About to travel abroad, American here - which card do you advice - revolut, wise, or bank of america or chase?
I was overwhelmed choosing between Wise, Revolut, and my Bank of America debit before heading to Portugal. I ended up getting both Wise and Revolut - used Wise for ATM withdrawals (worked fine in Lisbon and Porto) and Revolut for daily purchases. Bank of America stayed in the hotel safe after I realized the foreign fees. Honestly, you should always travel with two cards in case one gets blocked. Wise was the most reliable for real-time currency control.
Took my Bank of America card to Vietnam last month - big mistake. Got nailed with double ATM fees and poor exchange rates. Switched to Wise after the second week and it worked like a charm. I could hold VND directly and avoid conversion pain. Revolut’s good, but their free tier limits withdrawals unless you upgrade. If you’re asking “which is the best card for American travelers abroad,” it’s Wise for cash, Chase for credit.
Been working remotely from Mexico and Spain since February, and Revolut US has been my daily driver. Great UX, supports tons of currencies, and has solid exchange rates during market hours. But for big-ticket purchases, I still keep my Chase Freedom Unlimited - it has great fraud protection and cashback. I wouldn’t rely on Bank of America abroad - high fees and terrible mobile interface. Between Revolut, Wise, and US banks, I’d say Wise for ATM, Chase for booking, Revolut for daily spend.
I spent two months in Europe this spring and tested both my Chase Sapphire Preferred and Wise debit card. Chase worked well for hotel bookings and major restaurants, but Wise crushed it for ATM withdrawals and everyday stuff - much better exchange rates and no foreign transaction fee. Bank of America slapped me with $5 ATM charges plus a 3% fee, so I ditched it fast. If you’re serious about budget control, Wise + Chase combo is hard to beat.