Forex markup explained: what you really pay abroad

Every foreign-currency swipe carries a markup on top of the exchange rate. The standard is 3.5% plus GST on the markup. Travel-focused cards bring it down to around 1-2%, and a couple of premium cards go under 1%.

On a two-week trip spending ₹1,50,000 abroad, moving from 3.5% to 0.99% saves roughly ₹3,800. That alone can cover a card's annual fee.