Cheapflights.co.uk has researched credit card charges abroad to give travellers a better idea of what to expect when paying by plastic. The findings included APR on purchases, ATM fees and interest fees charged for cash withdrawals when abroad, as well as emergency telephone numbers.

Travelling with a Bank of Scotland One credit card will help shop-till-you-drop consumers breathe easy with APR on purchases abroad coming in the lowest at 9.90%. This is in contrast to Marks & Spencer &MORE and Nationwide BS Classic cards which both charge 17.90% on purchases. ATM withdrawal fees range from 1.5% to 3% and minimum charges start at £2. Capital One credit card users face the highest minimum charge - a whopping £5 is the price they will pay for getting cash out overseas.

Frustratingly for Cheapflights fliers, the interest rate for cash withdrawals abroad will often incur a much higher rate than normal transactions. BarclayCard Platinum credit card holders will be charged a steep 27.90% on cash withdrawals. Travelling with an HSBC Premier credit card is a better option with a low interest rate of 11.9%. Overall, with all charges taken into account the HSBC Premier credit card is one of the best options for frequent duty-free shoppers. The most expensive is Capital One which is hampered by its high withdrawal fee.

David Soskin, CEO of Cheapflights comments: “As a price comparison website we are focused on looking at the best deals for our site users. The emergency telephone number guide should prove particularly useful in case of any unexpected situations arising - holidaymakers can rest assured credit card help is only a phone call away.”

The credit cards abroad page will be joining others in the helpful travel tips pages, which can all be found at www.cheapflights.co.uk/travel-tips

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