How To Find The Best Credit Card For Travel To Europe

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase’s premier travel rewards credit card checks many of the boxes. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers a generous welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. And while the $550 annual fee may seem steep, the benefits add up quickly.

The first $300 you spend each year on eligible travel purchases is given back to you as a statement credit. Also, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a Priority Pass Select membership and access to Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club, a statement credit of up to $100 every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS and no foreign transaction fees.

In terms of ongoing rewards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 5 points per dollar on flights and 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals when purchasing travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3 points per dollar on other travel and dining and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Without a doubt, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most popular and best credit cards for travel to Europe or other countries.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Another one of Chase’s top travel credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers a lower annual fee than its sibling while still offering a solid welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

It also offers strong earnings potential in everyday spending categories. The card earns 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

Foreign transaction fees are waived with the Sapphire Preferred, but cardholders don’t receive any lounge benefits or credits for Trusted Traveler programs. There’s also no general travel credit available, but the card does offer a hotel credit of up to $50 per year for stays purchased through Chase Travel.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25 and 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booking via Capital One Travel. The flat earning rate on nontravel purchases provides an uncomplicated way to earn rewards on whatever you buy during your Europe trip.

You’ll also get access to multiple lounges including the Priority Pass network, waived foreign transaction fees (rates & fees), a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel and a Global Entry credit.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The premium card offering from American Express offers not only a solid welcome bonus but also a large suite of travel benefits and coverages all packed into one card.

The Platinum Card® from American Express earns 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases. You’ll also get a $200 statement credit each year to cover airline incidental fees for the airline of your choice. This can help offset your baggage fees, in-flight refreshments or even seat selection fees.

In airports, you’ll gain entrance to the famed Centurion Lounges by American Express, other lounges in the Global Lounge Collection and a Priority Pass Select membership. Combine that with a suite of travel insurances like trip delay and interruption insurance¹, car rental loss and damage coverage² and even cellphone protection¹, and it’s hard to beat all these benefits packed into one card.

Europe Travel: ATM vs. Credit Card

Using your ATM card when you arrive in Europe and take out cash may seem tempting, but that might not be your best option.

Most places in Europe use Tap to Pay with credit cards, so your need for cash will likely be limited. Having a little bit of local currency is always recommended, so you could always take out a smaller amount of euros just in case. Your hotel should be able to break larger bills into smaller ones or even coins to leave tips.

When you take money out of an ATM in another country, your bank may not only charge you a foreign transaction fee, but you may also incur a foreign ATM fee and a nonbank ATM fee. Those fees add up quickly if you must take out money more than once.

The right credit card can help avoid those pesky foreign transaction fees and also earn rewards. Also, if you lose your ATM or debit card or fraud on the account, the money from your checking account could be at risk. On the other hand, most credit cards offer zero liability protection if your card is lost or stolen.

Europe Travel: Credit Card Fees

Every time you make a purchase outside of the U.S., your credit card processes the foreign charge and converts it to U.S. dollars. Banks will typically charge a fee for this service, called a foreign transaction fee.

You can call your bank to ask if your current credit card charges this fee or apply for a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.