Travel debit card Currensea launches its new Pro membership offering cardholders access to the best foreign exchange (FX) rates on the market – typically over 0.5% cheaper than “fee free” cards from challenger banks and over 3% cheaper than high street banks.
The new Currensea Pro membership offers unlimited fee free spending on transactions abroad and up to £500 fee free withdrawals per month from overseas ATMs (1% FX fee applies above this). Its market-leading rates are available in all 180 currencies.
High street banks typically charge fees of over 3% for overseas spend. While challenger bank cards may be marketed as “fee free”, the FX rate is set daily and carries suitable padding to cover fluctuations during that day. So “fee free” isn’t actually “fee free” at all. By comparison, Currensea Pro provides access to the same exchange rates as professional currency traders.
Annual membership to Pro is priced at £39.95 and includes access to a range of travel benefits offering potential savings of hundreds of pounds and enhanced value including:
Car hire upgrades - membership to Avis Preferred Plus membership (with up to 20% discount on bookings and upgrades) and Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (offering 10% off bookings)
HoteLux membership - worth over £260 and offering priority access and discounts on hotel upgrades including luxury resorts such as Mandarin Oriental, The Ritz and Shangri-La, as well as complimentary room upgrades and breakfast
3 complimentary 1GB global eSIMs annually which can save customers over £20 each year
Cashback and discounts on travel bookings - 10% cashback with Booking.com, 12% discount on Heathrow Express and 15% off easyJet Plus
Currensea saved travellers over £2.5 million during 2024 by cutting FX fees and eliminating hidden bank charges. During the summer peak the card was used every three seconds as an increasing number of holidaymakers opt for Currensea’s simple solution over exchanging cash, topping up secondary bank accounts or using pre-paid cards.
Currensea’s money-saving card enables travellers to spend abroad directly from their existing bank account but without the foreign exchange charges normally applied by banks, and without the hassle of opening a new bank account or topping up other cards.
James Lynn, Co-Founder of Currensea, said: “Currensea Pro delivers enhanced value for travellers offering access to market-leading FX rates as well as a range of travel perks allowing them to save hundreds of pounds this year.
“With UK travellers forking out an unnecessary £2.7bn in FX fees every year, it’s vital that they have access to simple and transparent spending solutions that cut fees and make holiday savings stretch further.
“As demand for travel continues to grow, Pro ensures travellers always get the best deal on their spending and additional benefits - such as discounts on car hire, luxury hotels and easyJet Plus - allow cardholders to start saving before they’re even taken off to maximise their travel budgets.”
Currensea cards remove bank fees from overseas transactions so cardholders can expect to benefit from much lower rates than offered by high street banks. On an average week-long holiday to Greece, a family of four can expect to save up to £235 using their Currensea Pro card compared to everyday bank cards. Since launch, Currensea users have saved over £5m in FX fees .