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When you're a business owner, a business credit card is good to have for managing expenses. If you travel often, whether for business or pleasure, there are plenty of great business cards offering travel rewards. We've narrowed it down to the best business credit cards for travel so you can find one that will pay for your trips.
What makes a quality business travel card? We start by checking how much each card earns in rewards, including on purchases and through any special offers for bonus points. After that, we look at annual fees, low APR intro offers, and extra travel benefits.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Great for: Best overall and a big sign-up bonus
On Chase's Secure Website.
On Chase's Secure Website.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.24%-26.24% Variable
Rewards 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.
Earn 3 points per $1 in select business categories
Annual Fee N/A
$95
Welcome Offer Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 100,000 bonus points
This business card gets you access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem, and you'll start with 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points by qualifying for its eye-popping welcome bonus. Earning 3x points per $1 on popular business expenses means you can cover your bills and be generously rewarded in the process. Read Full Review
Great for: United flyers
On Chase's Secure Website.
On Chase's Secure Website.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.99% - 28.99% Variable
Rewards 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.
2x on select categories
Annual Fee N/A
$0 for the first year, then $99
Welcome Offer Earn 75,000 bonus miles 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.
Earn 75,000 bonus miles
This card has a generous welcome offer, earns rewards, and includes valuable perks for United Airlines fliers like a free checked bag, priority boarding, two United Club℠ passes, and an annual $100 travel credit. Read Full Review
Capital One Spark 2X Miles
Great for: Unlimited 2X miles
Excellent (740-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
26.24%, variable
Rewards
2x miles
Annual Fee $0 intro fee for first year; $95 after that
$0 intro fee
Welcome Offer Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
50,000 miles
One of the best cards for businesses looking to capitalize on a travel reward for their everyday purchases. With a big sign up bonus, 2x miles, and low fees, it is a great choice for jet-setting small businesses.
American Express Business Gold Card
Great for: Bonus rewards to match your spending
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
19.49%-27.49%, variable
Rewards 4 points per $1 in two of the following categories where you spend most: gas, dining, advertising, transit, electronics & wireless ($150,000 annual spending cap). 3 points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com. 1 point per $1 on other purchases
1x - 4x points
Annual Fee
$295
Welcome Offer 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership
70,000 Membership Rewards® points
The card brings innovative points-earning flexibility with the option to choose which categories earn 4x points. There is no preset spending limit so your spending is flexible. The inclusion of a nice welcome offer sweetens the pot.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Great for: Save on American Airlines flights
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Rewards 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations, restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases, 1 mile per dollar on other purchases
1x - 2x miles
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Welcome Offer Earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $3,500 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
75,000 miles
The rewards program makes this a compelling card to carry with OK earning opportunities beyond just American Airlines purchases.
Capital One Spark 1.5X Miles Select
Great for: 0% intro APR
Excellent (740-850)
Intro APR Save on interest with 0% intro APR on purchases for 9 months; 17.99% - 23.99% variable APR after that.
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
18.49% - 24.49%, variable
Rewards 1.5x miles on purchases, 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
1.5x - 5x miles
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
50,000 miles
A competitive business travel card that's a fit for a one-card wallet. The unlimited rewards program, sign-up bonus, and 0% intro APR offer are a rare combination of valuable perks in this category.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Great for: Delta flyers
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
20.99% to 29.99%, variable
Rewards 3 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
1X - 3X Delta SkyMiles
Annual Fee
$550
Welcome Offer Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership.
70,000 Bonus Miles
Offers a wide array of travel perks, which make this card ideal for business owners who fly Delta and want it all. Read Full Review
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Great for: Premium travel perks and statement credits
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
19.49% - 27.49%, variable
Rewards Get 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 on eligible purchases 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 everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
1X - 5X points
Annual Fee
$695
Welcome Offer Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
120,000 Membership Rewards® points
A solid business travel credit card that is loaded with perks. But the high annual fee will be a downside for business owners not traveling much.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
Great for: Southwest flyers
On Chase's Secure Website.
On Chase's Secure Website.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.49% - 28.49% Variable
Rewards Earn 3X points on Southwest Airlines® purchases. Earn 2X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners. Earn 2X points on rideshare. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
1X - 3X points
Annual Fee N/A
$99
Welcome Offer Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Earn 60,000 points.
With a massive welcome offer and plenty of other valuable features, this Southwest business card is a fantastic choice for frequent flyers. Read Full Review
Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card
Great for: Premium travel and big sign-up bonus
Excellent (740-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
N/A
Rewards Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase. Book through Capital One Travel to earn 5X on flights and 10X on hotels and rental cars.
2X-10X miles
Annual Fee
$395
Welcome Offer Earn 150,000 bonus miles when you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months, which is equal to $1,500 in travel.
150,000 miles
A top-notch business travel card that balances value with ease of use. The welcome offer, rewards rate, and travel benefits are all some of the best we've found.
Business credit cards for travel earn rewards you can redeem toward travel purchases. With these cards, you can essentially travel for free with credit card points.
This type of credit card usually also includes other travel-related benefits. At a minimum, most don't charge foreign transaction fees, so they're useful for international travel. Business travel cards with annual fees often have plenty of extra perks that can save you money, like access to airport lounges or free nights at hotels every card membership year.
Credit card companies check your consumer credit score when you apply for a small business card. They also usually require a personal guarantee, which means that even though it's a business credit card, you're still personally responsible for any debts on it.
Some credit card issuers report activity on business cards to the consumer credit bureaus. This means your business card could affect your personal credit score. Other card issuers will only report activity if your card account becomes past due.
There are a few types of travel credit cards. When you're looking for a business travel card, it helps to start by learning about these different card types.
An airline credit card is tied to an airline, like Delta or United. When you use the card, it earns miles in the airline's frequent flyer program. For example, Delta credit cards earn Delta miles on qualifying purchases. Many of these cards also get you a free checked bag and other perks with the airline.
Travel cards connected to one company, such as an airline, are only a good choice if you're a loyal customer. If you fly with the same airline multiple times per year, then one of its business cards may be worth a look.
A hotel credit card is tied to a hotel chain, like Hyatt or Marriott. It earns points in that hotel's loyalty program, and you can put those points toward free stays. Hotel cards may also get you a free night reward every card membership year and additional benefits with the hotel chain.
This is another type of business card that only works for loyal customers. If you spend a lot of time staying at one hotel chain, then its business credit card would probably make sense for you.
These business travel cards are as straightforward as it gets. Their rewards have a fixed value and can be used for travel purchases. The most common rate is $0.01 per point, meaning 10,000 points could cover $100 in travel purchases made with the card.
If you want a travel card that's easy to use, this type of card works well. You'll be able to redeem rewards for basically any type of travel purchase.
These business cards are part of a major credit card rewards program with various travel partners. You can transfer points to any of the program's partners, which gives you a lot more ways to redeem rewards.
To put it in perspective, an airline card will earn miles you can use with one airline. It's the same with a hotel card. But a card with transferable rewards lets you send your points to multiple airlines and hotels.
There's more of a learning curve to transferable travel rewards. If you don't mind that, it's often possible to get great deals on expensive travel purchases with these rewards. Here are the biggest rewards programs that offer business credit cards:
My rule of thumb for choosing a credit card is to start by focusing on a couple key factors. Ask yourself, "What do I need most from a credit card?"
Maybe you're most interested in credit cards for international travel. In that case, a business card with either fixed-rate or transferable rewards could be the way to go, since they'll give you lots of booking options. If you're more interested in a card to help you on the business side of things, you might want one that offers detailed spending reports.
It all depends on what matters most for you and your business. I've listed some of the most common things business owners look at below so you can figure out what to prioritize:
Low annual fee: It's important to find a business card that fits your budget. Now, most business credit cards for travel charge an annual fee. There are some travel credit cards with no annual fee, but you'll have a lot more options if you're willing to spend at least $90 to $100 on a card.
Rewards and bonuses: It helps to have a card with a competitive rewards rate -- the amount of points/miles a card earns on every eligible purchase. Most business credit cards also have welcome bonuses. These are bonus points you can earn as a new cardholder within a certain time period after account opening. Some of them are extremely valuable, so it's worth comparing the welcome offer available on each card you like.
Employee cards: If you want employees to be able to make business purchases, check if there's a fee for adding an employee credit card. You may also want to look at what kind of controls different cards offer for employee cards. There are business cards that let you set individual spending limits on employee cards or set up an employee as your account manager.
Travel benefits: You can find business travel credit cards with all kinds of special travel perks. There are travel credit cards that get you airport lounge access, a statement credit for the Global Entry membership fee, and much more. I'd suggest checking out features for several top cards to see if they have anything that stands out to you.
Card | Rating | Great For |
---|---|---|
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Best overall and a big sign-up bonus |
|
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: United flyers |
|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Unlimited 2X miles |
|
2024 Award Winner
|
Rating image, 4.25 out of 5 stars.
4.25/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Bonus rewards to match your spending |
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Save on American Airlines flights |
|
Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: 0% intro APR |
|
Rating image, 3.75 out of 5 stars.
3.75/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Delta flyers |
|
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Premium travel perks and statement credits |
|
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Southwest flyers |
|
Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Premium travel and big sign-up bonus |
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate travel credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria Includes rewards systems and bonus categories, rewards redemption flexibility, and sign-up bonuses.
Our highest-rated travel credit cards have:
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best travel card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring travel credit cards from reputable brands.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
Business travel cards with no annual fee include the Capital One Spark 1.5X Miles Select and the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. There aren't many business travel cards that don't charge an annual fee, so your options are more limited if this is the type of card you want.
Yes, you can get a business travel credit card as a small business. With most card issuers, any type of business can qualify for a business credit card. That includes sole proprietors, small businesses, and even side income streams.
You typically need a consumer credit score of 670 or higher to qualify for a business travel credit card. Even on applications for business cards, credit card companies check your personal credit score. They may or may not check your business credit score.
Our Credit Cards Experts
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
For rates and fees for the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Mastercard and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends Amex.