With the exception of Capital One and Discover, all major credit card companies charge international transaction fees that range from 2-5%. 

However, a positive trend has been developing in this area, with more and more credit card companies offering travel focused cards that waive these fees.

Below you can compare credit cards that charge no foreign transaction fees and apply online. 

Compare No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards

CAPITAL ONE® VENTUREONESM REWARDS CREDIT CARD

Apply Now 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and no annual fee One-time bonus of 10,000 miles once you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $100 in travel Redeem miles for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, and more No limit on the miles you can earn and miles don't expire Fly on any airline, any time with no blackout dates 0% intro APR on purchases until June 2014 No foreign transaction fees

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Type 0% until June 2014* N/A* 11.9% - 19.9% (V)* $0 Excellent Credit

CAPITAL ONE® VENTURESM REWARDS CREDIT CARD

Apply Now 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day As seen in Money® Magazine's 'Best' issue three years in a row. - Money® Magazine May 2010, 2011, 2012 Earn 10,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $100 in travel Redeem your miles for any travel expense No limit on the miles you can earn and miles don't expire Fly on any airline, any time with no blackout dates No foreign transaction fees $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $59 after that

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Type N/A* N/A* 13.9% - 20.9% (V)* $0 intro for first year; $59 after that Excellent Credit

CHASE SAPPHIRE PREFERRED®

Apply Now 40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months - that's $500 toward travel rewards! 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining at restaurants & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases Get 20% off airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you redeem through Ultimate RewardsSM No foreign transaction fees Receive a 7% Annual Points Dividend on all new points earned on purchases - even on points already redeemed 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs - that means 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points equal 1,000 partner miles/points Direct access to expert service advisors anytime Introductory Annual Fee of $0 the first year, then $95

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Type N/A* N/A* 15.24% (Variable)* $0 1st year, then $95 Excellent Credit

BANKAMERICARD TRAVEL REWARDS® CREDIT CARD

Apply Now Earn 10,000 bonus points when you spend $500 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening, which can be $100 towards travel purchases Earn flexible travel points good for everything from flights to baggage fees Earn 1.5 points for every dollar spent on purchases - 50% more than the average rewards programs which only offer 1 point per dollar No limit to the total number of points you can earn and points don't expire No annual fee Simply pay for your travel with your card. Then, call or go online and you can redeem your points for a statement credit towards all or part of your travel purchases No foreign transaction fees Chip Technology provides you expanded global acceptance when shopping anywhere you go, outside of the U.S.

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Type 0%* for 12 billing cycles* N/A* for N/A* 14.99% - 22.99% Variable* on purchases & balance transfers* None* Excellent Credit

UNITED MILEAGEPLUS® EXPLORER CARD

Apply Now NEW! No foreign transaction fees! Start with 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months Check your first bag for free - save up to $100 per roundtrip Earn double miles on tickets purchased from United, and 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club with two one-time-use passes every year Use your miles for any seat, any time, on any United flight Your miles don't expire as long as you're a Cardmember, with no limit to the number of miles you can earn $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Type N/A* N/A* 15.24% (Variable)* $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 Excellent Credit

CAPITAL ONE® SPARKSM MILES SELECT FOR BUSINESS

Apply Now Get a 50% bonus on the miles you earn every year Earn 1 mile per dollar on every purchase, every day Save with 0% intro APR on all purchases until December 2013 Enjoy no annual fee Get online Quarterly and Year-End Summaries There’s no limit to the amount of miles you can earn and miles don’t expire Fly on any airline, anytime, with no blackout dates or seat restrictions

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Type 0% until December 2013* N/A* 12.9% - 20.9% (V)* $0 Excellent Credit

CAPITAL ONE® PLATINUM PRESTIGE CREDIT CARD

Apply Now 0% intro APR until September 2014 on balance transfers 0% intro APR until September 2014 on purchases No annual fee $0 Fraud Liability if your card is lost or stolen 24-hour travel assistance gives you a replacement card and cash advance 24-hour roadside assistance Pick an image for your card—choose the one shown here, any of the hundreds in our collection, or add your own

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Type 0% until September 2014* 0% until September 2014* 10.9% - 18.9% (V)* $0 Excellent Credit

Benefits of Using a Credit Card Abroad

If you have ever contested a fraudulent charge with the bank that issues your debit card, you are  well aware of how complicated the process is.  Not only do banks take longer to investigate claims than credit card companies, the money missing from your account is not available to you until the investigation is complete.  This can be a real headache, especially if fraudulent charges have emptied your checking account.

Using a credit card abroad provides a buffer against this nightmare scenario.  In the event your card is stolen and abused, you will still have access to your money in the bank.  Additionally, your credit card company may also allow you access to the portion of your credit line tied up by a fraud investigation.

When traveling abroad, the safest bet is to use a credit card for all your purchases. 

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No International Transaction Fee Cards Save You Money and Make Life Easier: When traveling abroad, having a card with no international fees will not only make life easier and give you one less thing to worry about, but it will also save you money.