Other Credit Card Programs - Best ATM card (bank) for low international fees?

I used to have a WaMu card that charged a flat fee of 1% per international ATM transaction. ^ Now that WaMu has been devoured by Chase, Chase charges $3 per transaction plus 3% per overseas ATM transaction. :td: For this reason and for other fees that Chase has imposed, I have closed my Chase (formerly WaMu) account.

I now find myself searching for a decent bank that has low fees like WaMu did for international ATM transactions. This is significant to me because I currently work overseas and the nasty fees do add up. For the sake of being polite, I won't say why I really don't want to open up a bank account here in Bulgaria where I am currently working and living (hopefully very very temporarily), so I prefer to do this with a US bank. I didn't mind the WaMu fees, but the Chase fees are insane. Any suggestions?

I used to have a WaMu card that charged a flat fee of 1% per international ATM transaction. ^ Now that WaMu has been devoured by Chase, Chase charges $3 per transaction plus 3% per overseas ATM transaction. :td: For this reason and for other fees that Chase has imposed, I have closed my Chase (formerly WaMu) account.

I now find myself searching for a decent bank that has low fees like WaMu did for international ATM transactions. This is significant to me because I currently work overseas and the nasty fees do add up. For the sake of being polite, I won't say why I really don't want to open up a bank account here in Bulgaria where I am currently working and living (hopefully very very temporarily), so I prefer to do this with a US bank. I didn't mind the WaMu fees, but the Chase fees are insane. Any suggestions?

I have been quite happy with Charles Schwab (https://www.schwab.com/) as have been many other Flyertalkers (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/401958-best-card-foreign-exchange.html).

This is covered in the abovereferenced thread.

Re-opening, and moving to the credit card forum. The OP points out that this is about ATM cards in particular, and not credit cards.

I have used both Charles Schwab and Fidelity Visa ATM cards internationally. Both rebate ATM fees, if any, and both provide identical/excellent exchange rates, usually 20 to 30 basis points off the posted rate on currency markets.

We use the ATM card of Fidelity's mySmartCash account.

It has unlimited reimbursement on ATM fee anywhere in the world.

The exchange rates have been very competitive from our experiences of using it in Europe, Asia, and Australia/New Zealand.

The drawback is, it has a daily limit of US$500 - no matter how much you have in your account. The limit is imposed by the Fifththird bank that Fido uses for this account.

The alternative is Schwab's Investor Checking Account, or its brokerage account (SchwabOne).

Identical feature as Fido's, but the daily limit is US$2000 because Schwab has its own bank and sets its own daily limit.

Finally, Schwab does require a hardpull on credit report to open the Investor Checking account - I verified this with both secured emails and phone conversation with a Schwab bank rep calling me from Phoenix office.

Thanks Happy, LarryU, and Ziobacio.

I am researching Schwab and Fidelity right now in addition to TDAmeritrade where I have my brokerage account. This is exactly the kind of hlep I was looking for.

And thank you moderator for re-opening my query.

Bank of America has a global ATM network that does not charge any fees if you use a participating bank. Our Bank of America Accolades card also charges a ZERO percent conversion fee on foreign transactions. :)

Bank of America has a global ATM network that does not charge any fees if you use a participating bank. Our Bank of America Accolades card also charges a ZERO percent conversion fee on foreign transactions. :)

The BofA card is Inconvenient for 2 major drawbacks:

1) The coverage is not broad enough - in Europe, only BNP in France, Barclays in UK, Deutsche in Germany. Elsewhere, you are out of luck. Even poorer coverage in Asia, with Construction being the only new addition for China, but does not work in Hong Kong. 0 coverage in South America, 0 coverage in Pacific Islands. Before the introduction of Schwab and Fido cards, BofA was the best alternative one could have, if one did not have Citi or CapOne. Citi has long gone down the fee charge path. BofA simply does not cut it for many who travel far and wide.

You also need to search the specific bank even if you are in a country that a member bank is present. So you have to find a Barclays in London, versus any bank you have in sight.

2) You have to use the Specific Member Bank in each country, i.e. Barclays can only be used in UK, and Scotia in Canada - despite you may see Barclays in other countries and Scotia all over the place in Mexico, or Deutsche in Spain - you cannot use them outside their home country without incurring withdrawal fee. Some people did not realize it and they got hit big when they thought there was no fee and made small withdrawals. Then they came home and saw they were hit $5 to 6 international withdrawal fee per pop.

And very oddly, Santander is for Mexico, instead of for Spain, which has no coverage, despite Santender probably is the largest bank in Spain.

Schwab and Fidelity cards can be used on ANY bank's machine because the fee is 100% reimbursed without limit, both at home and aboard.

We used to have the BofA card, but since we get Fido card, the BofA card has never left home with us. I cannot even remember when is the last time we use BofA card. :D

I have found that many banks refund all atm fees for maintaining a certain balance, sing the atm 12 times in my case having 1 ach per month, and online stateme ts, use it quite often int

HSBC. No transaction fees and a good forex rate if you use HSBC machines.

I believe HSBC does have fees unless you are "premier" customer.

E*trade was the Best I have used!! in the US they reimburse you at atms and overseas I saw no extra charges. I double-checked online as soon as I got home from the ATM each day and did not see any additional charges.

Also, Guaranty Bank in TX used to have no ATM fees for international transactions but now that they have been taken over I am not sure.

For Bank of America, the Priority Platinum Check Card has no FOREX fee for purchases, and does not have a charge to use another bank's ATM domestic or foreign. There is, however, no rebate for other bank's charges. The Cash withdrawals are flexible (up to $3k) and purchases are too ($30k).