The best business credit card for travel is one that offers travel rewards, rewards for travel-related expenses or other perks for business travel. We’ve examined the rewards, introductory offers and costs of business credit cards to identify the best business credit card for travel. Each has introductory offers and strong travel-focused rewards programs that are ideal for business travel.
Top 6 Best Business Credit Cards for Travel
| Credit Card | Best For |
|---|---|
| Capital One Spark Miles | (Best Overall) Businesses wanting to earn the best generic airline miles rewards |
| Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards Mastercard | Business owners who travel internationally frequently |
| Chase Ink Business PreferredSM | Business owners who want the best cash back reward on all travel expenses. |
| US Bank FlexPerks Business Edge | Businesses that want reimbursements for travel perks like in-flight meals, seat upgrades or baggage fees |
| American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles | Businesses that want the best introductory airline rewards and that fly Delta Airlines |
| American Express® Business Gold | Businesses that want a business charge card to build credit while earning rewards on travel expenses |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business | Business owners who want to earn family travel rewards through business spending on Southwest Airlines |
How We Evaluated the Best Business Credit Cards for Travel
We know that business owners looking for cards that provide higher rewards for travel or offer points that can be redeemed for flights, hotels or rental cars. When looking at the best cards available for travel, we only considered cards with robust rewards programs that helped business travelers save on trips and earn points or cash back from travel expenses.
To determine the best startup business credit cards, we looked at a number of factors including:
- Introductory offers: Bonus rewards or introductory 0% interest periods from cards
- Rewards: Ongoing rewards programs for travel and other expenses
- Costs: Annual fees and transaction costs charged by cards
- Terms: Interest rates and other restrictions
- Qualification requirements: How to apply for a card and how difficult it is to get
While cards have different qualification requirements, a general rule is that anyone with a personal credit score above 660 will qualify for most of these business travel credit cards. When choosing a business travel credit card, it’s important to consider rewards as well as costs and qualification requirements to make sure that you make the best use of your available credit.
After considering a number of different cards, we rank the Capital One Spark Miles as the overall best business credit card for travel. The Capital One Spark Miles Select offers 50,000 bonus miles and two times the miles for every dollar spent with a $95 annual fee that’s waived the first year.
1. Best Overall Business Credit Card for Travel: Capital One Spark Miles
The Capital One Spark Miles credit card offers rewards points in the form of airline miles. These points can be redeemed for travel expenses including airfare, hotels, rental cars and more. Capital One Spark Miles’s introductory bonus miles and ongoing rewards make it our best business credit card for travel.
Capital One Spark Miles Rewards
Every purchase on your Capital One Spark Miles credit card earns two times the miles for every dollar spent. Rewards can be redeemed for 1 cent per mile toward airline-, hotel-, and restaurant-related purchases through the Capital One rewards portal.
Introductory Rewards
- 50,000 additional miles when you spend $4,500 in the first three months; these miles can be redeemed to cover $500 in travel expenses through Capital One
Ongoing Rewards
You’ll enjoy the following rewards and benefits as you continue to use the card:
- Two times the airline miles per dollar spent
- Travel accident insurance coverage up to $250,000 for personal injury during travel
Capital One Spark Miles Costs
The Capital One Spark Miles business travel credit has the following costs:
- Ongoing annual percentage rate (APR): 18.74% Variable
- Annual fee: $95 waived the first year
What’s Missing With Capital One Spark Miles
While this card earns two times the airline miles for every dollar spent, it also has an annual fee and doesn’t offer cash back rewards on travel-related purchases. All points must be redeemed through the Chase portal on eligible items like airfare, hotels and restaurants.
Where to Get the Capital One Spark Miles Credit Card
The Capital One Spark Miles business travel credit card can be found on the Capital One website. Like the other cards on this list, approval is either instant or occurs within three to five days, with cards usually arriving within seven to 10 days after approval. Rates start as low as 18.74%. Visit Capital One today to apply.
2. Best Business Credit Card for International Travel: Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards credit card is a business travel credit card that offers a nine-month introductory period of 0 percent APR on all purchases. The card also offers introductory statement credits worth $250 and ongoing rewards between 1.5 percent to 3 percent that can be redeemed toward airfare and other travel expenses. This is the best business credit card for travel overseas because there are no international transaction fees.
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards card uses a points-based reward system that includes escalated rewards for travel-related expenses. Points can be redeemed for statement credits against travel expenses booked through the Bank of America Travel Center. In addition, the card also offers a nine-month 0 percent APR introductory period.
Introductory Rewards
- 25,000 bonus points if you spend $1,000 in the first two months
Ongoing Rewards
- 3 points per dollar spent on car rental, hotels or airfare through the Bank of America Travel Center
- 1.5 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Points don’t expire and can be redeemed anytime without blackout dates
Business Advantage Travel Costs
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards card has the following costs:
- Introductory APR: 0% for 9 months
- Ongoing APR: 13.49% – 23.49% Variable APR on purchases
- Annual fee: None
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Balance transfer fee: Either $10 or 4% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
What’s Missing With Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards
Points accumulated through this card can’t be redeemed for cash. They can only be redeemed in the form of statement credits toward travel-related expenses booked through Bank of America Travel Center.
Where to Get the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards Credit Card
You can apply for the Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards card directly by visiting Bank of America’s website. It’s one of the best business travel credit cards to apply for and is an ideal card for business owners who travel internationally for business.
3. Best Ongoing Rewards on Travel Expenses: Chase Ink Business PreferredSM
The Chase Ink Business PreferredSM credit card offers 3 percent cash back on all travel and other purchases up to $150,000 each year, plus 1 percent cash back on all purchases thereafter. For travel and other expenses paid with the Chase Ink Business PreferredSM card, you’ll earn more cash back than other cards currently available.
Chase Ink Business PreferredSM Rewards
The Chase Ink Business PreferredSM card is a charge card that offers 80,000 bonus points worth $1,000 toward travel when you spend $5,000 in the first three months. The card also offers 3 percent cash back on all travel and other qualifying purchases up to $150,000 each year and 1 percent cash back on all other purchases.
Introductory Rewards
- 80,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 in the first three months. Those points are worth $1,000 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Ongoing Rewards
- 3x points on the first $150,000 spent each year on travel, shipping, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases through social media sites and search engines
- 1x points on all other purchases
Chase Ink Business PreferredSM Costs
The costs of the Chase Ink Business PreferredSM card include:
- Ongoing APR: 18.24% – 23.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
- Cash advance APR: 27.24% Variable
- Annual fee: $95
- Foreign transaction fee: None
What’s Missing With Chase Ink Business PreferredSM
While the Chase Ink Business PreferredSM offers tremendous ongoing three times the rewards for all travel expenses up to $150,000, there is an annual fee. Also, while the card provides great points for travel-related expenses, there aren’t many travel-related perks.
Where to Get the Chase Ink Business PreferredSM Credit Card
You can apply for the Chase Ink Business PreferredSM card directly through Chase’s website. The time to approval is typically less than 24 hours, if not instantly, and you should receive your card within seven to 10 business days.
4. Best Business Credit Card for Travel Perks: US Bank FlexPerks Business Edge
The US Bank FlexPerks Business Edge credit card offers a unique program to reimburse cardholders up to $25 toward travel perks including in-flight meals, seat upgrades, baggage fees or airfare costs. In addition, this card offers 25,000 introductory bonus points worth $375 in travel expenses as well as one to two times the points in ongoing rewards.
US Bank Business Edge Platinum Rewards
The US Bank FlexPerks Business Edge card has a great travel-focused rewards program. The card offers two times the points on regular business expenses and one times the points on everything else and is the best business credit card for travel if you want travel benefits that you won’t find with other cards.
Introductory Rewards
- 25,000 bonus points worth $375 in travel costs when you spend $2,000 in the first four months
Ongoing Rewards
You will continue to earn rewards from the US Bank FlexPerks Business Edge card including:
- 2x points on office supplies, airline spending, cellphone charges and gas-related expenses
- 1x points on all other purchases
- $25 travel allowance for reimbursement for in-flight meals, seat upgrades, baggage fees or airfare costs
US Bank Business Edge Platinum Costs
The US Bank FlexPerks Business Edge card has the following costs:
- Annual fee: $55 plus $10 for each employee card, credited back if you spend more than $24,000 per year
- Ongoing APR: 13.49%-24.49%
- Foreign transaction fee: None
What’s Missing With US Bank Business Edge Platinum
Reward points expire after five years and can only be redeemed for travel, gift cards or merchandise.
Where to Get the US Bank FlexPerks Business Edge Credit Card
You can apply for the US Bank FlexPerks Business Edge card online using the US Bank portal. Applying is easy and you should get a qualification decision within seven to 10 business days. The card typically arrives within two weeks after approval.
Get US Bank FlexPerks Business Edge
5. Best Airline Card for Business Travel: American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles®
The American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles® credit card for new businesses offers boosted miles rewards redeemable for travel through Delta Airlines. The card also offers great perks including discounted access to Delta Sky Club, priority boarding and 20 percent off in-flight purchases.
American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Rewards
The American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles® card is a business travel credit card that offers great introductory rewards, in addition to big additional miles, if you spend more than $25,000 per year. The card also offers reward miles for each dollar spent.
Introductory Rewards
- 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles and 35,000 bonus miles if you spend $1,000 in the first three months
- $100 statement credit if you make a Delta purchase in the first three months
Ongoing Rewards
The American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles® card offers the following rewards as you can continue to use your card:
- 2 miles for every dollar spent
- Annual miles boost of 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles and 10,000 bonus miles if you spend $25,000 in a year
- Priority boarding
- Discounted access to Delta Sky Club for just $29 per person
American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Costs
The American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles® card has the following costs:
- Ongoing APR: 17.99% – 26.99% Variable
- Penalty APR: 29.99%
- Annual fee: $195
- Foreign transaction fee: None
What’s Missing With American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles®
The rewards for this card are specifically for Delta Airlines. There are also no points to redeem — just miles.
Where to Get the American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card
You can apply for the American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles® card directly on the American Express website. Approval typically takes 24 hours, and you can receive your card within seven to 10 business days. Head over to American Express to see if you qualify.
6. Best Charge Card for Travel Rewards: American Express® Business Gold
The American Express® Business Gold card is best for businesses that want to maximize rewards on both travel and other spending categories You’ll earn 4x points on the two categories where you spend the most each billing cycle, including airfare and shipping services. You can finance purchases of $100 or more. The ongoing APR is as low as 16.49%, which is below average for a travel credit card.
American Express® Business Gold Rewards
You won’t earn standard introductory rewards with this card, which is the primary reason it falls short of the top cards on this list. If you fly frequently, this card offers the second highest ongoing rewards for airfare, behind the American Express Business Platinum® card (5x). It offers the highest rewards on our list in several other categories, including dining and gas purchases.
Introductory Rewards
You’ll earn the following introductory rewards when using your card:
- G Suite: Receive G Suite Basic free for up to one year for up to three users. The statement credit is based on the price of G Suite Basic, which is $5 per user per month for 12 months plus taxes.
- ZipRecruiter: Receive ZipRecruiter Standard for up to one year free. The statement credit is based on the price of ZipRecruiter Standard, with is $249 a month for 12 months.
Earn up to $200 on G Suite, Google’s business email provider, and up to $2,988 on ZipRecruiter, a job-posting tool, within the first 12 months of card membership. No other card on our list offers this kind of sign-up incentive, which could be worth more than any other introductory offer on our list. Still, these rewards won’t appeal to all businesses, which is why this card doesn’t appear higher on our list.
Ongoing Rewards
You’ll earn the following ongoing rewards when using your card:
- 4x points on the two categories where you spend the most each billing cycle, up to $150,000 in combined eligible purchases each calendar year
- 2x points on travel booked through AmexTravel.com
- 1x points on all other eligible spending
American Express offers six possible bonus categories, from which you’ll earn 4x points each month on your top two categories. Categories include: Airfare purchased directly from a passenger carrier; advertising purchased in the U.S. to promote your business; computer hardware, software, and cloud computing purchases in the U.S.; gasoline purchased at U.S. gas stations; U.S. restaurants and shipping services purchased in the U.S.
American Express® Business Gold Costs
Financing costs and fees on the American Express® Business Gold Card include:
- Introductory APR: None
- Regular APR: Variable APR of 16.49% to 24.49% that will adjust with the prime rate
- Annual fee: $295
- Balance transfer fee: Transfers are not allowed
The annual fee is considerably higher than the $95 charged by the Capital One Spark Miles card (waived the first year). Like the American Express Business Platinum®, the American Express® Business Gold Card is a charge card, which would usually mean all charges must be paid in full each month. However, American Express allows cardholders to finance eligible purchases of $100 or more.
American Express calls this financing option a Pay Over Time option, which is available to any card user. If you choose to turn the option off for purchases of $100 or more, the American Express® Business Gold card will act like a charge card, meaning you won’t be allowed to carry a balance from month to month. As a result, you’ll never face interest charges.
What’s Missing With American Express® Business Gold
Some businesses won’t be able to find the value of the American Express® Business Gold Card’s unique intro rewards. We think most businesses would rather receive hundreds of dollars worth of travel benefits, like the Chase Ink Business PreferredSM card offers, instead.
Where to Get the American Express® Business Gold Credit Card
You can apply for the American Express® Business Gold card directly on its website. Approval takes less than 24 hours and you can receive your card within seven to 10 business days. Visit American Express to apply.
Best Business Credit Card for Family Travel Rewards: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier credit card is the best business credit card for travel if you frequently use Southwest Airlines. The card offers increased rewards for expenses with Southwest Airlines and hotel and car rental partners. These rewards can be redeemed for airfare, hotels or rental cars for business or personal travel.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Rewards
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card provides higher rewards for purchases from Southwest Airlines and its hotel or rental car partners. You can redeem rewards for travel expenses through Southwest as well as partner hotels, rental cars or gift cards. Cardholders also have access to priority boarding, free same-day standby and priority check-in.
Introductory Rewards
- 60,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in the first three months
These points from the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card can be used to book roundtrip airfare for two, book a hotel or rent a hotel. However, it’s best used when you have a flexible travel schedule so you can take advantage of special pricing.
Ongoing Rewards
Ongoing rewards from the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card include:
- 2 points for every $1 spent on Southwest Airline purchases
- 2 points for every $1 spent with Southwest Airlines hotel and car rental partners
- 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
- 6,000 bonus points on your cardholder anniversary
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Costs
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card has the following costs:
- Ongoing APR: 18.24% – 25.24% Variable APR on purchases
- Annual fee: $99
- Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5%
- Foreign transaction fee: None
What’s Missing With Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card is great if you frequently travel with Southwest Airlines or use its partner hotel or car rental agencies. However, if you don’t regularly use Southwest, this won’t be a good card for you. Also, it can be hard to utilize points earned on this card fully if you don’t have a flexible travel schedule or are traveling to a city that isn’t serviced by Southwest.
Where to Get Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
You can apply for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card online through Southwest Airline’s secure website. Approval typically takes seven to 10 business days and, once you’re approved, you should get your new card in about a week.
Alternatives to Business Travel Credit Cards
When it comes to paying for business travel, you don’t have to confine yourself only to business travel credit cards. There are all types of small business credit cards that can help you earn other types of benefits. Personal credit cards for business, cash back business credit cards and business credit cards for startups all offer different benefits that may be better for your particular situation.
Alternatives to business travel credit cards include:
- Personal credit card for business: A personal credit card is a consumer financing product that gives you access to a line of credit. Rates are typically 14 percent to 24 percent and credit limits can reach as high as $50,000. For more information, you can read our ultimate guide on the Best Personal Credit Cards for Small Business Owners.
- Cash back business credit card: If you spend a lot on travel but also in other categories, you may be better off a cash back business credit card. If you want to earn rewards on other purchases or redeem rewards for things other than travel, be sure to check out the Best Small Business Credit Cards for Cash Back.
- Startup business credit card: If you travel frequently but are just starting out in business, you probably have unique financing needs that may make travel-specific credit cards less helpful to your business. To read more about the best credit cards that help new businesses with their particular needs for high rewards, low cost and long introductory APR periods, check out the Best Credit Cards for Startup Businesses.
The Bottom Line
Many business owners use business travel credit cards to earn travel-focused rewards or earn higher rewards from travel expenses. Choosing the best business credit card for travel for your need requires you to consider introductory rewards, ongoing rewards programs and card costs like annual fees. Each of the cards above offers advantages that are better than other business travel credit cards.
The Capital One Spark Miles card is our preferred business travel credit card. This card offers 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $4.500 in the first three months as well as unlimited two times the miles on all additional purchases. Rates start as low as 18.74%, and you can get approved the same day.
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