Travel Money Finder™ – Guide to Travelling With Money Overseas

We've compared the travel-friendly card options so you don't have to and can get back to the fun stuff, like planning your much-anticipated holiday.

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Name	Product	Available Currencies	ATM Withdrawal Fee	Initial Load Fee	Reload fee
Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard		AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB,AED	USD $2.50, EUR €2.50, GBP £2.00, NZD $3.50, THB ฿80.00, CAD $3.50, HKD $18.00, JPY ¥260.00, SGD $3.50, AUD $3.50, AED 10.00	$0	$5		Up to 11 currencies on 1 card locked in exchange rates and no load fees.	More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Data updated regularly

We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.

Learn how we maintain accuracy on our site.

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Name	Product	Available Currencies	ATM Withdrawal Fee	Initial Load Fee	Reload fee
Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard		AUD,USD,CAD,EUR,GBP,HKD,JPY,NZD,SGD,THB,AED	USD $2.50, EUR €2.50, GBP £2.00, NZD $3.50, THB ฿80.00, CAD $3.50, HKD $18.00, JPY ¥260.00, SGD $3.50, AUD $3.50, AED 10.00	$0	$5		Up to 11 currencies on 1 card locked in exchange rates and no load fees.	More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Compare three travel money cards' available currencies side by side

Currencies	7-Eleven Just Go Pre-Paid Travel Card	Nab Traveller	Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard
Australian dollar (AUD)	Yes	Yes	Yes
United Arab Emirates dirham (AED)	No	No	Yes
Canadian dollar (CAD)	No	Yes	Yes
euro (EUR)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pound sterling (GBP)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)	No	Yes	Yes
Japanese yen (JPY)	No	Yes	Yes
New Zealand dollar (NZD)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Singapore dollar (SGD)	No	Yes	Yes
Thai baht (THB)	No	Yes	Yes
US dollar (USD)	Yes	Yes	Yes

What if I'm going to a destination not listed above?

You can still use a pre-paid travel card just as you would a credit card if the currency for the destination you're going to is not listed above.

Alternatively, you may want to consider travel-friendly credit card and debit card options.

Compare ATM withdrawal fees by destination for these travel money cards

Currencies	7-Eleven Just Go Pre-Paid Travel Card	Nab Traveller	Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard
Australian dollar (AUD)	$0	$3.75	$3.50
United Arab Emirates dirham (AED)	N/A	N/A	10
Canadian dollar (CAD)	N/A	$0	$3.50
euro (EUR)	$0	€0	€2.50
Pound sterling (GBP)	$0	£0	£2.00
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)	N/A	$0	$18
Japanese yen (JPY)	N/A	¥0	¥260
New Zealand dollar (NZD)	$0	$0	$3.50
Singapore dollar (SGD)	N/A	$0	$3.5
Thai baht (THB)	N/A	฿0	฿80
US dollar (USD)	$0	$0	$2.5

How does getting cash out with travel money cards compare to debit cards?

Your travel money card doesn't just replace a debit or credit card when it comes to making payments, you can also use it to withdraw cash at ATMs around the world at the locked-in rate.

If your debit card is with one of the big four banks (ANZ, Commonwealth, NAB or Westpac), you'd pay $5 every time you withdraw cash at an overseas ATM.

What are the travel money card fees I should know about?

• ATM withdrawal fees: Fees change depending on which card you have and which country you're in. Tip: The NAB Traveller Card (Discontinued) doesn't charge any ATM withdrawal fees.
• Initial load and reload fees: Some cards charge you when you first put foreign currency onto the card and/or when you add more money to your balance. Tip: The NAB Traveller Card (Discontinued) doesn't charge these fees.
• Currency conversion fees: Depending on the card, you can pay up 5% or more in currency conversion fees.Tip: Qantas Travel Money doesn't charge a currency conversion fee.

What have we compared so you can find your best travel money card for you?

Why should I get a pre-paid travel money card?

Think of it as a gift card to yourself to use when you're on the road.

Pre-paid travel money cards let you load different currencies onto the card at a locked in exchange rate, so you can better keep track of your spending while travelling and not have to worry about rising exchange rates.

There is no one "best" type of travel money to take overseas because your options vary from country to country and from person to person. So to find the best* travel money options for your next trip, you'll need to look at your holiday destination, how you want to spend money and what you can afford to take with you.

• Pre-load money. Put money onto your card in an upfront loading so you know exactly what you have to spend while you're away. But don't worry - you can always re-load on the go if you need to.
• Multiple currencies. You can use your travel card to convert your Australian dollars into your chosen supported currency or currencies. When you spend in a supported and loaded currency, you can avoid the currency conversion fees you'd usually be charged if you were using an Australian card overseas.

• Locked-in exchange rates. When you convert your Australian dollars into a foreign currency that's supported by the card, the funds are converted based on the exchange rate available at that time. Depending on which way the currency goes, this can be a good way to avoid negative exchange rate fluctuations while you're travelling.
• Frequent flyer points. Get a Qantas Cash or Velocity Global Wallet Card prepaid travel money card and you'll earn frequent flyer points for your spending both overseas and in Australia, with both cards offering higher point-earning rates for international transactions.

Looking for information about travel money cards for a specific destination?

Where are you travelling to?

Travel credit cards

Credit cards can give you financial security, flexibility and extra features when you travel overseas. There is also a range of cards designed to offer you more affordability by offering no currency conversion fees, foreign transaction fees or overseas ATM withdrawal fees. But remember to consider the other costs associated with the card, such as the annual fee and interest rates, so that you can decide if this is an option that will work for your trip.

Bankwest Credit Card Offer

Bankwest Breeze Platinum Mastercard

0% p.a. for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
$0 annual fee for the first year

Eligibility criteria, terms and conditions, fees and charges apply

Bankwest Credit Card Offer

A platinum card offering 0% introductory purchase and balance transfer rates, a $0 first-year annual fee and complimentary insurance covers. Plus, 0% foreign transaction fees.

• $0 first-year annual fee ($69 p.a. thereafter)
• 0% p.a. on balance transfers for 15 months with no BT fee
• 0% p.a. on purchases for 15 months
• No foreign transaction fees on overseas purchases

More info

Compare travel credit cards with 0% currency conversion fees

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Name	Product	Foreign currency conversion fee	Interest-free period	Purchase rate	Annual fee
CommBank Ultimate Awards Credit Card with Qantas Points		0%	Up to 55 days on purchases	20.24% p.a.	$450	Receive 70,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply and spend $5,000 in the first 90 days from card approval. Plus, 0% foreign fees.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
NAB StraightUp Card		0%		0% p.a.	$0	Save with 0% interest charges and 0% foreign transaction fees. Plus, $0 monthly fees when you don't use the card or carry a balance.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Benefits of using a credit card overseas

• Access to credit. Your credit card limit is often larger than your savings, which can give you more flexibility when you travel.
• Security. Credit cards come with a range of security features including fraud-monitoring services and zero-liability policies that help protect you if your card is lost, stolen or used for fraudulent transactions.

• 0% foreign transaction fees. Many travel credit cards offer no currency conversion or ATM withdrawal fees, which could help you save when compared to regular credit cards or debit cards. Note that you'll still have to pay cash advance fees if you use a credit card to get cash out at an ATM.

• Extras. Depending on the card, you could earn reward or frequent flyer points for your spending or get other travel perks such as complimentary overseas travel insurance, purchase protection and concierge services.

What else do I need to know when using a credit card for travel?

• Acceptance. Most Australian credit cards are Visa, Mastercard or American Express, so you should be able to use them widely around the world. You may not be able to use some cards in some locations (such as Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Sudan and Syria) due to economic sanctions. Check with the provider to confirm whether you can use your card in a specific country before you go overseas.
• Fees. If you use your regular credit card overseas, it's likely you'll be charged currency conversion or foreign transaction fees. You'll also be charged cash advance fees if you use your card for ATM withdrawals. Cards designed for overseas use tend to come at a cost, so make sure that the cost of the annual fee doesn't outweigh the benefits you get from the card. Unless you have a card with 0% on purchases or interest-free days, all purchases will also collect interest.
• Currency conversion costs. Look for a card that doesn't charge currency conversion or foreign transaction fees, otherwise you'll rack up fees every time you use your card for purchases in the local currency on your holiday.
• Dynamic currency conversion. When you travel overseas with an Australian credit card, you could have the option of paying in the local currency or in Australian dollars. If you choose Australian dollars, your transaction will be processed using dynamic currency conversion, which usually costs more than paying in the foreign currency (even after the standard fees have been added).

Travel debit cards

If you have a Visa or Mastercard debit card that's linked to an everyday account, you could continue to use it when you're travelling overseas. This gives you a way to spend your own money without transferring or converting it beforehand. Some everyday debit cards offer travel benefits such as international ATM alliances to help you avoid overseas withdrawal fees or 0% currency conversion fees.

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Name	Product	Card access	ATM Withdrawal Fee	Monthly Account Fee	Internatonal ATM Fee	Foreign transaction fee
HSBC Everyday Global Account Finder Award		Visa	$0		$0	0%	Special offer: $100 cash bonus for new HSBC customers. Earn 2% cashback on tap and pay purchases (T&C's apply). Enjoy no minimum ongoing balance or transaction requirements and the flexibility to hold up to 10 currencies. Apple Pay and Google Pay available.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Citi Global Currency Account		Mastercard	$0		$0	0%	Earn up to 0.6% p.a. interest on your AUD balance. $0 monthly account fee. Enjoy one linked debit card to hold up to 10 currencies and receive foreign currencies for free.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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What are the benefits of travelling with a debit card?

• Pay with your own money. Unlike a credit card with a line of credit or a prepaid card with a loaded amount of funds, a debit card gives you direct access to your transaction or savings account when you're in another country. This can save you time compared to loading money on a prepaid card and can help you avoid cash advance or interest charges that could apply on a credit card.
• ATM availability worldwide. If your debit card is a Visa or Mastercard, you should be able to withdraw money from ATMs around the world. To avoid ATM withdrawal fees, look for a card with a global ATM network, such as Westpac's Global ATM Alliance or Citi's international ATM network.
• Card fraud protection. Australian debit cards offer security features such as fraud-monitoring services and zero-liability policies that can help you get your money back if your card is used for fraud.

What do I need to know when I travel with my debit card?

• Foreign transaction fees. Unless your debit card offers 0% international transaction fees, you could be charged between 1% and 4% for all payments made in a foreign currency.
• Dynamic currency conversion. Similar to credit cards, you may have the option of paying in the local currency or in Australian dollars when you use your debit card overseas. Choosing Australian dollars means the transaction will be processed using dynamic currency conversion, which usually adds between 6% and 8% to the transaction cost.
• No back-up or additional card. Unlike some travel money cards, debit card accounts do not provide a backup. This means that you may have to wait up to two weeks for a replacement if you've lost your card or had it stolen overseas.
• Daily currency exchange rate. You will receive the daily exchange rate for your withdrawal from Mastercard or Visa. Due to the uncertainty of exchange rates, this may be favourable or provide a lower rate than securing a rate with a prepaid travel card before you leave the country. You can get an idea of how the Mastercard and Visa exchange rates compare here.

Read this guide to find out which debit cards are the best to use during your next overseas trip.

Travel debit cards draw funds from a savings account and enable you to access your funds while overseas and to manage your budget. The advantages of using a debit card can include international ATM alliances and no withdrawal fees, no currency conversion fees on foreign transactions and access to your savings.

Foreign cash

While cards are convenient and secure, it's a good idea to have some foreign cash on hand when you go overseas. This allows you to make payments when cards are not accepted, such as at smaller cafes, stores or even public transport ticket machines. It also means you'll have some funds available even if something happens to your card. You can buy foreign currency in Australia from specific outlets or order it online. You can also buy it when you're overseas, although this could be more expensive.

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Name	Product	Minimum Order Amount	Maximum Order Amount	Delivery/Pickup Method	Commission Fee
Foreign Xchange Travel Money		$0	$9,999	In Store,Home Delivery	$0	Order multiple currencies in one transaction and have it delivered directly to your door anywhere in Australia. No delivery fee for orders over $1,000. A $10 flat fee applies to orders less than $1,000.	More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Benefits of having foreign cash

• Acceptance. As long as you have enough money, you can use foreign cash anywhere. In comparison, there could be some locations where cards are not accepted.
• Convenience for smaller payments. Some businesses might have a minimum transaction amount for cards, which could make it easier to use cash. Similarly, if you're travelling to a country where tipping is required, such as the US or the UK, having cash could make it easier to leave a tip that's affordable for you.
• Lock in exchange rates. If you buy currency before you go overseas, you'll be able to get it at the exchange rate offered for that day. This means you'll know exactly how much you have to spend when you're away.
• Easy ordering services. If you order your currency online, you could have the choice of getting it delivered or picking it up at a nearby store. This could save you time and money when compared to last-minute foreign currency purchases you make at the airport.

Other factors to consider when getting foreign cash

• Exchange rates. The exchange rates for buying currency can vary a lot depending on the company and where you are. So planning ahead will help you find a service that offers a competitive exchange rate for whatever currency you want to buy.
• Currency conversion costs. Many foreign currency exchange services will charge a fee or commission for each transaction. You could also be charged a fee for delivery. Make sure you factor this cost in before you order money so you can budget accordingly.
• Processing times. If you want foreign cash before you go overseas, keep in mind that some services may need to order the money for you. This could take a couple of weeks, so give yourself plenty of time between ordering money and going away.
• Security. Remember that cash is easy to lose and tricky to insure. Aim to keep your money on you or locked up in a secure section of your luggage that would be hard for thieves to access. Also check your travel insurance policy to see how much you could be covered for if you lose your cash.

What other travel money options can I consider?

Traveller's cheques

Traveller's cheques were once a widely used form of travel money, but they're going the way of the dinosaur. You can weigh up whether they're worth your time below:

Benefits of traveller's cheques

• Secure. Traveller's cheques are an extremely secure method to spend money overseas, requiring an ID check before they can be used.
• Safe. Traveller's cheques are insurable and can be replaced if lost or stolen.

What else should I consider when looking at traveller's cheques?

• Cost. You might be charged a purchase fee when you first pick up your traveller's cheque.
• Acceptance. Traveller's cheques are not widely accepted, especially compared to Visa or Mastercard credit, debit and travel money cards.
• Ease of use. Traveller's cheques can be bulky and awkward to store in your wallet or luggage. Plus, you'll have to go to the effort of getting them cashed rather than having immediate access to money like you would with a card or foreign cash.

Credit cards with complimentary travel insurance

A range of credit cards come with complimentary travel insurance that can help you save on buying cover upfront. Usually, you'll need to activate the cover or pay for some or all of your trip with the card to get this insurance. If you think you'll use this card when you're overseas, remember to also look at the other features of the card – including foreign transaction fees and interest rates.

Frequent flyer credit cards

As well as earning you points for your everyday spending, many frequent flyer credit cards offer travel perks such as airport lounge passes, travel insurance and concierge services. If you get a new frequent flyer card, you could also earn thousands of bonus points to help pay for your next trip. There are also some top-tier frequent flyer cards that offer flight or travel vouchers you can put towards the cost of your next trip. As with other credit cards, remember to check the rates and fees, so you know how much it will cost to use the card in Australia and overseas.

The most commonly asked travel money questions on the Internet

• What are the travel money card exchange rates?

  Travel credit cards typically use the Mastercard or Visa network and use the daily exchange rates that the networks provide. You can find out the daily exchange rate by going to the Mastercard or Visa website. Travel prepaid cards usually have a lower exchange rate due to being able to pre-load your currencies, additional travel features available (spare cards, loading multiple currencies) and the bank charging a larger margin in return for providing these services.

• What is a cross currency conversion fee?

  A cross currency conversion fee is charged when you use your Australian card with Australian dollars to make a purchase in a foreign country. The money is exchanged from Australian dollars into the local currency electronically.

• How can I avoid ATM withdrawal fees?

  Banks that have international ATM alliances will allow you to withdraw cash for free. Westpac has one of the largest ATM alliances out of any Australian bank. Global lenders like Citi and HSBC have a number of ATMs worldwide, and Citi does not charge for international ATM withdrawals. So if you're a Citi customer looking to use your card overseas, head to a Citi ATM and all you'll pay for the withdrawal is the currency conversion fee.

• Can I load my existing credit card into a positive/credit balance to avoid fees (ATM withdrawal, currency conversion, cash advance fees)?

  Although this method of loading travel funds is rarely disclosed in the banks terms and conditions, loading your credit card into a positive balance can avoid the cash advance interest rate. As smart travellers have continued to use this method, banks have made changes to their fees and charges. The following fees may still apply when you load your account into credit:

  • International ATM withdrawal fee. Charged when you withdraw cash overseas.
  • Currency conversion fee. This amount is calculated based on the total of the international ATM fee and the amount being withdrawn.
  • Local ATM operator fee. This can be avoided by using an ATM with your bank's overseas ATM alliance (if they have one). The cash advance interest rate will apply from the day the transaction takes place.

• Should I get travel insurance from credit cards or from a travel insurance company?

  Many premium credit card issuers will offer complimentary travel insurance as an added bonus for successful applicants. The decision on whether to go with this complimentary cover or to purchase a standalone policy will really come down to your cover requirements and budget. While the cover provided by credit cards may not offer the same comprehensive level of cover as that from a travel insurance issuer, you may already have other cover in place from other insurance and feel that your trip requirements don't need the cover options available on standalone policies. Either way, it's important to compare the benefits available with both options and to get a clear understanding of the exclusions for payment. The last thing you need when travelling is the nasty surprise that you are not actually covered for losses in the event that you need to make a claim. Compare credit cards with free international travel insurance

• When are inactivity fees charged with prepaid travel cards?

  If you have a travel card that has an inactivity fee (a fee that's charged every month when your account is inactive for a period of time), you will lose any remaining funds on the card, but your account won't go into a negative balance. Once the card has no funds left on it, this fee will not be charged.

• How do I activate the complimentary travel insurance I get with credit cards

  The eligibility requirements will differ between policies, but a general rule is that you have to pay for a percentage of your prepaid travel expenses with your card or by simply logging into your account online and activating the policy with your trip details (departure date, travel destinations etc). Once you've done this, you're automatically covered under the policy agreement – but keep in mind that each policy has a list of exclusions that you should check before travelling.

• Are travel money belts still a safe option?

  Usually the most practical solutions aren't the most appealing to the eye. Travel money belts keep your money and important valuables/documents safely tucked in a compartment under your shirt to minimise the risk of theft and loss. If security and peace of mind is your first priority when travelling and you don't mind a piece of fabric strapped around your waist, then investing in a travel money belt will protect your travel money cards and important valuables.