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No matter the size of your business, there are all sorts of ways to find deals and rewards, especially if travel is a big part of the job. One of the best ways to make your business expenses work for you, is to get a business travel credit card. From airline points to hotel rewards to straight up cash, credit card rewards are an awesome way to maximize your purchases, ease future business travel expenses, and ultimately give a little love to your bottom line.
Before you sign up for a business travel credit card, think about what sort of rewards your business needs. Some business travel credit cards give you points to use towards travel expenses like gasoline or dining out. Others offer you airline miles, hotel points, or traveling perks like free checked bags and airport lounge access. Some of the more flexible card rewards let you redeem the points for whatever you want for your business, particularly when it comes to travel. And there are ones that offer big sign-up bonuses but may have hefty annual fees that may not be in the budget.
Where do you tend to drop the most cash when it comes to travel? What do you desperately need covered? Where do you want to save? Whatever your priorities, there are rewards out there that work for any kind of business traveler. You’ll find tons of cards to choose from, but we think these are some of the best business travel credit cards out there.
The Chase Ink Business Preferred card is one of the best business credit cards for travel. When you first sign up for the card, you get a whopping 100,000 bonus points if you spend $15,000 in the first three months. It may be a lot to spend, but if you’re running a business with a lot of expenses, it’s easy to hit. And on the first $150,000 spent every year, you’ll get three points on every dollar spent on some of the most common four business categories: travel, shipping, telecommunications, and advertising expenses.
Additionally, when you do travel for work, you’ll get primary rental coverage for you and your employees, trip cancellation insurance, trip delay reimbursements, and no transaction fees when you use your car abroad. There is an annual fee, but it’s only $95.
If you’re a freelancer and you’re looking for a card with no annual fee, this Chase Ink Business Unlimited card is a great option. Not only will you get 1.5% cash back on all business purchases in any category, but when you sign up, you’ll get cash back savings of $750 if you spend $7,5000 in the first 3 months.
If you consider yourself a frequent traveler, the American Express Business Platinum card can get you all kinds of savings, perks, and premium travel protections. First off, you’ll get a 120,000-point sign-up bonus, along with 5x the membership rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels. You’ll even get Elite Gold Status with Marriott and Hilton hotels, which can score you complimentary room upgrades and late checkouts.
Head to the airport and you’ll get sweet airport lounge membership and access, along with $200 airline travel credits to cover any bag fees or snacks and entertainment on the plane. You’ll also get a $100 credit towards Global Entry fees or TSA precheck sign-up. The annual fee is pretty high ($595) but if you travel enough, you can make it work for you.
The American Express Business Gold card is another great option for travelers, specifically small business owners with high expenses, who also spend a lot of time on the road. This card offers a 70,000 sign-up bonus and you’ll get four points for every dollar you spend on gas stations and restaurants in the U.S.
Your employees can also get cards to gain points, at no extra cost to you. And when you use your points to book Amex travel, you’ll actually get 25% of those points back (up to 250,000). The annual fee is a little less on this one, clocking in at $295.
Spend just $5,000 in the first three months of opening the United Business card, and you’ll receive 75,000 miles off the bat. After that, you’ll get two miles for every dollar you spend on dining, gas, office supplies, and local transit. There's an annual fee for the first year, and then it’s only $99. And when you travel, you’ll get a free checked bag, priority boarding, and two free visits to the United Club every single year.
If you’re a big Marriott fan, this business travel credit card is ideal. Not only do you get automatic Silver Elite Marriott status, you’ll also get a free night after your one-year anniversary with the card.
When you sign up, you can bank 75,000 points after you spend just $3,000 in the first three months. For every dollar you spend on Marriott Bonvoy hotels you’ll get six points, on restaurants and gas stations four points, and two points on all other eligible purchases. And within the first three months, you can get credits up to $150 on eligible purchases.
Capital One’s Spark Miles card offers you 50,000 bonus points at sign-up and then 2x points on every purchase thereafter, no matter what it is. Your miles never expire and you can redeem them for travel purchases. The annual fee is $95, but they waive it the first year.
Bank of America’s Business Advantage Travel Rewards World MasterCard is another great card if you’re looking for zero annual fees and zero international transaction fees. Spend $3,000 in the first three months and you’ll rack up 30,000 points. And for every dollar you spend on the Bank of America Travel center you’ll get three points, and 1.5 on all other purchases.
No matter what card you choose, try to use your business credit card as often as possible, making sure you only use it for business purchases. Additionally, you should always pay your card on time so you don’t ruin your credit— your business credit can also affect your personal credit. Keep in mind that most of these credit cards require you to have good to excellent credit (670-850 credit score).
A business travel credit card is a phenomenal way to cover so many of those business travel expenses. At Avail, we’re all about making your money work for you while you’re on the road. Check out the Avail blog for more insight and tips on how to make money while you travel.
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