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As a full-time digital nomad, I spend about 11 months out of the year abroad. I like to follow the warm weather, floating between summers in South America and summers in Europe. As such, it’s crucial to have solid travel rewards cards that give me a suite of benefits, ranging from elevated points on travel purchases to protections if something were to happen while I’m on the road.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of my favorite credit cards and is arguably one of the most popular credit cards on the market right now. It’s beloved by travelers, including myself, thanks to its generous rewards and perks, lack of foreign transaction fees, and the ability to transfer points to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners.
Planning a trip abroad, whether it’s to live, vacation, or work, requires some effort. Here are a few things you should know about using your Chase Sapphire Preferred card internationally.
4 things to know about using the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card internationally
1. You won't have to pay foreign transaction fees
The singular most important factor in determining whether a card is suitable for international travel is whether it has foreign transaction fees. Cards with these fees will often charge 3% of each transaction in U.S. currency, so you’re effectively spending 3% more on each purchase throughout your trip. It might not sound like much, but this can quickly add up, especially in a country where the dollar is weaker than the local currency.
Luckily, cardholders of the Chase Sapphire Preferred don’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees when making purchases outside of the U.S. In addition, the Sapphire Preferred is a Visa Signature card, which means it’s accepted almost anywhere in the world.
2. You don't need to set up travel notifications
There’s nothing worse when traveling than when you take out your card to buy dinner, and it gets declined for apparently no reason. Some credit cards come with fraud protections that automatically decline an “unusual” purchase, like if you try using it outside your hometown. Cards with this feature require you to set up travel alerts and notifications in your portal to let the issuer know that you will be traveling. If you forget, you run the risk of your card getting deactivated. Even if you set up an alert, the system will sometimes automatically decline your purchase anyway, which can be extremely frustrating. Speaking from personal experience, I’m glad I had several different cards in my wallet to choose from when this happened to me.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a travel rewards card, and the system is sophisticated enough that you no longer need to file a travel notice like you might have in the past. This makes travel even easier than ever before.
3. Your card has insurance to cover you
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can access many different kinds of insurance coverage that protect you wherever you travel. If you wish to claim any of the below coverage, make sure you use your Chase Sapphire Preferred on the purchase you want covered.
For instance, if you want to utilize baggage delay insurance, you need to have paid for your plane ticket or checked bag with your Sapphire Preferred. Also, be sure to report your losses as soon as possible and provide proof of the damages you incurred.
Trip cancellation or interruption insurance
If you book some or all of your trip with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and need to cancel it, trip cancellation insurance might cover the cost if you cancel for a covered reason. The same goes for trip interruption insurance — if something happens either on the way to departure or after leaving and you can't continue your vacation, you may be able to recoup all or part of your travel costs.
The insurance provides up to $10,000 per person in reimbursement when problems happen, with a maximum limit of $20,000 per occurrence and a $40,000 total maximum payout over a 12-month period. Note that there are always exclusions, so read the policy before making a claim.
Baggage delay or lost luggage coverage
If your baggage is delayed by more than six hours, Chase will reimburse you for essential purchases necessitated by the delay, up to $100 per day for five days. This could include the purchase of clothing, toiletries, and a single cable to charge a cell phone. However, the coverage excludes items such as contact lenses or hearing aids.
If your luggage is lost entirely, damaged by the carrier, or stolen, Chase also covers you and your immediate family members for up to $3,000 in losses per covered person per trip. This includes up to $500 in coverage for jewelry and watches and up to $500 for cameras and other electronics. Keep in mind that items you leave behind accidentally on a plane, cruise ship, or other common carrier are not considered lost or stolen.
Travel accident insurance
Travel accident insurance offers coverage in case of an accident with a common carrier or in case of accidental death or dismemberment on a covered trip. This insurance provides up to $500,000 of common carrier accident insurance.
Rental car insurance
If you rent a car and charge it to your card, you can decline collision coverage from the rental car company and take advantage of Chase's auto rental collision damage waiver. This insurance kicks in if your rental car is stolen or you get into an accident while driving your rental car — and it reimburses up to the car’s cash value. The coverage is primary rental car insurance coverage, which means you don't have to file claims with other insurers, such as your auto insurer, before Chase pays out.
4. Emergency services are available
Chase offers a variety of emergency assistance services to Sapphire Preferred cardholders, including:
- Referrals to medical and legal help in countries abroad: This includes providing you with the contact information of English-speaking professionals who can assist you with your needs.
- Emergency transportation assistance: Chase will help you arrange emergency transport to the closest medical facility or back home to the U.S.
- Emergency message service: You can record emergency messages or Chase will relay emergency messages to family or business associates.
- Emergency ticket replacement: Chase will help you get a replacement ticket delivered.
- Emergency translation services: Chase offers telephone support and help finding a local interpreter where you're traveling.
- Prescription assistance: Chase will help you get prescriptions filled locally and arrange pickup and delivery of your medications.
- Valuable document delivery: If you've left important papers at home, Chase will help get them to you.
Tip
Although Chase helps you gain access to these services, you'd have to pay for the services you need. The emergency service provided simply facilitates access to help; it doesn't pay for it.Comparing Chase cards with no foreign transaction fees
| Annual fee | Foreign transaction fee | Rewards rate | |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | $95 | None | 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | $550 | None | 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card | $99 | None | 3X points on Southwest purchases; 2X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners; local transit and commuting, including rideshare; and on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming; plus 1X points on all other purchases |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card | $0 | None | up to 14X total points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy; 2X points at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services; and 1X points on all other purchases |
| The World of Hyatt Credit Card | $95 | None | up to 9X points at Hyatt (4 bonus points per $1 on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels plus up to 5 base points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member); 2X points on restaurants, airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships; and 1X points on all other purchases |
| United Gateway℠ Card | $0 | None | 2x miles on United purchases, at gas stations, and on local transit and commuting; plus 1x mile on all other purchases |
FAQ
Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred have foreign transaction fees?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees when you use your card abroad.
Do I need to notify Chase of international travel?
No, you do not need to notify Chase about international travel.
Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred have trip cancellation insurance?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card provides trip cancellation insurance, covering you for up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per occurrence if a trip is canceled for a covered reason. The maximum reimbursement is $40,000 over a 12-month period.
Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred get you into airport lounges?
Cardholders with the Chase Sapphire Preferred don't get airport lounge access, but other Chase cards do provide this benefit, including the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
How do exchange rates work with the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
When you make a purchase that isn't in U.S. dollars, Visa converts the transaction into U.S. currency using its own conversion formulas before transmitting it to Chase. The exchange rate is determined using one of several methods, including the government-mandated rate in effect when you make a purchase or the rate available in the wholesale currency market on the processing date.
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is an excellent choice for international travel. Between the comprehensive travel protections and the lack of foreign transaction fees, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more versatile card to use while abroad. I bring my Chase Sapphire Preferred with me to every country I visit, and it has never let me down.