Will you pay foreign transaction fees in U.S. territories like Puerto Rico?
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Digging into the rules surrounding rewards credit cards is what we do. We do the work so you don’t have to.
We get lots of questions regarding which card to use for particular situations — one of the most common being about the best cards to use abroad to avoid transaction fees. So you might be wondering: “Will using a credit card that charges foreign transaction fees in U.S. territories like Puerto Rico incur fees?”
In short, purchases made in Puerto Rico (and other U.S. territories like American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, or the U.S. Virgin Islands) are not considered foreign transactions.
Banks won’t charge foreign transaction fees for purchases made in these locations. And in fact, the official currency of all U.S. territories is the U.S. dollar. So again, charges made in U.S. dollars in any U.S. territory will not incur foreign transaction fees.
If you have credit cards issued by smaller banks or a credit union, it could be worth calling the number on the back of your card to confirm their policies before you travel. But when it comes to the best credit cards for travel, you won’t have to worry about incurring any extra fees.
And remember, to avoid being charged extra when you travel outside of the U.S. and its territories, use a card that does not charge foreign transaction fees. And preferably one that earns bonus miles and points for travel, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Featured image by Songquan Deng/Shutterstock.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide, eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
Earn 2x total points on up to $1,000 in grocery store purchases per month from November 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Includes eligible pick-up and delivery services.
Intro APR on purchases
N/A
Regular APR
15.99%-22.99% Variable
Annual Fee
$95
Balance Transfer Fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Rates & Fees
Other
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