Get Free Travel and Upgrades Fast With These 3 Top Rewards Cards

Money Talks News has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Money Talks News and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

We know the feeling: You need to get out of town, hit the highway, take to the air, get out of town! If you have itchy feet, we have suggestions on rewards credit cards that will help you earn free flights fast. To decide which one makes the most sense for you, focus on what you need to spend in the initial three months in order to score a big mileage bonus. You don’t want to carry a balance on your card — that’s expensive and counterproductive — so choose one that offers the bonus at a level of spending that makes sense for your lifestyle and that you can comfortably pay off each month.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Why we like it: If you use plastic a lot (and, again, pay it off every month) this is an absolutely amazing travel rewards card. This card rewards you with 60,000 bonus points if you use it for $4,000 worth of purchases in the first three months. You can redeem rewards points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program or other leading travel rewards programs.

Highlights:

• The 60,000 bonus points you earn for spending $4,000 in the first three months of having the card is worth $750 in travel when you redeem points through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
• Booking through Chase Ultimate Rewards means no blackout dates or travel restrictions. If there’s a seat available on a flight, you can book it with your points.
• Bonus points can also be redeemed on a 1-to-1 basis with other leading loyalty rewards programs.
• You’ll also get 2 bonus points for every $1 spent on travel and dining worldwide, plus 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Note: This card has a $95 annual fee.

Click here for more detail and to compare with other card offers.

Capital One Venture

Why it’s awesome: Let’s say you’re a more modest user of credit cards. This card allows you to rack up a whopping 50,000 rewards miles after using it for $3,000 worth of purchases within the first three months of opening the account. (Equal to $500 in travel.)

More highlights:

• Earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, plus 10x miles on expenses at thousands of hotels through January 2020.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• No annual fee for the first year.

Note: Annual fee is $95 after the first year.

Click here for more details and to compare with other offers.

Gold Delta SkyMiles from American Express

Why we like it: For those of us who are leery of putting too many expenses on plastic but still want to get in on bonus miles, this card from American Express is a good, basic option. After meeting an initial spending threshold of $1,000 within the first three months after opening the account, you will get 30,000 bonus miles, which can take you a good distance by air!

More highlights:

• Earn 2x miles for each dollar spent directly with Delta and 1 mile per dollar spent on other purchases.
• Get a $50 credit on your statement if you use this card for a Delta purchase within three months of opening this account.
• Get early boarding and check your first bag free on Delta flights. (Family of four traveling? That could mean savings of as much as $240 on a round trip!)
• No annual fee for the first year.

Note: Annual fee is $95 after the first year.

Click here for more details and to compare this offer with others.

Whatever you need in a credit card — whether it’s reward points, cash back or a low interest rate — you can find it with our credit card search tool. Click here to search for the plastic that best fits your needs.

Earn more interest on your savings

Are you earning as much interest on your savings as you could be? Grow your savings faster with banks offering rates that are significantly higher than the national average. Find the best rates and start earning more interest on your savings by using the Money Talks News savings account and CD comparison tool.