US dollars into Euros for example. 

If you really want cash and can’t wait to withdraw it with a card at an ATM at your destination, ordering currencies online before your trip is usually cheaper than exchanging currencies at a bureau de change, but it’s still a very expensive way to get foreign currency which we, therefore, would not recommend.

Tip 2: Always Pay In the Local Currency

Don’t fall for the dynamic currency conversion trap! When using your card abroad to pay at a terminal or withdraw cash at an ATM, you’ve probably been asked whether you’d prefer to pay in your home currency (i.e. Australian dollars) instead of the local currency of the foreign country. This little trick is called dynamic currency conversion , and the right answer to this sneaky question will help you save big on currency exchange fees.

As a general rule, you always want to pay in the local currency (Euros in Europe, GBP in the UK, DKK in Denmark, THB in Thailand, etc.) when using your card abroad, instead of accepting the currency exchange and paying in Australian dollars. 

This seems like a trick question - why not opt to pay in AUD? On the plus side, you would know exactly what amount you would be paying in Aussie dollars instead of accepting the unknown exchange rate determined by your card issuer a few days later.

What is a Dynamic Currency Conversion?

When choosing to pay in AUD instead of the local one, you will carry out what’s called a “ dynamic currency conversion ”. This is just a complicated way of saying that you’re exchanging between the foreign currency and AUD at the exact time you use your card to pay or withdraw cash in a foreign currency, and not a few days later.

For this privilege, the local payment terminal or ATM will apply an exchange rate that is often significantly worse than even a traditional bank’s exchange rate (we’ve seen margins of up to 8%!), and of course, much worse than the exchange rate you would get by using an innovative multi-currency card.

Knowing what amount you will pay in Australian dollars is not worth the additional steep cost of the dynamic currency conversion, hence why we recommend always choosing to pay in the local currency.

Tip 3: Don't Use a Traditional Card To Pay

Only use traditional Australian bank cards for overseas travel if they waive international card transaction fees . As mentioned before, providers make money on foreign currency conversions by charging poor exchange rates — and pocketing the difference between that and the true mid-market rate. They also make money by charging commission fees, which can either come as flat fees or as a percentage of the transaction.

FAQ About the Best Travel Cards in Australia

Having reviewed and compared several of the industry's leading neobanks, experts at Monito have found Revolut to offer the best prepaid multi-currency card in 2023 in Australia.

In general, yes! You can get a much better deal with new innovative travel cards than traditional banks' debit/credit cards. However, not all cards are made equal, so make sure to compare the fees to withdraw cash abroad, the exchange rates and monthly fees to make sure you're getting the best deal possible.

• Sign up for a multi-currency account;
• Link your bank to the account and add Aussie dollars;
• Convert amount to the local currency of holiday destination ( Wise and Revolut convert at or near the actual mid-market rate);
• Tap and swipe like a local when you pay at vendors.

Yes, the Wise Multi-Currency Card is uniquely worthwhile because it actually converts AUD into foreign currency at the real mid-market exchange rate . Wise charges a transparent and industry-low commission fee for the service instead. More traditional currency cards like the Travelex Money Card are good alternatives, but they will apply an exchange rate that is weaker than the mid-market rate.

The Wise Multi-Currency Card is the best money card for euros because unlike banks, credit unions, airport kiosks, and foreign ATMs,  Wise  is transparent about never charging a hidden exchange rate margin when you convert your local currency into euros with them.

The live rate you see on Google or XE.com is the one you get with  Wise . An industry-low commission fee will range from 0.35% to 2.85%. USD to EUR transfers generally incur a 1.6% fee.

Learn more about how to buy Euros in the United States before your trip.

There are usually three types of travel cards, prepaid travel cards, debit travel cards and credit travel cards. Each have pros and cons, here's a short summary:

• Prepaid travel cards: You usually need to load cards with your home currency via a direct entry or credit/debit card top-up. You're then able to manage the balance from an attached mobile app and can use it to pay in foreign currencies or withdraw cash at an ATM abroad tapping into your home currency prepaid balance. With prepaid travel cards, as the name indicates, you can't spend more than what you've loaded before hand. Some prepaid card providers will provide ways to "auto top-up" when your balance reaches a certain level that you can customize. On Revolut for example, you can decide to top-up £100/£200/£500 from your debit card each time your balance reaches below £50.
• Debit travel cards: Some innovative digital banks, like N26 or Monzo, offer travel debit cards that have the same advantages than a Prepaid Travel Cards, except that they're debit card directly tapping into your current account balance. Like a Prepaid travel card, you can't spend more than the balance you have in your current account with N26 or Monzo, but you can activate an overdraft (between €1,000 or €10,000 for N26 or £1,000 for Monzo) if you need it, for a fee though.

Note that even if they're Prepaid or Debit cards, you can use them for Internet payments like a normal credit card.

• Credit travel cards: You can find credit cards made for international payments offering good exchange rates and low fees to withdraw money abroad, but you'll need to pay interests in your international payment if you don't pay in FULL at the end of every month and interest on your ATM withdrawals each day until you pay them back.

Other Monito Guides and Reviews on the Best Travel Cards in Australia and Top Multi Currency Cards

Why Trust Monito?

You’re probably all too familiar with the often outrageous cost of sending money abroad. After facing this frustration themselves back in 2013, co-founders François, Laurent, and Pascal launched a real-time comparison engine to compare the best money transfer services across the globe. Today, Monito’s award-winning comparisons, reviews, and guides are trusted by around 8 million people each year and our recommendations are backed by millions of pricing data points and dozens of expert tests — all allowing you to make the savviest decisions with confidence.

Monito is trusted by 15+ million users across the globe.

Monito's experts spend hours researching and testing services so that you don't have to.

Our recommendations are always unbiased and independent.

• Join CHOICE

Travel money cards with the lowest fees

We look at seven travel money cards from the big banks and airlines..

Prepaid travel money cards are offered by major banks, airlines and foreign exchange retailers like Travelex. Before travelling overseas, you load money into the card account, which locks in the exchange rate for foreign currencies at that time. 

You can then use the card for purchases and cash withdrawals just like a debit or credit card, usually wherever Visa and Mastercard are accepted. 

You can reload money on-the-go via an app or website, and if the card is lost or stolen, it can be replaced (usually at no cost to you).

Prepaid travel money cards also give you assurance that you're not handing the details of your everyday banking account to merchants you're not familiar with, and they provide easy access to cash when you want some, says Peter Marshall, head of research at money comparison website Mozo .

CHOICE tip: Travel money cards are best for longer trips. They're usually not worth your while if you're only taking a short trip, as some have closure, cash out and inactivity fees.

Travel money card fees

A major difference between prepaid travel cards and debit or credit cards is their fees. Some costs aren't immediately apparent, such as hefty margins built into the exchange rates.

And although fees have come down since we looked at these cards two years ago, you still need to watch out for:

• fees to load the card – either a percentage of the total or a flat fee
• ATM withdrawal fees
• a cross currency fee or margin when you use the card in a currency you haven't preloaded
• further fees if you close the account or haven't used the card for a period of time.

Travel money card with the lowest fees and best exchange rate

Westpac worldwide wallet.

Westpac closed its Global Currency Card in July 2021 and offers its new card in partnership with Mastercard.  It's also available from Bank of Melbourne and BankSA.

Currencies: AUD, USD, NZD, EUR, GBP, SGD, THB, JPY, HKD, CAD, ZAR.

Key features:

• No loading, reloading, closing or inactivity fees.
• Free to use it in network ATMs in Australia and partner ATMs overseas in a range of countries including the UK, US and New Zealand.
• A charge applies at non-Westpac and non-partner ATMs in Australia and overseas.
• Best exchange rates for the US dollar, the Euro and GBP in our comparison.*
• The only card that lets you preload the South African rand.

Other travel money cards

Next to the Westpac Worldwide Wallet, there are six other travel money cards available.

Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard

Available online or at post offices.

Currencies : AUD, USD, NZD, EUR, GBP, SGD, THB, JPY, HKD, CAD, AED.

• Fee to reload the card via BPay, debit card or instore, but free via online bank transfer.
• Closure fee.
• Fees for ATM withdrawals in Australia and overseas.

Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard

It's issued by Heritage Bank and is available online and from a number of smaller banks and credit unions (like Bendigo Bank and Bank of Queensland) as well as travel agents. 

• Fee to reload with a debit card or instore, but free via BPay.

CommBank Travel Money Card

CommBank Travel Money Card (Visa)

As NAB and ANZ have closed their travel money cards, this is the only other travel money card available from a major bank. This card has the largest variety of currencies that can be preloaded.

Currencies : AUD, USD, NZD, EUR, GBP, SGD, THB, JPY, HKD, CAD, AED, VND, CNY.

• Fee if you make a purchase with currencies not preloaded.
• Fee for withdrawals at overseas ATMs.

Qantas Travel Money Card

Qantas Travel Money Card (Mastercard)

The only travel money card offering from an airline. It can be added as a feature to your Qantas Frequent Flyer card, so you don't need a dedicated card, and you can earn points using it.

• Free to reload via bank transfer or BPay, but there's a reload fee if using debit card.

Travelex Money Card

Travelex Money Card (Mastercard)

Travelex is an international foreign exchange retailer. In Australia, it operates more than 140 stores at major airports and shopping centres, across CBDs and in the suburbs. It was the card with the best exchange rate for New Zealand dollars.*

Currencies : AUD, USD, NZD, EUR, GBP, SGD, THB, JPY, HKD, CAD.

Fees : 

• Load fee instore, but free via Travelex website or app.
• Reload fee instore or via BPay, but free via Travelex website or app.
• Closure fee and monthly inactivity fee (if not used for 12 months).

Travel Money Oz Currency Pass

Travel Money Oz Currency Pass (Mastercard)

The Travel Money Group is owned by Flight Centre and is a foreign exchange retailer. 

• Reloading the card via an online bank transfer or instore is free, but there's a fee if you reload via BPay, debit card or credit card. 
• Cash out (closure) fee. 

Travel money card tips

• Make sure the card allows the currencies you'll need, and also consider stopovers. For example, the South African rand is only supported by the Westpac card.
• Try to load your card with the right currencies and amounts on days with good exchange rates. 
• Make sure you know how to reload your card if you run out of funds while overseas.
• It may be more convenient to choose a card that has an app that can be linked to your bank account.
• Avoid loading more money than you'll need as there may be fees and exchange rate margins to get the unused money back.
• Remember to cancel the card once you're finished your trip, especially if it has inactivity fees.
• Be mindful that you still may need a credit card, as travel money cards may not be accepted as security for hotels and car rental agencies. 

Stock images:  Getty, unless otherwise stated.

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Japan Travel Money Guide

We’ve rounded up the basics of using cash, travel cards, credit and debit cards, as well as currency exchange and average travel costs in our Japan travel money guide.

What is Japan’s Currency?

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Best credit cards for japan travel [2024]: enhance your trip.

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For stress-free earning and valuable rewards to help cover a Japan trip, we recommend a card with a simple rewards rate like the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

If you want to take advantage of multiple perks and benefits to enhance your travel experience, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card and The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Let’s explore the best credit cards for Japan travel to see which one is the best fit for you.

Key takeaways

The 7 best credit cards for japan travel, compare the best credit cards for japan travel, how to choose the best credit card for traveling in japan, best credit cards for japan travel: bottom line, methodology.

• The best travel credit card for Japan depends on your spending habits and travel preferences. We find that it’s hard to go wrong with a low-stress no-annual-fee card that earns valuable rewards. But cards with annual fees tend to have more benefits, which could include premium perks for traveling like airport lounge access.
• The Wells Fargo Autograph has a $0 annual fee and provides elevated rewards in multiple everyday categories. You can earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans; plus earn 1X points on other purchases.
• The Capital One Venture Rewards has a $95 annual fee and provides a no-hassle rewards rate for earning miles. You can earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25.
• The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee and makes it easy to get more value from your travel redemptions. Cardholders receive a 25% bonus for travel redemptions made through Chase Travel℠.
• The Platinum Card from American Express has a $ 695 annual fee and provides some of the most extensive airport lounge access available as well as loads of other premium travel benefits (select benefits require enrollment).

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Bilt mastercard ®, bank of america ® travel rewards credit card, chase sapphire preferred ® card, capital one venture rewards credit card, citi premier ® card, the platinum card ® from american express.

• $0 annual fee
• No foreign transaction fees
• No premium travel benefits

The Wells Fargo Autograph is an excellent option for earning travel rewards on everyday purchases.

Why we like Wells Fargo Autograph

It has a $0 annual fee, and you can earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans; plus earn 1X points on other purchases.

This type of earning rate makes it easy to rack up points on purchases you were already planning on making, such as buying gas or eating out.

In addition, you don’t have to worry about paying foreign transaction fees in other countries. And you can take advantage of flexible redemption options. This may soon include transfers to travel partners, a feature that Wells Fargo stated that it plans to add in 2024.

What we don’t like about Wells Fargo Autograph

It doesn’t have any premium travel benefits, such as airport lounge access or an annual travel credit.

Read our Wells Fargo Autograph Card review for more details.

• Transfer partners
• Must use the card five times per statement period to earn points

The Bilt Mastercard makes it easy to earn rewards on rent and everyday purchases.

Why we like Bilt Mastercard

It has a $0 annual fee and you can earn 3X points on dining, 2X points on travel, up to 1X points on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year), and 1X points on other purchases; must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points.

The Bilt Mastercard is an amazing option for renters because it can help you earn rewards on rent without paying a transaction fee. You also don’t have to pay foreign transaction fees on applicable purchases.

Even better, you can transfer any points you earn to travel partners, including American Airlines AAdvantage and World of Hyatt. These are generally more unique transfer partners that can provide valuable redemption options for Japan travel.

For example, you can use AAdvantage miles to book one-way or roundtrip flights to Japan with Japan Airlines (JAL). And you can use Hyatt points to book award nights at Hyatt properties in multiple Japanese cities, including Tokyo, Kyoto, and Fukuoka.

What we don’t like about Bilt Mastercard

You won’t earn any points if you don’t use your card at least five times each statement period. Fortunately, any type of eligible transaction, even if it’s small, should count toward the five transactions.

Read our Bilt Mastercard review for more details.

• Simple rewards rate

The Bank of America Travel Rewards provides a simple way to earn travel rewards on all eligible purchases.

Why we like Bank of America Travel Rewards

It has a $0 annual fee, and you can earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases. With this type of rewards rate, you don’t have to worry about bonus categories. You can carry a single card in your wallet rather than multiple ones.

In addition, the Bank of America Travel Rewards doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

What we don’t like about Bank of America Travel Rewards

You can’t take advantage of premium travel benefits like airport lounge access or any type of travel-related credit.

Read our Bank of America Travel Rewards review for more details.

• 25% travel redemption bonus through Chase Travel℠
• Up to $50 in statement credits each anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠
• $95 annual fee

The Chase Sapphire Preferred provides loads of useful travel benefits for visiting Japan as well as other countries.

Why we like Chase Sapphire Preferred

With the Sapphire Preferred, you have no foreign transaction fees. You can earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.

If you want to use points to travel to Japan, you can redeem them through Chase Travel℠ for a 25% bonus. That means 10,000 points would be worth $125 toward travel.

You can also transfer points to travel partner loyalty programs, including United MileagePlus, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

As an added bonus, cardholders can enjoy up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary for any hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠. That’s an easy way to quickly discount some of your lodging.

What we don’t like about Chase Sapphire Preferred

This credit card doesn’t have many downsides. But you have to pay a $95 annual fee as a cardmember.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred review for more details.

• Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® every four years

The Capital One Venture Rewards provides a super simple way to earn valuable travel rewards on eligible purchases.

Why we like Capital One Venture Rewards

The Venture Rewards has no foreign transaction fees and you can earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25.

This type of earning rate makes it easy to earn elevated rewards on all eligible purchases rather than relying on specific bonus categories.

In addition, the Venture Rewards provides these travel benefits.

• Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Transfers to travel partners, such as British Airways, Choice Hotels, and Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles)
• Two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges

What we don’t like about Capital One Venture Rewards

Cardholders have to pay a $95 annual fee.

Read our Capital One Venture Rewards Card review for more details.

• $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more through thankyou.com

The Citi Premier provides access to valuable transfer partners and elevated earning potential for everyday spending categories.

Why we like Citi Premier

You don’t have to pay foreign transaction fees, and you can earn 3X points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels; and 1X points on all other purchases. Not many cards offer that much earning potential on everyday purchases.

The Citi Premier also has a unique benefit of providing $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) through thankyou.com once each calendar year. If you’re planning on staying at one hotel for a few nights or more in Japan, this benefit could come in handy.

You can redeem your points for travel at thankyou.com or transfer them to travel partners, including Cathay Pacific, Choice Privileges, and EVA Air.

What we don’t like about Citi Premier

You have to pay a $95 annual fee each year as a cardmember.

Read our Citi Premier Card review for more details.

• Loads of credits and travel benefits
• Complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges
• (Select benefits require enrollment)
• $ 695 annual fee (terms apply)

The Amex Platinum makes sense if you want a luxury travel card with premium benefits.

Why we like The Platinum Card from American Express

It doesn’t have foreign transaction fees. Additionally, you can earn 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

The Amex Platinum also provides plenty of travel benefits and perks. Some valuable benefits for travel to Japan include:

• Complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges, including Centurion and Priority Pass lounges.
• Up to $200 airline fee credit per calendar year.
• Up to $189 CLEAR Plus credit per calendar year.
• Up to $100 Global Entry credit every four years or up to $85 TSA PreCheck® credit every 4.5 years.

Keep in mind that select benefits require enrollment.

You can redeem your Amex Membership Rewards points for travel through amextravel.com or transfer your points to partners like ANA Mileage Club, Air Canada Aeroplan, and Delta SkyMiles.

What we don’t like about The Platinum Card from American Express

Cardholders pay a high $ 695 annual fee.

Read our American Express Platinum review for more details.

Consider these factors to help you find the best credit card for you if you want to travel to Japan.

The best travel credit cards have rewards programs that offer points or bonus miles for making eligible purchases. Many cards will also provide a welcome bonus or sign-up bonus that new card members can earn within a few months of account opening.

Cash back credit cards can also be used to help cover travel expenses, but they typically lack travel benefits.

Depending on your spending habits, you might want a card with a simple rewards rate or one that has bonus categories.

A simple rewards rate makes it easy to earn elevated rewards on all purchases, regardless of the category. A card with bonus categories provides additional rewards on specific types of purchases, such as gas, travel, or groceries.

2. Redemption options

If you want to travel to Japan, you likely want a card with travel redemption options. That could include:

• Travel portal redemptions: Redeem rewards with a travel portal for flights, hotel stays, rental cars, and experiences.
• Transfer partner redemptions: Transfer points to a hotel or airline travel partner where you plan to use points for a flight or hotel stay.

Cards with multiple travel-related redemption options are considered more flexible.

3. Perks and benefits

Travel benefits can come in all shapes and sizes, but here are a few to look for.

• Airport lounge access: If you’re going to Japan, there’s definitely an airport involved. Having airport lounge access can make all the difference in enhancing your airport experience.
• Trusted traveler membership credit: Being a TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry, or CLEAR Plus member is considered essential for frequent travelers. But these memberships can also make sense for occasional travelers who want to avoid some of the hassles of airport screening processes.
• Travel credit: Different travel cards have different types of travel credit. We prefer a credit that covers any eligible travel purchase because of the flexibility. But other types of credits can also easily be used.
• Travel insurance: Many card issuers work with different providers to offer credit card travel insurance. This could include trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage coverage, car rental insurance, and more.

4. Foreign transaction fees

Major credit cards are widely accepted in Japan, so be sure to carry a Visa or Mastercard (or both) in your wallet. As an added measure, make sure your credit card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

Paying around 3% extra for every credit card transaction may seem small, but it can add up quickly as you make more purchases.

5. Annual fee

Credit cards with annual fees tend to have more benefits to justify the cost. So you have to determine whether you’ll get enough use from a card’s benefits to offset the annual fee.

If you don’t think you will, consider applying for a no-annual-fee credit card .

6. Credit requirements

You typically need a good or excellent credit score to qualify for top travel credit cards. But you’ll discover that most card issuers consider more factors beyond your credit score. These could include your total debt, annual income, past credit history, and more.

Is it easy to pay with a credit card in Japan?

Japan is a cash-heavy society, but major credit cards are still accepted in larger cities, stores, and restaurants. If you plan to travel off the beaten path or visit a smaller establishment, it makes sense to have some local currency on hand to make necessary purchases.

Can I withdraw cash from my credit card while traveling in Japan?

Yes, but it’s not a good idea because credit card companies typically charge cash advance fees for cash withdrawals. A better option is to use a debit card with no international ATM fees for a quick way to get some local cash.

Should I buy yen before going on a trip to Japan?

It’s not necessary to have yen before arriving in Japan, but it could make sense to purchase some beforehand if there’s a favorable exchange rate. However, major credit card networks like Visa and Mastercard are commonly accepted throughout the country. Just make sure you have a credit card with no foreign transaction fees .

We recommend different cards for Japan travel depending on your spending habits, travel preferences, and personal finance goals.

If you want cards with simple rewards rates, consider the Bank of America Travel Rewards and Capital One Venture Rewards. For cards with increased travel benefits, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Amex Platinum cards.

For more of our top recommendations, compare credit cards to find the right card offer for you.

To identify the best credit card for Japan travel, we considered various credit cards based on their rewards, benefits, and perks for travel purchases or other related expenses abroad (including in Japan, of course).

We also considered factors such as foreign transaction fees, annual fees, and acceptance when using each card abroad. We selected a range of credit cards that cater to different needs and preferences, but keep in mind that our list doesn’t include all available options and isn’t ranked in any specific order. Our goal is to provide a variety of options that can help travelers to Japan research their options and find ways to earn rewards on their travel expenses.

Easy-to-Earn Unlimited Rewards

Card Details

Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases

• Earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases
• Longer intro APR on qualifying purchases and balance transfers
• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

on Bank of America’s secure website

Intro Offer

Why we like it

The Bank of America ® Travel Rewards credit card is great for individuals who enjoy earning rewards and traveling.

Cardholders will enjoy the flexibility to redeem points with no blackout dates and receive a statement credit to pay for travel and dining purchases.

Earn 1.5X points on all purchases everywhere, every time.

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The 6 Best Travel Money Cards for Japan

If you’re off to Japan from Malaysia, a travel money card can make it cheaper and more convenient to spend and withdraw cash when you’re away. You’ll be able to pick from different types of travel money cards, including travel debit cards, prepaid travel cards and travel credit cards, depending on how you like to spend, budget and manage your money.

Read on for all you need to know, including a closer look at travel money card types, some great options to consider, and the sorts of fees you need to think about when you choose.

Wise – good value debit card for Japan

Before we get into details about different travel money card options, let’s start with the Wise card as a good all-round option that allows you to hold and spend in JPY, as well as a diverse range of other world currencies.

Wise accounts have the flexibility to hold and exchange more than 40 currencies, plus you can get a linked Wise card for a one-time delivery fee. You can either top up your account in ringgit and switch to JPY before you travel, or you can let the card automatically switch currencies as required. As soon as you order your physical Wise card, you can also create a Wise virtual card , which means there’s no need to wait to spend - just add your virtual card to a wallet like Apple Pay and you’re good to go.

Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate for currency conversion, with fees from as low as 0.43%. You can also get MYR bank account details, as well as local account details for up to 9+ other currencies, to receive convenient payments to your Wise account .

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using the Wise travel money debit card, to help you decide if it's suitable for you.

Quick summary: Best travel cards for Japan

You’ll be able to pick from a range of travel cards for Japan - the right one for you will depend on your personal preference and spending style. This guide is here to help you choose, with reviews of 2 of our favorite travel money cards from each category to help you compare. Here’s what we’ll be looking at:

Wise travel debit card : Hold 40+ currencies including JPY, with no ongoing fees, and spend with the mid-market exchange rate with no foreign transaction fee and low conversion costs from 0.43%

BigPay travel debit card: Top up in MYR and spend with a 1% foreign transaction fee, while earning AirAsia points

Enrich Money prepaid travel card: Hold and spend 20 currencies including JPY, and earn rewards in partnership with Malaysian Airlines as you do

Aeon prepaid travel card: Spend internationally with a low 1% foreign transaction fee, get rewards with Aeon partner merchants, and free ATM withdrawals at Aeon ATMs

RHB Visa Signature travel credit card: Get travel insurance, lounge access, 2% cash back on international spending, with a 1% foreign transaction fee

Maybank Visa Signature travel credit card:  5x rewards on overseas spending, access to fast track immigration clearance at airports, and to the Visa concierge service - 2.25% foreign transaction fee applies

6 travel money cards for Japan compared

Before we get into details about the cards we’ve picked out as worth comparing, let’s get a quick overview. Here’ve we’ll line up each of our 6 top travel money cards side by side based on key features and fees - there’s lots more information coming up, too:

It’s useful to note that each card has been designed with specific customer needs in mind. Usually that means that travel debit cards are fairly cheap to use, while travel credit cards may have fees - but also often come with perks like cashback or rewards.

Travel debit cards are also handy if you’re on a fixed budget. Just top up your account with the amount you need -  and there’s no credit line, so you can’t overspend by accident. Travel credit cards on the other hand let you spend to your card limit, and then repay the amount over a few months if you’d prefer to. Which is best for you will come down to how you like to manage your money - we’ll dive into a few more details about each card type, next.

What is a travel money card?

A travel money card looks and works pretty much like any other payment card. You’ll be able to make payments with the card, or by linking the card to a mobile wallet like Apple Pay, shop online, and make cash withdrawals.

Travel money cards have been optimised for people heading abroad, or spending in foreign currencies online. That can mean your card gets you a better exchange rate or no foreign transaction fees for example. Or, you might find you can earn cashback and rewards when you spend overseas. As each card is designed with its own specific features, you’ll be able to weigh up a few to pick the one that suits you best. This guide covers all you need to know.

What are different types of travel cards?

In Malaysia, customers are able to select a travel money card from either a bank or a specialist provider, which may be a travel debit card, travel prepaid card or a travel credit card. We’ll walk through what each travel money card type is, and pick out a couple of good card options, so you can compare and choose.

1. Travel debit cards

2. Travel prepaid cards

3. Travel credit cards

1. Travel Debit Cards for the US

Travel debit cards are usually offered by specialist providers, with linked digital accounts you can use to hold and convert a currency balance. While different cards have their own features, travel debit cards can usually be topped up easily online and through an app, with the option to see your balance and get transaction notifications through your phone too. That makes it easier to keep on top of your money, no matter where in the world you are.

Travel debit card Option 1: Wise

There’s no fee to open a Wise account , and just a small delivery fee for your Wise card, with no minimum balance and no monthly charge. You just pay low Wise fees from 0.43% when you convert currencies, and transparent ATM fees when you exhaust the monthly free transactions available with your account.

No fee to open a Wise account , no minimum balance requirement

13.7 MYR one time fee to get your Wise card

2 withdrawals, to 1,000 MYR value per month for free, then 5 MYR+ 1.75%

Hold JPY and 40+ other currencies, convert between them with the mid-market rate

Physical and virtual cards available

Get local account details to receive MYR, USD and 8+ other currencies conveniently

Read our full Wise card review to learn more.

Travel debit card option 2: BigPay

BigPay is a popular e-wallet and card available to residents of Malaysia. You can get your card for a one time fee, and also access a virtual card for online and mobile payments. You won’t be able to hold foreign currencies in your account, but your MYR balance is switched to the currency you need when you’re abroad using the network exchange rate and a low foreign transaction fee of around 1%.

Popular e-wallet with lots of other features like bill payment and remittance

No annual fee and no credit check

Virtual card available as well as physical card

Relatively low foreign transaction fee of up to 1% depending on payment type

Earn AirAsia points when you spend

Pros and cons of using debit travel cards in Japan

How much does a travel debit card cost.

Travel debit cards often have a fee for delivery or to upgrade from a virtual card to a physical card. As this is usually a one time charge a travel debit card can still present very good value if you travel frequently or use your card to shop online on an ongoing basis.

How to choose the best travel debit card for Japan?

There’s no single best travel debit card for Japan - it really all depends on your personal preferences and how you expect to transact. If you travel a lot you may prefer to get an account with mid-market currency exchange and a large selection of supported currencies as well as JPY and MYR, like Wise . On the other hand, BigPay is a popular local e-wallet and card, which has a fairly low 1% foreign transaction fee and other perks like help with budgeting and analysing your spending.

Is there a spending limit with a travel debit card in Japan?  

Most travel debit cards have limits for card use, which are set to make the card more secure. Limits may apply on the value of cash withdrawals or contactless payments for example, but in many cases you can view and change the default limits in the provider’s app.

ATM withdrawals with debit card in Japan

The costs of making ATM withdrawals does vary a lot based on the card you pick. Some - like Bigpay - have a flat fee, while others like Wise have a set limit for fee free withdrawals with low fees based on the withdrawal amount after that.

One important note on using an ATM in Japan in particular: look out for international ATMs to make sure your travel card will be accepted. In Japan not all ATMs can accept cards issued outside of Japan. You need to look out for one marked as international to make sure it’ll work for you with a Malaysian issued card. These are found relatively commonly - look out in Post Offices and 7Eleven stores for example.

2. Prepaid Travel Cards for Japan

With a prepaid travel card you’ll need to order a card and add funds, to pay merchants and make cash withdrawals. Prepaid travel cards are usually issued on large global networks - and can therefore be used pretty widely. Terms, conditions, features and fees do vary quite a bit, so compare a few before you pick

Prepaid travel card option 1: Enrich Money

The Enrich Money is issued by Malaysian Airlines in conjunction with Merchantrade, and allows you to top up conveniently in advance of spending globally. There are free top up options, and some which come with a fee - and once you have a balance in ringgit you can exchange it to the currency you need, from the selection of 20 supported currencies including JPY. You’ll earn rewards as you spend which you can convert to balance to spend with no foreign transaction fee to spend in supported currencies when you’re abroad.

Hold and spend 20 popular global and regional currencies including JPY

Visa network for easy spending and withdrawals

Manage your card in an app for ease and earn rewards you can convert to cash back

1.75% fee to spend an unsupported currency

Annual and card issuance fees apply, as well as a refundable deposit

Prepaid travel card option 2: Aeon Prepaid Mastercard

The Aeon Prepaid Mastercard can be used at home and abroad anywhere you see the Mastercard logo. You can top up in a variety of ways, including using cash at an Aeon location - fees may apply depending on the method you use to load funds. Once you have money on your card, you can also get extra benefits when you shop with Aeon partner merchants, and free ATM withdrawals at Aeon ATMs.

No annual fee and no minimum income requirement

Spend anywhere Mastercard is accepted

Relatively low 1% foreign transaction fee

Get discounts and rewards with partner merchants

Safe and convenient to use

Pros and cons of using prepaid travel cards in Japan

How much does a prepaid card cost.

Prepaid travel card costs do vary based on the provider you pick. You’ll need to Double check the terms of the card you prefer so you know what to expect. Bear in mind also that there can be a few different fees to consider - including some upfront one off costs, and some which are recurring. The Enrich card for example, has an issuance fee, an annual fee and a returnable deposit that you’ll need to pay upfront.

How to choose the best travel prepaid card for Japan?

The best travel prepaid card for Japan for you will depend entirely on your personal preference and what’s important to you. Enrich Money may be the natural choice if you use Malaysian Airlines a lot and want to hold a multi-currency balance for spending while earning rewards. The Aeon prepaid card is also a good bet with great global acceptance and no fees to make local ATM withdrawals when you’re in an Aeon location.

Prepaid travel card spending limit

To spend with a prepaid travel card you’ll first need to add money. Once you have a balance you can spend up to the amount loaded on the card - although there can be card limits for spending and withdrawals, which are set for security reasons. You’ll need to check your card’s terms and conditions carefully to make sure you pick a provider which suits your needs.

ATM withdrawals with prepaid cards in Japan

Prepaid travel cards may charge a fee when you make an out of network or international ATM withdrawal. It’s common to find there are some options for fee free local withdrawals in Malaysia, but costs of about 10 MYR are often added when you’re overseas.

Limits may also apply to how much or how often you can withdraw. For the Enrich card as an example, you can make up to 5 withdrawals to the value of 5,000 per day.

3. Travel Credit Cards for Japan

Travel credit cards are similar to any other credit card, but with more international features, such as low or no foreign transaction fees or extra options to earn rewards when you’re abroad. In general, travel credit cards are safe and convenient but can be more expensive compared to using a debit card option. Before you select the right card for you it’s important to check the fees, rates, eligibility rules and interest rates which apply, so you can make sure it’s a good fit for you.

Travel credit card option 1: RHB Visa Signature

The RHB Signature credit card lets you earn cash back on spending, with a tiered system which rewards more the more you spend. Local spending can attract up to 6% cash back, while you’ll also get up to 2% cash back when you’re spending in Japan. There’s no annual fee to pay with this card, and a relatively low 1% foreign transaction fee, which may make it an attractive pick for your next trip overseas.

Up to 2% cash back on foreign currency spending

80,000 MYR minimum annual income required

Free lounge access 5x per year, and discounts on additional lounge visits

Complimentary travel insurance

Variable interest rates which apply if you don’t pay off your bill in full

Travel credit card option 2: Maybank Visa Signature

The Maybank Visa Signature card is a premium card which has an annual fee of 550 MYR, but which offers 5x rewards on overseas spending, and lots of perks to make your trips abroad that bit easier. You’ll get access to fast track immigration clearance at airports, and can use the Visa concierge service for extra help when you need it - just bear in mind that the foreign transaction fee can be up to 2.25% which is on the higher side.

Annual fee waived in year one, then 550 MYR annually

5x Treats points for overseas spending, plus rewards when you spend at home

70,000 MYR to 100,000 MYR minimum income required

Airport speed pass to give you fast track immigration clearance in hundreds of airports

Travel insurance coverage and concierge services available

Pros and cons of using credit cards in Japan

How much does a travel credit card cost.

The fees for your travel credit card can include several different charges - an annual fee, interest costs and penalties if you don’t pay on time for example. You can find some travel credit cards with no annual fee, but others which have more premium benefits are likely to have high fees so read the terms and conditions carefully before you choose.

How to choose the best travel credit card for Japan?

Doing some research is the only way to pick the best travel credit card for Japan for your own specific needs and preferences. Before you choose, make sure you weigh up the potential fees you’ll need to pay against the benefits and rewards you can earn to make sure it’s worthwhile, and bear in mind that you’ll run into interest charges if you don’t clear down your bill every month, too.

Travel credit card spending limit

Your travel credit card spending limit will vary depending on the issuer’s policy. You’ll be notified of the details for your card when your application is approved.

ATM withdrawals

ATM withdrawals made with a travel credit card will usually mean paying a cash advance fee of around 5% of the withdrawal value, and immediate interest. Interest is likely to be set at the top end of the range that applies to your card - often about 18%.

How much money do I need in Japan?

Japan isn’t known as a cheap place to go on a trip. However, there are lots of options for accommodation - which is always one of the biggest costs of any holiday - and food can be fairly reasonable too. All in all, that means you’ll be able to sort out a perfect itinerary based on your budget, with a bit of advance research.

Details correct at time of writing - 10th January 2024

Do some detailed research to see how much things are likely to cost based on your plans and where you’re headed, so you can set your budget. Get more detailed cost information by city, from Numbeo.com .

Conclusion: Which travel money card is best for Japan?

Using a travel card when you go to Japan can be a good way to spend and make cash withdrawals with lower overall costs. Different cards have their own features, but in all cases you’ll be able to tap and pay and make cash withdrawals in JPY just like you would at home.

As the features and fees of different cards can vary a lot, you’ll want to compare a few before you pick the right one for you. You could opt for a low cost travel debit card which comes with a linked account to hold a selection of currencies - like the Wise account . Or try a popular prepaid travel card like the Enrich card which lets you spend and earn rewards with Malaysian Airlines. Finally, if you’d prefer to spread the costs of your trip over a few months and don’t mind paying extra to do so, travel credit cards from major banks like RHB and Maybank are worth a look, for reward earning opportunities and easy ways to spend now and pay later.

FAQs - Best travel cards for Japan

Can you withdraw cash with a credit card in japan.

You can withdraw cash with a credit card in Japan at any ATM that’s marked as international, and where your card’s network is accepted. Fees may apply, including cash advance and interest charges, and extra costs added by the ATM operator. Using a travel debit card, such as the Wise card, which has some fee free ATM withdrawals every month, can often be cheaper than using a credit card. For international ATMs look out at Japanese Post Office locations and in 7Eleven convenience stores.

Can I use a debit card in Japan?

Yes. Debit cards are widely accepted in Japan for spending in stores and restaurants, and for making cash withdrawals. Just look out for the card network symbol displayed by the checkout or on the ATM you’re thinking of using. Again, bear in mind that you’ll need an ATM marked as international to be sure your card can be accepted.

Are prepaid cards safe?

Prepaid cards are safe to use when you travel as your travel money is held separately to your bank account. That means that even if you’re unlucky enough to have your card stolen, thieves can’t access your main bank account. Plus, you’ll be able to make cheap or free ATM withdrawals as you travel, so you don’t have to carry around too much cash at any one time.

What is the best way to pay when travelling in Japan?

There’s no single best way to pay in Japan - card payments are often supported and can be convenient and secure. However, cash is still a popular payment option in Japan, so having some with you is a smart plan. Generally, in Japan and elsewhere, having a selection of payment methods on you, including a low cost travel debit, prepaid or credit card, as well as some cash, means you’ll always be able to pick the best option for the specific transaction type.

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4 Best Travel Cards for Japan

Getting an international travel card before you travel to Japan can make it cheaper and more convenient when you spend in Japanese Yen. You'll be able to easily top up your card in CAD before you leave Canada, to convert seamlessly to JPY for secure and flexible spending and withdrawals.

This guide walks through our picks of the 4 best travel cards available for anyone from Canada heading to Japan, like Wise, BMO or KOHO. We'll walk through a head to head comparison, and a detailed look at their features, benefits and drawbacks.

4 best travel money cards for Japan:

Let's kick off our roundup of the best travel cards for Japan with a head to head comparison on important features. Here's an overview of the providers we've picked to look at, for customers looking for ways to spend conveniently overseas when travelling from Canada:

Each of the international travel cards we’ve picked out have their own features and fees, which may mean they suit different customer needs. Keep reading to learn more about the features, advantages and disadvantages of each - plus a look at how to order the travel card of your choice before you head off to Japan.

Wise travel card

Open a Wise account online or in the Wise app, to order a Wise travel card you can use for convenient spending and withdrawals in Japan. Wise accounts can hold 40+ currencies, so you can top up in CAD easily from your bank or using your card. Whenever you travel, to Japan or beyond, you’ll have the option to convert to the currency you need in advance if it’s supported for holding a balance, or simply let the card do the conversion at the point of payment.

In either case you’ll get the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees whenever you spend in JPY, plus some free ATM withdrawals every month - perfect if you’re looking for easy ways to arrange your travel cash.

Wise features

Wise travel card pros and cons.

• Hold and exchange 40+ currencies with the mid-market rate
• Spend seamlessly in JPY when you travel
• Some free ATM withdrawals every month, for those times only cash will do
• Ways to receive payments to your Wise account conveniently
• Manage your account and card from your phone
• ATM fees apply once you've exhausted your monthly free withdrawals
• Physical cards may take 14 days to arrive (you can use your virtual card right away)

How to apply for a Wise card

Here’s how to apply for a Wise account and order a Wise  travel card in Canada:

Open the Wise app or desktop site

Select Register and confirm you want to open a personal account

Register with your email, Facebook, Apple or Google ID

Upload your ID document to complete the verification step

Tap the Cards tab to order your card

Confirm your mailing address, and your card will be on the way, and should arrive in 14 days

BMO travel card

If you’re looking for a card from a major bank for spending in Japan, you may be considering BMO. There are a few different card options which may appeal to travellers, including a prepaid card which allows you to top up in CAD and spend in JPY with a foreign transaction fee. This is a useful product when overseas as it’s not linked to your normal bank account - but the fees do push up costs overall.

Alternatively, check out the BMO credit card options - these are helpful if you want to spread the costs of your travel over a few months, but can also come with their own fees and charges.

BMO features

Bmo travel card pros and cons.

• Selection of cards including credit and prepaid options
• Not linked to your everyday account which can be more secure when spending overseas
• Various perks available depending on the card you pick
• Full range of banking services available
• 2.5% foreign transaction fee for prepaid card
• 6.95 CAD annual fee for prepaid card - credit cards are also likely to have an annual fee
• ATM fees and cash advance charges apply

How to apply for a BMO card

Here’s how to apply for a BMO account and order a travel card in Canada:

Visit the BMO website or app

Select the card you want - for a prepaid Mastercard there’s no credit check, spo ordering is quick and easy

Tap Apply now and complete the details as prompted

Pay any annual fee required

Your card will be mailed to you

CIBC travel card

CIBC has a prepaid Visa card you can use for spending conveniently in Japan if you’d like to get a card that’s not linked to your normal bank account. You can even pick your card up at the airport, add some money in CAD and either convert to the currency you want in advance, or pay a foreign transaction fee of 2.5% when spending.

There are also lots of options for CIBC credit cards you could use for secure spending in JPY, which can be handy if you’d like to spread the costs of your trip over a few months and don’t mind paying interest on your balance while you do so.

CIBC features

Cibc travel card pros and cons.

• Hold 10 currencies on the prepaid card - credit cards are also available
• Collect your prepaid card easily at the airport
• Cards are accepted anywhere you see the Visa logo
• Lots of other services available if you want a full bank account
• Prepaid cards have a 2.5% fee when spending a currency you don't hold
• ATM fees apply
• Exchange rate markups may apply when you add a foreign currency balance

How to apply for a CIBC card

You can apply for a CIBC account and order a travel card in Canada online, or as you pass through Pearson airport. You don’t have to be an existing CIBC customer to get a card - bear in mind that delivery fees apply if you order online.

KOHO travel card

KOHO has several different cards which could be handy for spending in Japan. There are basic KOHO card options which have a foreign transaction fee of 1.5%, or you can choose to upgrade to a card with a monthly fee which may mean your foreign transaction fee is either waived or reduced. You’ll need to top up a balance in CAD, and there’s no option to switch over to JPY before you travel - but you can easily keep an eye on all your transactions and the applied exchange rates in the KOHO app.

KOHO features

Koho travel card pros and cons.

• Various cards available depending on your needs
• Widely accepted
• Some accounts offer extra perks like no foreign transaction fee or cash back
• Virtual cards available
• 1.5% foreign transaction fee for the basic card
• ATM fees apply when overseas, which vary depending on the ATM operator
• Some accounts have monthly fees

How to apply for a KOHO card

Here’s how to apply for a KOHO account and order a travel card in Canada:

Visit the KOHO website or app

Select the card you want to apply for

Tap Open account and complete the details as prompted

Your card will be mailed to you once your account has been verified and any required fee has been settled

What is a travel money card?

A travel money card is a card you can use for secure and convenient payments and withdrawals overseas.

You can use a travel money card to tap and pay in stores and restaurants, with a wallet like Apple Pay, or to make ATM withdrawals so you'll always have a bit of cash in your pocket when you travel.

Although there are lots of different travel money cards on the market, all of which are unique, one similarity you'll spot is that the features and fees have always been optimised for international use. That might mean you get a better exchange rate compared to using your normal card overseas, or that you run into fewer fees for common international transactions like ATM withdrawals.

Travel money cards also offer distinct benefits when it comes to security. Your travel money card isn't linked to your Canadian dollar everyday account, so even if you were unlucky and had your card stolen, your primary bank account remains secure.

Travel money vs prepaid card vs travel credit card

It's helpful to know that you'll be able to pick from several different types of travel cards, depending on your priorities and preferences. Travel cards commonly include:

• Travel debit cards
• Travel prepaid cards
• Travel credit cards

They all have distinct benefits when you head off to Japan or elsewhere in the world, but they do work a bit differently.

Travel debit and prepaid cards are usually linked to an online account, and may come from specialist digital providers - like the Wise card. These cards are usually flexible and cheap to use. You'll be able to manage your account and card through an app, although you can also often add money in person by visiting a branch, if the card provider has in-person branches.

Travel credit cards are different and may suit different customer needs. As with any other credit card, you may need to pay an annual fee or interest and penalties depending on how you manage your account - but you could also earn extra rewards when spending in a foreign currency, or travel benefits like free insurance for example. Generally using a travel credit card can be more expensive compared to a debit or prepaid card - but it does let you spread out the costs of your travel across several months if you'd like to and don't mind paying interest to do so.

What is a prepaid travel money card best for?

Let's take a look at the advantages of using a prepaid travel money card for travellers going to Japan. While each travel card is a little different, you'll usually find some or all of the following benefits:

• Hold and exchange foreign currencies - allowing you to lock in exchange rates and set a travel budget before you leave
• Convenient for spending in person and through mobile wallets like Apple Pay, as well as for cash withdrawals
• You may find you get a better exchange rate compared to your bank - and you'll usually be able to avoid any foreign transaction fee, too
• Travel cards are secure as they're not linked to your everyday CAD account - and because you can make ATM withdrawals when you need to, you can also avoid carrying too much cash at once

Overall, travel cards offer flexible and low cost ways to avoid bank foreign transaction and international ATM fees, while accessing decent exchange rates.

How to choose the best travel card for Japan

We've picked out 4 great travel cards available in Canada - but there are also more options available, which can make choosing a daunting task. Some things to consider when picking a travel card for Japan include:

• What exchange rates does the card use? Choosing one with the mid-market rate or as close as possible to it is usually a smart plan
• What fees are unavoidable? For example, ATM charges or top up fees for your preferred top up methods
• Does the card support a good range of currencies? Getting a card which allows you to hold and spend in JPY can give you the most flexibility, but it's also a good idea to pick a card with lots of currency options, so you can use it again in future, too
• Are there any other charges? Check in particular for foreign transaction fees, local ATM withdrawal fees, inactivity fees and account close fees

Ultimately the right card for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences. If you're looking for a low cost card with the mid-market rate, which you can use in 150+ countries, the Wise card may be a good fit. If you'd prefer to pay a monthly fee to get higher no-fee transaction limits, take a look at Wise. And if you need to get a card in a hurry, check out a travel card from a provider with a physical branch network, or your high-street bank.

What makes a good travel card for Japan

The best travel debit card for Japan really depends on your personal preferences and how you like to manage your money.

Overall, it pays to look for a card which lets you minimise fees and access favourable exchange rates - ideally the mid-market rate. While currency exchange rates do change all the time, the mid-market rate is a good benchmark to use as it’s the one available to banks when trading on wholesale markets. Getting this rate, with transparent conversion fees, makes it easier to compare costs and see exactly what you’re paying when you spend in JPY.

Other features and benefits to look out for include low ATM withdrawal fees, complimentary travel insurance, airport lounge access or emergency cash if your card is stolen. It’s also important to look into the security features of any travel card you might pick for Japan. Look for a card which uses 2 factor authentication when accessing the account app, which allows you to set instant transaction notifications, and which has easy ways to freeze, unfreeze and cancel your card with your phone.

When you head off to Japan you can expect to find you’ll be able to use your card a lot - but not always. Some merchants still prefer cash payments - so choosing a card which is easy to pay with, but which also has simple and low cost ways to make ATM withdrawals should mean you’re covered no matter what happens

Ways to pay in Japan

Cash and card payments - including contactless, mobile wallet, debit, credit and prepaid card payments - are the most popular ways to pay globally.

In Japan card payments are common in most situations. You’ll be able to make Chip and PIN or contactless payments or use your favourite mobile wallet like Apple Pay to tap and pay on the go. It’s still worth having a little cash on you just in case - and for the odd situations where cash is more convenient, such as when tipping or buying a small item in a market.

Which countries use JPY?

You’ll find that JPY can only be used in Japan. If you don’t travel to Japan frequently it’s worth thinking carefully about how much to exchange so you’re not left with extra foreign currency after your trip. Or pick a travel card from a provider like Wise or KOHO which lets you leave your money in CAD and convert at the point of payment with no penalty.

What should you be aware of when travelling to Japan

You’re sure to have a great time in Japan - but whenever you’re travelling abroad it's worth putting in a little advance thought to make sure everything is organised and your trip goes smoothly. Here are a few things to think about:

1. Double check the latest entry requirements and visas - rules can change abruptly, so even if you’re been to Japan before it’s worth looking up the most recent entry requirements so you don’t have any hassle on the border

2. Plan your currency exchange and payment methods - you can change CAD to JPY before you travel to Japan if you’d like to, but as card payments are common, and ATMs widely available, you can actually leave it until you arrive to get everything sorted as long as you have a travel money card. Top up your travel money card in CAD and either exchange to JPY in advance or at the point of payment, and make ATM withdrawals whenever you need cash. Bear in mind that currency exchange at the airport will be expensive - so hold on until you reach Japan to make an ATM withdrawal in JPY if you can.

3. Get clued up on any health or safety concerns - get travel insurance before you leave Canada so you have peace of mind. It’s also worth reading up on any common scams or issues experienced by tourists. These tend to change over time, but may include things like rip off taxis or tour agents which don’t offer fair prices or adequate services.

Conclusion - Best travel cards for Japan

Ultimately the best travel card for your trip to Japan will depend on how you like to manage your money. Use this guide to get some insights into the most popular options out there, and to decide which may suit your specific needs.

FAQ - best travel cards for Japan

When you use a travel money card you may find there’s an ATM withdrawal fee from your card issuer, and there may also be a cost applied by the ATM operator. Some of our travel cards - like the Wise card - have some no fee ATM withdrawals every month, which can help keep down costs.

Travel money cards may be debit, prepaid or credit cards. Which is best for you will depend on your personal preferences. Debit and prepaid cards are usually pretty cheap and secure to spend with, while credit cards may have higher fees but often come with extra perks like free travel insurance and extra reward points.

There’s no single best prepaid card for international use. Look out for one which supports a large range of currencies, with good exchange rates and low fees. This guide can help you compare some popular options, including Wise, BMO or KOHO.

Yes, you can use your local debit card when you’re overseas. However, it’s common to find extra fees apply when spending in foreign currencies with a regular debit card. These can include foreign transaction fees and international ATM charges.

Usually having a selection of ways to pay - including a travel card, your credit or debit card, and some cash - is the best bet. That means that no matter what happens, you have an alternative payment method you can use conveniently.

Yes. Most travel debit cards have options to make ATM withdrawals. Check the fees that apply as card charges do vary a lot. Some cards have local and international fees on all withdrawals, while others like Wise let you make some no fee withdrawals monthly before a fee kicks in.

Both Visa and Mastercard are globally accepted. Look out for the logo on ATMs and payment terminals in Japan.

The cards you see on this page are ordered as follows:

For card providers that publish their exchange rates on their website, we used their CAD / JPY rate to calculate how much Japanese Yen you would receive when exchanging / spending $5,000 CAD. The card provider offering the most JPY is displayed at the top, the next highest below that, and so on.

The rates were collected at 15:54:21 GMT on 19 February 2024.

Below this we display card providers for which we could not verify their exchange rates. These are displayed in alphabetical order.

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Using a pre-paid IC card

An IC card will become your most treasured possession during your stay in Japan. Use it to transfer swiftly between train lines and hop onto waiting buses and boats with a minimum of fuss. You can also use it at a number of vending machines and convenience stores, some taxis and for other services.

Most regions have their own IC card—each adorned with a catchy name and cute character. These cards can be used nationwide and make travel and small purchases easier. Most IC cards require a security deposit of 500 yen when purchasing the card.

Research the many uses of IC Cards to help make your trip to Japan easier and more convenient.

NOTICE: Welcome Suica IC cards are sold only at Haneda Airport Terminal 3 Station as of December 2023 due to the global chip shortage.

• PASMO PASSPORT IC cards for short-term visitors to Japan will continue to be available at Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, and major stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
• Smartphone applications such as Mobile Suica and Mobile PASMO can continue to be used as usual through Apple Pay with iPhone 8 or later models, or Google Pay with some Android smartphones.
• Other IC cards being sold outside the Tokyo area such as ICOCA and TOICA will continue to be available in each region.
• Please refer to the official website for more information. https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/welcomesuica/welcomesuica.html

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The 5 Best Travel Cards for New Zealanders to use in Japan

Planning a trip to Japan? A travel card can make it easier and more convenient to spend internationally - and cut your costs, too. Pick the right travel card and you could get lower fees when you spend in a foreign currency, a better exchange rate, or rewards and benefits that help you do more.

Let’s dive into a deeper look at the best travel cards for New Zealanders to use in Japan.

• Wise - our pick for travel debit card for Japan 
• Travelex Money Card - prepaid card for Japan
• Cash Passport - prepaid card option for Japan

hotpoints® World Mastercard - travel rewards credit card for Japan

• American Express Airpoints Card - travel credit card option for Japan

Wise - our pick for travel debit card for Japan

If you’re thinking of a travel debit card to make spending in Japan easier, check out the Wise international debit card . You can open your Wise account online or with the Wise app , to hold and exchange 50+ currencies, including JPY easily and with the mid-market exchange rate.

There’s a one time fee of 14 NZD to get your Wise card , with no monthly charges, no inactivity fee and no minimum balance to worry about. Just top up in NZD, and either switch to JPY using the Wise app, or just let the card convert for you at the point of payment. In either case you’ll get the mid-market exchange rate and low fees from 0.43%.

Click here read more on how Wise works

Click here to see the full list of cards and how Wise compares

What are travel cards?

A travel money card is a card that’s been optimised for use when spending and making cash withdrawals while you’ve overseas.

Travel money cards include both debit cards or credit cards, with features and fees which can vary quite widely. If you’re in the market for a debit card for your next trip, you may benefit from a specialist card which lets you hold multiple currencies, with low fees and - often - no ongoing charges. If you’d like to spread the cost of your travel out over a few months you might prefer to get a travel credit card. In this case there may be fees or interest charges to pay, but some travel cards also offer opportunities to access rewards and travel perks like lounge access.

Whichever type of card suits your needs, you can use your travel card to tap and pay in stores when you’re overseas, and to make cash withdrawals in local currency wherever you are. Let’s look at some good cards to consider for your trip, next.

Related: Everything you need to know about International Debit Cards

4 travel money cards for Japan compared

To start off, let’s look at 4 different travel cards offered for New Zealanders, and some of the key fees you should know about. We’ll look at these cards in more detail later.

In general, travel debit cards can come with lower overall fees, while travel credit cards offer better reward earning opportunities. Which card is best for you will depend on your personal preferences and how you like to manage your money. We’ll walk through each of these cards in more detail in a moment, so you can see if any suit your needs.

What are the different types of travel cards?

The best choice for you depends on what you'll be using it for, whether that's taking out cash, making card purchases or transferring Japanese Yen to a local bank account.

Broadly speaking, you can split travel cards down into 3 different types - each of which have their own distinct features, advantages and drawbacks:

• Travel debit cards
• Prepaid travel cards
• Travel credit cards

Let's have a look at our top picks for the three best travel cards for New Zealanders heading to Japan.

Travel Debit Cards

Travel debit cards are generally offered through specialist online services, and linked to multi-currency accounts you can use to hold and exchange all the currencies you’ll need for your trip to Japan - and for future travel elsewhere, too. As a debit card you won’t need to worry about interest charges - just top up your account with the money you want to spend while you’re away, and use your card as you would at home, for convenient payments and withdrawals.

Debit cards offer the convenience of a credit card, but work differently. They draw money directly from your bank account when you make a purchase. It's designed for everyday money transactions and means that you're not accumulating debt.

A debit card could make it easier to stick to your travel budget, because you can't overdraw money from your account. Some travel debit cards also let you buy the currency you need for travel in advance, so you can convert when the rates are good, and hold a balance until you travel.

Generally, it makes sense to have the combination of a travel debit and travel credit card for safety, flexibility and convenience on your trip. That way you should always have easy access to JPY to pay your way while you’re in Japan.

Wise - travel debit card for Japan

The Wise travel debit card is linked to a multi-currency Wise account which can hold 50+ currencies - making it a great pick for your travel to Japan, and wherever else you might venture. Ordering a Wise card is easy and you can set up an account, get verified and add a balance all using nothing more than your phone. You’ll have access to a virtual card for online and mobile payments as soon as you’ve ordered your physical card, and your physical card will arrive in the post soon after.

Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate for all currency conversion, with low fees from 0.43%. There’s no foreign transaction fee to pay, and it’s free to spend any currency you have in your account - plus you’ll get some fee free ATM withdrawals every month for those times only cash will do.

• Hold and exchange 50+ currencies with the mid-market exchange rate
• Convert currencies in advance of travel, or let the card convert at the point of payment
• Free to spend any currency you hold in your account
• No ongoing charges, inactivity fees or minimum balance requirements
• Low, transparent fees based on how you use your card
• Variable currency conversion fees apply
• Some ATM charges apply once you’ve exhausted your fee free limits

Read our full Wise review

Prepaid Travel Cards

For prepaid cards, you're able to load the card with a set amount of money in the currencies you need. Ideally you do this before your trip, but often you can reload them as well.

Most prepaid travel cards allow for multiple currencies to be loaded onto the card. So it's important to know what currency you'll be using on your travels. Airlines also offer prepaid cards so the money you spend can earn you reward points.

With prepaid travel cards you need to be careful. They can have numerous fees and charges, which can make it more expensive than other options. But if you're organised and travelling to multiple cities a prepaid travel card is a good option.

Travelex Money card - prepaid card for Japan

The Travelex card can be used to hold, spend and withdraw 9 currencies, including JPY. That means you can top up your card in NZD and switch over to JPY easily before you travel. It’s useful to know that a conversion fee of 4% will apply if you don’t have the right balance to cover your spending while you’re in Japan.

The Travelex card has no ATM fee when you make a cash withdrawal, and it’s also handy because you can pick one up in minutes in a Travelex store. Just order online to get a travel card for next day collection, or call into a store with your ID and proof of address, to get one there and then.

• Supports 8 currencies you can manage and load online
• Order online or in person, or walk in and collect in a store 
• No Travelex international ATM fees and no transaction fees to spend currencies you hold
• Preferential foreign exchange fees when you convert currencies in your account 
• Fees apply if you reload the card in New Zealand dollars
• Inactivity fees apply
• 4% fee if you’re spending an unsupported currency, or if you don’t hold enough balance in the currency you’re using

Cash Passport - prepaid card for Japan

Order your Cash Passport before you travel, to hold, spend and withdraw 10 currencies, including JPY. Just add money to your card in NZD and switch over to JPY before you travel. If you don’t hold the balance you need for your overseas spending, a conversion fee of 5.95% will apply.

The Cash Passport is issued on the Mastercard network for global acceptance - and you can easily order your card online, or pick up in person through select retailers.

Pros and cons of using prepaid travel cards in Japan

• Order online or pick up in store, depending on your preference
• Add funds in NZD and convert to the currency you need in advance of travel
• Not linked to your normal NZD account, adding a layer of security
• You may be able to top up your account digitally while you’re away
• Multi-currency holding options
• Not all cards support all currencies - fees can apply when spending an unsupported currency
• Inactivity and top up fees can apply

How to choose the best travel prepaid card for Japan?

Travel prepaid cards can have foreign transaction fees when you spend in a currency you don’t hold in your account - either because your balance doesn’t cover the spending, or because the card can’t hold the specific currency. As these foreign transaction fees push up overall costs significantly, it’s useful to look for a prepaid travel card which can support JPY if you’re about to travel to Japan, to make your money go further when you’re there.

Is there a spending limit with a prepaid card in Japan?

Prepaid cards do typically have spending limits, which can vary depending on the provider and the types of spending. You may find you have a limit to the amount you can withdraw at an ATM for example, as well as a limit to the value of POS payments you can make daily. Check your preferred card’s terms and conditions to learn more.

Travel Credit Cards

Travel credit cards can give you longer to pay back what you've spent - but there will be interest to pay if you don’t clear your bill promptly.

The main advantage with credit cards are the reward points you get in return for your customer loyalty when you spend. This can mean getting cashback, or using your points to offset fees and future purchases, or even to trade in for hotel rooms or flights.

Credit cards are great to use for car hire, restaurants and accommodation - larger expenses that are easier for you to pay back over time. Some services only take credit cards to hold purchases so they can definitely be handy while you're travelling.

If you’re looking for a way to spread the cost of your trip over a few months, and don’t mind paying interest charges, a travel credit card could be the right pick for you. There are quite a few different travel optimised credit cards available for customers in New Zealand, which may offer opportunities to earn rewards when you spend and travel, or travel perks like free insurance or lounge access.

Features and fees do vary widely, and eligibility requirements are usually in place, including a credit check - so do compare a few before you pick one. We’ve got the lowdown on one popular travel credit card coming up, to kick off your research.

• Earn points as you spend on your card, which you can redeem later
• Get 120 days travel insurance, and some lounge access perks
• Spread the costs of your purchases and travel 
• 285 NZD annual fee plus variable interest if you don’t pay your bill in full
• 1.95% foreign transaction fee when you spend or withdraw in a foreign currency 
• Higher rates of interest for cash advance - including if you make an ATM withdrawal 

American Express Airpoints - travel credit card for Japan

Airpoints is the Air New Zealand loyalty and rewards programme - and includes ways to boost your points with credit card spending. The American Express Airpoints Card has no annual fee and allows you to earn one Airpoints dollar for every 100 NZD spend. You can then use your Airpoints dollars to fund your travel spending, or to shop online at the Airpoints store.

If you’d rather earn rewards faster, there are also different Airpoints cards which come with annual fees but which accrue points at a higher rate. Just bear in mind that overseas spending comes with a 2.5% foreign transaction fee, which can push up costs. Weigh up the benefits you’ll get against the potential fees before you sign up.

Pros and cons of using credit cards in Japan

• Convenient and easy to use
• Earn rewards as you spend, such as air miles and cash back
• Issued on globally accepted payment networks
• Variety of different cards available depending on your personal needs
• Safe to use, often with extra protections on spending
• Interest charges apply if you don’t repay your bill in full every period
• Other fees can apply including annual fees and foreign transaction fees

How to choose the best travel credit card for Japan?

Getting the best travel credit card for Japan will be a question of your personal preferences and needs. One thing to watch out for is the fees you’ll pay to unlock travel credit card benefits. Look at the annual fees, interest and any foreign transaction fees in particular, and weigh these costs against the reward earning opportunities to make sure you get the best balance for your spending.

Pros and cons of travel debit cards

Travel debit cards can certainly be a handy tool when you travel or shop internationally. But they’re not perfect and they’re not your only option. If you’re not sure what type of card will suit you, check out these pros and cons of travel debit cards to help you decide:

• Many travel debit cards come with lower overall foreign currency costs, or easy ways to earn rewards as you spend overseas
• Some cards have linked multi-currency accounts you can use to hold major currencies
• Easy to budget with a debit card - no late fees, penalties or overdraft charges, just spend to the card balance
• Most cards let you manage them on an app, convenient when you’re overseas
• Different cards have their own features, and some can come with quite high fees for certain transaction types
• Not all cards support all currencies - check the currencies you need are supported before you order
• You may pay an upfront fee to get your card
• Debit cards aren’t always accepted - if you’re paying a deposit for example, a credit card may be required

Dedicated travel cards are a good way to spend and make cash withdrawals in Japan. By picking a card on a globally recognised network you’ll be able to tap and pay - or make cash withdrawals in Japan - just as easily as you would at home. And, depending on which card you pick, you may get lower overall costs or options to earn rewards and air miles as you spend.

Compare a few travel cards for Japan before you pick the right one for you, including the Wise card if you’re thinking of a multi-currency debit card option, or the Travelex card if you need a prepaid card with no ATM fees to pay.

FAQ - The Best Travel Cards to Use in Japan

What currency do they use in Japan?

The official currency in Japan is Japanese Yen. Before you travel, plan how best to manage your travel money, which could be to hold a little cash, and have a travel debit card or credit card for spending and withdrawals once you arrive. 

What are the best travel cards to use in Japan?

There’s no single best travel card for Japan. Which works best for you will depend on whether you’re looking to hold a currency balance, cut your overall costs, earn more points, or access other account features like local currency receiving accounts. The good news is that there are plenty of options on the New Zealand market to pick from - use this guide as a starting point to find the right one for you.

Can I exchange cash at the airport?

It’s usually possible to exchange cash at the airport - but you might find you pay a higher overall fee, including a currency exchange markup, if you do. Passing trade and a captive market usually mean airport currency exchange kiosks have pretty poor rates compared to alternatives - you may find you’re better off withdrawing some cash in the airport you arrive into, or getting a travel debit card to see you through your travel.

Can you withdraw cash with a credit card in Japan?

You can generally withdraw cash with a credit card in Japan, at any ATM where your card’s network is accepted. However, bear in mind that fees may apply, including charges from your card issuer, and from the ATM operator. Using a travel debit card, such as the Wise card, which has some fee free ATM withdrawals every month, can often be cheaper than using a credit card as you’ll avoid cash advance and interest charges

Do I need a card for overseas trips?

It’s a good idea to have a card for overseas trips so you don’t need to carry a large amount of cash with you when you head overseas. Choosing a specialist travel debit card can also mean you cut the costs of currency exchange and pay less overall for your foreign currency spending.

• Credit Cards
• Best Credit Card Offers For Australians

The journalists on the editorial team at Forbes Advisor Australia base their research and opinions on objective, independent information-gathering.

When covering investment and personal finance stories, we aim to inform our readers rather than recommend specific financial product or asset classes. While we may highlight certain positives of a financial product or asset class, there is no guarantee that readers will benefit from the product or investment approach and may, in fact, make a loss if they acquire the product or adopt the approach.

To the extent any recommendations or statements of opinion or fact made in a story may constitute financial advice, they constitute general information and not personal financial advice in any form. As such, any recommendations or statements do not take into account the financial circumstances, investment objectives, tax implications, or any specific requirements of readers.

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Our Pick Of The Best Credit Card Offers For Australians In April 2024

Updated: Apr 16, 2024, 10:26am

If you’re on the hunt for a credit card, there is no shortage of offers to entice you—often with same-day approval. Whether it be balance transfer offers, frequent flyer bonus points on sign-up or low interest rate cards, there are myriad choices on the market to suit a wide variety of spending habits, needs and wants.

The first question you need to ask yourself is whether you are able to pay off a new credit card in full each month. Credit cards can be a trap if not used widely, and one that many Australians are increasingly reliant on as the cost-of-living crisis continues to eat into household budgets.

If you are able to manage your money and the responsibilities of a credit card, it’s important that you shop around to find a credit card offer that suits your needs.

Here’s what you should know.

Note: The list below represents a selection of our top category picks, as chosen by Forbes Advisor Australia’s editors and journalists. The information provided is purely factual and is not intended to imply any recommendation, opinion, or advice about a financial product. Not every product or provider in the marketplace has been reviewed, and the list below is not intended to be exhaustive nor replace your own research or independent financial advice. For more information on how Forbes Advisor ranks and reviews products, including how we identified our top category picks, read the methodology selection below.

What Is a Credit Card Offer?

Our pick of the best credit card offers for australians, american express velocity escape card, anz first credit card, anz rewards black credit card, bankwest zero platinum mastercard, citi rewards credit card, coles no annual fee mastercard, kogan money visa card, nab low rate credit card, nab straightup card, st george amplify rewards signature, credit card offers explained, our methodology, frequently asked questions (faqs).

• Best Credit Cards
• Best Frequent Flyer Credit Cards
• Best Qantas Points Credit Cards
• Best Virgin Velocity Credit Cards
• Best Business Credit Cards
• Best Debit Cards
• List Of Credit Card Companies In Australia
• Balance Transfer Credit Cards Explained
• Interest Free Credit Cards
• Rewards Credit Cards
• CommBank Neo Credit Card Review
• American Express Velocity Escape Credit Card Review
• Qantas Points Credit Cards Explained
• NAB StraightUp Credit Card Review

A credit card offer is a perk attached to your credit card that is unique to that particular card and designed in order to stand out against the competition and attract new cardholders. Some perks are only offered for a limited time, while others may be tied to a card permanently, such as a no interest rate card .

Which credit card offer is best for you will depend on your financial situation and preferences, as there are many different types of credit card offers on the market.

Here are our top picks for the best credit card offers currently available to Australians, listed in alphabetical order.

No Annual Fee Offer

Standard Interest Rate

Standard annual fee, offer expires.

If you’re looking to earn frequent flyer points with Velocity without spending a hefty amount on an annual fee, then the American Express Velocity Escape Card may very well be the pick of the lot for you. The no annual fee offer is tied to the American Express Velocity Escape Card permanently, rather than the common credit card introductory offer of the first year being a $0 annual fee before reverting to a high rate.

At the time of writing, Amex is not offering any other additional deals with its Velocity Escape Card, such as bonus points when signing up for a new card. However, there are other benefits to the card, such as uncapped earning potential. When evaluating our choices of the best Virgin Velocity Credit Cards for Australians , the Amex Velocity Escape Card scored 4.5 stars.

It is also worth noting that American Express offers the same card with the same conditions for Qantas Frequent Flyers , known as the Qantas American Express Discovery Card. It charges a $0 annual fee, a 23.99% interest rate, and uncapped earning potential.

Cashback Offer

Standard Annual Fee

The ANZ First Credit Card may be, as the name suggests, a good choice for Australians looking for their first credit card. Its minimum credit limit of $1000 makes it ideal for those not wanting to spend outside their means, and an annual fee of only $30 is much cheaper than the industry standard—and the lowest of all ANZ credit card offerings.

Currently, ANZ is offering new First Credit Card holders the ability to earn $125 cash back when spending $750 on eligible purchases in the first three months of approval. ANZ notes that it may vary or end this offer at any time without notice, and that the cashback deal is not available in conjunction with other offers, packages or promotions, or when transferring from an existing ANZ credit card.

ANZ also currently waives the annual fee for the first 12 months before reverting back to the standard annual fee of $30.

Bonus Points Offer

For Australians looking for a general rewards card that isn’t linked to a specific program— such as Qantas Frequent Flyers or Coles’ Flybuys—the ANZ Rewards Black Credit Card may hold appeal.

It offers 180,000 bonus points and $150 cash back to new customers. ANZ notes that the bonus points could be used for $800 in gift cards at participating retailers, $720 cashback to reduce your credit card balance or credited into an ANZ bank account, or transferred to frequent flyer points with ANZ’s airline partners.

To be eligible for these rewards, ANZ Rewards Black cardholders must spend $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months from approval. There is no specified end to this credit card offer, however, ANZ does state that it may “vary or end this offer at any time without notice”.

Balance Transfer Offer

14.99% p,a.

Bankwest is currently offering the longest running 0% balance transfer deal out of the credit cards that Forbes Advisor Australia analysed with the balance transfer period running for 28 months. A balance fee charge of 3% applies, along with other fees and charges dependent on the balance transfer amount.

Following this 28-month period, cardholders will be charged the standard 14.99% p.a rate on any further balance transfers.

As a bonus, the Bankwest Zero Platinum Mastercard also offers its cardholders an ongoing $0 annual fee—a permanent feature that doesn’t expire.

0% Interest Rate Offer

21.49% p.a.

The Citi Rewards Credit Card is a high-ranking credit card according to Forbes Advisor Australia, scoring 4.5 stars on our analysis of the best credit cards on the market for Australians this year . This is largely due to its many rewards perks, as well as its complimentary insurances, including phone insurance, international travel, purchase cover and more.

As for its current credit card deals, Citi Rewards Credit Card is offering new cardholders a 0% interest rate offer for the first 12 months.

Citi is also offering new Citi Rewards Credit Card holders a 0% p.a. interest rate on balance transfers for the first 12 months, with no balance transfer fee. After this period, balance transfers will incur a very high 22.24% rate.

No Annual Fee

Issued by NAB, the Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard is just as the name suggests: a card offering no annual fee. It is a rewards card although instead of earning points that can be redeemed anywhere, cardholders earn Flybuys points that are therefore only able to be redeemed at participating Flybuys retailers.

As the Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard has a low minimum credit limit of $1000, it could be a suitable option for frequent Coles’ shoppers who want to earn more Flybuys points to redeem for their groceries, hardware needs from Bunnings, or office staples from Officeworks, without having to worry about spending outside their means.

Additionally, for new cardholders who apply for the Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard by June 30, 2024, you will be able to enjoy a 0% purchase rate for the first six months before it reverts to the standard interest rate of 19.99%.

For those looking for a credit card with no annual fee, the Kogan Money Visa Card could be an appropriate choice. It is a type of rewards credit card, where cardholders are able to earn rewards to an uncapped potential.

It is rare that reward cards do not charge an annual fee, making the Kogan Money Visa Card stand out in our analysis.

The perks on offer by the Kogan Money Visa Cards don’t end there, either. For those applying for the card in the next few weeks, you will be able to enjoy 0% p.a on balance transfers for the first six months with no balance transfer fees applying. After the six month promotional period, the balance transfer rate will revert to 21.74% p.a.

Additionally, when you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months from card approval, you will be eligible to receive a $300 Kogan.com credit voucher. Both the balance transfer deal and the credit offer are only available to those who apply for a new Kogan Money Credit Card by April 30, 2024.

Low Interest Rate

The NAB Low Rate Credit Card offers a low interest rate to its cardholders of 13.49% p.a. This is significantly lower than the current credit card interest rate average in Australia which, at the time of writing, is around 20%.

There is also 0% on balance transfers for the first 28 months (with a 2% balance transfer fee). After the 28-month period, any remaining balance transfers will be subject to the card’s cash advance rate of 21.74%.

In conjunction with the balance transfer offer, NAB is also offering new cardholders a $0 annual fee for the first year. This introductory offer commenced on October 4, 2023, and is still running as of April 2024—although NAB does state that this offer “may end at any time”.

It’s important to note that these introductory offers are not available when closing or transferring from another NAB credit card account or in conjunction with any other offer. However, the low rate offer remains available.

With a 0% interest rate card, the NAB StraightUp Card is a leading choice according to Forbes Advisor Australia. It may suit Aussies looking for a no-frills credit card, but not be ideal for those looking for a card that supports balance transfers or the potential to earn rewards.

The NAB StraightUp Card also doesn’t charge an annual fee like most credit cards do. Instead, it charges a monthly fee dependent on the credit limit the cardholder chooses. For a $1,000 credit limit, your monthly fee will be $10; a $2,000 credit limit incurs a monthly fee of $15; and the highest credit limit option of $3,000 will result in a $20 monthly fee.

This monthly fee can then be multiplied by 12 in order to understand the annual cost and compare it to other credit cards on the market. For example:

• A $1000 credit limit would cost $120 annually in monthly fees,
• A $2000 credit limit would cost $180 annually in monthly fees, and
• A $3000 credit limit would cost $240 annually in monthly fees.

However, it is important to note that if you don’t make any purchases and have an outstanding balance of $0 during the whole statement period, NAB will reverse your monthly fee for that period. That means you will only be charged the total annual fee if you use your credit card every month.

Bonus Points

St George is currently offering a significant deal to new Amplify Rewards Signature cardholders, with 150,000 bonus Amplify points on sign-up. These bonus points are available to St George Amplify Rewards Signature cardholders who spend the minimum amount of $12,000 on eligible purchases within the first 12 months from card approval.

St George is also offering a discounted first year card fee of $199 (before reverting to the standard $295 annual fee), and a 0% p.a. balance transfer deal for the first 24 months. The balance transfer offer needs to be requested at the time of application, and will be subject to a 1% fee on the balance.

All of the above promotions are only available to those who apply and are approved for a new Amplify Rewards Signature credit card between now and July 31, 2024.

Pre-existing St George card holders can also benefit from a more heavily discounted card fee for the first year of $99, before reverting to the standard $295 annual fee.

Below we outline the different types of credit card offers available to Australians, and round up our top ten picks for the best deals on the market right now. It’s worth noting that these deals aren’t always standalone offerings, either. Some cards will have numerous offers attached to them.

Balance Transfer Offers

Credit card companies will frequently offer a period of 0% balance transfers to new cardholders, encouraging them to move from their current credit card issuer. Since a credit card balance transfer involves moving the amount you owe (the balance) to another credit card, you may end up saving money if you transfer your balance within a promotional period and pay zero interest.

These balance transfer offers vary with some offering the 0% interest rate for a period of six months and some for up to 28 months. After this period expires, the balance transfer interest rate is usually quite high.

Related: Balance Transfer Credit Cards Explained

Many rewards cards offer cardholders the ability to earn points, which can then be redeemed for a variety of goods and services. Sometimes these points are directly linked to the company—such as Coles’ Flybuys points program—while others can be used to redeem in a variety of stores, or even to put towards paying off your balance.

Bonus points are a common introductory offer for new customers. Credit card companies will entice individuals to sign up to their credit cards in order to receive a large chunk of bonus points if they spend a certain amount of money within a specified time frame.

Credit card companies may also offer ad-hoc bonus point specials, such as extra bonus points to customers who shop at a particular store (again, spending a certain amount of money within a timeframe). These bonus point deals are for a limited time only and vary across each credit card company due to their retail partnerships and the like.

Frequent Flyer Deals

Similar to bonus point offerings, frequent flyer credit cards may also offer deals to their customers, albeit in relation to travel. While this often involves a large amount of frequent flyer points upon sign-up, it could also include a waived annual fee of a frequent flyer membership program, access to airport lounges at no extra charge, travel insurance, and other travel-related perks.

Related: Our Pick Of The Best Frequent Flyer Credit Cards

Sometimes a credit card company may offer you a cash back deal when you sign-up and spend a certain amount on your new credit card within a specified period from when you are approved for the card. The amount of cash back, the spending criteria, and the period of time ranges depending on the credit card issuer. This is another example of an introductory offer.

It’s worth noting that some cards have cash back deals as an ongoing offer, which are valid through partnerships with the credit card issuer. For example, at the time of writing, the American Express Velocity Escape Card is offering $100 back to those who spend $500 at Samsung online when they activate the offer. These offers are valid for a limited time, and therefore vary throughout the year.

A common sign-up offer from credit card companies is to waive the first year’s annual fee for new customers, and then revert back to the standard annual fee after the first 12 months. This is an example of an introductory offer.

However, there are some cards on the market that don’t charge an annual fee whatsoever, although many charge a monthly account keeping fee. These types of cards can suit those who are looking for a no-frills type of card, that they may only use in the case of an emergency, instead of a rewards card that is designed to maximise perks and points.

No Interest Rate

Many card companies are now offering no interest rate charges on the first year for new cardholders. As this is an introductory deal, it would revert back to the actual interest rate, which may even be much higher than the average interest rate on the market.

However, there are also cards that offer no interest as a permanent offering, again suiting Australian consumers looking for a straight-forward, no-frills option.

To establish the above list, Forbes Advisor Australia conducted extensive research into the credit card offers currently on the market. To best represent all of the deals, we found a minimum of three cards for each of the following categories:

• 0% balance transfer offers
• Bonus point and cashback offers
• Frequent flyer offers
• No annual fee deals
• No or low interest rate cards

After establishing the large spread of deals available to Australian consumers, Forbes Advisor Australian then analysed the cards to find the leading contender/s of each category. The criteria varied depending on the offer, but largely included:

• What is the current deal on offer?
• When does the credit card offer expire, or is it attached to the card permanently?
• Are balance transfers available and, if so, at what rate?
• What is the interest rate charged?
• Is there an annual fee and, if so, how much is it?
• What is the minimum credit limit?
• Can cardholders earn rewards, including frequent flyer points, through the card?
• Does the credit card offer any other perks outside of the primary offer?
• What are the eligibility requirements for the credit card?

Answering the above questions then helped us to establish the stand-out offers in each category, and rank them accordingly. From these rankings, we then established our top 10 picks.

As you can see from our pick of the best credit card offers, some credit card deals were featured multiple times via different credit cards, while other categories were only featured once. This is due to the overall benefits that the credit card could provide a cardholder, along with the standard of reviews via ProductReview.

Whatever you decide, it is critical to fully understand the terms and conditions of a credit card agreement before applying. Though we always recommend paying off your balance in full each month, it’s particularly important with rewards credit cards as interest rates are generally higher. Any interest charges on a balance will quickly wipe out the value of any rewards earned.

Is a low credit limit offer good?

A low credit limit on a credit card can be a good thing for those looking to spend within their means, and don’t want to risk falling into credit card debt. By having a lower credit limit, cardholders can be assured that they will be able to pay off their balance in the specified timeframe. Higher minimum credit limits, therefore, are more risky for those who don’t have the financial means to be borrowing—and repaying—a large figure per month. It also means that you are looked upon more favourably by lenders because when you apply to borrow for a mortgage or loan as lenders assume your credit card limit is reached—even if it isn’t—when they assess your loan viability.

Do all AMEX cards offer bonus points when signing up?

While it is common for American Express to offer bonus point deals for new cardholders upon signing up, it is not guaranteed. For example, at the time of writing, only six of the nine personal American Express credit cards are offering a new cardholder offer of bonus points.

These bonus point offers are for a limited time only, and can change in value throughout the year.

Can I receive a credit card deal if I’m already a cardholder?

Most credit card deals are only available to new card holders, and many are known as introductory offers for this purpose. If you already hold a credit card and a new offer commences, such as no annual fee for the first year, you will not be eligible. However, if it is a deal that is tied to the credit card permanently, then you will be.

The terms and conditions of each credit card deal and offer depends on the credit card issuer, so be sure to read the fine print before signing up to an offer.

Sophie Venz is an experienced editor and features reporter, and has previously worked in the small business and start-up reporting space. Previously the Associate Editor of SmartCompany site, Sophie has worked closely with finance experts and columnists around Australia and internationally. Sophie grew up on the Gold Coast and now lives in Melbourne.

The best ways to travel to Japan with points and miles

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After a long pandemic border closure, Japan opened back up to tourists last fall.

Japan is my favorite country, with its famous cherry blossoms, cutting-edge technology and top-notch hospitality.

The country also has unbelievable cuisine and a service industry that perfectly embodies the cultural importance placed on respect and politeness.

All of this to say, I am unbelievably excited to get back to Japan. Luckily, there are numerous loyalty programs to get travelers there — let’s look at some of the best options.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

I will start with the most aspirational way to get to Japan: All Nippon Airways first and business class. While the cost of first-class awards suffered a devaluation in early 2023, it’s still great value. Business-class redemptions escaped the devaluation and remain one of the best sweet spots in the industry.

Although Virgin Atlantic is now a member of  the SkyTeam alliance, the airline still has individual partnerships with other airlines, including ANA (a member of Star Alliance ). The Flying Club program is quirky but has some incredibly valuable redemption options.

Here is the round-trip award chart for flights on ANA booked through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club :

In many cases, these prices are lower than most other carriers charge for a one-way award — 90,000 points round-trip in one of the world’s best business-class products is an absolute steal.

Note that prices are marginally higher for flights from the U.S. East Coast and central states than from the West Coast, but the small difference shouldn’t be enough to sway you. You can book one-way trips for half the round-trip ticket cost.

Unfortunately, there are two major downsides to booking ANA tickets with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. One is that ANA is stingy with award availability. The other major downside is that you cannot book tickets online. Instead, you must find award space using a Star Alliance search tool . I like to use United Airlines’ or Air Canada’s websites, as both show all Star Alliance award availability online.

After you’ve noted award availability, you need to call Virgin Atlantic and give the representative the exact flights and class of service you want. The agent will look up and confirm the space. You can then transfer points over to Flying Club. Most transfers process instantly, so you don’t have to worry about losing award space.

Thankfully, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points are incredibly easy to earn. Flying Club is a transfer partner of all the major transferable currencies, including:

• American Express Membership Rewards (points transfer at a 1:1 ratio)
• Bilt Rewards (1:1)
• Capital One miles (1:1)
• Chase Ultimate Rewards (1:1)
• Citi ThankYou (1:1)
• Marriott Bonvoy (3:1)

When you transfer Marriott points to Flying Club in increments of 60,000, you receive 5,000 bonus miles. In other words, 60,000 Marriott points equal 25,000 Virgin points.

It’s also worth noting that we sometimes see transfer bonuses from programs such as Chase and American Express to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

ANA Mileage Club

Another great way to get to Japan on ANA is through its own loyalty program: ANA Mileage Club .

ANA Mileage Club may not be the most well-known loyalty program, but it does have some great uses.

One of the best ways to use your ANA Mileage Club miles is for business class. ANA business-class tickets from the U.S. to Asia can be booked for as little as 75,000 miles on low-season dates. This is less than many airlines charge for a one-way business-class ticket from the U.S. to Asia. The program also allows for stopovers and open-jaw trips.

ANA prices its own tickets based on the region you’re flying to and from, as well as the season in which you’re flying. Currently, the airline has three different seasons: low, high and regular.

Once you’ve chosen your travel season, you need to find the region your flight is departing from and arriving in. You can find that by scrolling down the page .

It is worth noting that you can only book round-trip tickets with ANA Mileage Club — no one-way awards are allowed. You can also only book off-peak prices on ANA-operated flights.

The easiest way to earn ANA Mileage Club miles is by transferring American Express Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. You can also transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to ANA Mileage Club at a 3:1 transfer ratio. You’ll earn a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred, so 60,000 points are worth 25,000 ANA miles.

Related: 10 ways to redeem ANA Mileage Club miles for maximum value

Alaska Mileage Plan

The Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan program is one of the most highly regarded loyalty programs.

This is due to its generous award charts for partner airlines. Alaska Airlines has different award charts for its flights and each of its partners which opens up numerous award redemption opportunities.

In March 2021, Alaska Airlines joined the Oneworld alliance. This opened up partnerships with major airlines including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines.

Read more: Your complete guide to Alaska Airlines partners

Flying first class on Japan Airlines is widely considered one of the best ways to get to Japan. From the great seats to the fantastic onboard cuisine to the incredible service and hospitality, Japan Airlines’ first class is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Flying between North America and Japan will cost 85,000 Alaska miles from the West Coast and 100,000 miles from the rest of the United States for a one-way first-class ticket. Business class redemptions cost 60,000 or 80,000 miles depending on your departure point.

Using Alaska’s search feature is relatively simple. There’s an award calendar, and you can book JAL-operated awards online. Availability in premium cabins isn’t fantastic, but if you’re flexible on your departure date or open to last-minute award space, you may be able to find a good itinerary.

If you need to top up your Alaska balance, the  Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card offers 50,000 bonus miles plus a $100 statement credit and Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) when you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

Unfortunately, Alaska Mileage Plan isn’t a partner of any major transferable credit card programs like American Express Membership Rewards  or  Chase Ultimate Rewards .

Because of its huge list of airline partners in the Oneworld alliance and non-alliance partners, you can earn miles by flying many different airlines and crediting those partner flights to Mileage Plan. Plus, you can earn miles when you fly with Alaska Airlines.

Also, Alaska often has buy-miles promotions that allow you to stock up on miles at a reasonable price. There is also an online shopping portal that can help you earn miles on online shopping.

American AAdvantage

Another Oneworld option to get to Japan is with your American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

Although the program lost some value over the last few years, you can still get a ton out of the program, especially as partner awards are not subject to dynamic pricing. The best way to get real value is through the airline’s international partners in the Oneworld Alliance.

American publishes award charts for each region. On AA’s partner award chart, Asia is divided into four regions: Asia Region 1, Asia Region 2, the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. Japan is considered to be in Asia Region 1.

This means you can book Japan Airlines business class for just 60,000 AAdvantage miles each way. It costs 20,000 additional miles to fly in first class. This provides an alternative way to fly on Japan Airlines if earning Alaska miles is too difficult.

One of the easiest ways to earn American AAdvantage miles is through  American Airlines credit cards . Here’s a list of current offers:

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® : Earn 100,000 miles after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. 4 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases. Then, if you spend $150,000 on purchases in a calendar year, you’ll earn a boosted rate of 5 miles per dollar spent on American purchases for the remainder of the calendar year. Earn 10 miles per dollar spent on eligible car rentals and hotels booked through American’s car rental  and  hotel booking sites , respectively. Earn 1 mile per dollar spent on other purchases (see rates and fees).
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® : Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per dollar on gas station, restaurant and eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases (see rates and fees).
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first four months of account opening. Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases plus telecom merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rentals and gas stations. Earn 1 mile per dollar on other purchases.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® : Earn 50,000 bonus miles after making your first purchase in the first 90 days and paying the annual fee. Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases.

The information for the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select and AAdvantage Aviator Red cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuers.

In addition, you can transfer Bilt Rewards points directly to American AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio. This can be a great option for those with the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees) who are earning points on rent.

You can also earn AAdvantage miles by flying on American and partner airlines, making online purchases through the AAdvantage eShopping portal , and eating out through the AAdvantage Dining program.

Related: Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage

Singapore KrisFlyer

One final option to get to Japan is via a fifth-freedom flight operated by Singapore Airlines . Although this option is limited to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) , I thought it would be worth mentioning for our West Coast readers.

Singapore Airlines is famous for its top-notch service, especially in its premium cabins. Plus, this route is operated on a 777-300ER, which allows the possibility of flying Singapore’s first-class product .

The carrier typically blocks premium-cabin award space from its partners, so you’ll have to book through Singapore’s KrisFlyer program . You will need 103,500 miles in business class, or 120,500 miles in first class at the lowest Saver level.

Award availability is typically scarce. However, it is worth noting that KrisFlyer allows you to waitlist for awards if your desired flight or class of service isn’t available when booking.

Fortunately, these miles are easy to earn since KrisFlyer is a partner of most major transferable points currencies, including Chase Ultimate Rewards ,  American Express Membership Rewards ,  Citi ThankYou Rewards and Capital One . Transfers from all of these programs occur at a 1:1 rate.

Bottom line

With Japan finally reopened, we’ve seen a surge in demand for travel to the country over the last year. Cash fares remain quite high as a result, but you may be able to save money on your trips by using points and miles.

That said, you may need to be flexible and book either well in advance or at the last minute to score premium cabin award seats, allowing you to visit one of the world’s most unique countries.

Additional reporting by Ben Smithson.

For rates and fees of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.

For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, click  here .

SPONSORED:  With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.

And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.