Advantageous bank cards for travel - my selection

I promised to tell you about specific maps for travel, I'm spreading it. I have long wanted to make this selection, because right after the last winter I redid all my cards, and this is probably not the end, as tariffs change, some cards are no longer issued, somewhere I don’t like the service in fact. I just say right away, this is not a complete list, of course, there are many more cards. There are only those that I once had, are now, or plan to be in the future.

In general, this is some kind of endless process. If you are constantly tracking various bank offers, look advantageous schemes for using cards, both for trips abroad and for home, look for interesting contributions, cashback cards, good credit cards, it pretends to be a whole hobby.

The content of the article

How to choose a card for travel (updated 10.2018)

In addition to issuing a bank card suitable for travel, you also need to make travel medical insurance, otherwise you can seriously get money if something happens. I have a very detailed post about honey insurance, where I explained in detail all the nuances Also in detail, as here about the cards.

My insurance rating>

Let's see what commissions can be, summarize and compare them. We take the rates of Mastercard and Visa payment systems as fixed, because they are the same for all cards and do not depend on which Russian bank issued the card. Conversion rates of Russian banks are usually pegged to the Central Bank (Central Bank) to make it easier to calculate losses. There may be inaccuracies here, because tariffs may change, please take this into account.

To understand how card conversions work, read - How to correctly convert tugriks to rubles. And if you don't know anything about maps yet, then start with the article - Which bank card is better to get, there are the basics.

In general, while the dollar / euro are unstable, you can buy in advance in currency, put on currency cards and then spend / withdraw. Or wait for a fall in the exchange rate, and it is on these days to buy currency even while already abroad, for example, by converting in the Internet bank.

My bank cards

Summary plate

+ we go to a plus (profit)
- we go into negative territory (losses)
cashbacks for selected categories or special offers are not taken into account

Loss on cash withdrawal Loss on payment in store Note Tinkoff Credit AllAirlines. Get a gift 1000 rubles. - 0% My favorite among the cards. Cashback by miles. Tinkoff, currency debit Black 0% + 1% Cashback in cash. Tinkoff, debit Black -2% -1% Cashback in cash. Corn Mastercard World 0 + 1.5% Cashback points, difficult to spend. Beeline Mastercard 0 + 1% Cashback bonuses to beeline phone. Sberbank, debit Mastercard -3% -1.5% Cashback - thanks from Sberbank. Alfabank, debit Mastercard -3.5% -2.5% Cashback no.

For whom it is difficult to understand tabular data, see my post, where I compared the profitability of a particular card in numbers on a specific amount withdrawn from an ATM (I specially withdrawn the same amount from all cards on one day).

Tinkoff Credit / Debit AllAirlines

This is my main map now. Read my detailed overview with pros and cons, told the whole truth.

All Airlines card (1000 rubles as a gift)>

  • Cash is not withdrawn from a credit card, high fees. Cashback 2% for purchases.
  • Conversion TUGRIKA => USD goes at the rate of Mastercard or Visa. Cross-border payment fee: 0%
  • Loss on conversion USD => RUB: internal rate of the bank = Central Bank + 2%.

AllAirlines are my favorite among credit cards and I use it all the time now. If you don't like credit cards, do the same debit AllAirlines (a gift of 500 rubles via the link). Total losses of 0% when paying (at first, due to the Central Bank rate + 2%, we go into a minus by 2%, but they are compensated by a 2% cashback). Cashback is credited in miles (1 mile = 1 RUB), 2% for all purchases, 10% for hotels and car reservations, and 5% for buying an air ticket. Annual service 1890 rubles or free of charge when spending from 50 thousand rubles per month. Interest-free period of 55 days, free travel insurance. Benefit outweighs annual service many times over.

Tinkoff, ruble Black

Now you can open an account in one of 26 currencies and link any card to it. After that, during working hours (Moscow time), buy this currency and then pay from the card 1 to 1. For example, I opened an account in baht.

Black card (as a gift 3 months of service)>

  • Commission for withdrawal from an ATM of a third-party bank: 0% (if you withdraw more than 3000 rubles). Cashback 1% for purchases.
  • Conversion TUGRIKA => USD follows the Mastercard rate. Cross-border payment fee: 0%
  • Loss on conversion USD => RUB: internal rate of the bank = Central Bank + 2%.

The total loss on withdrawal is 2% or 1% when paying for purchases (cashback compensates everything by 1%). Cashback is credited with money. The balance on the card is charged 6% per annum (there are some restrictions, so it is easier to keep in a savings account at 5%, but without restrictions), and every quarter there are categories for which 5% cashback, for example, fuel, pharmacies, transport, traffic police fines. Annual service is free, provided that you are at least 30 thousand rubles on the card (or 50 thousand rubles on the deposit). You can link an account in any currency to one card and change it in a couple of clicks.

Corn, ruble Mastercard World

UPDATE. Since the summer of 2016, Kukuruza has lost ground. Reduced the percentage of the balance, removed the ability to normally spend points, etc. I stopped using the card, now I have it as a spare, because it is free. Read all the details in my post. Map overview Kukuruza.

  • ATM withdrawal fee: 0% if you activate the service «interest on the balance» and withdraw at least 5,000 rubles at a time and not more than 50,000 rubles per month, otherwise the commission is 1%. Cashback 1.5% for purchases.
  • Conversion TUGRIKA => USD follows the Mastercard rate. Cross-border payment fee: 0%
  • Conversion losses USD => RUB: bank rate = Central Bank, that is 0%.

After receiving the card, put the mobile application and enter the promo code FRASFM38V, then you will be given 300 rubles. The total losses during withdrawal and payment are 0%, and due to cashback we go to plus 1.5%. Cashback is awarded in points that are difficult to spend. Annual maintenance is free, but with the service connected «interest on the balance must be kept on the card at least 5,000 rubles daily or transactions for 5,000 rubles per month, otherwise a service fee of 70 rubles / month will be charged. Free SMS for all transactions.

Beeline, ruble Mastercard

  • ATM withdrawal fee: 0% if you withdraw at least RUB 5,000 at a time and no more than RUB 50,000 per month, otherwise the fee is 1%. Cashback 1% for purchases.
  • Conversion TUGRIKA => USD follows the Mastercard rate. Cross-border payment fee: 0%
  • Conversion losses USD => RUB: bank rate = Central Bank, that is 0%.

The total losses during withdrawal and payment are 0%, and due to cashback, we go to plus 1%. The Beeline card is very similar to Kukuruza in principle (also not a bank card) and the tariffs are very similar, the exchange rate is exactly the same as the Central Bank. But it is more suitable for Beeline subscribers, which I am not. Cashback is credited with bonuses that can be spent to pay for Beeline communications. For selected categories, cashback is 5%. Annual maintenance is free. There is interest on the balance of 6% if there is at least 3000 rubles on the card every day or 3000 rubles are spent per month. Otherwise, the service costs 99 rubles per month.

Sberbank, ruble Mastercard

Classic cards from Sberbank

  • Commission for withdrawal from a third-party bank ATM: 1%. Have cashback 0.5% of Thank you.
  • Conversion TUGRIKA => USD follows the Mastercard rate. Cross-border payment fee: 0%
  • Loss on conversion USD => RUB: internal rate of the bank) = approximately Central Bank + 2%, it must be changed after the fact.

The total loss on withdrawal is 3% or 1.5% upon payment. Annual maintenance 750 rubles for the first year, then 450 rubles. There is cashback in the form according to the program «Thanks», for purchases 0.5%, for shares up to 30%. If you have a Visa card (I would not recommend doing it), then add another 2% of losses (for premium cards 0.75-1%) for cross-border to all transactions.

I was also asked about Momentum cards, they convert in the same way. One of the advantages is a free annual service. Of the minuses - the limits on transactions at ATMs per month (50,000 rubles or $ 1,600 or € 1,200), and on payment for goods per day (100,000 rubles. Or $ 3,500 or € 2,500). Although the latter is not at all critical. Well, sometimes you need a name card.

Alfabank, ruble Visa or Mastercard

Alpha packages

  • Commission for withdrawal from a third-party bank ATM: 1%.
  • Conversion TUGRIKA => USD goes at the rate of Mastercard or Visa. Commission for cross-border payment: 2.5% (they call it differently, they say, there is no commission for a trans-border).
  • The loss on converting USD => RUB is not known. Since either they put their 2.5% into the rate, which I wrote about in the previous paragraph, or into this conversion, it is not clear. But it will always be about 2.5% in total. Here is the bank's internal rate.

The total loss on withdrawal is 3.5% or 2.5% upon payment. On a regular card, the annual service is free, but you must definitely connect one of the packages. The cheapest OPTIMUM with a commission of 2189 rubles per year or 199 rubles / month (to choose from), which can be 0 rubles if one of the conditions is met (the accounts contain from 100 thousand rubles or spending 20 thousand rubles per month). There is also a good Cashback card with a 10% refund for a gas station, 5% for a cafe, and 1% for other purchases. She has an annual maintenance cost of 1990 rubles / year, plus the cost of the Optimum package.

Other cards

There are a large number of cards on the market now, and I did not set myself the task to cover all of them. Cashback debit cards are quite good at AK Bars (Generation), SIAB (Cashback online), credit cards at Otkritie (Travel), B&N Bank, Alpha (Travel Premium), etc. There are many different.

Everyone has different tasks and different opportunities. Someone does not want to have 20 cards at all and it is easier for him to use one, while someone, on the contrary, makes almost a card for each category of purchases. For example, if you travel a lot by car (or take it to Europe on a trip), then for this you can make yourself a specially separate card for paying for fuel with some kind of cashback at 10%.

I looked through the cards for a long time and chose several for myself, and some of them from Tinkoff. So far I am satisfied with them. In my opinion, they basically have enough advantages: good cashback by category, interest on the balance on the card, a credit card is easy to get, the interbank is free. And also, what I have been using lately - currency exchange online at a good rate, there is such a life hack: buy dollars every time before buying (or immediately after) and pay with them abroad, and not with rubles from a ruble card, then there are no losses on conversion ( Central Bank + 2%).

Dollar and Euro cards

Before choosing a currency card, read my post, which is better to choose, currency or ruble card.

In a normal bank, when withdrawing any tugriks from the card (baht, dinars, kroons), they will be converted into dollars at the rate of the Master / Visa payment system and debited 1: 1 from your dollar card, there will be no additional fees for cross-border. Thus, in the presence of a currency card, we move away from the second conversion of USD => RUB at the internal rate of the Russian bank, which is relevant if it differs greatly from the Central Bank. It is these cards that we will mainly consider here..

If you already have any cards, then you need to call your bank and clarify in what currency they work with the payment system, and how exactly the conversions take place, according to what scheme. It is important at what rate the conversion will go, because the best rate is the payment system (MPS), and not the bank's internal rate. Or, if, for example, tugriks are suddenly converted into euros by the payment system, then you need a euro card, not a dollar one. Be prepared that the call center will be answered with complete nonsense, and find out better on the banking.ru forum, there are really knowledgeable people who constantly check cards in real life and calculate commissions, such a hobby. It is also important to find out if there is a cross-border commission when the payment currency differs from the account currency (we pay with a dollar card in Serbia / Bulgaria / Czech Republic / Thailand in local currency).

Tinkoff

I now have 2 Tinkoff cards (just in case 2) and I can link a ruble, dollar or euro account to any of them. This should be used as follows: in countries where the euro is used, you need to use a euro card, and in countries where tugriks (even if it is geographically Europe), a dollar one. There is no commission for the transgranate. Cash withdrawal from 100 ye at any ATM without commission. Annual service on foreign currency accounts 0. Cashback 1% on all transactions.

Black card>

Dollar card: use only where DOLLARS are in use (1 to 1 write-off) or TUGRIKS (1 Tugriki conversion => USD at the rate of the IPS). In the eurozone it is not necessary (1 EUR conversion => USD at the bank's rate).

Euro card: use only in countries where EURO is in circulation (1 to 1 write-off). In tugrik countries, it is not necessary (2 conversions Tugriks => USD => EUR, the first conversion is at the rate of the IPS, and the second at the rate of the bank).

Conversion table from a representative of Tinkoff from the forum

Sberbank

Sberbank, when withdrawing local tugriks at an ATM or when paying for a purchase in a store, will take as much as 0.75-2% of cross-border payments with Visa cards (there will be no Mastercard), depending on the degree of premium of the card. Regular Classic cards - 2%. Here is a link to their rates (36 pages). Therefore, if you make a Sberbank card, then you need to be guided by the following rules: in the euro zone - pay in euro, in the dollar zone - in dollar, in third currencies - with a dollar Mastercard, in general, like Tinkoff. All transactions, except for the Euro zone, will go through USD. Annual service for the first year 30 ye, then 20 ye / year. ATM withdrawal fee 1%.

Dollar card: use only where DOLLARS are in use (1 to 1 write-off) or TUGRIKS (1 Tugriki conversion => USD at the rate of the IPS). In the eurozone it is not necessary (1 EUR conversion => USD at the bank's rate).

Euro card: use only in countries where EURO is in circulation (1 to 1 write-off). In tugrik countries, it is not necessary (2 conversions Tugriks => USD => EUR, the first conversion is at the rate of the IPS, and the second at the rate of the bank).

Conversion table from the Sberbank website

Homecredit

Homecredit is linked to the payment currency, depending on the payment system. For a Visa it is dollars, for a Mastercard it is a euro, so only the Dollar Visa and the Euro Mastercard should be used. There is no commission for the transgranate. But there is a commission of $ 3 for each cash withdrawal, a year it can decently drip in total.

Dollar Visa: use only in countries where DOLLARS are in circulation (1 to 1 write-off) or TUGRIKS (1 Tugrik conversion => USD at the rate of the IPS). In the eurozone it is possible, but not worth it (1 EUR conversion => USD at the rate of the IPS).

Euro Master: use only in countries where EURO is in circulation (1 to 1 write-off) and TUGRIKS (1 Tugriki conversion => EUR at the rate of the Ministry of Railways).

VTB 24

You can also consider a dollar card with them, since all operations go through dollars and when paying with a euro card not in euros, a similar situation will turn out, as in other banks. Service for the classic package 90 rubles / month (free of charge when spending from 20,000 rubles / 300 $ per month), 1% for withdrawing from an ATM.

Dollar card: use only in countries where DOLLARS are in circulation (1 to 1 write-off) or TUGRIKS (1 conversion of Tugriki => USD at the IPS rate). In the eurozone it is possible, but not worth it (1 EUR conversion => USD at the rate of the IPS).

Euro card: use only in countries where EURO is in circulation (1 to 1 write-off). In tugrik countries, it is not necessary (2 conversions Tugriks => USD => EUR, the first conversion is at the rate of the IPS, and the second at the rate of the bank).

Rocketbank

Rocketbank also has a good dollar card. If with the ruble there is a double conversion at the rate of the bank, which jumps do not understand how, then with the dollar everything is clear, as with others - no commissions. We are talking about Mastercard, for Visa additional commission of 2%. But as far as I know, they do not issue visas yet. Cashback 1% on all transactions. 5 free withdrawals per month at ATMs of the world, then 1.5%. But one withdrawal operation at an ATM cannot exceed 10,000 rubles, which is not at all suitable for withdrawals at ATMs in Thailand, which charge a commission of 200 baht per withdrawal. Therefore, in Tae, it is better to shoot from Rocket at those bank cash desks where they do not take a commission (but recently, many cash desks do).

Dollar card: use only where DOLLARS are in use (1 to 1 write-off) or TUGRIKS (1 Tugriki conversion => USD at the rate of the IPS). In the eurozone it is not necessary (1 EUR conversion => USD at the bank's rate).

Alpha, Raiffeisen and Citibank

Alpha currency cards are only suitable when you are in a euro country (using a euro card) or in a dollar country (dollar card). Otherwise, Alfa charges a conversion commission of about 2.5% for currency cards too, not only for rubles.

Raiffeisen covers 1.65% of the cross-border. Citibank is also not advised, the courses are not good.

What cards did I choose (my list)

I do not at all pretend to be the truth of the choice, but these cards are perfect for me and for my needs. You can use my recommendations, or you can analyze other options and choose something of your own. Be sure to write in the comments what you chose in the end.

  • Credit card Tinkoff AllAirlines - for purchases in Russia and abroad, well, and of course for hotels / tickets, so there will already be 3-10% cashback. Now this is my main card, all expenses go through it. It is convenient for me to get into the credit limit while my own money is on the deposit at interest. I very quickly recaptured the annual service by compensating with miles. And in any case, I spend more than 50k per month.

    • All Airlines card (1000 rubles as a gift)>

  • I need a debit Tinkoff Black with a ruble account, first of all, for free ruble interbank, distributing funds on other cards, and withdrawing cash from ATMs in Russia. I also use separate savings accounts at 5%, on which you can deposit or withdraw money at any time without any restrictions, since when money is on the card, 6% is charged on the balance only when there are expenses from 3000 rubles / months, and it is safer not to keep the entire amount on the card. For selected categories (change quarterly), you can get not the standard 1% cashback, but 5%. You can keep from 30,000 rubles on the card for free service (or a deposit from 50 thousand rubles), or not keep anything.
  • Debit Tinkoff Black with a dollar / euro account linked to it. It can be either a separate card or the same ruble one, just the ruble account is untied and the currency account is tied. Dollar for MNT countries, Euro for the euro zone. I use abroad, or currency, or Allirlines. For currency cards, you need to bribe the currency, either periodically at a good rate, or just before buying. Since the exchange rate inside the Tinkoff Internet Bank is close to the exchange rate (during working hours in Moscow), this is more profitable than Kukuruza with its Central Bank rate. Of the advantages, cashback is 1% (no one has it on currency cards), currency conversion in the Internet bank at the Exchange rate of +/- 0.5%, which is pretty good. Free service. Abroad, I withdraw cash from ATMs with currency cards.
  • Corn I use it as a spare card just in case. For example, you can withdraw cash abroad, pay for goods in foreign currency at the exchange rate of the Central Bank, if other cards have exhausted their limits or have been lost. Due to the free service and free SMS, it does not hold a pocket, it can be used only occasionally. After receiving the card, put the mobile application and enter the promo code FRASFM38V, then you will be given 300 rubles.
  • Credit Tinkoff Drive (link 1000 rubles per card). I made it to pay for gasoline with a cashback of 10%, payment for car services with a cashback of 5%. In fact, only for gasoline I need it, in Russia and abroad. I figured that the annual service of 990 rubles will be used up pretty quickly and the card will work in profit. I'll try for a year, and then maybe I'll replace it with another card to pay for fuel.
  • In addition, there is also a Sberbank card. Sberbank is convenient because everyone has it, even people of the older generation. You can just say the number of the Sberbank card (or mob phone) and the other person will not have any questions with the transfer. I use it only in these cases. And also occasionally for cash withdrawals, Sberbank has a good limit in ATMs for Mastercard Standart cards (150 thousand rubles / day), and Sberbank ATMs are on every corner. I also made a Maestro card with free service and a withdrawal limit at an ATM of 50 thousand rubles, maybe I'll just leave it.
  • There are other cards, but I didn’t use some, I stopped some. For example, Avangard cards have become less profitable (occasionally I only use an account and an interbank bank for 10 rubles), Tinkoff Platinum's credit card did not work. There is a Mnogo.ru card and Epayments, which is great for withdrawing Webmoney and for freelancers in general, but since all my income is white, it never came in handy. There are Alfabank cards, but they are still unused (I think to make them Alpha Travel Premium). Perhaps I will somehow make a Travel-Otkritie or Rocketbank card.

P.S. The post is periodically updated (update date at the beginning of the post), if the conditions for the cards change, or I do others for myself. I would be glad if you tell us about other delicious cards, both for traveling abroad and for using at home..

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