Whether you’re planning your first trip abroad or you’re an experienced globetrotter looking to travel smarter, a little financial planning can go a long way toward making your trip smoother, safer, and more enjoyable.
Here are helpful tips, useful tools, and a few optional upgrades to consider before your next trip.
Start With Your Wallet
Before you begin packing, take a look at what’s in your wallet. Choosing the right cards and having backups can help avoid unnecessary costs and disruptions.
Understand your card benefits. Review the annual fees on your credit cards and see whether your spending already offsets them through rewards, credits, or perks. A card that charges $95 or $550 a year is only “expensive” if you’re not using the benefits that come with it.
Avoid foreign transaction fees. Many cards still charge a 1–3% fee for every purchase made abroad. Make sure at least one card in your wallet charges zero foreign transaction fees. This alone can save you meaningfully over the course of a trip.
Bring a backup card. Not every merchant abroad accepts every card. You should travel with at least one Visa or Mastercard and one American Express, since acceptance varies widely by country and even by store.
Pay in local currency. When a card kiosk or terminal asks if you’d like to pay in USD or the local currency, choose local currency. Paying in USD may trigger dynamic currency conversion, in which the merchant or payment processor sets the exchange rate. That rate is often less favorable than the rate provided by your card network.
Prepare Your Phone Before Departure
Download and sign in to important apps before leaving home. This is easier to do while you have dependable internet access and can complete any required identity verification.
A few apps are worth downloading and connecting to your credit card before you leave home:
- Bank and credit card apps — keep an eye on transactions in real time so you can report anything unusual immediately. Use your banking app to notify the bank that you will be traveling.
- Airline app — mobile boarding passes, real-time gate changes, and faster rebooking than standing in line.
- Google Maps and Apple Maps — download offline maps for every city on your itinerary so you’re never lost without data.
- Rideshare and transportation apps — Uber works in most major cities. Still, many regions have a dominant local app instead (Bolt in Europe, Grab in Southeast Asia, Yandex Go in parts of Eastern Europe).
- Airbnb or your hotel brand’s app (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, etc.) — for easy check-in, room details, and support on the go. Many apps allow you to chat with a concierge in English.
- An authentication app — If you use multifactor authentication, confirm that you can access important financial and travel accounts without depending exclusively on text messages.
The Right Debit Card Matters, Too
Not all debit cards are created equal when it comes to international ATMs. Look for one that reimburses ATM fees worldwide. The Schwab Bank Investor Checking account is a well-known option that does exactly that, refunding ATM fees anywhere in the world with no minimum balance requirement.
Cash Still Has Its Place
Even in an increasingly cashless world, having some local currency on hand before you leave is smart:
- Tipping — hotel staff, rideshare or taxi drivers, and tour guides often expect (or greatly appreciate) cash tips, and not every culture tips the same way the U.S. does.
- Emergencies — it never hurts to carry a small amount of U.S. dollars as a backup in case cards or connectivity fail you.
Consider ordering foreign currency through your bank ahead of time so you land with cash already in hand, rather than hunting for an ATM the moment you arrive.
Purchases That Make Life Easier
A few small investments before you travel can save you real time and hassle:
- An eSIM or an international plan through your phone carrier — so you have data even when you’re off Wi-Fi.
- A VPN — useful for securely accessing U.S.-based accounts and services while abroad.
- CLEAR and TSA PreCheck — skip the standard security line and move through the airport faster.
- Global Entry — speeds up re-entry into the U.S. and includes TSA PreCheck as a bonus.
Additional Purchases That Make Travel More Luxurious
If you travel frequently or want to treat yourself, a few upgrades can make a noticeable difference in comfort:
Upgrade your card, or buy your way into the lounge. Premium travel cards like the Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve open the door to airport lounges worldwide, or you can purchase a Priority Pass membership on its own. A few things worth thinking through:
- Which airports do you fly through most, and what lounges do they actually offer?
- How can you optimize points and miles using a premium rewards card for your typical spending?
- Is it worth pursuing elite status with an airline or hotel chain for the recurring benefits — free upgrades, late checkout, bonus points?
Pre-booked private drivers. Services like Blacklane offer reliable, pre-arranged car service in cities around the world, so you’re not negotiating a taxi fare after a long flight.
Medical evacuation coverage. A membership like MedJet provides medical evacuation and transport back to a hospital of your choice if you become seriously ill or injured abroad. This is worth considering, especially for travel to more remote destinations.
Ship your luggage ahead. Services like Luggage Forward let you send your bags to your destination in advance, so you can travel with just a carry-on and skip the check-in line entirely.
Consider a luxury stay. If you’re trying to elevate the trip itself, luxury hotel collections (or curated options like Mr & Mrs Smith) often include concierge services such as private transfers, restaurant reservations, and even a butler. That can turn a nice trip into an unforgettable one.
The Bottom Line
International travel should be exciting, not stressful, and a little financial prep goes a long way toward keeping it that way. Start with the basics (the right cards, no foreign fees, a fee-free debit card) and layer in the extras that fit your travel style and budget. As always, if you’d like to talk through which of these tools makes the most sense for your specific situation, our team is happy to help.
Safe travels!
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of our team for further discussion.
A future expertly guided!