Frequent Traveler? 5 Things You Absolutely Need From Your Checking Account

Traveling poses plenty of hassles -- the cost, airline delays, long hours in the car -- so the last thing you need is to deal with irritating fees and access issues when you're trying to get hold of your money. Choosing the right checking account is crucial.

You might think they're all the same, but the top checking accounts for travelers have some unique features that make them more appealing than the average checking account you could get from your local bank. 

Here are five of the most important things to look for in a checking account if you find yourself on the road often.

1. A large fee-free ATM network

You'll most likely withdraw some cash in advance of your trip, but there's no way to guarantee you won't need more. If you're far from your bank's ATM network, you could face multiple fees -- one from the ATM owner and one from your bank -- just to access your cash. These fees are usually around $3 each, but they can add up quickly.

Our Picks for the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts of 2025

Product	APY	Min. to Earn
American Express® High Yield Savings Member FDIC. APY 3.70% Rate info 3.70% annual percentage yield as of March 6, 2025. Terms apply. Min. to earn $0 Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings On American Express's Secure Website. Member FDIC.	3.70% Rate info 3.70% annual percentage yield as of March 6, 2025. Terms apply.	$0	Open Account for American Express® High Yield Savings On American Express's Secure Website.
SoFi Checking and Savings Member FDIC. APY up to 3.80%² Rate info You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. Min. to earn $0 Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings On SoFi's Secure Website. Member FDIC.	up to 3.80%² Rate info You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.	$0	Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings On SoFi's Secure Website.
Capital One 360 Performance Savings Member FDIC. APY 3.70% Rate info See Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and accurate as of Feb. 6, 2025. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening. Min. to earn $0 Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings On Capital One's Secure Website. Member FDIC.	3.70% Rate info See Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and accurate as of Feb. 6, 2025. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening.	$0	Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings On Capital One's Secure Website.

Disclaimers

SoFi disclosure:

¹ New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at sofi.com/banking#1.

² SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi Plus members are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.

³ We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.

⁴ SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional

FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $2M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/terms

See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks

⁵ We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.

⁶ Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.

⁷ Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with direct deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the“30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.

Fee-free ATM networks help you avoid paying to get your own money. If you work with a large brick-and-mortar bank, its network might be fine for traveling through your state or even your region. But if you go to an area of the country where that bank isn't as popular, you might struggle to find a fee-free ATM.

Online banks, lacking physical branches, typically partner with nationwide fee-free ATM networks, like Allpoint, to give customers easy access to their cash. It's a good idea to scout out the available ATMs on your route so you know when and where you can replenish your supply of cash for free.

2. ATM fee reimbursements

Some banks offer ATM fee reimbursements as an alternative or in addition to a fee-free ATM network. ATM fee reimbursements are where your bank pays you back for any ATM fees you incur during the billing cycle.

There are a few caveats to be aware of here. First, you won't get your money back instantly. Usually, the bank pays these reimbursements at the end of each billing cycle. So there will be a window where you're without the funds you paid for the ATM fee, and you'll need to plan accordingly.

You also need to know that often, ATM fee reimbursements only apply to domestic ATM fees. However, a few accounts, like the Schwab Bank Investor Checking™ account, offer ATM fee rebates worldwide. This is a great option for international travelers who don't want to worry about getting penalized for withdrawing money abroad.

Finally, some checking accounts offer unlimited ATM fee reimbursements, while others cap them at a certain amount per statement cycle. Make sure you understand how your bank handles these charges before visiting an ATM.

3. Mobile check deposit

While you may not be receiving too many checks while traveling, it's still nice to have the option to deposit your checks remotely rather than driving to a bank branch during business hours. Most banks have this capability through their mobile apps these days, but it doesn't hurt to check with your bank to see if it offers these features.

4. Good fraud protection

Debit cards can get lost or stolen while traveling, and that can lead to huge headaches even after you return home. The best banks enable you to quickly freeze or cancel your debit card and may even alert you to fraudulent transactions so you can dispute them right away.

Check with your bank if you're unsure how these features work or if you have to do anything to set them up.

5. Accessible customer service

The top banks have multiple channels you can turn to for support when you need it -- phones, email, live chat, and possibly bank branches. Make sure your bank has decent customer support hours, so you can get help quickly if you run into any problems accessing your cash or account information.

If you have any questions about these or other features on your existing checking account, it's best to reach out to your bank for clarification. Otherwise, look for a fee-free checking account that checks the boxes above. If you prefer to do your banking all in one place, choose a bank that offers a competitive high-yield savings account, as well.