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The countdown is on. The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place in Milano-Cortina, Italy, and sports fans worldwide are excited for the once-in-a-lifetime event. As the official payment partner, Visa gave cardholders early access to ticket presales in March. With the games fast approaching, it’s also a good time to consider how you’ll pay for the trip.
If you’re planning to buy tickets online or head to Italy to cheer on your favorite athletes, foreign transaction fees are another thing to consider. A lot of credit cards add extra charges when you make purchases abroad—whether booking flights, picking up souvenirs or paying for coffee in Milan. The upside is that some of the best travel cards skip those fees altogether and pack in solid rewards, built-in protections and perks that can make your trip much easier.
Cards That Go for Gold
If you’re planning a trip to the 2026 Winter Olympics, these travel credit cards can help you earn more, save more and make every swipe count—from booking flights to buying espresso in Milan.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
If you want a travel credit card that’s easy to use and packs in solid value without a hefty annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great choice.
It earns 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. Points are worth up to 1.75X more when you redeem them for travel through Chase Travel, which helps stretch your Olympic budget even further.
The card also comes with practical travel protections, such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay coverage and primary rental car insurance, which are all useful if the weather disrupts your plans. And because there are no foreign transaction fees, you can use it abroad for everything from event tickets to espresso without worrying about extra charges.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
For travelers who want a first-class experience from start to finish, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is hard to beat. This premium travel card offers 8 points per dollar on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠, 4 points per dollar on flights and hotels booked direct, 3 points per dollar on dining worldwide and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases, and your points are worth up to 2X more when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
You’ll also receive a $300 annual travel credit that automatically applies to eligible purchases, which is a quick way to offset part of the cost of flights, hotels or train rides between Milan and Cortina.
Beyond rewards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is packed with high-end perks designed for global travelers. Cardholders enjoy access to Priority Pass airport lounges, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credits, and extensive trip protections, from trip delay reimbursement to emergency evacuation coverage.
Most importantly, for international events like the Olympics, it waives foreign transaction fees. That means you can use it for everything—ticket purchases, hotel stays, transportation and more—without incurring unnecessary costs.
Citi Strata Premier® Card
The Citi Strata Premier® Card is another excellent option for international travelers, offering robust rewards across a wide range of spending categories.
Cardholders earn 10 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com, 3 points per dollar on restaurants, supermarkets, gas & EV stations, air travel and other hotel purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for travel and for gift cards, or transferred to airline and hotel partners, a valuable feature if you plan to book award flights to Italy.
The Citi Strata Premier® Card is especially travel-friendly because it does not charge foreign transaction fees, so you won’t pay extra when swiping abroad. Like Chase cards, this one also includes trip cancellation and interruption protection, rental car insurance and access to Citi’s travel booking portal, helping you easily plan every detail of your Olympic journey.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re planning to cheer from the stands in Italy or want to grab some official Winter Olympics gear from home, the right travel credit card can make the whole experience smoother and more rewarding.
With a strong travel card that skips foreign transaction fees, racks up valuable rewards and includes built-in travel protections, you’ll save money, earn more and have extra peace of mind wherever the Games take you.