BRICS and Travel Costs: What Americans Should Know Right Now

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Most travelers don’t spend much time thinking about global economic alliances, yet groups like BRICS influence how money moves around the world—and that movement eventually affects how we travel. So, how will BRICS impact travel— if at all?

BRICS began as an economic partnership in 2009, created by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa to give emerging economies more influence against Western-led institutions such as the World Bank and IMF. In 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates joined, signaling that the group is growing and gaining power. Other countries, including Saudi Arabia, have expressed interest in joining. Saudi Arabia has been threatening for years to move away from the U.S. dollar in its oil trade, which would give BRICS even more leverage if it follows through.

BRICS and Travel: Will Currency Changes Affect Your Next Trip?

Big economic changes often start slowly but have far-reaching effects. One of the most significant moves by BRICS nations is the push to trade in local currencies instead of the U.S. dollar. China and Brazil already have an agreement to exchange goods and services in their own currencies, the yuan and the real. Other BRICS members are exploring similar deals. If more countries follow, imported goods, including airline fuel, could rise in price, increasing travel costs in an already weakened travel economy.

A weaker dollar means international travel could become more expensive for Americans. Airline fuel, hotel imports, and food supplies depend on global trade, and increased costs almost always reach travelers. On the other hand, BRICS investments in tourism infrastructure could make some destinations more attractive. Better airports, more direct flights, and upgraded hotels are likely in Brazil, India, and South Africa as trade grows within the group.

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Payment Systems and the Changing Way We Spend

Another shift travelers should watch is how payments are made abroad. While Visa, Mastercard, and American Express remain global standards, many countries are moving toward local digital payment systems. China already relies on Alipay and WeChat Pay. Thailand uses PromptPay, and South Korea favors KakaoPay and Naver Pay.

As BRICS nations deepen economic ties, similar systems may expand, offering better rates and becoming more widely accepted than international credit cards. Travelers may need to learn how to use these apps or look for foreign-friendly options to avoid higher fees.

Will the Everyday Traveler Be Affected?

These changes will unfold gradually, but their impact will grow over time. Travel to BRICS countries may become easier for citizens of member nations as they explore visa-free or simplified entry agreements. For outsiders, including Americans, higher visa fees or stricter requirements are possible as BRICS countries prioritize intra-group travel.

Currency changes will also matter. Travelers may need to watch exchange rates more closely, especially if the U.S. dollar weakens against BRICS currencies.

How It Affects the U.S. and Its Trading Partners

For the United States, BRICS presents a challenge to its long-standing economic dominance. The U.S. dollar has served as the world’s main trading currency for decades, but BRICS wants to shift that balance. China and Brazil’s direct currency trade and Saudi Arabia’s repeated threats to abandon the dollar in oil sales show how real this shift could become. If more countries follow, imported goods, including airline fuel, could rise in price, increasing travel costs in an already weakened travel economy.

U.S. trading partners who build closer ties with BRICS may eventually move some trade away from the dollar as well. That shift could affect how much Americans pay for travel and what payment options are available in those countries.

What Travelers Should Watch

• Currency exchange rates, especially if the U.S. dollar loses value against BRICS currencies
• Local payment apps and digital wallets, which may offer better rates than credit cards
• New airline routes and improved airports in BRICS countries
• Visa and entry policies, as BRICS members, could offer easier travel within the group and new fees for outsiders

What BRICS Currency Changes Mean for Travelers

The U.S. dollar still has power, but not like it once did. I remember exchanging dollars for Deutsche Marks in Germany and getting more for my money. We travel to places like Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam and feel like thieves because we thought we were stealing everything. Many people, including me, think about living overseas because we get paid in U.S. dollars and can stretch it far. But that advantage is fading. The euro shows how fast things change. Since it launched in 1999, travel is easier for people in the Eurozone, but it costs me—and most outsiders—much more. Exchange rates move for years before settling. BRICS could eventually level the playing field, and I already feel that shift starting.

BRICS may follow a similar path. If more members trade in local currencies or introduce a shared one, some destinations may become cheaper while others grow more costly, depending on how your home currency compares.

Final Thoughts

BRICS will not change travel overnight, but the shift is real. Currency value, payment systems, and visa policies are evolving as the group grows in influence. And with Trump being as reactive as he is, the more unpredictable things get at home, the more likely other countries are to find ways to break free from the dollar. Ironically, the louder he gets, the easier BRICS’ job beco

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