Best business credit cards for travel

Whether you run a major corporation, own a small family business or have a side hustle that brings in part-time income, having a dedicated business credit card can help you in more ways than one. Not only can a business credit card help you keep your personal and business spending separate for bookkeeping and tax preparation purposes, but a credit card will allow you to borrow money for important business expenses in a pinch.

The best business credit cards for travel also let business owners earn points or miles for each dollar their business spends, and that’s on top of the travel perks they offer. Many of the best also offer flexible redemption options you can take advantage of even during times when you’re not traveling at all, whether that means you can cash in your points for statement credits, gift cards or merchandise.

Comparing the top business travel credit cards

A closer look at the best business travel credit cards

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Best for Delta airlines loyalists

• Rewards: 3X miles on Delta purchases; 1X miles on all other purchases or 1.5X miles on purchases for the rest of the year after spending $150,000 in one calendar year
• Welcome bonus: Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after spending $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 3 months of card membership
• Annual fee: $550

For brand loyalists, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card is considered the strongest of Delta’s branded cards, earning 3X miles per dollar spent on flights, seat upgrades, and eligible in-flight purchases. Cardholders enjoy a number of luxury perks, including complimentary travel concierge services, priority boarding, a free first-checked bag, Delta lounge access, and travel insurance.

For business owners who are frequent flyers, the card’s Status Boost feature can earn up to 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) up to four times per year. Companion traveler perks include an annual complimentary companion certificate and two complimentary SkyClub guest passes each year — both of which are especially valuable if you plan on booking an expensive trip that you’d like to take a colleague, client or guest on. The card’s current welcome offer is 70,000 bonus miles after only $5,000 in purchases during the account’s first 3 months.

United℠ Business Card: Best for United Airlines travelers

• Rewards: 2X miles on United Airlines purchases, dining, at gas stations, on office supplies and on local transit and commuting; 1X miles on all other purchases
• Welcome bonus: 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months
• Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99

The United Business Card earns boosted rewards for purchases made through United Airlines and on some common spending categories (dining, gas stations, office supplies, local transit/commute costs). For travelers looking to earn rewards both through airline-specific purchases and on everyday business expenses, this card offers a benefit that works with both.

This card’s welcome offer currently gives a 75,000 bonus-mile reward after $5,000 in purchases made in the first 3 months of the account being open. When combined with the introductory $0 annual fee, cardholders will see a hefty benefit in the first year. Travelers who carry a personal United credit card in tandem with this business card can earn a 5,000-mile credit annually X — a significant ongoing benefit for those who travel using United Airlines both professionally and for leisure travel.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Best for Hilton hotel regulars

• Rewards: 12X points on hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, 6X points on U.S. gas stations, U.S. cellphone service providers and U.S. shipping purchases and purchases at U.S. restaurants, airfare booked through Amex Travel and select car rentals. 3X points on all other purchases
• Welcome bonus: 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months of card membership
• Annual fee: $95

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is the only Hilton-brand business credit card available — maybe because, with rewards like these, no other product is necessary. Purchases made at any of 7,000+ Hilton portfolio hotels and resorts internationally earn a whopping 12X points: excellent news if your business travel has you staying in hotels regularly. Even if you only travel occasionally for work, a 6X earning rate on regular expenses (cell phone service, U.S. gas station and restaurant purchases) can keep you earning toward your next trip.

Though there is a $95 annual fee on this product, it doesn’t take much in hotel stays to offset the cost: a mere $528 on Hilton brand hotel stays, to be exact. Cardholders enjoy complimentary Gold Status, earning every fifth night free on reward stays, among a bevy of other Hilton-specific perks. With hotels everywhere from small-town America to large international destinations, business travelers who choose Hilton can maximize their benefits by carrying this card.

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Best for business road warriors

• Rewards: 6X Marriott Bonvoy Points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program, 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. gas stations, 4X points on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping and 2X points on all other purchases
• Welcome bonus: Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. (Offer ends 5/3/23)
• Annual fee: $125

The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card offers both hotel-specific benefits for travelers and built-in protections on luggage, car rentals, and purchases made with the card. For business owners who want both the benefit of boosted earnings on hotel stays and a standard contingency plan for lost luggage or car rentals, this account is a solid contender. Cardholders receive complimentary Gold Elite status at Marriott Bonvoy properties.

For travelers who require frequent rental cars and hotel stays, the perks of this card make it a natural contender. The account’s current welcome offer equates to about $875 to redeem toward Marriott stays, but loyalty points can also be redeemed for gift cards at various restaurants and retailers.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Best for flexible rewards

• Rewards: Earn 3X points on the first $150,000 spent each year on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines (then 1X points) and 1X points on all other purchases
• Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points when you spend $15,000 on qualifying purchases within three months of account opening
• Annual fee: $95

The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is incredibly popular with business owners thanks to the fact that it doles out Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Rewards you earn with this card can be used to book travel directly through the Chase travel portal, but you can also transfer your points to Chase airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 basis. This means that 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points earned with this card can be turned into 100,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points or United miles, or even 100,000 World of Hyatt or Marriott Bonvoy points.

The Ink Business Preferred is currently offering a welcome bonus of 100,000 points (worth $1,250 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®) after you spend $15,000 on qualifying purchases with your card within three months of account opening. You’ll also get the chance to earn 3X points per $1 on up to $150,000 spent on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone purchases, and advertising with social media sites and search engines (then 1X points) and 1X points on everything else. A $95 annual fee applies, but the first-year bonus makes up for it several times over.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for luxury travel perks

• Rewards: Earn 5X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com, as well as 1.5X points on purchases over $5,000; earn 1X points on other purchases
• Welcome bonus: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $15,000 within three months of account opening
• Annual fee: $595 ($695 if the application is received on or after Jan. 13, 2022)

The Business Platinum Card from American Express lets consumers earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com. Cardholders also earn 1.5X points for purchases over $5,000, which highly favors businesses that have a lot of high-dollar expenses throughout the month.

The welcome offer to look forward to includes earning 120,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months.

When it comes to redeeming your rewards, keep in mind that the American Express Membership Rewards program is versatile and flexible. Points in this program can be used to book travel directly through AmexTravel.com, redeemed for gift cards or merchandise, or transferred to popular airline and hotel partners.

It’s also important to note that, when you redeem points for eligible airfare with this card, you’ll get 35 percent of your points back (up to 500,000 back per year).

Consider this card if you want luxury perks and generous statement credits

In terms of major travel benefits, the Amex Business Platinum comes with no foreign transaction fees, a $200 airline fee credit each year, up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership every five years, up to $179 back per year on a Clear membership, the ability to visit Priority Pass Select or Centurion airport lounges and more.

All in all, the card comes with more than $2,500 in annual statement credits, including those on certain business expenses, such as up to $400 in Dell purchases (terms apply), up to $360 in Indeed hiring products ($90 per quarter), up to $150 with Adobe and up to $120 on U.S. wireless telephone purchases ($10 per month).

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: Best with no annual fee

• Rewards: Earn 2X Membership Rewards points on the first $50,000 you spend each year, then 1X points
• Welcome offer: 15,000 Membership Rewards points if you spend $3,000 within the first three months of account opening
• Annual fee: $0

The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express offers the chance to earn valuable American Express Membership Rewards points without paying an annual fee. In fact, you’ll earn 2X points on the first $50,000 you spend each year with your card (then 1X points), which gives you the unique opportunity to earn more than the standard 1X points per dollar on most of your business spending.

Like other cards within this program, the Amex Blue Business Plus lets you book travel directly through AmexTravel.com, transfer points to popular airline and hotel partners, or redeem points for gift cards or merchandise. If you have other cards that earn Amex Membership Rewards points, your rewards points can all be pooled in a single account.

Consider this card if you want to earn travel rewards with no annual fee

Many of the top credit cards for business travelers charge an annual fee, but this card gives you the rewards you want without having to pay one.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card: Best for flexible travel redemptions

• Rewards: Earn 1.5X points on all regular purchases and 3X points on travel booked through the Bank of America travel center
• Welcome bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus points (worth $300 in statement credit toward travel) when you spend $3,000 on your card within 90 days of account opening
• Annual fee: $0

The Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard credit card lets consumers rack up a flat 1.5X points for all regular spending on their card, but travel purchases made through the Bank of America travel portal net 3X points for each dollar spent. The initial bonus of 30,000 points is easy to earn with just $3,000 in spending required within the first 90 days, and this card doesn’t have an annual fee for business owners to worry about.

Also, if you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer, you can earn up to 75 percent more rewards for each dollar you spend on your card. Interestingly, this card also comes with a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for nine billing cycles, followed by a variable APR of 12.24 percent to 22.24 percent. This perk can help business owners pay down large purchases without any interest for a limited period of time.

Consider this card if you want flexible redemptions

A major benefit to consider with the Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard is just how flexible the redemption options are. Not only can you redeem your rewards for any travel purchase charged to your card, but you can cash them in for travel purchases through the Bank of America Travel Center. When you’re not traveling, you can also cash in your points for cash back or gift cards.

Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Best flat-rate travel credit card

• Rewards: Earn a flat 2X miles for each dollar you spend
• Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,500 on your card within three months of account opening
• Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, $95 after that

Business owners who don’t want to deal with complex loyalty programs or rewards structures should consider the Capital One Spark Miles for Business. Once you sign up, you’ll earn a flat 2X miles for each dollar you spend, and you’ll get the chance to cash in your miles for travel purchases at a rate of 1 cent per mile. You can redeem rewards for hotel stays, flights, vacation packages and more. You can also transfer miles earned with this card to several Capital One airline and hotel transfer partners, such as Accor, Air Canada and Asia Miles.

With this card, you can earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles after you spend $4,500 on your card within the first three months. Your miles never expire as long as the account is in good standing, and there’s no limit to the number of miles you can earn. This card does have a $95 annual fee, but it’s waived the first year. Plus, you can receive up to a $100 credit for one Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.

Consider this card if you want to earn a flat rate of travel rewards for each dollar your business spends

Earning a flat 2X miles for each dollar you spend can be attractive if you don’t want to keep track of complicated rewards schemes. This card also comes with free employee cards, so you can earn flat-rate rewards on purchases your employees make as well.

Is a business travel credit card right for you?

Assess your business travel habits

Taking note of your own travel habits can help you to maximize the benefits of a business travel credit card. Are you a frequent flyer with a particular airline? Would you benefit from additional rental car coverage, or do you frequent restaurants on the road? Decide what travel perks would benefit you most, then look for a business travel card that maximizes those rewards. If there is no significant pattern to your travel habits, look for a card that has flexible benefits.

Decide which travel perks you want

Many of the top travel credit cards for small business owners come with travel benefits like airport lounge access, airline fee credits or fee credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership. While you’ll pay a higher annual fee for a card with any of these perks, the investment can be worth it if you travel often.

Look for rewards flexibility

If you’re not traveling a lot right now, you should also make sure you have plenty of options when it comes to cashing in your rewards. The best small business credit cards for travel let you cash in points for flexible travel redemptions or for statement credits, merchandise or gift cards.

Compare fees and interest rates

There’s nothing wrong with paying the annual fee on a business credit card if the rewards or cardholder perks make up for it. Still, you should take the time to compare cards and their fees, as well as the long-term interest rate you might pay.

If you plan to carry a balance, you should look for cards that offer 0 percent interest for a limited time. If you travel outside of the country often, you’ll want to look for a business card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

How to choose a business credit card for travel

If you’re struggling to figure out which travel business cards to consider, you should know you’re not alone. The following tips can help you sort through the best business cards for travel based on the flexibility you need and how much you’re willing to spend.

Decide which travel perks you want

Many of the top travel credit cards for small business owners come with travel benefits like airport lounge access, airline fee credits or fee credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership. While you’ll pay a higher annual fee for a card with any of these perks, the investment can be worth it if you travel often.

Look for rewards flexibility

If you’re not traveling a lot right now, you should also make sure you have plenty of options when it comes to cashing in your rewards. The best small business credit cards for travel let you cash in points for flexible travel redemptions or for statement credits, merchandise or gift cards.

Compare fees and interest rates

There’s nothing wrong with paying the annual fee on a business credit card if the rewards or cardholder perks make up for it. Still, you should take the time to compare cards and their fees, as well as the long-term interest rate you might pay.

If you plan to carry a balance, you should look for cards that offer 0 percent interest for a limited time. If you travel outside of the country often, you’ll want to look for a business card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

The bottom line

The best travel business cards can help you earn rewards and gain access to special benefits, but one type of card may leave you better off than another. Make sure to compare all of your options side-by-side before you sign up for a business credit card, and only sign up once you have found one that suits your needs, goals and lifestyle.

All information about the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card and Capital One Spark Miles for Business review has been collected independently by Bankrate and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.