Chase Freedom Unlimited may not be a good travel partner. Here's what you need to know about its foreign transaction fees. Show
Chase Freedom Unlimited foreign transaction fee is 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars. That is like a $3 fee for every $100 you spend in a foreign country. If you use the Chase Freedom Unlimited, it's probably your go-to card for everyday spending. But will this card still be as useful while you're abroad? In this article, we'll break down how the Chase Freedom Unlimited foreign transaction fee works. We'll also offer some alternatives for what you can do to avoid this fee while abroad. Chase Freedom Unlimited Overview
Chase Freedom Unlimited can be a great card for your regular everyday spending. But you probably won't want to make it your go-to for spending abroad. If you do, this card's foreign transaction fee might make a sizeable dent in your vacation savings. If you plan to travel abroad, you may want to consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred instead. Chase Sapphire Preferred has no foreign transaction fees. What Is a Foreign Transaction Fee?Chase Freedom Unlimited charges a foreign transaction fee every time you use the card outside of the U.S. If you are a frequent international traveler, you may want to consider a
no foreign transaction fee credit card to avoid that 3% fee. Foreign transaction fees (FTFs) are, in a sense, exactly what they sound like. If your card comes with this fee, you'll have to pay extra to the bank for every transaction you make with outside of the United States. That means that your meals, hotels, transportations, and shopping abroad can all come with an extra fee. In fact, you don't even have to be abroad to accrue foreign transaction fees. Even making online purchases with non-U.S. based retailers - like some foreign airlines - can come with a FTF. Banks will typically charge as much as 3%. That's small enough that it might not deter you from making a few minor purchases, but high enough that it can quickly become frustrating. For example, between hotels, bus rides, tours, and eating out, most of us could easily charge $1,000 during a trip. That could rack up an additional $30 in fees. FTFs show up as separate charges on your credit card statement. So when you get home, it'll be easy (and depressing) to calculate exactly how much you wasted on fees. Chase Freedom Unlimited Foreign Transaction FeeWhile it might be the perfect everyday card, the Freedom Unlimited does come with a foreign transaction fee: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars. That might not exactly break the bank. Still, no one wants to spend their vacation savings on bank fees. In short, this everyday spending card might need to take a week (or two) off during your next international trip. Not to worry - there are plenty of international travel-friendly credit cards out there. If you carry multiple credit cards, it could be worth taking a few minutes to see if you have any cards with no foreign transaction fee. Chase Sapphire PreferredNo foreign transaction fees Other Chase Cards with No FTFOr you can look into applying for a new Chase card. The bank offers several cards that earn travel rewards and have no foreign transaction fee. Here's how they stack up:
Chase Sapphire Reserve lets you earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. This card offers a $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year. This card earns 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. The points can be transferred 1:1 to leading frequent travel programs including airline transfer partners. The card has $0 foreign transaction fees. The card comes with access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select. There is a $550 annual fee. See more benefits. Ink Business Preferred lets you earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 100,000 points is worth $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when you redeem via Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. There are no foreign transaction fees. There is a $95 annual fee. Tip: If you use two Chase Ultimate Rewards cards - like the Freedom Unlimited and one of the premium cards above - you'll be able to
combine your Ultimate Rewards points between your cards. You can transfer points from your Freedom Unlimited to one of Chase's travel cards to take advantage of a higher redemption rate on booking travel through Ultimate Rewards, or you can transfer your points to Chase airline and hotel partners. Avoid Foreign Transaction Fees with These CardsIf you're looking for a cashback card you can take abroad, there are some other comparable cards with no FTF. These cards have no annual fees either:
Bottom LineThe Chase Freedom Unlimited can be a handy card for earning rewards on your regular spending. But in the travel arena, it doesn't shine. There are a couple of other options for cashback cards with no foreign transaction fee. Chase also offers some travel rewards cards that not only have no FTFs, but make great companions for the Freedom Unlimited. Next Step: View the issuer's official application, terms, and details Editorial Note: This content is not provided by Chase. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Chase. This site may be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs. Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. This site may be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs. Editorial Note: This content is not provided by Discover. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Discover. Editorial Note: This content is not provided by Capital One. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Capital One. Disclaimer: The information for the Discover it® Cash Back and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CreditDonkey. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. Can I use my Chase Freedom Unlimited card internationally?There is no annual fee with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, but there is a 3% fee charged on foreign transactions.
Which Chase card can be used internationally?If you're traveling overseas, you'll want to use a Chase card like: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (our favorite card for beginners using travel miles and points) Ink Business Preferred Credit Card (our favorite card for small business owners!) IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card (a fantastic hotel credit card)
Is there a fee to use my Chase card internationally?The rate for foreign transaction fees is usually 2-5% of the entire purchase, which might include shipping costs and taxes. Check out your cardmember agreement for details on fees for international purchases.
Do I need to inform Chase of international travel?You're not required to notify your credit card company when you're going away on vacation, but it is highly recommended. By letting your credit card company know where you're going and for how long, your company will know that any card transactions from that location were likely authorized by you.
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