Free credit card for your trips
In my travels it is always important to me that I am independent, comfortable and above all withdraw cash free of charge or pay directly in shops for free. Credit cards are a proven means of payment for this. At my bank at the time, however, payments in foreign currency were unfortunately associated with sometimes very high international fees. Important criteria for me when choosing my credit card(s) were therefore that I Withdraw cash free of charge with your credit card can, with her Pay worldwide for free can and no annual fee have to pay.
The best free credit cards in 2024
Some credit cards also offer additional services, such as a travel insurance or specific Discounts on. However, this was not the deciding factor for me in my choice.
What is the best free credit card for your travels?
In the jungle of credit card providers, it is sometimes not easy to keep track. I have therefore put together my personal recommendation of the best credit cards for you. I have been using all three credit cards myself for a long time and can therefore tell you with a clear conscience my top 3 for 2024 . Recommend
| credit card providers | Santander 1 Plus Visa Card | DKB VISA Card | Barclay Card Visa |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  | |
| card system | Visas | Visas | Visas |
| card type | Revolving card: The monthly card transaction can also be repaid in installments (interest will accrue if it is postponed). | Charge card: Your monthly turnover will be deducted from the reference account on a fixed date. | Revolving card: The monthly card transaction can also be repaid in installments (interest will accrue if it is postponed). |
| annual fee | 0, - € | 0, - € | 0, - € |
| withdraw money | Worldwide free of charge (4x per month) | Domestic and Eurozone free of charge. Foreign currency worldwide free of charge when using DKB Cash as a salary account. | Worldwide free of charge |
| Pay | Domestic and Eurozone free of charge. In foreign currency worldwide 1,50%. | Domestic and Eurozone free of charge. Foreign currency worldwide free of charge when using the DKB current account as a salary account. | Worldwide free of charge |
| Debit interest (Dispo) | 13,98% | 6,74% | 18,38% |
| Credit Interest | 0,00% | 0,01% | 0,00% |
| Additional Services | Worldwide 1% tank discount, also reimburses third-party fees, 5% discount on travel bookings through cooperation partners | Pay with the DKB VISA Card with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Cashback with many online shops directly to your DKB current account account (up to 15%). | Optionally up to three partner cards free of charge. Now with €50 starting credit! |
| Provider Website | Santander 1 Plus credit card | DKB Visa Card | Barclay Card Visa |
Santander 1 Plus Visa Card
Advantages
- No annual fee
- Withdraw cash free of charge at over 2 million ATMs worldwide
- Pay conveniently and free of charge worldwide
- 1% tank discount worldwide (up to max. €400 petrol station turnover per month)
- 5% discount on travel bookings with cooperation partners
- Any fees incurred by the machine operators will be reimbursed upon request by Santander
- Free additional card for family (1 Plus Visa partner card)
Disadvantages
- You can withdraw max. €300 per day (and max. 10 transactions per day)
- Debit interest is 13,98% per year
Good to know
- The repayment is set by default to 5% of the total amount to be repaid monthly. Flexible repayment in partial installments or in total can be conveniently made by bank transfer
DKB Visa Card
Advantages
- No annual fee
- Withdraw cash free of charge worldwide
- Pay worldwide for free and contactless
- 0,01% pa credit interest up to 100.000 euros on the DKB VISA card
- Free checking account including a checking card
- Pay with Apple Pay and Google Pay
Disadvantages
- The credit card is only available in connection with the free checking account
- As a passive customer you pay (from the 2nd year) 1,75% on money withdrawals outside of Europe
Good to know
- After 1 year, the conditions mentioned only apply to active customers. If you want to withdraw cash worldwide free of charge or pay for free from the second year, you must have a monthly cash receipt of at least €700. However, this does not necessarily have to be your salary!
Barclay Card Visa
Advantages
- No annual fee
- Withdraw cash free of charge worldwide
- Pay worldwide for free
- 5% travel refund when using the service of the travel agency partner
- 24-hour emergency hotline, up to €500 emergency cash
- 0 € liability for card misuse through no fault of your own
- Apply for up to three partner cards free of charge
- You will only be billed after 30 days. This increases the payment target to up to 60 days (partial payment function possible by bank transfer or free direct debit)
Disadvantages
- No reimbursement of any applicable machine fees
- A complete debit of the credit card statement by direct debit is not possible. So you have to become active yourself and balance your balance by bank transfer or direct debit
Choosing the ideal credit card is often not easy
The combination of free cash withdrawals worldwide and paying for a free credit card and great discounts makes the Santander 1 Plus credit card my personal favorite among travel credit cards. In my new China Travel Guide I also share my experience in terms of paying in China - so have a look. I hope my overview has helped you in choosing a suitable credit card.
Feel free to leave a comment which credit card you like to use for your trips or what were particularly important criteria for you when choosing the ideal credit card.
Transparency: This article contains so-called affiliate links, if you click on them and make a purchase via this link, I will receive a commission from the online shop or provider concerned. The price does not change for you.
I've been a Santander customer for years and I'm super happy with the 1 Plus credit card. So I can only confirm
Hello, are the recommended credit cards still up to date (as of July 2021)? I mainly travel domestically and in the euro zone, which card is the most advantageous? Thank you for your feedback.
Dear Winfried, thank you for your comment. I continue to use the Santander 1Plus credit card for my (international) trips and am very happy with it. You get a real credit card (no debit) and can withdraw cash abroad for free. In addition, it is permanently free of charge. However, you can't go wrong with the Barclaycard, since card payments (both within the EU and outside the EU) are completely free of charge. I hope I could help you. kind regards, lina