How to choose the right travel card — 6 questions that narrow it down

There's no single best travel card for everyone. The right card depends on where you're from, where you're going, how much cash you need, and whether you want credit card protections. These six questions narrow it down quickly.

Question 1: What country are you from?

Most zero-forex cards are market-specific. Starling, Monzo, Halifax Clarity, and Currensea are UK-only. Charles Schwab and Capital One 360 are US-only. Niyo Global and Scapia are India-only. N26 and bunq serve EU/EEA residents. Wise and Revolut are the most globally available — both operate across the UK, EU, USA, Australia, Singapore, and more. Start by confirming which cards are available in your home country.

Question 2: Do you need to withdraw cash?

If your destination is cash-heavy (Thailand, Japan, Bali, India, much of Eastern Europe), you need a card with a generous free ATM allowance. Starling is best for UK travellers: £300/day free with no monthly cap on transactions. Charles Schwab is best for Americans: unlimited. If cash is minimal (USA, Singapore, UK, Australia), the ATM policy matters less and any zero-forex card works.

Question 3: How many currencies do you spend in?

If you spend in one currency on most trips (e.g. always Euros), any zero-forex card works fine — you convert at the point of spending. If you travel to many different countries and want to pre-lock rates or hold multiple currencies simultaneously, Wise is the best option. It holds 40+ currencies and lets you convert ahead of time at the mid-market rate.

Question 4: Do you want purchase protection?

Credit cards give Section 75 protection in the UK (joint liability for purchases £100–£30,000). This is invaluable for booking hotels, flights, and tours — if the provider fails or doesn't deliver, you can claim from your card issuer. Debit cards offer only chargeback, which is weaker. If purchase protection matters (it should for flights and hotels), include a travel credit card in your setup.

Question 5: Do you travel on weekends?

Revolut's free plan applies a 0.5–1% markup on weekend currency conversions because the forex market is closed. If most of your travel spending happens on weekends (e.g. city breaks), this matters. Starling and Monzo use the Mastercard rate which is fixed and doesn't have a weekend surcharge. Wise converts at the mid-market rate whenever you've pre-loaded, avoiding this entirely.

Question 6: Do you want rewards?

Some travel cards offer rewards points, cashback, or air miles. Scapia (India) offers travel rewards with zero forex fee. American Express Gold (UK) offers Membership Rewards points but has a 2.99% forex fee — typically not worth it for international spending unless you're specifically collecting Amex points. For most travellers, the fee saving from a zero-forex card outweighs rewards from a fee-charging card by a wide margin.

Key takeaways