Best Credit Cards for Nomads

Are you an entrepreneur or digital nomad who travels frequently or for long periods of time?

If so, you will need the best credit card for nomads, which not only gives you access to your funds but also lets you earn points and offers protection while you travel.

Our list of the best credit cards for nomads gives you a breakdown of the top choices for high-net-worth entrepreneurs and investors who travel frequently.

At Nomad Capitalist, we understand what it means to live a nomadic lifestyle, and we have created holistic plans for hundreds of high-net-worth individuals and helped them to go where they’re treated best.

Card Type	Bonus/Benefits	Nomad Friendly
Barclays – AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard	50,000 bonus points on sign-up. X2 points for $1 with American Airlines and partners.	Ideal for nomads who travel frequently.
American Express – The Platinum Card	80,000 bonus miles on sign-up. Spend €6,000 and earn points worth  $1,600.	For nomads looking for the best airport lounge access and other credits.
Chase Sapphire Reserve	60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000.	For nomads who travel for long periods of time.

Good Cards for Nomads

Barclays – AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard

Benefits for Nomads: What is cool about the Barclays card is that you can earn up to 50,000 bonus miles. When you spend $1 on a ticket from American Airlines and partner airlines, you earn x2 miles. For spends of $1 on all other purchases, you get x1 mile. A great choice for nomads who fly frequently.

Extras: Each level of rewards class comes with great perks; for example, with Advantage Gold (40,000), you can access priority check-in, lounges, and complimentary upgrades with America and Alaska Airlines.

American Express – The Platinum Card

Benefits for Nomads: When you sign up, you can receive a welcome bonus of 80,000 Membership Rewards Points worth $1,600 when you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months. 

Other benefits for nomads include Uber Cash of up to $200, lounge access to lounges and priority passes, elite hotel status, travel protection, and no foreign transaction fees. 

Extras: When you book flights directly with (eligible) airlines or through American Express Travel, you earn 5 points for every dollar spent (maximum limit of $500,000 per year). 

American Express Platinum has an all-around friendly service and is one of the only cards that you can pay from a foreign bank account using bank-to-bank online transfer. They will even send your card overseas if needed. 

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card

Benefits for Nomads: This is the card if you want to earn bonus cash fast. When you spend $4,000 in the first three months, you will get a sign-up bonus of 60,000 points, which is around $1,200. You can also accumulate points quickly through hotel, car, restaurant, and dining bookings. 

Extras: Other features and benefits of the Chase card include an annual travel credit of up to $300, access to airport lounges, points redemption options, special car rental privileges, access to luxury hotels and resorts and travel and shopping protections, and no foreign transaction fees.

The Chase Sapphire credit card is one of the most popular choices for digital nomads and a great option for those who spend extended periods abroad.

We recommend Chase as the best US bank for Non-US Citizens in our breakdown of the Best Offshore Banks.

Bad Cards for Nomads 

Some credit cards can be problematic if you are constantly nomadic. We suggest you avoid these cards for your digital nomad lifestyle, as they will limit your freedom.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

If you are constantly nomadic, credit cards like the one offered by Capital One will be a problem. Capital One falls short for those seeking to maximize travel rewards, including complimentary flights.

You can achieve much greater travel benefits elsewhere, for instance, with American Airlines, whose points rewards significantly surpass Capital One. Furthermore, countless cards eliminate foreign transaction fees, unlike Capital One.

While the Capital suit low-spending individuals, those who consistently purchase the cheapest tickets or are looking to offset charges on their monthly bills if earning points and miles for travel or enjoying travel perks, particularly on first-class flights, is a priority, this credit card should be avoided.

Ally Platinum Mastercard

Although the Ally credit card is a great low-cost option to help build credit, it is limited when it comes to benefits for digital nomads. 

It is more suitable as an everyday option for use at home to earn cash back on spending, including gas, grocery, and drugstore purchases and more. 

As you will see from our list of the best credit cards for nomads above, many better choices are available with perks allowing you to make the most of your funds while traveling. 

Charles Schwab 

Although Charles Schwab is a good option for investors, offering accounts with no monthly fees, and international services, there are better options for those with a nomadic lifestyle.

It offers only limited options, checking or savings accounts. We advise alternative options and travel-specific credit cards that help you earn money through cashback, rewards, or sign-up bonuses. 

Alternative Cards for Nomads

If you prefer to avoid credit cards or are simply looking for choices with great benefits for nomads, there are now great alternatives for your international banking needs. 

DBS Visa Debit Card

We like the DBS Singapore debit card for its range of cashback options, including food delivery, transport, and foreign currency spending. Users must spend a minimum of S$500 ($373.87) per month to qualify, and there is a monthly cash withdrawal limit of S$400 ($299.09).

The DBS Singapore is a multi-currency international card, giving it an advantage over a lot of US options. DBS is the top choice for wealthy entrepreneurs, investors, and nomads looking for premier banking, with benefits including top-notch online banking, unique travel privileges, creative investment options, and safe banking. 

Revolut

Revolut is an increasingly popular international fintech company. You can access different app features depending on your monthly subscription plan. 

The premium and metal plan options have excellent benefits for nomads, including medical insurance, travel delay, cancellation and interruption, expense coverage, and lost or damaged baggage protection.

It’s a straightforward account with a prepaid debit card that is connected to a bank account. 

Revolut does not require any minimum opening deposit or monthly service fees for its standard plan. 

The account is well suited to international money transfers, giving you easy access to exchanging and spending money abroad in over 30+ currencies. A great option for nomads on a set salary as it allows US customers to get their pay up to two days in advance via direct deposit at no cost. 

Would you like to learn more about creating and keeping more of your wealth? We help high-net-worth entrepreneurs and investors create holistic strategies, which include offshore banking, asset protection, and legal tax reduction. 

If you’re looking to go offshore, save yourself all the research, time, and hassle. Talk to the experts and get it right the first time around with a Nomad Capitalist Action Plan.