Using Your Westpac Card Overseas: Activation and Fees Guide

If you’re heading overseas and bank with Westpac New Zealand, you may be wondering what the best way to handle your spending is. Rather than taking things as they come, it’s worth knowing how your Westpac cards work overseas, what fees to expect, and where you can save money on ATM withdrawals.

In this guide, we’ll run you through what there is to know about using a Westpac debit or credit card while travelling, including how the Global Alliance ATMs work. You can also learn more about the Wise card, an easy way to stretch your dollars when paying in foreign currencies.

Can you use your Westpac debit and credit cards overseas?

As a Westpac NZ customer, you can use your Westpac credit or debit card to pay for purchases and withdraw cash while travelling overseas, anywhere that Mastercard is accepted.¹ It’s also possible to add the cards to Apple Pay or Google Pay. That way, you can use your phone to pay while you’re abroad, rather than solely relying on the physical card.

If you have a Westpac Platinum or World Mastercard credit card you may also be able to enjoy Westpac’s complimentary credit card travel insurance. Access to the travel insurance does require you to meet certain conditions, which usually includes things like paying for an amount of the trip using the card, activating the insurance in advance and only travelling for a certain length of time.

Using your Westpac debit or credit card overseas

When you use your Westpac debit or credit card overseas, you’ll either pay in the local currency or use a dynamic currency conversion. When you pay in the local currency, Westpac determines the exchange rate. If you choose a dynamic currency conversion, it uses the merchant’s exchange rate. Generally, it’s more cost effective to pay in the local currency.

When paying with a Westpac debit or credit card overseas, any payments in the foreign currency are converted to New Zealand dollars then charged to your account using the exchange rate set by Mastercard.⁵

How to activate your card for international transactions

There’s no need to activate your Westpac debit or credit card for international transactions, it will automatically work overseas. However, Westpac NZ do advise customers to keep them informed of any travel plans, as an unexpected overseas transaction could activate their anti-fraud security protections.¹ The notification can be done online through the Westpac One app, or by calling them on 0800 400 600.

Fees when using your Westpac card overseas

When you use a Westpac credit or debit card overseas there are additional fees that may apply on top of the exchange rate.²

One major exception to these fees is ATM withdrawals made at select Global Alliance ATMs.

Global Alliance ATMs and Westpac NZ

Westpac is part of an international network of banks that’s referred to as the Global Alliance.³ As a Westpac customer, you can make fee free overseas ATM withdrawals at specific Global Alliance ATMs, depending on the country.

At the moment these are the countries and corresponding banks where you can take advantage of the 3 NZD saving per withdrawal.

While some of these banks may have ATMs in other countries, they are only fee free in the country listed.

Using Westpac online banking overseas

Westpac’s online banking system and the Westpac One app work most places in the world, so you should have access while abroad. The two things to keep in mind are:

• The app and online banking won’t work in countries sanctioned by the government
• The app can’t be downloaded in the European Union, so it needs to be downloaded in advance

If you are logging into your internet banking abroad, consider the security of the computer or Wi-Fi that you are using. It’s best to check that the device has adequate internet security, and think about using a VPN.

Travel with Westpac

Travelling with your Westpac debit or credit card is straightforward, especially if you know what to expect before you leave. From foreign currency fees to Global Alliance ATM access, a little preparation can help you avoid surprises and keep your travel spending simple.

If you want more flexibility while you’re abroad, or a way to manage multiple currencies without hidden exchange rate markups, the Wise card can be a useful addition to your wallet.

Bring the Wise card along with you when travelling to save on foreign currency fees

If you're heading abroad, here's a smart way to spend overseas to keep costs down. The Wise card is a simple way to save up to 8x when you're spending internationally. You can spend in 150+ countries at mid-market rate — basically the rate you see on Google. With no foreign transaction fees and low, transparent pricing, Wise usually gives you the best value for your money.

Simply create a Wise account for free, order a card and top-up NZD to get started. Having a physical Wise card allows you to make chip and pin payments, as well as make some free ATM withdrawals each month for when you're abroad. You can get digital cards and add to your Google or Apple Pay wallet for instant use. Spend directly with the Wise account in NZD and let auto-conversion do the trick or convert in advance to your desired currency. You can hold and exchange 40+ currencies in your Wise account and spend the currencies you hold for free.

Wherever your travel takes you, the Wise card makes spending money abroad cheaper and easier.

🚀 Get your Wise card