Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card Review 2019

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card is a solid pick for owners shopping for their first travel rewards card. It charges no annual fee and offers above-average rewards on travel expenses. Plus, the ongoing APR starts at 13.49%, which is the lowest APR among travel cards.

The best business credit cards for travel pay up to five points per dollar spent on at least one bonus category. They also offer introductory rewards worth at least $500 and provide benefits like airport lounge access and expedited airport security screening. This Bank of America business card doesn’t quite offer enough to compete with elite-tier business travel cards, but it’s a solid card for owners looking to save money. We give this card 4 stars out of 5 possible stars.

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How We Evaluated the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card offers good rewards on travel—particularly for a card that doesn’t charge an annual fee—but its introductory rewards are fairly low. It also lacks key travel benefits, like airport lounge access. If maximizing points and perks is important to you, consider the American Express Business Platinum Card®. Just be prepared to pay that card’s $595 annual fee.

We considered the following criteria when grading this card based on what owners might need and want in a small business credit card that offers travel rewards:

• Ongoing rewards: The points you’ll earn by using the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card. This card pays up to three points per dollar spent. You could boost your maximum return to 4.12 points if you have money on deposit at the bank.
• Introductory rewards: The points you’ll earn by reaching minimum spending requirements over the first few months of card ownership. The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card offers 25,000 bonus points worth $250 toward travel when you spend $1,000 within 60 days.
• Additional benefits: Whether the card comes with free perks that may increase its value. The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card offers several benefits, including rental car insurance and purchase protection.
• Annual fee: How much you’ll pay each year to own the card. The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card charges no annual fee.
• Introductory APR: Whether the card offers a period of no-interest financing on purchases or balance transfers. The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card offers 0% introductory APR for nine billing cycles on purchases.
• Ongoing APR: How much it will cost to finance purchases on the card. This card charges an ongoing APR as low as 13.49%, which is exceptionally low for a travel rewards credit card.

What the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card lacks in rewards and benefits, it makes up for in its appeal to frugality. It ranks among our picks for the best 0% interest business cards, and offers an exceptionally low ongoing APR. To find a lower APR, you’ll need to consider a card like the Bank of America® Platinum Visa® Business credit card.

How We Evaluate Travel Rewards Business Credit Cards

When grading travel rewards business credit cards like the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card, we weigh ongoing rewards, introductory rewards, and additional features heaviest. We also consider the card’s annual fee and its introductory and ongoing APRs.

We graded the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card using the following methodology:

Grading Criteria	Card Score	Highest Possible Score
Ongoing Rewards	22	25
Introductory Rewards	18	25
Additional Features	20	25
Annual Fee	15	15
Introductory APR	4	5
Ongoing APR	5	5
Total Score	84	100

Based on our 5-star rating system, where 20 points equals 1 star, the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card is a solid 4-star card. Introductory rewards and additional features are its main drawbacks. In cases where cards receive excellent scores in most categories, we may award bonus points to boost the card’s rating by half a star.

This card isn’t designed to appeal to the road warrior. If you’re looking for benefits like free checked bags or priority boarding, look for a card associated with your favorite airline, like the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®. This American Airlines co-branded card offers a free checked bag for you and up to four companions, preferred boarding, and the ability to earn a companion fare based on your card spending.

Who the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card Is Right For

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card is ideal for two types of business owners. It’s best for those looking for a starter travel card and for owners with thousands of dollars on deposit at Bank of America. You can join the bank’s Business Advantage Relationship Rewards program to earn bonus rewards.

The tiered-rewards system offers a 75% credit card rewards bonus. If you have at least $100,000 on deposit, you’ll earn 4.12 points per dollar spent on travel purchases booked through the bank. All other purchases earn 2.62 points per dollar. That’s a better everyday spending return than Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business, which pays unlimited two miles per dollar.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card Costs

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card includes introductory 0% APR for nine billing cycles on purchases and an outstanding ongoing APR. If you have to transfer a balance, you’ll need to consider a card that doesn’t offer travel rewards, like the American Express Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card, which offers 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months.

Financing costs and fees on the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card include:

• Introductory APR: 0% APR for nine billing cycles on purchases
• Ongoing APR: A variable 13.49% to 23.49%, which will adjust with the prime rate
• Annual fee: None
• Balance transfer fee: Either 4% of the amount of the transfer or $10, whichever is greater
• Foreign transaction fee: None
• Cash advance fee: 4% of the advance or $10, whichever is greater
• Late payment fee: Up to $49
• Returned payment fee: $39
• Penalty APR: None

If you pay late, Bank of America will assess different fees based on the size of your balance. You’ll be charged $19 if your balance is $100 or less, $29 if your balance is between $100 and $1,000, $39 if your balance is between $1,000 and $5,000, and $49 if your balance is greater than $5,000. With the exception of the other Bank of America cards, none of the business credit cards we’ve reviewed charge late fees on a sliding scale.

Here’s another way this card can save you money: Like all of the top business travel rewards cards, this Bank of America business credit card charges no foreign transaction fee. That means you won’t get hit with a charge for making a purchase outside the United States.

How to Avoid Paying Interest on the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card

Your Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card payment is due at least 25 days after you receive your bill. Pay your balance in full by the due date to avoid interest charges. If you are charged interest, the minimum charge will be at least $1.

The potential due date on this Bank of America small business credit card could be longer than other travel rewards cards, like the Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM, which has a due date at least 20 days after the cycle closes.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card Rewards

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card offers bonus rewards when you book your travel through the Bank of America Travel Center. It also offers introductory rewards worth $250 in travel. You can earn bonus points on your credit card spending if you have at least $20,000 on deposit with Bank of America or Merrill Lynch.

Introductory Rewards

You’ll earn 25,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 within the first 60 days after account opening. The introductory rewards are significantly lower than what other travel rewards credit cards offer. Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM offers 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 in the first three months from account opening. That tops all sign-up offers on our list of the best small business credit cards.

Ongoing Rewards

You will earn the following ongoing rewards when using your card:

• 3 points per dollar spent when you book a rental car, hotel, or airfare through the Bank of America Travel Center.
• Unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent on all other purchases.

The travel rewards are higher than average, beating out what many airline-branded cards offer for airfare purchases. The United^SM Explorer Business Card, for example, offers two miles per dollar spent on purchases from United Airlines, including tickets, Economy Plus, inflight food, beverages, Wi-Fi, and other United charges.

Note: The information related to the United^SM Explorer Business Card has been collected by Fit Small Business and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.

Business Advantage Relationship Rewards

You can earn up to 4.12 points per dollar on your Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card if you join the bank’s Business Advantage Relationship Rewards program. The program is free of charge, but you must have a three-month average combined balance of at least $20,000 in a Bank of America business deposit account or Merrill Lynch business investment account.

The program offers tiered rewards and benefits that increase when you reach certain thresholds. You’ll earn more points when you reach Gold status at $20,000 in deposits, Platinum status at $50,000, and Platinum Honors status at $100,000. You’ll also receive discounts on loans, free ATM transactions, and a savings account rate bump.

You’ll earn the following benefits by enrolling in Business Advantage Relationship Rewards:

	Gold ($20,000 on deposit)	Platinum ($50,000 on deposit)	Platinum Honors ($100,000 on deposit)
Credit card bonus	25%	50%	75%
Merchant services discount	0.05%	0.10%	0.15%
Savings account interest rate boost	5%	10%	20%
Small business financing interest rate discount	0.25%	0.50%	0.75%
Auto loan interest rate discount	0.25%	0.35%	0.50%
Commercial real estate loan interest rate discount	0.25%	0.35%	0.50%
Monthly payroll services discount	$10	$15	$20
Business line of credit and term loan discount	0.25%	0.30%	0.35%
No-fee ATM transactions per month	0	12	Unlimited

Depending on how much you have on deposit, you could increase your top earning rate on this small business credit card to 3.37 points, 3.75 points, or 4.12 points. The credit card bonus only applies to the base rewards rate, which is unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent. Cardholders normally will earn 1.5 base points plus 1.5 bonus points per dollar spent on travel booked with Bank of America.

Applying that formula to earning travel rewards looks like this:

1.5 base points x credit card bonus rate + 1.5 bonus points = number of points you’ll earn

Using this formula, if you have $20,000 in deposits, you’d earn 16,850 points on a $5,000 travel purchase. Without the bonus rate, you’d earn 15,000 points. Among small business credit cards, only the Bank of America® Business Advantage Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card offers similar relationship rewards.

Rewards Restrictions

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card won’t offer cash back rewards for the following:

• Balance transfers
• Cash advances
• Fees
• Finance charges
• Fraudulent transactions

Unredeemed points won’t expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. You’ll lose your unredeemed points if you or Bank of America closes the account. Other business rewards credit cards have similar restrictions on the types of purchases that won’t qualify for rewards.

How to Redeem Your Rewards

You can redeem your points for travel, travel credits, and cash. Redeeming your points for cash means you’ll accept the rewards as a deposit into your Bank of America checking or savings account, as a card statement credit, or via check. You must redeem points for travel credit (meaning something you already paid for with your card) within 12 months of purchase.

You can redeem travel credits for the following purchases:

• Airlines
• Lodging, including hotels, motels, and resorts
• Car rental agencies
• Cruise lines
• Travel agencies and tour operators
• Taxis and limousines
• Passenger railways
• Ferries
• Bus lines
• Timeshares
• Campgrounds and trailer parks
• Motor home and recreational vehicle rental
• Tourist attractions and exhibits
• Art dealers and galleries
• Amusement parks, carnivals, circuses, fortune tellers, aquariums, dolphinariums, zoos, and seaquariums
• Boat leases and boat rentals

There are no blackout dates and no travel restrictions when booking your trip with points. Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business offers a similar program, called Purchase Eraser®, that allows users to redeem their rewards for travel purchases already made with the credit card.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card Additional Features

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card includes several benefits like travel and emergency services, overdraft protection, primary auto rental insurance, and purchase protection. Unlike other issuers, Bank of America doesn’t publish benefits details prior to application. We’ve laid out the types of benefits you’ll receive, but you’ll learn more about the limitations and restrictions when you receive your guide to benefits upon approval.

You’ll receive the following additional benefits with your Bank of America small business credit card:

Auto Rental Insurance

When you rent a car using your Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card, you’re covered in case of accident or theft. The coverage is primary, which means you can avoid a claim on your personal insurance in case of accident. Refer to your guide to benefits for a full list of coverage and exclusions. The best small business credit cards, like Chase Ink Business Cash^SM, offer primary coverage

Travel Accident Insurance

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card provides travel accident insurance if you die or are seriously injured while traveling on a ticket paid for with your card. The coverage is capped at $100,000, which is identical to the coverage offered by the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. Refer to your guide to benefits to learn about coverage and exclusions.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement

You’ll be covered for your luggage and its contents if they are lost or stolen when you pay for a trip using your Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard®. Refer to your guide to benefits to learn about coverage and exclusions. Other small business credit cards that offer this protection include the U.S. Bank Business Leverage Visa Signature® Card, which will reimburse up to $3,000 per trip.

Trip Cancellation & Delay Coverage

You can receive reimbursement per person and per trip if your plans are canceled for a covered reason when you use your Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card to pay for the trip. Non-refundable travel expenses typically covered include fares, hotels, and tours. You’ll also be compensated if your trip is delayed, forcing you to find a hotel room or incur other expenses. Refer to your guide to benefits to learn about coverage and exclusions.

Other small business credit cards that offer this protection include Chase Ink Business Preferred^SM, which will reimburse you up to $5,000 for prepaid expenses such as airfare or hotels for canceled trips. If your trip is delayed by 12 hours or longer, you can be reimbursed up to $500 for your hotel room, meals, and transportation.

Overdraft Protection

This optional coverage is available for Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card customers who have a Bank of America business checking account. Link the two accounts to help prevent overdrafts. No other small business credit card issuer advertises this type of feature.

If you request overdraft protection, Bank of America will automatically transfer funds from your account to cover any overdrafts in multiples of $100. You must have sufficient available credit to cover the transaction.

You will be charged an overdraft protection cash advance fee on your card account of $10 or 3% of the transaction, whichever is greater. You’ll also accrue interest on the advance and a variable APR of 26.49%.

Adding Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card Employee Credit Cards

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card employee credit cards are free. Most issuers charge no fee on employee credit cards, even if the primary card carries an annual fee. You can get as many Bank of America employee credit cards as you need. The bank does restrict you to nine employee cards at the time of application. After application, call the bank to add more cards.

If you need many employee credit cards, you should consider a corporate credit card. This type of card is meant for businesses with annual revenue of more than $4 million and annual card spending of $250,000. Corporate credit cards shield owners from personal liability. You’ll also pay no interest, since the balance must be paid in full each month.

What Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card Is Missing

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card offers bonus rewards on travel spending and better than average rewards on everyday spending. However, other cards offer higher returns, if you’re willing to pay an annual fee. You could earn 4x points per dollar on airfare purchased directly from airlines with the American Express® Business Gold Card. That card charges a $295 annual fee.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card Reviews

We found several user reviews for the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card, most of which are positive. Cardholders found this Bank of America small business credit card has good value, particularly because it charges no annual fee. Some users complain that its value prevents the card from offering many of the benefits seen on other travel cards, like airport lounge access.

How to Apply for Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card

You can apply for the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card online. You’ll have to provide both business and personal information, and you could be approved instantly. If you’re not approved immediately, the process could take 10 to 12 business days to complete. Once you’re approved, you’ll receive your card in the mail within seven to 10 days.

How to Log In to Your Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card Account

Login to your Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card account by providing your Bank of America user ID and password. You can also contact customer service from the number on the back of your card.

Other Bank of America Business Credit Cards

Bank of America offers three other small business credit cards, which offer good gas and travel rewards or cater to owners who often carry a balance. You may consider one of these cards if the ongoing rewards on the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card don’t appeal to you.

The other small business credit cards offered by Bank of America include the:

• Bank of America® Business Advantage Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card: This card is best for owners who prefer cash-back rewards. You’ll earn top rewards on spending categories like gas purchases.
• Alaska Airlines Visa® Business credit card: This card is best for owners who frequently fly on Alaska Airlines. You’ll get a free checked bag on each flight and one companion fare certificate per year.
• Bank of America® Platinum Visa® Business credit card: This card is best for owners who frequently carry a balance. It offers one of the lowest ongoing APRs on the market today.

Alternatives to Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card

Other business travel rewards credit cards offer better rewards or more benefits than the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card. You can find cards that offer top rewards of five points on travel and free access to airport lounges.

Alternatives to Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card

American Express Business Platinum® Card	Chase Ink Business Preferred℠	CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®
Best for travel perks	Best for travel rewards	Best for free checked bags
Read Full Review	Read Full Review	Read Full Review