Using MBNA abroad: Guide to fees and charges

If you’re about to head off for a holiday abroad, it’s a good idea to compare available payment methods in order to avoid hidden charges.

This guide looks at how MBNA credit cards work abroad and tells you which fees you should be prepared for.

The potential fees when travelling

1. Non-sterling transaction fees
   MBNA’s credit cards are on either the Mastercard or Visa network, which means that you shouldn’t have any problem using your card abroad. Mastercard’s and Visa’s conversion rates differ slightly from one another, with Mastercard often being a little more competitive. You can check the rates online on the Mastercard and the Visa websites. Aside from the exchange rate, you also need to consider the fees you’ll be charged by MBNA for every non-sterling transaction, which amounts to a percentage of the transaction value (see table below).
2. Merchant currency conversion fees (DCC)
   While shopping abroad, you may sometimes be asked whether you want the card payment to be made in pounds rather than in the local currency. The right answer to that is a polite “no, thanks”. Being charged in pounds means that the merchant is handling the currency conversion, often at a worse rate and with more fees than your credit card company.
3. Cash advance fees
   No matter if at home or abroad, withdrawing cash with your credit card should be your last resort. Lenders usually charge an extra fee on cash advances and interest-free billing cycles often don’t apply. This means you’ll be charged interest from the day of the transaction. When you withdraw cash overseas with one of its credit cards, MBNA charges the cash advance fee (5%) on top of the non-sterling transaction fee (2.95%). If you consider that many ATM providers also add their own charge, it’s probably worth considering alternative ways of getting hold of cash while travelling.
4. Hidden merchant fees
   Despite being less common than they used to be, you can still run into these in some non-EU countries. Sometimes merchants simply charge an extra percentage for credit card payments. Just like merchant currency conversion fees, these have nothing to do with your lender or credit card company, who won’t take responsibility for them. If in doubt, a quick question asked to the cashier before choosing the payment method will only take a few seconds and could save you a few pounds in fees.

MBNA foreign transaction fees

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Name	Product	Finder Score	Foreign transaction fee	Foreign cash transaction fee	Interest-free days on foreign transactions	Interest-free days on foreign cash transactions	Incentive	Representative example	Link
MBNA Limited Platinum Visa		4.5 ★★★★★	2.95%	5%	0 days	0 days	0.25% after £1 of yearly spend. Cashback paid January into Card Account. Earn 0.25% cashback on purchases within the first 36 months of account opening. Maximum spend for cashback purposes is limited to credit limit.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 13.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 13.9% APR (variable).	View details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
MBNA Long 0% Balance Transfer Credit Card		3.9 ★★★★★	2.95%	5%	0 days	0 days	Earn up to 15% cashback on purchases through Smart Rewards at popular retailers.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 24.9% APR (variable).	View details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
MBNA 0% Transfer and Purchase Credit Card		4.0 ★★★★★	2.95%	5%	0 days	0 days	Earn up to 15% cashback on purchases through Smart Rewards at popular retailers.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 24.9% APR (variable).	View details Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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What about alternatives to MBNA?

If the MBNA card you have (or are considering) isn’t great for overseas use, it could be worth switching to an alternative credit card. Or you could even take out a second card that won’t charge you for overseas use and only use it when you’re out of the country.

Some credit cards, known as travel credit cards, won’t charge a foreign transaction fee when you spend on your card abroad. Some will waive cash advance fees too, but interest will still apply. Read more about travel credit cards in our guide.

Some digital banks including Curve and Revolut also offer alternative ways to get around fees when paying with plastic abroad.

With Curve, for example, you can control multiple cards from your Curve card and app, and even if your card issuer charges exchange fees, Curve will convert the currency for you at the standard Mastercard exchange rate. Just be aware that restrictions and limitations do apply – you can read our full guide to find out more.

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Name	Product	Finder Score	Foreign transaction fee	Foreign cash transaction fee	Interest-free days on foreign transactions	Interest-free days on foreign cash transactions	Incentive	Representative example	Link
Santander All in One Credit Card		4.5 ★★★★★	0%	3% (min. £3)	Up to 56 days	0 days	0.5% after £1 of monthly spend. Maximum of £10 cashback paid per month. Cashback paid monthly into Card Account. Maximum spend for cashback purposes is limited to credit limit. Every time you spend abroad in the local currency using your Santander debit or credit card between 18 June to 15 September 2024, you'll be entered into a prize draw to win 1 of 18 travel vouchers each worth £5,000 each. T&Cs apply.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 23.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £3 per month, your representative rate is 29.8% APR (variable).	Check eligibility View details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
118 118 Money Guaranteed Rate Card		3.6 ★★★★★	0%	5%	Up to 51 days	Up to 51 days		Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 49% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 49% APR (variable).	Check eligibility View details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Yonder Credit Card Finder Award		4.5 ★★★★★	0%	0%	0 days	0 days	First month free for new members, £15 p/m thereafter. Plus, 10,000 bonus points. Earn 5 points per £1 spent and up to 25 points per £1 at selected partners. Membership includes worldwide travel insurance, no FX fees and use your points towards any flight.	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.94% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £15 per month, your representative rate is 66.7% APR (variable).	Check eligibility View details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Royal Bank Credit Card		4.7 ★★★★★	0%	3%	Up to 56 days	0 days		Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 12.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 12.9% APR (variable).	View details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Ulster Bank Credit Card Mastercard		4.7 ★★★★★	0%	3%	Up to 56 days	0 days		Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 12.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 12.9% APR (variable).	View details Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Bottom line

Overall, MBNA doesn’t offer the most competitive credit cards for overseas use, due to the high fees it charges. This means that if you want to apply for a MBNA credit card for any other purpose, such transferring a balance, but you also want to use your card abroad, it’s worth taking out a second card with an alternative provider to use when spending overseas.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been reviewed by Rachel Wait, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.

Written by

Chris Lilly

Head of publishing

Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full bio

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Chris has written 612 Finder guides across topics including:

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