The miles and points we’ve collected from travel credit cards have easily saved us over $20,000+ in travel expenses. They have enabled us to enjoy luxurious experiences like business class flights and luxury hotel stays that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford.
Most people know that the quickest way to earn miles and points is by using travel credit cards. But most people only apply for personal credit card offers, and they don’t realize they could also be earning points with small business credit cards.
If you’re not applying for business credit cards, you’re missing out on a lot of value because many of these cards offer big sign-up bonuses and unique perks not found with personal cards.
If you’re ready to apply for your first, or next, business credit card, we’d love to help guide you through the best current offers on the market. We’ve taken into account the welcome bonus, the spending bonuses, the additional perks, and the annual fees in order to bring you the top 10 small business credit cards for travelers.
If you still need help choosing a card after reading this post, we’d be more than happy to recommend a card (or two) for you! All you need to do is fill out this form.
At a Glance
Detailed Reviews
1. Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Current offer: 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $15,000 within the first three months
Annual fee: $95
Why it’s great: When you redeem your points through Chase Ultimate Rewards, your points are worth 1.25 cents each, which means the 100,000 point welcome bonus alone is worth $1,250 in free travel. You could also transfer your points to United, and after meeting the minimum spending requirement, you’d have enough points for a free round-trip award flight from the US to Asia!
This card gets our top spot not only because of the fantastic welcome bonus, but also because it has great spending bonuses that will earn you even more points moving forward. You’ll earn 3x points on travel and other business expenses (including shipping purchases, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines), up to a maximum of $150,000 in spending each year.
Other benefits worth mentioning:
- No foreign transaction fees
- Cell Phone Protection up to $600
- Points can be transferred to 5+ airlines at a 1:1 ratio
- Points are worth 25% more when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards
2. The Business Platinum Card from American Express
Current offer: 150,000 points after spending $15,000 within your first 3 months of card membership.
Annual fee: $695
Why it’s great: If you plan on spending enough on the card to earn the full 150,000 point welcome bonus, these points will be worth at least $1200 in free travel when redeemed through the Membership Rewards Travel portal. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to transfer these points to a number of airline and hotel programs to potentially get even more value. This card also earns 5X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com. In addition, you’ll earn 1.5X Membership Rewards points on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else. Cap applies.
The other huge benefit to this card that’s worth noting in this section is LOUNGE ACCESS. This card will give you free lounge access to our favorite chain of domestic airport lounges, the Centurion Lounge! Terms Apply.
*Rates and Fees
Other benefits worth mentioning:
- Earn 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels purchased through Amex Travel
- $179 annual spending credit on Clear membership
- Up to $400 annual spending credit on Dell Technologies, after enrollment
- $360 statement credit for Indeed purchases.
- $150 statement credit for Adobe Creative Solutions
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards points on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else. Cap applies.
- $200 annual airline fee credit
- Receive 35% off your points back when you use them to purchase a first or business class flight through American Express Travel
3. Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card
Current offer: Limited Time Offer of 60,000 bonus miles, 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and a $100 statement credit after you spend $4,000 in the first three months.
Annual fee: $550
Why it’s great: Although I don’t love Delta SkyMiles, this card does offer a great welcome bonus of up to 80,000 Delta SkyMiles, and it would rank higher if it wasn’t for the $550 annual fee. However, if you live near a Delta hub (Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Salt Lake City, Seattle) and you own a small business, this card should be in your wallet. In addition to the bonus, you’ll also earn 20,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles, which will put you closer to your next tier of status with the airline. Plus, with Status Boost®, you can earn an additional 15,000 MQMs for every $30,000 you spend on the card in a calendar year, up to four times per year. Throughout 2021, earn an additional 3,750 MQMs after making $30,000 in purchases, up to four times. Terms Apply.
Also, if your home airport has a Delta Sky Club Lounge or American Express Centurion Lounge, you’ll want to grab this card because it will get you in for free.
*Rates and Fees
Other benefits worth mentioning:
- Earn 3x miles on Delta purchases
- Earn 1.5x miles on non-Delta purchases after you spend $150,000 on your card in a calendar year
- Complimentary entrance to the Centurion Lounge
- Complimentary upgrades for non-elites
- Annual companion certificate
- Priority boarding
- Up to $100 Spending Credit on Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
4. United Business Card
Current offer: Earn a total of 150,000 miles: 75k points after spending $5,000 in the first three months, and an additional 75k after spending a total of $20,000 in the first six months
Annual fee: $99
Why it’s great: United is currently my favorite frequent flyer program because I’ve found they have the best award space availability. This means the points are easier to use and you usually have more options. This card is a great way to earn more than 150,000 United miles quickly, enough for a two round-trip domestic business-class tickets or a pair of one-way business-class tickets to Europe.
Other benefits worth mentioning:
- 2 one-time use United Club passes that entitle you to United Club lounge access
- Priority Boarding on United flights
- Your first checked bag is free on United flights when you use your card to pay for the flight
- No foreign transaction fees
5. Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card
Current offer: $750 Cash Back (or 75,000 Ultimate Reward Points) after spending $7,500 within the first 3 months
Annual fee: $0
Why it’s great: The sign up bonus on this card is advertised as $750 cash back, but if you have another card that earns Ultimate Reward points, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or the Ink Business Preferred, you can turn your $750 cash back bonus into 75,000 Ultimate Reward points.
The 75,000 points you earn from the welcome bonus will be worth at least $750 in free travel, and if you have one of the cards mentioned above, you can transfer the points to 8 airlines at a 1:1 ratio. The reason this card has earned the a spot in the top ten is because it has an awesome sign-up bonus and no annual fee. Plus, it earns 1.5% cash back on every purchase, which means it’s great for purchasing things that don’t fit into bonus categories on other credit cards.
Other benefits worth mentioning:
- Purchase protection (covers new purchases up to 120 days)
- Rental car insurance
6. Ink Business Cash Credit Card
Current offer: $750 Cash Back or 75,000 Ultimate Reward Points after spending $7,500 within the first 3 months
Annual fee: $0
Why it’s great: This card offers the exact same benefits as the Ink Business Unlimited (mentioned above). The only difference is the bonus points you’ll earn on certain spending categories. Instead of earning 1.5% on every purchase, you’ll earn bigger bonuses spending money in certain categories and 1% on everything else. Additionally:
5% on purchases at office supply stores and online, plus cable and phone services (up to $25,000 per year)
2% on purchases at gas stations and restaurants (up to $25,000 per year)
1% on all other purchases
This card is tied with the Ink Business Unlimited in my rankings, because I can’t rank one higher than the other without knowing where you spend the majority of your money. If most of your spending fits into one of the bonus categories mentioned above, definitely sign up for this card. However, if most of your spending doesn’t fit into one of these specific categories, sign up for the Ink Business Unlimited to earn 1.5% on all of your purchases.
Other benefits worth mentioning:
- Purchase protection (covers new purchases up to 120 days)
- Rental car insurance
7. Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express® Card
Current offer: Earn 75,000 bonus points, after making $3,000 of card purchases in 3 months.
Annual fee: $125
Why it’s great: This card is a great way to earn a great balance of Marriott points, and it is especially valuable for those who are Marriott loyalists. You earn 6x miles on bookings on Marriott, 4x the miles on at US restaurants, US gas stations and on wireless telephone services, as well as double the miles on everything else.
Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio to many other programs, making these points a great way to top up other mileage balances when booking award travel. Terms Apply.
*Rates and Fees
Other benefits worth mentioning:
- Complimentary Silver Elite status
- Earn one free night on the account anniversary
- No foreign transaction fees
8. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Current offer: 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points, plus a Free Night reward after spending $3,000 in the first three months.
Annual fee: $95
Why it’s great: This card packs in a ton of benefits, especially if you’re loyal to Hilton. To start, 130,000 points is a very generous welcome bonus, and if you do spend money staying at Hilton properties, this will be the card you want to use because you’ll earn 12x points for every $1 spent with Hilton, as well as 6x the points on select business and travel spending, and 3x on all other purchases.
You’ll get complimentary Hilton Gold Status, and if you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, you’ll also get a free weekend night. And if you spend an additional $60,000, you’ll get a second free weekend night. Terms Apply.
*Rates and Fees
Other benefits worth mentioning:
- Priority Pass membership that is good for 10 free airport lounge visits
- Upgrade to Hilton Diamond Status, after spending $40,000 in a calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fees
9. Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
Current offer: Earn up to 80,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months
Annual fee: $199
Why it’s great: Southwest points are worth roughly 1.4 cents each, which means the sign-up bonus alone is worth quite a bit in free Southwest flights. If you spend most of your time flying in or around the US, you’ll be able to get a lot of value out of this card. Plus, it’s a great way to earn 80,000 points towards the Southwest Companion Pass!
This card also offers many ongoing perks that add value to the card in the long run, including four upgraded boardings per year, inflight Wi-Fi credits and an application credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check once every four years.
Other benefits worth mentioning:
- Earn 4x points per $1 on Southwest purchases
- Earn 2x points for every $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare services.
- Earn 2x points on social media and search engine advertising, Internet, cable, and phone services
- 9,000 points every year after your cardmember anniversary (aka 9,000 points every year your keep the card and pay the annual fee)
- 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points per $10,000 you spend (up to 15,000 TQPs each year)
- No foreign transaction fees
10. Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Current offer: 50,000 miles after spending $4,500 in the first three months.
Annual fee: $95 (waived the first year)
Why it’s great: Capital One Spark Miles for Business is currently offering a welcome bonus of 50,000 points after hitting the spending target, which is worth $500 in travel bookings and is a great value. This card earns 5x on hotels and rental cars and 2x on all other spending, as well as offers a number of great perks.
Other benefits worth mentioning:
- $100 credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Free employee cards
- Complimentary roadside assistance
- No foreign transaction fees
That wraps up our review of the top 10 business credit cards for travelers. If you found this post useful, we’d be super grateful if you used our links to start your next credit card application!
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