Best Banks for Travelers
The best banks for travelers cut the cost of trips at home and abroad, and come with handy perks for those on the go. Read on for our top two choices.
Best Banks for Travelers
If you travel frequently, you’ll benefit from features such as fee-free ATM access and waived currency-conversion charges. And even if you’re not on the road much, the checking accounts from these banks are outstanding choices.
This is part of Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine's 2024 best bank for you rankings. See lower down on this page for more categories.
Capital One
Why it won: Capital One goes light on fees with its online 360 accounts, and its nationwide cafés provide travelers a place to relax.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hwgJ7osrMtUWhk5koeVme7-200-80.png](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hwgJ7osrMtUWhk5koeVme7-320-80.png)
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Standout account: 360 Checking customers can access more than 70,000 ATMs fee-free, and you pay no foreign-transaction fee when you use the debit card overseas.
Where it is: The accounts listed here are internet-based, but Capital One has more than 250 branches in a handful of eastern and southern states and Washington, D.C.
Overview:
Capital One’s 360 Checking account has no monthly fee or minimum balance requirement, and the debit card imposes no foreign transaction fees for purchases or ATM withdrawals abroad. Capital One also provides free access to more than 70,000 ATMs, including the bank’s own machines as well as those in the Allpoint and MoneyPass networks. If you withdraw money from an out-of-network machine, Capital One charges you no fee, but you’ll likely pay a surcharge to the ATM operator. If you’d like to earn a high yield on extra cash, check out the no-fee 360 Performance Savings account, yielding 4.25%, and the one-year CD, with a 5% yield (no minimum deposit required).
Capital One has a robust mobile app that you can use to manage your accounts and make transfers on the go. Plus, along with standard branch locations, the bank operates more than 50 cafés in cities across the country. Capital One Cafés serve up food and drinks (you get a 50% discount on handcrafted beverages, such as coffee and tea, if you pay for them with your Capital One debit or credit card), as well as providing workspaces and free Wi-Fi.
Charles Schwab Bank
Why it won: Schwab waives the surcharges that most other banks impose on international travelers.
Standout account: Users of Schwab’s Investor Checking account pay no ATM fees or currency conversion fees.
Overview: Globetrotters will find Charles Schwab’s Investor Checking account hard to beat. It offers unlimited reimbursement of out-of-network fees for ATM withdrawals worldwide, and travelers pay no foreign transaction fees when they use their debit card for ATM withdrawals or purchases. The account is free of monthly maintenance fees, overdraft fees and minimum balance requirements, and you get complimentary standard paper checks, too. The debit card comes with travel accident insurance as well as travel and emergency assistance services, such as referrals to English-speaking doctors if you become ill while abroad.
You must link your Investor Checking account to a Schwab One brokerage account, which has no minimum balance requirement, and you can transfer money instantly between the accounts. With Schwab’s mobile app, you can move money and check account balances.
Kiplinger's Best Banks 2024
- Best National Banks
- Best Internet Banks
- Best Credit Unions
- Best Banks for High-Net-Worth Clients
- Best Banks for Retirees
Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
Lisa has been the editor of Kiplinger Personal Finance since June 2023. Previously, she spent more than a decade reporting and writing for the magazine on a variety of topics, including credit, banking and retirement. She has shared her expertise as a guest on the Today Show, CNN, Fox, NPR, Cheddar and many other media outlets around the nation. Lisa graduated from Ball State University and received the school’s “Graduate of the Last Decade” award in 2014. A military spouse, she has moved around the U.S. and currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons.
-
5 Stocks to Buy for a Trump Presidency
The race for the White House is heating up and these five stocks are set to benefit if Donald Trump claims victory.
By Will Ashworth Published
-
6 Target-Date Funds to Buy For Your Retirement
These six target-date funds are good set-it-and-forget-it options that are a staple of retirement plans.
By Nellie S. Huang Published
-
This "Super" 529 Strategy Can Help You Jumpstart College Savings
This 529 strategy — superfunding a 529 — can help you maximize savings for a child or grandchild's education expenses.
By Erin Bendig Published
-
How to Deal With Inflation: Advice From a Financial Adviser
Higher prices are hitting everyone, but if you're especially hurting, here are some ways that could help you to cope.
By Kelsey M. Simasko, Esq. Published
-
How Long $750,000 in Savings Plus Social Security Will Last in Every State
How long $750,000 plus Social Security will last depends on when you retire and where you live.
By Donna LeValley Published
-
Mixed Jobs Report Keeps Fed on Track for Rate Cuts: What the Experts Are Saying
Jobs Report The Fed will cut rates this month. The only question is by how much.
By Dan Burrows Published
-
Is It Worth It to Upgrade to the New iPhone 16? Well, Yes.
Apple's iPhone 16 lineup will see significant changes across every model with dazzling new features and upgrades. Plus, Apple Intelligence will get a boost with the A18 Pro processor.
By Kathryn Pomroy Published
-
Recent Graduate? Financial Fitness Starts Here
Once you've landed a job, it's time to optimize your starting salary with a focus on creating a budget, paying off student debt and saving for retirement.
By Vanessa Okwuraiwe Published
-
Finance 101: Money Skills Every New College Student Needs
College is a perfect time to put financial know-how to the test. Here's how parents can set their kids up for success by making smart money choices.
By Leila Evans, CFP® Published
-
Does the Government Insure You?
It might surprise you to learn that you could be relying on Uncle Sam for some of your insurance needs.
By Karl Susman, CPCU, LUTCF, CIC, CSFP, CFS, CPIA, AAI-M, PLCS Published