Best Card for Travel Australia 2026: Up, Wise, Macquarie, Ubank or Revolut?
Looking for the best travel card in Australia in 2026? For most people, the answer is not one perfect card. It is a smart primary card plus a backup.
The practical setup for most Australians: Up Bank as the main card, Wise as the backup and transfer card.
Best simple setup: Up Bank for primary overseas spending, Wise for backup and international transfers.
Up Bank as your main card, then Wise as your backup and transfer card. SmartKoala may earn a referral benefit if you sign up through these links.
Quick comparison
| Card | Best for |
|---|---|
| Up Bank | Everyday overseas spending, no FX fees |
| Wise | International transfers, holding currencies |
| Macquarie Bank | Travel spending plus savings account |
| Ubank | Simple travel card, no FX fees |
| Revolut | Frequent travellers, power users |
Why Up Bank comes out on top for most travellers
Up is the cleanest all-rounder here. For Australians who mostly want to spend overseas without getting mugged by foreign transaction fees, it is hard to argue with a simple debit setup that just works.
The big attraction is that Up has 0% foreign transaction fees and unlimited overseas ATM withdrawals from Up's side. That makes it a very strong primary card if you are travelling rather than doing a heap of international transfers.
But the catch is the exchange rate. Up uses Visa's exchange rate with a small markup, so for large transfers or big spending, Wise can still be cheaper on the total FX cost. For everyday spending though, Up is excellent.
Why Wise still deserves a spot in your wallet
Wise is excellent if you need to receive foreign currency, send money internationally, or hold multiple currencies. That is where it really separates itself from the simpler Australian travel-card options.
If you are only travelling and not sending money overseas, plenty of Australians now argue that Up, Macquarie, or Ubank can actually be cheaper than Wise because they avoid FX fees without adding Wise's conversion fee layer.
But as a backup card, Wise is still fantastic. Many travellers now carry both. If one card gets blocked, skimmed, lost, or has a weird overseas decline, you are not stuck.
Where Macquarie and Ubank fit
Macquarie and Ubank both sit in that very solid middle tier where they are simple, useful, and easy to recommend if you want a card that behaves well overseas without turning travel money into a hobby.
Macquarie is especially appealing if you also care about the linked banking/savings setup. Ubank is a good option if you want a straightforward no-drama travel card and do not need Wise's multi-currency features.
Where Revolut fits
Revolut is more of a power-user product. Some frequent travellers love it, especially if they care about extra features, budgeting layers, and a more app-heavy travel-money setup.
For the average Australian traveller though, it can be more complexity than necessary. That is why it ranks behind the simpler Up, Wise, Macquarie and Ubank setup for most people.
For Korea or China trips
A practical setup for a trip like Korea or China:
- Up Bank as the primary card
- Wise as the backup card
That gives you a clean everyday spending card and a strong fallback for transfers, foreign currency handling, or emergencies.
Final answer
Use Up Bank as your main travel card. Carry Wise as the backup and for international transfers.
That is probably the most practical setup for most Australians in 2026. Not the flashiest, just the one with the least nonsense.
It is a guide, not a guarantee. Check current terms before signing up.