Best business travel credit cards: Editorial reviews
Unlike other travel credit cards, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers tons of non-travel benefits, making it ideal for companies that spend a significant amount on digital advertising, telecommunications and shipping.
We love the Ink Business Preferred® card because your points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel through Chase Travel. That said, other cards offer higher earning rates for travel purchases, so this card may not be right for you if travel rewards are your top priority.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express gives you 5X points on all flights and prepaid hotels through Amex Travel, making it ideal for companies with employees who fly frequently for business purposes. Users also qualify for a $200 airline fee credit each year, plus a $189 CLEAR® Plus credit.
We love that the Business Platinum Card® comes with statement credits for Indeed, Dell Technologies, Adobe Creative Solutions and wireless telephone service. Although the card gives you 5X points on travel, it only offers 1X to 1.5X rewards on all other categories.
▶︎ Read more: Amex Business Platinum card review
With the Capital One Venture X Business card, you earn 2X miles on every purchase. As an added bonus, you get 5X miles on flights and 10X miles on hotels and rental cars whenever you book through the Capital One Travel portal.
We love that the Venture X Business card has no preset spending limit, making it ideal for startups that need extra flexibility as they find their footing. The biggest drawback of this card is that it has an annual fee of $395. If you’re just starting out, it’s tough to justify such a high fee.
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is one of the best credit cards for travel, as it gives you 5X miles on all hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal. Users also receive a credit of up to $100 for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry, making this card ideal for companies that do a lot of business internationally.
We love that the Spark Miles for Business card has a $0 annual fee for the first year and a low annual fee ($95) every year thereafter. However, you only earn 2X on non-travel purchases, so it may not be the best fit if you spend a lot of money in other categories.
▶︎ Read more: Capital One Spark Miles Business card review
The American Express® Business Gold Card gives you 4X points on your top two eligible spending categories each month (up to the first $150,000 in combined purchases per year, then 1X points), making it ideal for businesses with inconsistent spending patterns.
We love that the Business Gold Card comes with flexible business credit, enabling you to save money on purchases at FedEx, Grubhub and other eligible vendors. This card only gives you 1X points on most purchases, so it may not be the right fit for your business if you spend a significant amount of money in multiple categories each month.
▶︎ Read more: Amex Business Gold card review
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express doesn’t have multiple spending categories. Instead, you earn 2X points on your first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year and 1X points on all eligible purchases after you hit the spending cap.
We love that the Blue Business® Plus card has no membership fee. However, if your business spends a lot of money every month, the lack of bonus spending categories may cause you to miss out on valuable rewards.
▶︎ Read more: Amex Blue Business Plus card review
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card gives you 3X miles for every purchase made directly with Delta, making it ideal for companies that choose Delta as their preferred airline. Users also receive 1.5X miles on eligible transit, office supplies and shipping purchases.
We love that the SkyMiles® Reserve Business card comes with multiple statement credits. However, if you don’t use Delta frequently, you can earn more rewards on your purchases with a different business credit card.
▶︎ Read more: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business card review
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card gives you 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all purchases made directly with participating Hilton hotels, making it a great fit for companies that frequently book stays at Hilton properties. Users get 5X back on the first $100,000 in other eligible purchases each calendar year. Once you reach the limit, you earn 3X on every eligible purchase.
We love that it’s easy to earn free nights and other rewards with this card. However, Hilton Honors Bonus Points have a limited number of uses, so you may want to look for a general credit card if you don’t stay at Hilton properties often enough to maximize your earnings.
▶︎ Read more: Hilton Honors Business card review
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card users earn 6X points on all purchases made at participating Marriott properties, making this card ideal for companies that count Marriott among its preferred travel vendors.
We love that the Marriott Bonvoy Business® card gives you 4X points at U.S. gas stations and restaurants, plus 4X back on wireless telephone service. However, it may not be the right card for your company if you don’t stay at Marriott hotels often enough to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points.
▶︎ Read more: Marriott Bonvoy Business card review
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is ideal for companies that use Southwest as their preferred airline, as it gives you 4X points per dollar spent on all Southwest flights. Users also receive four upgraded boardings each year, in-flight internet credits and other perks.
We love that the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card allows you to use your points at hotels, restaurants and retail stores. However, most of the card benefits relate to Southwest travel, so it may not be the right fit if you or your employees don’t use Southwest very often.
The IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is one of the best business credit cards for frequent travelers. Users receive up to 26X points on all qualifying IHG stays, making it easy to earn free nights.
We also love that the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card comes with a generous welcome bonus. However, the card comes with limited redemption options, so it may not be the right fit for business owners who value flexibility.
Chase issues the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, which gives you up to 9 points for every dollar spent on participating Hyatt hotels. To get the maximum number of points, you need to sign up for the World of Hyatt program. You also earn 2 points per dollar spent in your top two spending categories every quarter.
We love that this card makes it easy to earn free stays at Hyatt properties. However, it may not be the right fit for you if you want to use your rewards on non-Hyatt purchases.
What is a business travel credit card?
A business travel credit card is a type of credit card that allows you to earn points, miles or other rewards on your business travel expenses. These cards differ from personal travel credit cards because they’re reserved for business owners and employees.
The best travel business credit cards offer points or miles that you can redeem for flights, hotel stays, rental cars and other travel-related benefits, similar to the rewards you can redeem from airline credit cards. For example, your travel credit card may make you eligible for membership in exclusive rewards programs.
Pros and cons of business credit cards for travel
How to choose the best business credit card for travel
To find the best business credit card for travel rewards, consider the tips below.
Rewards
Think about which travel rewards make the most sense for your business. For example, if your employees fly frequently, you may benefit from a rewards card that gives you free airline miles. Otherwise, you may want to look for a card offering points or cash back.
It’s also important to think about how you spend your money. Matching credit card rewards with your business spending habits makes it easier to maximize your earnings. If you spend significantly more in one category than you do in others, it makes sense to look for a card with a high rewards rate for that category.
Co-branded vs. general
Co-branded credit cards make it easy to earn rewards when you spend money with specific brands. For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card gives you 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta.
General travel cards give you points that you can redeem for flights, hotels and rental cars, making them more flexible than branded cards. For example, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns 3X points on all travel purchases, regardless of which brands you use.
Fees
Most business credit cards have annual fees ranging from $95 to $650. To find the right card for your needs, weigh the annual fee against the rewards you’ll use to determine if the cost is worth it. If you travel internationally, it’s also important to look for a card with no foreign transaction fees.
Travel perks
Many cards come with additional perks, such as travel insurance, airport lounge access, waived baggage fees, and statement credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Before you apply for a card, review several offers to determine which card offers the best perks for your business.
Should you get a business credit card for travel?
You may benefit from a business travel credit card if you travel frequently and own a small business or manage the finances of a company and want to earn rewards on flights, rental cars and hotel stays.
Note that most cards require good or excellent credit, so a travel card may not be a good fit if you’re rebuilding your credit after a financial emergency or building credit for the first time.
How to apply for a business credit card for travel
To apply for a business credit card, follow these steps:
- Decide which card you want.
- Click the “Learn More” button next to the card at the top of this page.
- After learning more, click the “Apply Now” button.
- View the credit card website.
- Open the application page.
- Fill out the application. You may be required to provide an employer identification number (EIN) or your Social Security number, along with your name, business name and contact information.
- Submit the application and wait for a decision.
Alternatives to business travel credit cards
If a travel credit card isn’t right for you, consider these options.
Business travel rewards cards vs. cash-back business cards
Cash-back business cards give you cash back on every purchase instead of points or miles, making them more versatile. A cash-back business card may be right for you if you want to earn more rewards on non-travel purchases or access additional redemption methods.
Business travel rewards cards vs. personal travel rewards cards
Instead of getting a business credit card for travel, you may want to get a personal travel rewards credit card. A personal card gives you more flexibility, as you don’t need an EIN or a certain number of employees. Personal cards also come with perks that aren’t available to business card users, such as Instacart and DoorDash memberships.
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