The Best Credit Cards For Travel

DENVER (CBS4)- Many who are planning their summer vacations are short on cash but use certain credit cards all year to save up miles for free travel.

Travelers who are savvy usually pay nothing for airfare and hotels.

"I've been to Europe, Germany and France this year with miles," said one traveler.

"I've been to Australia and Mexico on free miles and it's wonderful," said another traveler.

A new survey by cardhub.com ranks the best credit cards for travel this summer.

"Each consumer can take one or two of these offers and save $400 and $1,000," said cardhub.com spokesman Odysseas Papadimitriou.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card tops the list. Those who spend $3,000 in the first three months after getting the card you get 40,000 points for travel. There is no annual fee for the first year.

The card also doesn't charge transaction fees when traveling abroad.

Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard comes in next. Travelers only have to spend $1,000 during the first 90 days to earn the card's 40,000 mile rewards bonus. The annual fee is waived for the first 12 months and there is no transaction fee overseas.

Hilton HHonors Surpass Credit Card gives users 40,000 bonus points with the first purchase as well as an additional 20,000 points after charging $3,000. those 60,000 bonus points are redeemable for one to eight free hotel nights.

For those who don't typically pay off their credit card each month the best choice may be Citi Diamond Preferred Card which charges zero percent interest on new purchases for the first 18 months and does not have an annual fee.

Those who take to the skies on free tickets are religious about using their miles card for daily consumption.