Best Business Cards for Travel
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Establishing credit is important for any business — whether you own an LLC, corporation, or are self-employed. Finding a credit card that fits your business needs while offering helpful incentives can also help your money go further.
If you’re a business owner who travels frequently, finding a top-rated business card with travel perks allows you access to a line of credit while rewarding you with miles, travel points, or cash-back rewards.
Find out everything you need about the top business credit cards for travel below.
Jump To
Overview of the best business cards for travel
Credit Card Issuer | Best For |
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card | Best overall |
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express | Luxury travel |
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card | Hotel stays |
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express | 0% intro APR |
United℠ Business Card | United Airlines travelers |
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | Hilton hotel fans |
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® | American Airlines Companion Certificate |
Capital One Spark Miles for Business | Flexibility in travel brands used |
Best business cards for travel
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Card Name
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
APR
21.24%-26.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$95
Special Offer
Earn 120,000 bonus points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards Rate
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases-with no limit to the amount you can earn.
Why We Like It
- Points don't expire.
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Card Name
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
APR
19.49% - 28.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$695
Special Offer
Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Rewards Rate
5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points (that's an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
Terms
Why We Like It
- CLEAR® membership reimbursement.
- Access to more than 1,4000 airport lounges.
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
Card Name
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
APR
20.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$125
Special Offer
Earn 3 Free Night Awards
Special Offer Terms
after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Each Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points, for a total potential value of up to 150,000 points, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees. Terms apply.
Rewards Rate
6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program. 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Discounts off standard rates for reservations at Marriott Bonvoy hotels when you book directly.
- One Free Night Award annually.
- Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Card Name
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
APR
18.49% - 26.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Good, Excellent
Annual Fee
No annual fee
Special Offer
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
Rewards Rate
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter.
Why We Like It
- No annual fee.
- Good introductory bonus offer.
United℠ Business Card
United℠ Business Card
Card Name
United℠ Business Card
APR
21.99% - 28.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Good, Excellent
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99
Special Offer
Earn 75,000 bonus miles
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
Rewards Rate
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, dining, at gas stations, office supply stores and on local transit and commuting. Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus miles and anniversary bonuses offered.
- Free first checked bag and priority boarding privileges.
- Two United Club℠ one-time passes per year.
- One-year complimentary DashPass.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Card Name
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
APR
20.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$195
Special Offer
Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card within the first six months of Card Membership.
Rewards Rate
Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases. Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X points thereafter.
Why We Like It
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status.
- Free night reward.
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
Card Name
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
APR
21.24% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Special Offer
Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles
Special Offer Terms
after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
Rewards Rate
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations. Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus miles offer.
- First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines flights.
- Savings on inflight Wi-Fi and preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Card Name
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
APR
26.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0 intro for first year; $95 after that
Special Offer
Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles - equal to $500 in travel
Special Offer Terms
once you spend $4,500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Rewards Rate
Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account. 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere. Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus offer.
- More than 15 travel loyalty programs where miles can be transferred.
- Instant redemption on miles instantly for any travel-related purchases.
- One statement credit for either TSA PreCheck® or $100 Global Entry application fee.
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
Best business travel credit cards summary
Credit Card Issuer | Rewards | Annual Fee | APR | Sign-up bonus |
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card | Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases-with no limit to the amount you can earn. | $95 | 21.24%-26.24% | Earn 120,000 bonus points |
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express | 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points (that's an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus. | $695 | 19.49% - 28.49% | Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points |
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card | 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program. 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases. | $125 | 20.99% - 29.99% | Earn 3 Free Night Awards |
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. | No annual fee | 18.49% - 26.49% | Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points |
United℠ Business Card | Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, dining, at gas stations, office supply stores and on local transit and commuting. Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99 | 21.99% - 28.99% | Earn 75,000 bonus miles |
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases. Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X points thereafter. | $195 | 20.99% - 29.99% | Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations. Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases. | $99, waived for first 12 months | 20.99% - 29.99% | Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles |
Capital One Spark Miles for Business | Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account. 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere. Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. | $0 intro for first year; $95 after that | 26.24% | Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles - equal to $500 in travel |
FAQs
Who can apply for a business travel credit card?
Anyone who owns a business can apply for a business credit card. Even freelancers and sole proprietors are eligible for business cards. Your approval will be based on your individual credit score.
What are the different types of business travel credit cards?
Business travel credit cards offer perks for money spent on business travel expenses. There are general cards that offer general travel awards for business travel expenses including airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, gas, restaurant visits, and more; hotel-specific cards that offer rewards and benefits with a specific hotel; and airline-specific cards that offer rewards and benefits with a specific airline.
Do I need to pay an annual fee for business travel cards?
Many business travel cards do have an annual fee you’ll need to pay to retain your membership. However, there are a few general cards without fees that could make great starter cards for small businesses or sole-proprietors.
How do I choose the right business travel card?
Finding the right business travel card requires you to look at how often you travel and what those expenses look like. If you only fly once or twice a year, a more general business card might offer you better perks. However, if you fly frequently, a card offering airline-specific or general airfare rewards might make sense. Likewise, if hotel visits are common, opting for a specific hotel-branded card could earn you more rewards.
When you should use a business travel credit card
Business travel credit cards aren’t always right for every business owner. Here are a few factors to consider before opening a business travel card account.
Frequency of travel
You might think that you can benefit from a travel credit card even if you only travel a few times a year. However, only businesses that travel frequently each month will likely benefit from this particular card type. Many business travel cards offer the best points value when redeemed for airfare and other travel expenses. If you don’t have a travel need, redeeming your points could take quite a while. Likewise, if you opt for cash back (when applicable), your points could drastically drop in value.
Type of travel
It’s important to consider the traveling your business usually does before applying for a card. For instance, if you fly once or twice a year but routinely drive short and long distances for work, general business travel cards with car rental and gas rewards might appeal to you. A general or hotel-branded card might also be the best option if you frequently rent hotel rooms for business purposes. Consider how you travel to help you find your best business travel card.
Annual fees
Some of the best business travel cards come with steep fees that small business owners might not be able to afford — particularly if they do not travel very often. Consider what it will take to start acquiring travel rewards and bounce this off the cost of the card to decide if it’s worth your money. You’ll also want to look into other transaction fees to ensure you know exactly what you’ll be required to pay ahead of time, including foreign transaction fees you may be charged on international business trips.
Additional considerations
Depending on your business, there are some additional considerations you might want to keep in mind. If your employees also frequently travel, having the option to add employee cards might be important to you. You might also want access to airport lounges or interested in cards offering free hotel stays and perks.
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
The bottom line
Keeping your company’s finances from your personal accounts is extremely important when you own your own business. If you travel often, you might want to find a business travel card that offers benefits catering to your business needs. Consider whether a general, hotel-specific, or airline-branded card might better fit your company.
Most business travel cards offering the best perks and discounts have an annual membership fee, but you can find some no-frills options available without this yearly fee. Do your research and consider how often you travel so you can find the right card for the way you do business.
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Writer
Courtney Johnston is a freelance writer, specializing in finance, travel, and health. She has written for The Chicago Tribune, Benzinga, BestReviews, Mashvisor, Fundera, MoneyGeek, and The Culture Trip. She also teaches writing instruction at the University of Indianapolis. Courtney currently resides in Indianapolis.
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