Australians love to travel, but the big banks love to rip us off with pesky international transactions and ATM withdrawal fees when we access our money overseas.
Many debit cards in Australian wallets charge a 3.5% international transaction fee for overseas spending or cash withdrawals.
Additionally, ATM withdrawals overseas often attract a $5 fee on top of any local operator charges.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is there is a better way and you can save hundreds of dollars of fees by getting yourself one of the best debit cards for overseas travel.

Big Four Bank’s International Transaction Fees

Standard transaction accounts from all of the Big Four banks in Australia – Commonwealth Bank, NAB, ANZ and Westpac – have high fees for overseas spend and withdrawals.
As of December 2024, the following charges apply:

Commonwealth Bank Mastercard Everyday Account Smart Access
3.5% international transaction fee, $5 ATM access fee
NAB Visa Debit Card
3.5% International Transaction Fee, $5 ATM access fee
ANZ Access Advantage Visa
3% International Transaction Fee, $5 ATM access fee
Westpac Choice Mastercard
3% International Transaction Fee, $5 ATM access fee (outside of Global Alliance Partner ATM network)

These fees might seem small, but they can quickly add up during overseas travel.
For example, a family who spends AUD $5,000 during a trip to the United States would be slugged $175 of international transaction fees with Commonwealth Bank or NAB.
A few cash withdrawals at ATMs could see the total banking fees for the trip climb closer to $200.

What is the best debit card for overseas travel?

At Hack Your Trip, we don’t like unnecessary bank fees during our international adventures.
So we have searched far and wide for the best debit cards for overseas travel.
Here are our top picks – and why.

1. ubank Spend Account

The ubank Spend account is our top pick for spending money and accessing cash while overseas.
This account has no monthly account-keeping charges and no international fees for spending on a linked Visa or using your card to make ATM cash withdrawals overseas.
Ubank is a digital-only branch of NAB and is a popular choice for Australians who are looking to spend and save at home and enjoy fee-free access to their money while abroad.
New signups for ubank can also enjoy a $30 bonus after making 5 card purchases within 30 days of account opening.
To get this offer, use our referral code: SXMJWLH

Sign up for a ubank account and enter our referral code to get a $30 bonus

2. Macquarie Transaction Account

Another great option for overseas travellers, the Macquarie Transaction Account has no fees on overseas purchases in-store and online.
There are also no account-keeping fees and Macquarie charges no fees of its own on overseas cash withdrawals at ATMs.
The other benefit is that this account comes with a linked Mastercard, which tends to have slightly better currency conversion rates than Visa alternatives.

3. ING Orange Everyday Account

This account used to be a big winner for overseas travel but is not as valuable as it once was.
That said, the ING Orange Everyday Account remains a better choice than accounts from some other banks.
Free ATM cash withdrawals were removed in 2023, but this account still charges no international transaction fees for eligible customers, along with no account-keeping fees.
To receive rebates on international transaction fees, account holders must deposit at least $1,000 from an external source and make at least 5 settled card purchases during the previous month.
Overseas ATM withdrawals now come with a $5 fee, in addition to any charges local ATM operators may charge.

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Summary

The ubank Spend account is a winner when it comes to the best debit card for overseas travel for Australians. This account comes with a Visa debit card and has no international transaction fees and no ATM withdrawal fees charged by ubank. The Macquarie Transaction Account is another top option, with no overseas transaction fees or ATM fees charged by Macquarie. The ING Orange Everyday account is not as good a choice as it used to be but is still a better pick than standard offers from the Big Four banks.

Written By: Chris
Updated: December 2024