{"id":182297,"date":"2019-04-03T10:26:32","date_gmt":"2019-04-03T09:26:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/?p=182297"},"modified":"2026-10-15T02:17:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T01:17:52","slug":"using-mbna-abroad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/credit-cards\/mbna\/using-mbna-abroad","title":{"rendered":"Using MBNA abroad: Guide to fees and charges"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re about to head off for a holiday abroad, it\u2019s a good idea to compare available payment methods in order to avoid hidden charges.<\/p>

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

The potential fees when travelling<\/h3>
  1. Non-sterling transaction fees<\/strong>
    MBNA\u2019s credit cards are on either the Mastercard or Visa network, which means that you shouldn\u2019t have any problem using your card abroad. Mastercard\u2019s and Visa\u2019s conversion rates differ slightly from one another, with Mastercard often being a little more competitive. You can check the rates online on the Mastercard<\/a> and the Visa<\/a> websites. Aside from the exchange rate, you also need to consider the fees you\u2019ll be charged by MBNA for every non-sterling transaction, which amounts to a percentage of the transaction value (see table below).<\/li>
  2. Merchant currency conversion fees (DCC)<\/strong>
    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 \u201cno, thanks\u201d. 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.<\/li>
  3. Cash advance fees<\/strong>
    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<\/a> often don\u2019t apply. This means you\u2019ll 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\u2019s probably worth considering alternative ways of getting hold of cash while travelling.<\/li>
  4. Hidden merchant fees<\/strong>
    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\u2019t 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.<\/li><\/ol>
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    Paying a fee of around 2.95% every time you spend on your card abroad might not sound a huge amount, but it can quickly add up. If you spent \u00a3100 a day, you\u2019d pay an extra \u00a32.95 each time, which would cost more than \u00a320 over the course of a 7-day holiday.\u201d<\/p>\n