Citi credit cards with no foreign transaction fee

Citi credit cards with no foreign transaction fee

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® Credit Card
• Expedia Rewards Voyager Card
• Citi Premier® Card
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card

Notable Citi cards with foreign transaction fees

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card and Citi Rewards+® Card are two unique rewards cards without comparable products on the market, and the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is a go-to product for an intro APR.

• The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card earns 5% back on your highest spending category each month up to a $500 cap, reverting to 1% back after. This makes the card incredibly easy to use compared to the common rotating category 5% cards on the market.
• The Citi Rewards+® Card card stands out thanks to its unique point rounding feature, making it a great choice for small purchases.
• The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is still a top performer on the market thanks to its 21 month intro APR for balance transfers. It reverts to 13.74% – 23.74% variable APR after the intro period.

Citi foreign transaction fees are 3% of each transaction

Around half of Citi’s cards have foreign transaction fees, which are typically 3% of every transaction made abroad. This is a standard fee across the credit card industry.

How to compare Citi credit cards with no foreign transaction fee

• General vs. cobranded.

  Decide if you want a general card such as the Citi Premier® Card or a cobranded product such as the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®.

  ThankYou Points earned with a general card can be used for a variety of redemptions, making a general card more flexible. Rewards from a cobranded card, on the other hand, can typically only be used with the affiliated company. But you might get special benefits such as preferred airline boarding or status upgrades in loyalty programs.

• Annual fee.

  Citi’s cards can cost as much as $495 a year. It’s questionable if it’s worth picking up an annual-fee card just for a 0% foreign transaction fee.

  However, a more costly card could be well worth it if you think you’ll use the benefits. For example, just a few of the Citi Prestige® Credit Card‘s benefits add up to over $1,100 in annual value.

• Decide if you want cash back instead.

  You’ll earn cash back with Costco-branded cards, which could be a good option if you’d like other perks than point or mile redemptions. Most of Citi’s other cards offer ThankYou Points or cobranded rewards such as American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

• Signup bonus.

  Before opening a card, consider whether you can reach its signup bonus spending requirement. Also, compare bonus values, which you can find in our credit card reviews.

• Rewards.

  When evaluating a card, check if you spend in its bonus categories. Different cards offer various point or mile multipliers for certain spending.

• Penalty APR.

  If you make a late or returned payment, Citi may raise all of your APRs up to 29.99% variable. Many travel cards from other providers exclude penalty APRs.

Citi is a solid choice for a no foreign transaction fee card

With a decent spread of card types available, including a couple top performers in their categories, Citi is a perfectly acceptable choice for a no foreign transaction fee card.

Pros

• Strong gas rewards option. The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is one of the strongest gas rewards cards on the market.
• Two strong cobranded options. Both AAdvantage cards are great picks if you’re a frequent American Airlines traveler.
• Solid option for ThankYou points. The Citi Premier® Card is a great reward option – and the only no foreign transaction fee option – for earning ThankYou points.

Cons

• No cashback options. All of Citi’s powerful cashback options feature foreign transaction fees.
• No dedicated general travel card. Outside of the Citi Premier® Card, you won’t find a general travel card option.

How much can I save with a Citi card with no foreign transaction fees?

Determining how much you’ll save with a no foreign transaction fee is rather straightforward. Here’s a quick example using two Citi cards: one with foreign transaction fees and one without.

• Citi Custom Cash℠ Card: $2,000 in spending x 3% foreign transaction fee = $60 in fees
• Citi Premier® Card: $2,000 in spending x no foreign transaction fee = $0 in fees

Bottom line

Citi has a strong collection of cards with no foreign transaction fees, though their options serve some niche travel needs that may not fit every type of consumer. If this is the case for you, explore other no-foreign-transaction-fee credit cards options to find one that best suits your needs.