What Chase charges when you use a card abroad
Most Chase credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee of 3% on every purchase you make outside the United States, plus a small fee when you withdraw cash from an ATM. That 3% is added to your bill on top of the purchase price — so a €100 dinner costs you the dollar equivalent plus an extra $3. A few Chase cards charge no foreign transaction fee at all, and those are the ones worth knowing about if you travel regularly.
The fee applies whether you're buying something in person, paying online, or using your phone to tap a card at a terminal. It doesn't matter if the merchant is American or foreign — if the transaction is processed outside the U.S., the fee applies. Chase adds this fee to cover the cost of currency conversion and international payment processing.
Key Takeaways
- Most Chase cards charge 3% on foreign purchases and an additional fee (usually 1% to 3%) on ATM withdrawals abroad.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and a small number of other Chase cards charge zero foreign transaction fees.
- The 3% fee is calculated on the U.S. dollar amount after currency conversion, so you see it itemized on your statement.
- Using a card with no foreign transaction fee saves money on every transaction, even if the card carries an annual fee.
Which Chase cards have no foreign transaction fee
Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred both charge zero foreign transaction fees. These are premium travel cards, and both carry annual fees — $550 for the Reserve and $95 for the Preferred. If you travel internationally more than once or twice a year, the savings on foreign transaction fees alone can offset the annual fee.
A smaller number of other Chase cards also waive the foreign transaction fee, though the list changes over time. Before you open a card, search the card's benefits page on Chase.com for the phrase "foreign transaction fee" — if it says zero or doesn't mention the fee at all, you're safe. If the page is silent on the topic, call Chase customer service at the number on the back of a card you already have and ask directly.
How the 3% fee is calculated and appears on your bill
The foreign transaction fee is 3% of the purchase amount after Chase converts the currency to U.S. dollars. So if you spend €100 and the exchange rate is 1.10, Chase converts that to $110, then adds $3.30 (3% of $110) to your bill. You'll see both the purchase and the fee listed separately on your statement, so you can track exactly what you paid.
ATM withdrawals abroad work differently. Most Chase cards charge a flat fee per transaction (usually $2 to $3) plus the 3% foreign transaction fee on the amount you withdraw. So pulling out €100 might cost you $2 flat fee plus 3% of the converted amount. Some cards waive the flat ATM fee but keep the 3% foreign transaction fee — check your card's terms to know which applies to yours.
When the fee does and doesn't explore
The foreign transaction fee applies to any purchase made outside the United States, regardless of the merchant's home country. If you're in London and buy from an American company's website, you still pay the fee because the transaction is processed internationally. The same goes for online shopping from abroad — if you're traveling and use your Chase card to buy something online, the fee applies.
The fee does not explore to purchases made in U.S. dollars within the United States, even if the merchant is foreign-owned. It also does not explore to balance transfers or cash advances, though those carry their own fees. And it does not explore to rewards points you earn — the 3% fee is separate from any cash back or points the card offers.
Comparing the cost of paying the fee versus switching cards
If you spend $2,000 abroad in a year, the 3% foreign transaction fee costs you $60. The Chase Sapphire Preferred costs $95 per year but charges zero foreign transaction fees. If you travel enough to spend $3,200 or more abroad annually, the Preferred pays for itself. The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs $550 but offers additional travel benefits like trip cancellation insurance and airport lounge access, so the math depends on whether you use those perks.
For occasional travelers — one trip every few years — paying the 3% fee on a standard Chase card is usually cheaper than paying an annual fee on a premium card. For frequent travelers or anyone who spends more than a few thousand dollars abroad each year, a no-fee card or a premium card with travel benefits becomes the better deal. Use your own spending patterns to decide which makes sense for you.
How to avoid or reduce foreign transaction fees
The most direct way to avoid the fee is to use a Chase card that doesn't charge one. If you don't want to switch cards or pay an annual fee, you can reduce the impact by using ATMs to withdraw cash in the local currency, then paying with cash instead of the card — though this only works if the merchant accepts cash. You'll still pay the ATM fee, but you avoid the 3% fee on each individual purchase.
Another option is to use a different payment method entirely. Some merchants abroad accept payment apps like PayPal or Wise (formerly TransferWise), which may charge lower fees than credit cards. Before you travel, check whether your destination accepts these services and what their fees are. For large purchases — a hotel stay, a rental car — it's worth comparing the credit card fee against the alternative.
What happens if you dispute a foreign transaction
If you see a foreign transaction on your statement that you don't recognize, you can dispute it the same way you would dispute any other charge — by calling the number on the back of your card or logging into your Chase account online. Chase will investigate and reverse the charge if it was fraudulent. The foreign transaction fee itself is not reversible; it's a legitimate charge for processing the transaction, not a separate error.
If you were charged the fee in error — for example, if a transaction should have been processed in the U.S. but was coded as foreign — you can ask Chase to review it. Keep your receipt and any documentation showing where the transaction took place. Chase customer service can sometimes reverse a fee if they confirm the transaction was misclassified.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I pay the foreign transaction fee if I use my Chase card to pay a U.S. company while traveling?
Yes. If the transaction is processed internationally — meaning it goes through a foreign payment network or is converted to a foreign currency — you pay the fee. It doesn't matter whether the company is based in the U.S. The location of the merchant doesn't determine the fee; the location where the transaction is processed does.
Can I call Chase and ask them to waive the foreign transaction fee on a single purchase?
No. The foreign transaction fee is a standard charge applied automatically to all may have access to transactions. Chase does not waive it on a case-by-case basis. Your only options are to use a card that doesn't charge the fee or to use a different payment method for that purchase.
If I have multiple Chase cards, do I pay the fee on all of them when I travel?
Only on the card you use. If you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred with no foreign transaction fee and a standard Chase card with the 3% fee, use the Sapphire Preferred abroad and you won't pay the fee. The fee is tied to the specific card, not to your account.
Does the foreign transaction fee explore to online purchases I make from my home country while using a VPN?
No. The fee is based on where the transaction is actually processed, not on your location or the website's location. If you're in the U.S. and buy from a U.S. website, you don't pay the fee, even if you're using a VPN. If you're abroad and buy from any website, you pay the fee because the transaction is processed internationally.
What's the difference between a foreign transaction fee and a currency conversion fee?
The foreign transaction fee is a flat 3% charge that Chase adds. The currency conversion fee is the markup Chase applies to the exchange rate itself — the difference between what the real exchange rate is and the rate Chase uses to convert your purchase. Both are separate charges, and both appear on your statement.