There seems to have been two questions floating around in this thread.

1. A recommendation for a good card for international transactions and / or cash.

2. A recommendation for a card that will provide the miles/points needed to do international trips without large costs.

When going overseas you definitely need a good answer to 1. If you like playing the miles/point game or think you may want to start playing this game, then you should look into 2. Lately some credit card providers have introduced cards that are good for both.

For 1. I will recommend Capital One as others have recommended as well. The no annual fee, visa or mastercards from Capital One are perfect for dedicated international cards.

For 2. Well, there are so many cards to get. You should have a look at http://frugaltravelguy.blogspot.com/