Most American Express cards charge 2% to 3% on purchases made outside the United States
American Express adds a foreign transaction fee to the cost of anything you buy in another country or from a merchant based outside the US. The fee is a percentage of the purchase amount, calculated at the time the charge posts to your account. For most Amex cards, this fee is 2% or 3% of the transaction total.
The exact percentage depends on which Amex card you hold. Some premium cards waive the fee entirely, while others charge the standard rate. The fee applies whether you're paying in US dollars or a foreign currency — Amex converts the amount and then adds the percentage on top.
The fee is separate from any currency conversion markup that Amex applies. When you use your card abroad, Amex converts the local currency to dollars using its own exchange rate, which is typically close to the mid-market rate but not identical. Then it adds the foreign transaction fee as a percentage of that converted amount.
Key Takeaways
- Standard American Express cards charge 2% or 3% on foreign purchases, applied at the time the charge posts.
- Premium Amex cards like The Platinum Card and certain business cards waive foreign transaction fees entirely.
- The fee applies to any purchase made outside the US, including online purchases from foreign merchants.
- Currency conversion and the foreign transaction fee are two separate charges that both appear on your statement.
- You can find the exact fee percentage for your card in your cardmember agreement or by calling the number on the back of your card.
Which American Express cards have no foreign transaction fees
American Express waives foreign transaction fees on several of its premium and business cards. The Platinum Card from American Express does not charge a foreign transaction fee on any purchase, anywhere in the world. The same is true for The Business Platinum Card and Amex EveryDay Preferred.
Some of Amex's premium business cards also waive the fee, including the Business Gold Card and Business Platinum Card. However, these cards carry annual fees — The Platinum Card charges $695 per year, for example — so the waived foreign fee is one benefit among many, not the main reason to hold the card.
If you travel frequently or make regular purchases from foreign merchants, checking whether your card waives the fee is worth doing before you travel. Call the number on the back of your card or log into your online account to view your cardmember agreement, which lists the foreign transaction fee for your specific card.
Cards that charge the standard 2% or 3% foreign transaction fee
Most American Express consumer cards charge a foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside the US. The American Express Green Card, Gold Card, and Blue Cash Preferred all charge 2% on foreign transactions. The American Express EveryDay Card (the non-preferred version) charges 2.7%.
Amex's entry-level cards, like the Blue Cash Everyday Card and various co-branded cards, typically charge 2% to 3% depending on the specific card. The fee is listed in your cardmember agreement, which you can request by phone or view online if you have an account.
Even if your card charges a foreign transaction fee, you may still want to use it abroad if it offers other benefits like travel protections, purchase protection, or rewards on travel purchases. The fee is a cost to weigh against those benefits, not a reason to avoid the card entirely.
How the foreign transaction fee appears on your statement
The foreign transaction fee does not appear as a separate line item on your statement. Instead, Amex adds it to the purchase amount before posting the charge. If you buy something for 100 euros and the fee is 2%, your statement will show the converted dollar amount plus 2% of that amount as a single charge.
To see the breakdown, you would need to look at the transaction details in your online account or call Amex to ask for an itemized explanation. The fee is calculated using Amex's exchange rate at the time the merchant submits the charge, which may be days after you made the purchase.
If you want to track how much you're paying in foreign transaction fees over time, add up the amounts Amex charged for each foreign purchase and subtract the original purchase price in local currency (converted at the mid-market rate). The difference is roughly what you paid in fees and currency conversion markup combined.
Ways to avoid or reduce foreign transaction fees
The most direct way to avoid foreign transaction fees is to use a card that does not charge them. If you travel regularly, switching to a card like The Platinum Card or Amex EveryDay Preferred might save you more in waived fees than you pay in annual fees, though that depends on how much you spend abroad.
Another option is to use a different payment method when possible. Some merchants accept payment in US dollars, which may avoid the foreign transaction fee — though the merchant's exchange rate is often worse than Amex's, so this is not always a win. Paying with cash in the local currency avoids card fees entirely but carries other risks.
If you use your Amex card only occasionally abroad, the 2% to 3% fee may be acceptable as the cost of convenience. You avoid the hassle of exchanging cash or carrying multiple cards, and the fee is relatively small on most purchases. The math changes if you spend thousands of dollars abroad each year.
What counts as a foreign transaction
A foreign transaction is any purchase made outside the United States, regardless of the currency used or the merchant's home country. If you buy something in Canada, Mexico, or any other country, the foreign transaction fee applies. The same is true for online purchases from merchants based outside the US, even if you're in the United States when you make the purchase.
Amex determines whether a transaction is foreign based on where the merchant is located, not where you are or what currency the charge is in. A purchase from a UK-based online retailer will trigger the foreign transaction fee even if the retailer charged you in US dollars and you were sitting at home in New York.
Transactions made in US territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands are treated as foreign transactions by Amex and will incur the fee. The only exception is if the merchant is a US-based business operating in a territory — in that case, Amex may not charge the fee, though this varies by card and situation.
How to find your card's exact foreign transaction fee
The foreign transaction fee for your specific card is listed in your cardmember agreement, which is the legal document that outlines all the terms and conditions of your card. You can view this agreement online by logging into your Amex account and looking for a section labeled "Terms and Conditions" or "Cardmember Agreement."
If you don't have online access or prefer to speak with someone, call the number on the back of your card and ask a representative for your card's foreign transaction fee. They can tell you the exact percentage and answer questions about how it applies to specific types of purchases.
You can also visit the American Express website and search for your card by name — most product pages list the foreign transaction fee in a fees and charges section. If the fee is not listed on the public product page, the cardmember agreement will have it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I pay the foreign transaction fee if I'm a US citizen traveling abroad?
Yes. The fee applies to any purchase made outside the US, regardless of your citizenship or where you live. It's based on where the merchant is located, not where you are when you make the purchase.
What's the difference between the foreign transaction fee and currency conversion?
The foreign transaction fee is a percentage Amex charges on top of the purchase. Currency conversion is the process of turning the local currency into US dollars. Both happen, and both cost you money — they are separate charges.
Can I dispute a foreign transaction fee?
No. The fee is part of your card's terms, not an error. If you believe you were charged incorrectly or the merchant location was misidentified, you can contact Amex to review the transaction, but the fee itself cannot be removed if your card is subject to it.
Do foreign transaction fees explore to ATM withdrawals?
No. ATM fees are separate from foreign transaction fees. Amex may charge an ATM fee for using an out-of-network machine, but this is not the same as a foreign transaction fee. Check your cardmember agreement for ATM fees in your card's specific terms.
If I pay in US dollars abroad, do I still pay the foreign transaction fee?
Yes. The fee applies to any purchase made outside the US, regardless of what currency you use. Even if a merchant offers to charge you in dollars, Amex will still explore the foreign transaction fee because the merchant is based outside the US.