The best card to use for meals and other expenses while you’re traveling isn’t necessarily the one that offers the best reward earning potential. It’s more important to choose credit and debit cards that tout no international transfer fees. These fees can range from 1 to 3 percent of your purchase total every time you swipe a card to pay with another currency.
The same goes for taking money out of ATMs—you’ll pay the same percentage on top of any ATM fees your bank charges (and whatever fees that ATM charges). When you’re finally on that big international vacation, you don’t want to have to worry about those small percentages that add up quickly. Put as many charges as possible on a card that has no international transaction fees.