With the exception of Capital One, all major credit card companies charge international transaction fees that range from 2-5%.  Recently, a number of credit card companies, including American Express and Bank of America, raised international transaction fees.  Additionally, many company are now charging foreign transaction fees for purchases made in U.S. dollars, such as international hotel reservations.

If you already have a Capital One card, you're in the clear.  If you don't, you can compare Capital One credit cards that charge no foreign transaction fees and apply online. 

Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fees

CAPITAL ONE® VENTUREONE(SM) REWARDS CREDIT CARD

1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day Earn 10,000 bonus miles, 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 won't expire Fly free on any airline, any time with no blackout dates 0% intro APR on purchases until February 2013* No foreign transaction fees No annual fee To apply online click the Apply Now button or call 1-866-960-8708

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Needed 0% until February 2013* n/a 11.9%-19.9%(V)* $0 Excellent

CAPITAL ONE® VENTURE(SM) REWARDS

Money® Magazine's \"Most Rewarding Card if you crave free airline flights\" 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day Earn 10,000 bonus miles, equal to $100 in travel Redeem your miles for ANY travel expense No limit on the miles you can earn and miles won't expire Fly free on any airline, any time with no blackout dates No foreign transaction fees $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $59 after that To apply online click the Apply Now button or call 1-866-960-8708

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Needed N/A N/A 11.9%-19.9%(V)*% $0 intro for first year; $59 after that Excellent

CAPITAL ONE® PLATINUM PRESTIGE CREDIT CARD

0% intro APR until May 2013* on balance transfers 0% intro APR until May 2013* 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 To apply online click the Apply Now button or call 1-866-960-8708

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Needed 0% until May 2013* 0% until May 2013* 10.9%-18.9% (V)* None Excellent

CAPITAL ONE® CASH

$100 Bonus after you spend $500 in the first 3 months 50% bonus on the cash back you earn every year 1% cash back on all purchases No annual fee Earn unlimited cash rewards that don't expire Redeem cash rewards anytime for any amount, even set up automatic redemption Personalize your card with an image of your choice 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers until February 2013 To apply online click the Apply Now button or call 1-866-960-8708

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Needed 0% until February 2013* 0% until February 2013* 12.9%–20.9% (V) None Excellent

CAPITAL ONE® ORBITZ® VISA® PLATINUM

3 points per dollar spent on eligible Orbitz.com bookings Get 1 point per dollar on all other purchases Bonus points on eligible Orbitz.com bookings No limit on the points you can earn and points don't expire Redeem for Travel, Merchandise, Gift Cards and more Earn travel quickly with low redemption minimums 250 point refueling bonus when you redeem points for awards No annual fee To apply online click the Apply Now button or call 1-866-960-8708

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Needed 0% until February 2013* n/a 13.9%-19.9%(V)* None Excellent

JOURNEY(SM) STUDENT REWARDS FROM CAPITAL ONE®

Designed to help students build good credit with responsible use Access to your monthly credit score, plus an interactive tracking tool to help monitor your credit Customizable text and e-mail alerts to help keep you on track Get 1% cash back on all purchases, plus a 25% bonus each month you pay your bill on time No annual fee $0 Fraud Liability if your card is lost or stolen

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Needed N/A* N/A* 19.8% (V) * None * Average

CAPITAL ONE® NO HASSLE CASH(SM) REWARDS CREDIT CARD

2% cash back on gas and groceries 1% cash back on all other purchases Bonus: Get up to 15% more cash back when you shop online at select merchants through Perk Central No limit on the cash you can earn and cash won't expire Redeem cash rewards any time for any amount, even set up automatic redemption 0% intro APR on purchases until November 2012 Pick an image for your card—choose the one shown here, any of the hundreds in our collection or add your own To apply online click the Apply Now button or call 1-866-960-8708

Intro APR on Purchases Intro APR on Transfers Regular APR Annual Fee Credit Needed 0% on purchases* for until November 2012* N/A* 17.9% - 22.9% (V) * $39 * Average

Benefits of Using a Credit Card Abroad

If you've ever contested a fraudulent charge with the bank that issues your debit card, you're 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 travelling 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.