What We Actually Carry
And Why It Might Work for You

A practical list of the credit cards and banking accounts we rely on while traveling.

We travel full-time, and this is what’s in our wallet. These cards and accounts have held up across countries, cruise terminals, and tiny towns with one ATM. We’ve figured out what works for us over time. We hope this helps you skip some of the trial and error when figuring out what works for you.

Everyday Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Annual Fee: $95
Authorized User Fee: None

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 2x points on travel, 3x on dining, 5x on travel booked through Chase Travel
  • Points redeem at 1.25x value through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • Includes $50 annual hotel credit and trip protections
  • Status Partnerships: Points transfer to Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, and United at 1:1 ratio

Personal Note: We signed up for this card during a 100K point offer that was too good to pass up. Streaming services earn 3x points, which adds up quickly. We also used the $50 annual hotel credit without any issues.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve

Annual Fee: $795
Authorized User Fee: $195 per person

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 3x points on dining, 4x on flights and hotels booked direct, 8x on travel through Chase Travel
  • Points redeem at up to 2x value through Chase’s Points Boost program
  • Includes $300 travel credit, $300 dining credit, $500 hotel credit (via The Edit), and Priority Pass lounge access
  • Status Partnerships: Complimentary Priority Pass membership; elevated rental car status with National, Avis, and Silvercar

Personal Note: The annual fee was recently increased. When we signed up, we paid the lower $550 fee plus $75 for an additional cardholder. The new pricing took effect after our second renewal. We're still weighing whether the updated rewards structure justifies the higher cost, so we haven’t made a final decision yet. The Global Entry reimbursement was applied without any issues.

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Capital One Venture X

Annual Fee: $395
Authorized User Fee: None

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 2x miles on all purchases, 5x on flights, 10x on hotels through Capital One Travel
  • Miles can be transferred to airline partners or used as statement credits
  • Includes $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles (~$100 value)
  • Status Partnerships: Hertz President’s Circle status; Priority Pass lounge access

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Capital One Quicksilver

Annual Fee: $0
Authorized User Fee: None

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 1.5% cash back on all purchases
  • No portal required—simple cash back

Personal Note: We originally had the Savor card for its 3x grocery rewards, but overseas it didn’t consistently recognize the stores we actually shop at. After repeated issues, we switched to Quicksilver. It pays reliable cash back without the category guesswork, which made it a better fit for our travel style.

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Chase Freedom Unlimited

Annual Fee: $0
Authorized User Fee: None

  • Has foreign transaction fees—best used domestically
  • 1.5% cash back on all purchases
  • 5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel
  • Includes trip cancellation/interruption insurance and rental car coverage

Personal Note: This was our original card in the U.S., and we still use it stateside. It has foreign transaction fees, so we avoid using it abroad. It pairs well with Sapphire cards for point pooling, which makes consolidating rewards straightforward.

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Bank of America Royal Caribbean® Visa Signature®

Annual Fee: $0
Authorized User Fee: None

  • Has foreign transaction fees—best used domestically or for cruise perks
  • Earns MyCruise® points redeemable for onboard credit and discounts
  • Status Partnerships: Visa Signature tier includes secondary rental car insurance and access to the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection

Personal Note: One of our original cards—still useful for cruise-specific redemptions.

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DiscoverIt Miles

Annual Fee: $0
Authorized User Fee: None

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 1.5x miles on all purchases, doubled in the first year (effectively 3x)
  • Miles redeem for travel purchases or cash
  • Accepted at 99% of U.S. merchants; international acceptance is inconsistent

Personal Note: We rarely use this abroad—good domestic backup.

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Hotel Co-Branded Cards

These are the hotel cards we actually use. Each one earns points within its own ecosystem and includes status perks that help with late checkout, upgrades, and free nights. We only keep the ones that consistently deliver value.

Chase Hyatt

Annual Fee: $95
Authorized User Fee: None

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Up to 9x points on Hyatt stays, 2x on dining and travel
  • Points redeem through World of Hyatt portal
  • Includes annual free night at Category 1–4 hotel
  • Status Partnerships: Discoverist status with Hyatt (late checkout, preferred room placement)

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Chase IHG One Rewards Premier

Annual Fee: $99
Authorized User Fee: None

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Up to 26x points on IHG stays, 5x on travel, dining, and gas
  • Points redeem through IHG portal; includes 4th night free on award stays
  • Includes annual free night and United TravelBank credits
  • Status Partnerships: Platinum Elite status with IHG (room upgrades, late checkout)

Personal Note: We used our sign-up points for a full week in Barcelona before hopping on a cruise—no hotel costs out of pocket. IHG runs double point promos throughout the year, which helps cut down the cost of future stays. They're part of a bigger hotel group (Holiday Inn, InterContinental, Kimpton, etc.), so there’s a decent range depending on where we are and what we need.

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Chase IHG One Rewards Premier Business

Annual Fee: $99
Authorized User Fee: None

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Same earning structure as personal card, plus business categories
  • Points redeem through IHG portal
  • Status Partnerships: Same Platinum Elite status as personal card

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Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless

Annual Fee: $95
Authorized User Fee: None

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Up to 17x points at Marriott properties, 2x on other travel
  • Points redeem through Marriott Bonvoy portal
  • Includes annual free night (up to 35,000 points) and elite night credits
  • Status Partnerships: Silver Elite status with Marriott; path to Gold with $35K spend

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Hilton Honors American Express

Annual Fee: $0
Authorized User Fee: None

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 7x points at Hilton, 5x at U.S. supermarkets, gas stations, and restaurants
  • Points redeem through Hilton Honors portal
  • Includes Silver status and 5th night free on redemptions
  • Status Partnerships: Hilton Silver status (free bottled water, late checkout)

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Banking & Investment Accounts

These are the accounts we use while traveling full-time. They’ve worked across borders, cruise terminals, and tiny towns with one ATM. We picked them because they’re reliable, easy to manage, and don’t surprise us with fees.

Charles Schwab Investor Checking

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Unlimited ATM fee rebates worldwide
  • Mobile wallet support, card lock, and travel alerts

Personal Note: ATM reimbursements alone save $5–$10 per withdrawal abroad.

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Charles Schwab One Brokerage

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Same ATM perks as Investor Checking
  • Fewer mobile features; best used as a backup

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Capital One 360 Performance Checking

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Mobile wallet, card lock, and travel alerts
  • Reliable everyday banking with no hidden fees

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Capital One 360 Performance Savings

  • High APY, no fees
  • No ATM access—must transfer to checking to withdraw
  • Ideal for storing emergency funds or travel reserves

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Wise (formerly TransferWise)

Monthly Fee: $0
Setup Fee: None

  • Real exchange rates with low transfer fees
  • Multi-currency account with local bank details in several countries
  • Can hold, convert, and spend in 40+ currencies
  • Debit card available for international purchases and ATM access
  • Useful for receiving payments or paying bills while abroad

Personal Note: We haven’t used it yet, but we set it up before leaving the U.S. as a backup, in case we ever need to move money internationally without hassle.

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Revolut

Monthly Fee: $0 (standard plan)
Setup Fee: None

  • Hold and exchange 30+ currencies at the interbank rate
  • Spend worldwide with a contactless Visa or Mastercard
  • Instantly freeze/unfreeze cards in the app for security
  • ATM withdrawals abroad with limits on the free tier
  • Built-in budgeting tools, vault savings, and travel insurance options on higher tiers

Personal Note: We haven’t used Revolut for day-to-day spending yet, but we opened the account after moving to France because it provides a French RIB (banking details). Having a local RIB is often essential in France — for setting up rent payments, utilities, mobile phone contracts, transit passes, and even certain government services. Revolut gave us that access without the hassle of opening a full French bank account.

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