Do travel reward cards make sense?

Although I prefer cards that pay cold, hard cash, I want to take a moment to share highlights of a list from Time  magazine that names the 6 best travel reward cards of the moment.

Capital One Venture Rewards

With this card, you earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on the card. The miles then convert to cash equivalent to use for travel, in conjunction with special deals from time to time. There is a $59 annual fee for this card. At that price, it's only worth it if you do a lot of dollar volume on the card. As with all Capital One cards, there are no foreign transaction fees to use the card abroad.

Pen Fed Premium Travel Rewards American Express

Long ago, when I worked as a civilian for the Air Force, I was a member of Pentagon Federal Credit Union. You can become a member even if you're not military by joining either the National Military Family Association or Voices for America's Troops for a one-time fee of $20 or $15, respectively. This particular credit card has no annual fee.

British Airways Visa Card

A typical kind of promotion you may see is getting 50,000 miles upfront to sign up for this card. But beware, it has a roughly $100 annual fee. That makes it strictly for big volume chargers who like to go overseas. One benefit is that there are no foreign transaction fees to use the card abroad.

Marriot Rewards Visa Card

This one has a $30 annual fee. You can use the points at the various Marriott family of brands. If you like free hotel stays, this could be for you.

As I mentioned, I prefer cards that pay cold, hard cash. If you'd like to research the best cash-paying reward card for your lifestyle, try CreditCardTuneUp.com.