Travel credit cards can help make your travel experience simpler and easier. Never again will you have to search the European streets for an ATM. However, there are so many available – which is the best travel credit card? It's a great question. Let's investigate.
Sortter Team
Alex Manea
Best Travel Credit Cards in Europe
Traveling around Europe is one of the most popular forms of vacation in the world. There are many beautiful countries, cities, and towns to visit, and tons of exciting attractions, food, and drink to try out. However, there's one problem – money. All the fun stuff you'll want to do throughout your travels costs money, which can be a real pain. Withdrawing cash from an ATM often results in unfair commission charges, and paying via traditional bank cards can rapidly start to stack up huge fees. In this article, we'll have a look at some on the best credit cards that you can use in Europe.
What Bank Are You Using?
In the last few years, quite many digital banks have emerged in Europe. Overall, these are now much cheaper to use when traveling, compared with traditional banks. You can find a more in-depth analysis of digital banks vs normal banks on our blog.
Below, we are going to take a look at some of the best digital banks in Europe and what facilities they offer to travelers.
Revolut Travel Card
This platform provides all sorts of fantastic digital finance services, and European travel credit cards are one. Our favorite thing about this travel card is how universal and integrated it is.
You can use Revolut as a digital eWallet, and simply use their credit cards to access these funds in any shop that accepts card payments. It's a simple and effective service, but you'll have to remember to plan ahead.
Setting one of these cards up is quick, but verifying your ID, waiting for the card to arrive, and setting up a PIN code can take a little longer. Get this setup, and you'll simply need to bank transfer funds onto your Revolut travel card to access them.
There are several different membership options when purchasing a Revolut card. It will be important to consider the following:
- All card membership options provide a Euro IBAN account to use when traveling
- Only the Premium and Metal membership options provide free international fees
- These two options also provide overseas health insurance
Wise Travel Card
Another option worth checking out is the Wise travel card. This works much like Revolut; you simply order a card, set up a digital eWallet, and enjoy spending cash in Europe without being ripped off.
The service is optimized for use with Euros, particularly if you're traveling from the UK, but over 50 additional currencies are also supported. While Wise focuses on providing services for UK residents, the card is also available in over 30 other countries.
Three of the key benefits of the Wise Card include:
- Up to 15x cheaper than international debit or credit card fees
- Can be used as contactless payment across applicable countries
- The mobile app provides real-time currency conversions
Their website features a handy list of all countries that Wise is supported in. If your country is not listed, unfortunately, you won't be available to use this service.
Bunq Travel Card
Next up is the Bunq travel card, a European travel money card that has the selling point of ensuring that you always pay with the real-time exchange rate without paying any dodgy fees. The service claims that it will save its users up to 3% in fees per trip, and considering Mastercard powers it, this includes credit card fees.
It's also a very safe and secure option, allowing you to freeze your card much like a regular bank if it ever gets lost. It's available in 30 different European countries, including the UK, so if you're traveling to England, Scotland, Ireland, or Wales from another country, you won't have to worry about Brexit obstacles. You can also be rest assured to know that the Bunq card:
- Provides the flexibility of credit cards without enormous fees.
- Can be used for contactless payments but can also be linked to Apple and Google Pay on your phone
- Is accepted for the reservation of travel and accommodation much like any usual payment card
N26 Travel Card
The final recommendation on this list is the N26 travel card, a premium option that allows you to pay via direct debit, contactless, and SEPA transfer. It stands out from other options by providing travel insurance benefits, in addition to integrating within a handy mobile app.
There are more perks, too - the service allows you to split your balance across 10 sub-accounts to help you budget effectively throughout your travels, in addition to providing discounts when purchasing accommodation and other services through certain brands. In addition to further insurance benefits, 24/7 customer support, and excellent security, it's a convenient travel expenditure companion.
All of these perks make it an easy contender for the best credit card for travel. The only major issue is that opening an account costs €9.90 per month, but if you travel a lot, this should be worth the benefits, such as:
- No foreign exchange fees
- A range of insurance coverage including COVID-19 and Luggage
- Various membership options, thus providing something for every budget
Conclusion
Overall, traveling in Europe doesn't have to be stressful and expensive for your finances. There are tons of options out there providing different services for specific scenarios, and the four that we have recommended offer a good balance of the available options.
If you like the look of any of these European travel cards, you should consider checking out our online comparison tool to find the best digital bank for your needs.
Different people need different European travel cards for various purposes, so you should always make sure that you do your research and find the best travel card for your circumstances. Good luck, and we wish you safe travels!
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