How to Prepare Your Credit Cards Before You Travel

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated June 2026

The short answer: A few minutes before a trip saves real money. Bring a credit card with no foreign transaction fee for purchases, set up a fee-free way to get cash abroad, know which travel protections your cards include before you need them, and burn any expiring travel credits or free-night certificates. Here is the pre-trip checklist.

Pack a no-foreign-transaction-fee card

For purchases abroad, use a credit card that charges no foreign transaction fee, since a 3 percent fee on everything you buy adds up fast over a trip. Most travel cards waive it, but plenty of everyday cards do not, so check before you leave and bring the right one. And whenever a terminal asks, always choose to pay in the local currency, never your home currency, because that dynamic currency conversion hides a steep markup. See foreign transaction fees and using cards abroad.

Line up fee-free cash before you go

For cash, have a plan that avoids the foreign ATM fee stack, which can be your bank fee plus a currency markup plus the operator surcharge. A fee-free travel account, such as a Charles Schwab debit card, refunds ATM fees worldwide with no markup, and is worth opening before a big trip. Never withdraw cash on a credit card abroad, because that is a cash advance with an upfront fee and immediate interest. See how to avoid foreign ATM fees.

Know your travel protections before you need them

Your cards may already include trip delay and cancellation coverage, rental car protection, and baggage coverage, but only if you pay for the trip with the card that carries them. Decide which card to use for the flight and the rental car before you book, so the coverage applies, and so you can confidently decline the rental counter waiver and skip duplicate insurance. Skim the Guide to Benefits and save it. See card travel insurance and benefits you are not using.

Use expiring credits, and a few last checks

A trip is the perfect excuse to spend an annual travel credit, an airline fee credit, or a free-night certificate that is about to expire, rather than forfeiting it. Check your lounge access for the airports on your route, and make sure no card you are bringing expires mid-trip. A travel notification call is usually unnecessary now, since most issuers rely on real-time fraud detection, but confirm your issuer has a current phone number and travel-friendly alerts. See do not let certificates expire.

Frequently asked questions

What credit card should I use abroad?

One with no foreign transaction fee for purchases, and always choose to be charged in the local currency rather than your home currency. For cash, use a fee-free travel debit account rather than a credit card, since a credit card cash withdrawal is a costly cash advance.

Do I need to notify my bank before traveling?

Usually not anymore. Most major issuers dropped travel notifications in favor of real-time fraud detection. Still, make sure your issuer has a current phone number to reach you, your alerts are on, and your card does not expire during the trip.

Does my credit card include travel insurance?

Many travel cards do, covering trip delay, cancellation, rental cars, and baggage, but only when you pay for the trip with that card. Check the Guide to Benefits before you book so you use the right card and can skip duplicate coverage.

How do I get cash abroad without big fees?

Use a fee-free travel account like a Charles Schwab debit card, which refunds ATM operator fees worldwide and adds no currency markup, and always pick local currency at the ATM. Never withdraw cash on a credit card, since that triggers a cash advance fee and immediate interest.

What should I do with my cards before a trip?

Bring a no-foreign-transaction-fee card, set up a fee-free cash plan, learn which card carries your travel protections, use any expiring credits or certificates, check lounge access, and confirm no card expires mid-trip.