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A good business credit card can make a big difference for small business owners. Not only can it help you build a business credit history and separate your personal and business purchases, but it can also provide valuable rewards to offset your travel expenses.
We like how easy it is to earn travel rewards on common business purchases with the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. But if you want more travel benefits, there are better options, including the United℠ Business Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
The best business cards for travel
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Excellent for elevated everyday earning
- Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card: Excellent for everyday earning
- The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: Excellent for simple earning
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: Excellent for everyday earning
- United℠ Business Card: Excellent for international flights
- Capital One Spark Miles for Business:Excellent for lucrative rewards on everything
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card:Excellent for flexible redemptions
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card:Excellent for domestic flights
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Excellent for hotel stays
- American Express® Business Gold Card: Excellent for flexible rewards
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Excellent for premium perks
In this article
- Key takeaways
- The best business credit cards for travel [March 2024]
- Bottom line
Key takeaways
- One of the primary benefits of a travel business credit card is earning rewards on your business expenses that you can redeem toward a trip or vacation.
- Other benefits, such as airport lounge access or elite status with a loyalty program, can help elevate your travel experience.
- The Ink Business Cash is one of our favorite business cards because it has a $0 annual fee and provides an excellent earning rate on everyday business expenses.
- If you frequently fly United, we like how you get your first checked bag free with the United Business Card.
- For premium travel benefits, The Amex Business Platinum is an excellent choice as it provides some of the most extensive lounge access, including The Centurion Lounge, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta). Select benefits require enrollment.
The best business credit cards for travel [March 2024]
There’s no single best travel credit card out there, so it’s important to know what you want to find the right one for you. Among our top picks are cards that offer lucrative rewards, valuable perks and trip protections, no foreign transaction fees, or all of the above. Here are our top choices.
| Card name | Rewards rate | Annual fee | Excellent for... |
| Ink Business Cash® Credit Card 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year; 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year; and 1% cash back on all other purchases | $0 | Elevated everyday earning |
| Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card 4.4 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | 3 points per $1 on travel booked through the Bank of America® Travel Center and 1.5 points per $1 on all other purchases | $0 | Everyday earning |
| The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | 2X Membership Rewards points on everyday eligible business purchases up to $50,000 each year, and 1X points on eligible purchases after that | $0 (terms apply) | Simple earning |
| Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase | $0 | Everyday earning |
| United℠ Business Card 4.7 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | 2 miles per dollar spent on United purchases, dining, at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting; plus 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases | $99 | International flights |
| Capital One Spark Miles for Business 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | 5X miles on rental cars and hotels booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X miles on every purchase, every day | $95 (waived first year) | Lucrative rewards on everything |
| Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases | $95 | Flexible redemptions |
| Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card 4.3 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | 3X points on Southwest purchases, 2X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; plus 1X points on all other purchases | $99 | Domestic flights |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card 4.7 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | 6X points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels; 4X points at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, U.S. purchases on shipping, and wireless telephone services purchased from U.S. providers; and 2X points on all other eligible purchases | $125 (terms apply) | Hotel stays |
| American Express® Business Gold Card 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | 4X Membership Rewards Points on purchases in the two categories with the most spend each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, after that 1X), 3X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked at amextravel.com, and 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases | $375 (terms apply) | Flexible rewards |
| The Business Platinum Card® from American Express 4.8 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products. | 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X); and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases | $695 (terms apply) | Premium perks |
As you review each card, consider your top priorities to narrow down the selection to the best fit for you and your business.
Excellent for elevated everyday earning: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards rate: 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year; 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year; and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Travel perks: The Ink Business Cash provides an auto rental collision damage waiver. You can also redeem your points for flights, hotel stays, and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Additional benefits: You can also take advantage of purchase protection and extended warranty protection.
Apply now or read our full Ink Business Cash review.
Excellent for everyday earning: Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Earn 30,000 online bonus points after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.
Rewards rate: 3 points per $1 on travel booked through the Bank of America® Travel Center and 1.5 points per $1 on all other purchases.
Travel perks: You can redeem rewards for travel through the Bank of America Travel Center. You can also redeem rewards for statement credits to offset travel and dining purchases.
Additional benefits: You can boost your earning potential by up to 75% as a Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business member. That’s a lot more points you can put toward travel.
Apply now or read our full Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards review.
Excellent for simple earning: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Annual fee: $0 (terms apply)
Welcome offer: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership.
Rewards rate: 2X Membership Rewards points on everyday eligible business purchases up to $50,000 each year, and 1X points on eligible purchases after that.
Travel perks: The Amex Blue Business Plus provides car rental loss and damage insurance. You can redeem your points for travel through American Express Travel or transfer your points to travel partners, including Delta, Hilton, and Virgin Atlantic.
Additional benefits: You can also take advantage of extended warranty coverage and purchase protection.
Apply now or read our full Amex Blue Business Plus review.
Excellent for everyday earning: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards rate: Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
Travel perks: You can redeem your rewards for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards and take advantage of an auto rental collision damage waiver.
Additional benefits: Your Ink Business Unlimited also comes with extended warranty coverage and purchase protection.
Apply now or read our full Ink Business Unlimited review.
Excellent for international flights: United℠ Business Card
Annual fee: $99
Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Rewards rate:United Business cardholders will earn2 miles per dollar spent on United purchases, dining, at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting; plus 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Travel perks: United Airlines has a wide network, both domestically and internationally. What’s more, it belongs to the Star Alliance, which includes several international airline partners that you can use your United miles with to book flights overseas.
Free flights aren’t the only reason to get the card, though. It also offers priority boarding, the first checked bag free for you and a travel companion, and two one-time passes to the United Club airport lounge each year.
Additional benefits: United Business cardholders will have access to several trip protections, including primary rental car insurance when renting for business purposes, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursem*nt, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursem*nt, and purchase and extended warranty protection.
Apply now or read our full United Business Card review.
Excellent for lucrative rewards on everything: Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Annual fee: $95 (waived first year) (waived first year)
Welcome offer: Earn 50,000 miles after spending $4,500 in the first 3 months
Rewards rate: The card offers 5X miles on rental cars and hotels booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X miles on every purchase, every day, making it a solid choice for business owners who don’t spend a lot in any one expense category.
Travel perks: The Capital One Spark Miles for Business focuses more on its rewards program than travel perks. However, you’ll get an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. You’ll also have the opportunity to transfer your hard-earned miles to one of 15 airline partners to potentially squeeze more value out of them.
Additional benefits: Beyond the travel features, the card doesn’t provide a lot of other major benefits. You will, however, get protections like rental car insurance (secondary coverage), price protection, purchase protection, extended warranty protection, travel and emergency assistance, lost luggage reimbursem*nt, and travel accident insurance.
Read our fullCapital One Spark Miles for Business review.
Excellent for flexible redemptions: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Annual fee: $95
Welcome offer: Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards rate: You’ll earn 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases.
Travel perks: The biggest benefit of having the Ink Business Preferred is its flexible rewards. If you redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards points for travel, you’ll get 25% more value than if you redeem them for cash back or gift cards. What’s more, you could get more value by transferring your points to one of Chase’s airline or hotel partners.
The card also offers primary rental car insurance when you rent a car for business purposes. This coverage is different than the secondary coverage most credit cards provide and doesn’t require you to file a claim with your auto insurance company before it kicks in.
Additional benefits: Cardholders will also get trip cancellation and interruption insurance, roadside dispatch, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection. If you use the card to pay your cell phone bill, you’ll get coverage of up to $600 per claim for you and any employees listed on your plan, up to three claims per year.
Apply now or read our full Ink Business Preferred review.
Excellent for domestic flights: Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
Annual fee: $99
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Rewards rate: You’ll earn 3X points on Southwest purchases, 2X points on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners and on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; plus 1X points on all other purchases.
Travel perks: The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card’s main value proposition is the chance to earn valuable rewards with one of the best domestic airlines in the industry. While not specific to the card, Southwest Airlines passengers get two free checked bags on each flight and don’t have to pay a fee to change their flight reservation.
As a cardholder, however, you’ll earn 6,000 bonus points each year when you renew the card, which could be enough to make up for its annual fee.
Additional benefits: The card also comes with purchase and extended warranty protection, lost luggage reimbursem*nt, and baggage delay insurance.
Apply now or read our fullSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card review.
Excellent for hotel stays: Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
Annual fee: $125
Welcome offer: Earn five Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months (redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for each bonus Free Night Award.) Certain hotels have resort fees. Offer ends 3/20/24.
Rewards rate: 6X points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels; 4X points at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, U.S. purchases on shipping, and wireless telephone services purchased from U.S. providers; and 2X points on all other eligible purchases
Travel perks: The primary benefit of having a hotel credit card is the brand-specific perks that come with it. On that front, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card doesn’t disappoint. It offers complimentary Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, which can get you a number of perks ranging from bonus points on stays to late checkout.
The card also provides one free-night award worth up to 35,000 points every year when you renew your card and pay the annual fee, plus another free-night award when you spend $60,000 in a calendar year.
You’ll also receive 15 elite night credits per year, which can help you qualify for a higher status in Marriott’s loyalty program.
Additional benefits: Cardholders will also get purchase and extended warranty protection, as well as access to various expense management tools that come with all American Express business credit cards. (Enrollment may be required on select benefits.)
Apply now or read our fullMarriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card review.
Excellent for flexible rewards: American Express® Business Gold Card
Annual fee: $375
Welcome offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months
Rewards rate: The card’s main value lies in its flexible rewards. You’ll earn4X Membership Rewards Points on purchases in the two categories with the most spend each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, after that 1X), 3X Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked at amextravel.com, and 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases.
Available bonus categories include:
- U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers
- Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
- Transit purchases, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
- Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
- U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- U.S. purchases at gas stations
If you redeem your rewards for flights, you’ll get 25% of them back, up to a total of 250,000 points per year.
Travel perks: The American Express Business Gold Card doesn’t provide any major travel benefits, but you can transfer your points to several travel partners, including airlines and hotel brands. If you’re earning bonus points on a good chunk of your expenses, you could start earning free flights and hotel stays fast.
There are some travel benefits of note, however, including complimentary benefits when you book The Hotel Collection, a global assist hotline, travel discounts and amenities, lost luggage insurance, and rental car insurance (secondary coverage).
Additional benefits: In addition to a valuable welcome bonus and rewards program, the card also offers up to one year free of G Suite Basic for up to three users and up to one year free of ZipRecruiter Standard. Amex estimates the value of these offers to be $3,200, which could make a big difference if you rely on those services for your business. (Enrollment required on select benefits.)
Apply now or read our fullAmerican Express Business Gold Card review.
Excellent for premium perks: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Annual fee: $695
Welcome offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
Rewards rate: 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X); and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
When redeeming your travel rewards, you’ll get 35% of your points back (up to 1,000,000 per year) when you use them to cover some or all of an eligible flight ticket.
Travel perks: The Business Platinum Card from American Expresscomes with a suite of premium travel benefits, and taking advantage of them can help offset its high annual fee. Cardholders will get $200 in annual airline fee credits and a fee credit for application for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
You’ll also get elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, as well as complimentary benefits when you book a hotel stay through Fine Hotels & Resorts. Membership in premium rental car programs that provide discounts and free upgrades is also included.
When you fly, you’ll get complimentary airport lounge access to several networks, including the Centurion Lounge, International American Express lounges, Delta Sky Club, Priority Pass, Airspace, and Escape.
Enrollment may be required to activate select benefits.
The card also allows you to transfer your points to several airline and hotel partners to offset the cost of your travel purchases.
Additional benefits: If those perks aren’t enough, there are also various trip protections available, including rental car insurance (secondary coverage) and lost luggage insurance.
Apply now or read our full Business Platinum Card from American Express review.
Bottom line
There are a lot of solid rewards credit cards out there, but the best business credit cards for travel really depend on your typical business expenses and what you want in a credit card. And it's worth keeping an open mind, too.
Be sure to compare these and other top business credit cards to get a better idea of what you’re looking for and which new business card is the best fit for your needs.
Hot Welcome Bonus
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
4.8
FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Apply Now
Current Offer
Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$95
Rewards Rate
3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases
Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- 3X points on travel and common business spending categories
- Flexible redemption options
- Additional employee cards at no extra cost
Drawbacks
- Has annual fee
- No intro 0% APR promotion offered
- Limited business-specific benefits
Card Details
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Member FDIC
Author Details
Ben Luthi Ben is a personal finance and travel writer who loves helping people achieve their money goals. Along with FinanceBuzz, his writing has also been featured on U.S. News, NerdWallet, Experian, Credit Karma, and more.
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