8 Best Business Credit Cards for Travel in 2023 [Ultimate Guide]

You’ve got to have a business credit card if you travel for work. “If someone doesn’t have a card with rewards, they are missing out on free travel,” said Kelly Vero, vice president of consumer lending at TD Bank.

But not all business cards are equal. Some offer better perks than others and if you’re looking to maximize your travel and rewards, it pays to do some research before applying for new cards.

 

 

What are the Best Business Credit Cards for Travel?

The best business credit card for travel is one that offers rewards for the spending categories you use most often.

It should also come with an annual fee that is less than the value of the rewards you earn from using it every month.

There are several good options available depending on how much travel you do each year and how much money your company spends on business expenses.

Here is our list of what we think are the best business credit cards for travel:

1. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

 The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a good fit for small businesses with a large number of employees. It offers a credit limit of up to $1 million, a low APR and no annual fee.

The card is also available to sole proprietorships, LLCs and partnerships.

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card has a competitive APR on purchases and balance transfers, which are among the lowest in its class. There’s also no annual fee for this card — making it an excellent choice for businesses that want to save money.

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Benefits

• The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offers the following benefits:
• Low interest rates on purchases and balance transfers (0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months; 13.74% – 20.74% variable APR after that).
• No annual fee.
• Sign-up bonus of $500 cash back after spending $3,000 within the first three months (terms apply).

Key Features

The Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card is a rewards card for small business owners. This card offers 3% back on select purchases, 2% back at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% back on all other purchases.

The card also offers up to $600 in cell phone protection for you and your employees if you pay your monthly cell phone bill with the card.

• 3x points on the first $50,000 spent each year on office supplies and travel (cell phone, landline, internet and cable TV)
• 2x points on the first $50,000 spent each year at gas stations and restaurants (cell phone, landline, internet and cable TV)
• 1x points on all other purchases

2. Capital One Spark Miles for Business

 The Capital One Spark Miles for Business program is a rewards-based program that offers members the opportunity to earn miles towards travel and other rewards.

Capital One Spark Miles for Business allows you to earn 1 mile for every $1 spent on your credit card. Redeem your miles for travel, merchandise or gift cards at any time.

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business program is available in the following states: Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and New Hampshire.;

 

Capital One Spark Miles allows you to enroll and manage your account online at capitalone.com/sparkmiles; Capital One Spark Miles for Business is an excellent choice if you’re looking for low annual fees and no foreign transaction fees when traveling abroad.;

Best overall for offering a credit card suitable for travel

Capital One Spark Miles for Business, the issuer’s travel rewards card, is a good choice for those who want to earn points that can be redeemed for flights, hotels, cruises or rental cars.

The card charges no annual fee and comes with a sign-up bonus of 50,000 miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account. That’s worth $500 in travel when redeemed through Capital One’s Travel Center.

The Spark Miles card has an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases and no foreign transaction fees. It allows you to earn double rewards during special promotions as well: For example, in January 2019, Capital One offered 3% back on purchases at restaurants through April 30; 2% back on gas stations and grocery stores through June 30; and 1% back on all other purchases through March 31 2020.

In addition to its generous rewards program, Capital One Spark Miles offers some other benefits worth noting:

1. No foreign transaction fees — When traveling abroad, you can use your card without incurring any surcharges or extra expenses that would affect your spending power in local currency terms.
2. 24/7 customer

Key Features

• No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees and no limit to the miles you can earn
• Redeem miles for travel, cash back or gift cards
• Free business MasterCard is issued by Capital One, so you get all the benefits of a credit card without the annual fee.
• You also receive 1.5% cash back on every purchase. 

3. The Platinum Card® from American Express Business

The Platinum Card® from American Express Business offers a wide variety of benefits and features to help you take advantage of your business success.

The Platinum Card® from American Express Business is a charge card rather than a credit card because it requires payment in full every month, rather than just paying off the balance each month. If you’re looking for an all-around rewards card with no annual fee, check out our best rewards cards list.

Best for getting a huge amount of membership points quickly

The Platinum Card® from American Express Business offers an amazing array of benefits and rewards for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Here are some of the most important ones:

• You’ll get 5X Membership Rewards points on each dollar you spend on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, plus 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases – including those made with small businesses that accept American Express Cards and those made in foreign currencies that are converted to dollars.
• You can earn up to 100,000 bonus Membership Rewards points after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your card within your first 3 months of opening your account (this offer is available only once per customer).
• If you want to earn even more points quickly, use your card as frequently as possible (within reason) and make sure that you pay off your balance every month so that you don’t have to pay interest charges on any purchases made during the billing cycle.
• You’ll get access to over 1,200 airport lounges around the world through The Centurion Lounge program – just show your Platinum Card from American Express Business.

Key Features

1. 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $5,000 in purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
2. 5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.
3. Up to $200 Uber Savings Annually in Uber Credits. Enrollment required; see Uber Terms and Conditions for details.
4. $200 Airline Fee Credit for incidental fees such as checked bags and in-flight foods/beverages charged by a qualifying airline purchased with your Platinum Card® from American Express Business card each calendar year (a maximum of $200 per calendar year). Enrollment required; see Terms & Conditions for details.
5. Airport Lounge Access, Priority Pass Select membership at no additional cost to you, so you can enjoy a relaxing break before your flight in an airport lounge when traveling internationally or domestically at participating airports—no matter which airline you book your flight with!

4. Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is a good option for business owners who don’t want to pay an annual fee. The card offers 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines and Rapid Rewards hotel and rental car partners, plus 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

You can redeem points for rewards like free flights, gift cards and more at Southwest’s website.

The card has no foreign transaction fees, but it doesn’t offer many travel benefits like trip cancellation insurance or rental car damage coverage.

Benefits of the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card:

• No annual fee. You won’t have to pay an annual fee if you spend less than $9,500 per year on your card. Otherwise, you’ll pay an annual fee of $99.
• Earn unlimited points with no blackout dates or seat restrictions when you fly with Southwest Airlines or use Rapid Rewards hotel and rental car partners.

Best for getting priority boarding

 Why we like it: This card offers up to 2,500 bonus points per year (up to 35,000 bonus points) if you spend at least $25,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of card membership. You get a 6,000-point anniversary bonus each year as long as you’re a member.

But the best benefit is Priority Boarding. This will save you a ton of time at the gate by eliminating the need to collect your belongings and wait in line for boarding.

You can also earn up to 5,000 points when booking through Southwest’s Rapid Rewards portal or booking hotels through its hotel portal (at 1 point per dollar spent). There are no foreign transaction fees either!

Key Features

• Annual fee: $99
• Sign-up bonus: 50,000 Rapid Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, earn an extra 5,000 bonus points if you add the Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card to your Rapid Rewards account and make a purchase within the same 3-month period.
• Annual travel credit: $75 statement credit each year for any airline incidental purchase charged to your card (e.g., checked bags) that posts to your account during that calendar year.
• Earn unlimited 2x points on all eligible purchases made directly with Southwest Airlines and 1x points on all other eligible purchases
• Get 5,000 award-earning points every anniversary year when you spend at least $12,000 on purchases
• Points can be redeemed toward flights or hotel stays with Southwest or Marriott hotels.

5. Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Card

The Wyndham Rewards Earner℠ Business Card is a rewards credit card issued by Barclays Bank Delaware to help you earn Wyndham Rewards points. The card is on our list of the best business credit cards for earning rewards because it offers a generous signup bonus and valuable perks that can save you money on travel and dining.

Plus, it has no annual fee and an introductory APR promotion that lasts for 15 months. The card’s rewards program is straightforward — it gives you 1 point per dollar spent on purchases at participating Wyndham hotels, 2 points per dollar spent at gas stations and grocery stores, and 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants and Wyndham Reward Exchanges (which include other hotel chains).

You also get a 10% rebate on all points redeemed each year. The only restriction is that you can only redeem points when they’re worth $0.01 apiece (or 25,000 points) or more — so if you’re planning to redeem for expensive flights or hotels, it might be better to use one of our other top business cards instead.

Best for having one of the best hotel loyalty programs

 The Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Business Card, which has no annual fee, is a good option for anyone who wants to earn rewards quickly. It offers up to two points per dollar spent on all purchases, plus 10,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months.

The card’s primary benefits are its rewards rate and bonus points. You can redeem your points at any Wyndham property worldwide, or use them toward free nights at any Wyndham hotel.

You can also use your points to buy airline tickets on certain airlines at a 20% discount off the published rate (10% if you have a co-branded airline credit card). And if you have a co-branded travel credit card with another company (such as Delta SkyMiles), you can also transfer points to that program.

There is no limit on how many points you can earn each year (as long as you charge at least $1,500 in purchases). 

Key Features

1. Earn 1,000 Bonus Points after your first purchase on the Card
2. Earn 2X Wyndham Rewards points on qualifying purchases at participating hotels and resorts worldwide
3. Earn 1X Wyndham Rewards point on all other purchases
4. No Annual Fee, No Foreign Transaction Fees

6. United Club℠ Business card

This card lets you earn and redeem United miles in two ways. You can earn 1.5 miles for every $1 spent on tickets, upgrades and more with MileagePlus Dining, and 2 miles for every $1 spent on tickets, upgrades and more with MileagePlus Shopping.

Plus, there’s no cap on how much you can earn with either of these categories – so keep your eyes open for more ways to add to your balance!

You’ll also receive a $100 annual statement credit after your first purchase made with the card. And if you travel internationally, you can use the Global Entry application fee reimbursement benefit to cover the cost of applying for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® when traveling abroad.

With this card, you’ll also have access to a number of exclusive benefits through United Airlines: A dedicated 24/7 customer service line that can help answer any questions you have about your account or travel plans, plus round-the-clock access to their mobile app and website.

Access to priority check-in at all U.S., Canada and Mexico airports where gate agents are available (excluding Hawaii or Alaska).

Best for having access to exclusive airport lounges before flights

The United Club℠ Business card is best for those who want access to airport lounges before flights and don’t mind paying an annual fee. This card has an annual fee of $450 (waived in the first year), which makes it one of the more expensive cards on our list.

The perks of this card include:

• Access to airport lounges when traveling on United Airlines or partner airlines, including partner airline lounges at select locations
• Priority boarding
• 25% off United in-flight purchases
• 60,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 within three months of opening an account.

Key Features

1. Five United Club passes each year to spend with friends and family
2. Annual companion certificate good for up to two guests on United-operated flights within the 48 contiguous United States that includes First Class, Business Class and Economy seats.
3. No foreign transaction fees
4. Earn up to 2 miles per dollar on United purchases and 1 mile per dollar everywhere else.

7. Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit

Make the most of every transaction with a business rewards credit card that helps you earn cash back that you can use to help run your business. Simply spend as you normally would, and then redeem your cash back rewards for gift cards or statement credits on eligible purchases.

Earn new cash back rewards every time you use this card at the office supply store or to buy printer paper, ink cartridges and other supplies.

You can also earn rewards when you pay for travel expenses like airline tickets and hotel stays, so there’s no limit to how much cash back you can earn each month. Plus, enjoy priority customer service and 24/7 account access with online banking tools.

Best for giving you control on how to earn cashback

 The Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card is a good choice if you want to earn cashback and have the flexibility to choose how much.

With this card, you can redeem rewards in any amount from $25 to $250 per redemption, making it an ideal option for small business owners who want to save for specific expenses. As long as your account stays in good standing, you’ll receive 2% back on purchases made with the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. supermarket merchants, up to $250 per calendar month total.

For example, if you spent $1,000 on groceries and another $1,000 on gas each month during the year, you’d earn a total of 6% back — 2% at supermarkets and 4% at gas stations — when using this card. There are no caps or restrictions on how much cash back you can earn with this card; however, there are other cards that offer higher earnings rates on certain categories.

Key Features

1. No annual fee : Earn rewards on purchases, then redeem as a statement credit or have them deposited directly into your Bank of America business checking or savings account.
2. No foreign transaction fees when you use your card outside the U.S.

What are Business Credit Cards for Travel?

 Traveling for business can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. A business credit card can help you manage travel expenses and maximize your rewards, so you can focus on what matters most: doing business.

Business credit cards are designed to help you get the most out of your travels while also helping you manage your expenses. Many offer perks like bonus points or miles when used on travel expenses, including airfare and hotels.

But these cards aren’t just for flying first class or staying in 5-star hotels. They’re also great for covering everyday work-related expenses like travel reimbursements, car rentals and train tickets.

In addition to being useful for your business travel needs, many business credit cards offer valuable benefits such as purchase protection and extended warranties that can save you money when traveling for business.

Factors to consider when choosing a credit card for business travel

Fees: The first thing to look at is whether there are any fees associated with using the card. Credit cards that charge an annual fee aren’t necessarily bad; they just make it more expensive to use them over the long term. If you’re only using your card for business travel, though, it’s worth paying the annual fee if it means you can get some other benefits like rewards points or free checked bags.

Rewards: Most business travelers will want a card with generous rewards, such as cashback or airline miles. It’s important to note that these cards typically don’t offer trips as part of their reward program — they give you points that you can use toward trips booked through their travel partners instead.

Airline miles: Some cards offer free checked bags and priority boarding on certain airlines — both perks that can come in handy when traveling for work. If this is important to you, make sure the card offers these benefits on airlines where you fly most often (or all airlines if possible).

Free hotel stays: Some credit cards also offer complimentary nights at hotels through their partnership programs — something that can save you hundreds of dollars per trip.

The annual fee of the credit card

The annual fee of the credit card is not just the amount you pay for it. It’s also a statement about your financial situation and how much you value the perks you get from your card.

The good news is that you can choose which cards to carry based on your own personal needs. Do you want to use a premium travel rewards card or one that will help you build credit? If so, then an annual fee may be worth paying because it’s a sign of reliability.

Membership rewards points

 Membership rewards points are credit card reward points you can use to get gift cards, travel and more. You can earn Membership Rewards points by using any of the Amex cards listed below:

If you want to sign up for a new card, check out our list of the best Amex cards. Once you have an Amex card, you can use it to make purchases and earn points.

Then, you can redeem those points for great rewards like cash back, gift cards and more!

The best part about Membership Rewards is that there’s no limit on how many points you can earn each year. That means if you spend enough on your Amex card, you could have enough points to get a free flight or hotel stay!

Spending limits

 If you’re not sure how much to spend on your wedding, check out our spending limits for different areas of the wedding budget. The average Australian wedding costs more than $30,000. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend that much to have an amazing day. Here are some tips on how to save money on your big day:

Set a budget – and stick to it. Before you start shopping or planning any aspect of your wedding, set a budget and stick to it as closely as possible.

Choose one or two things that are most important to you – like the venue or photographer – and spend most of your money there. You can find ways to save in other areas that won’t affect the experience of your guests too much, like choosing cheaper flowers or getting second-hand bridesmaid dresses instead of new ones.

Key business categories to spend money on

 A business owner who wants to grow his or her business needs to know where to spend money. The first step is understanding what types of businesses will benefit from spending money.

For example, if you’re selling a product that can be purchased anywhere, then spending money on marketing won’t help you grow your business. However, if you’re selling something unique and can’t find it anywhere else, then spending money on marketing may be worth it.

Here are some key categories where you might want to spend money on:

Marketing

Most businesses need marketing because no one knows about them yet. Your customers are likely not even aware that your company exists, so unless you tell them about it, they won’t know about it either.

Marketing helps spread the word about your company and encourages people who might be interested in what you have to offer to buy from you instead of your competitors.

Infrastructure

When a company has grown beyond its original infrastructure capabilities, it needs to expand its infrastructure in order to keep up with demand or continue growing at the same rate as before.

A small business owner might need new servers or software licenses in order to support their existing customer base while still attracting new customers through their website or social media accounts. 

The foreign transaction fee

 Most banks charge a foreign transaction fee of around 3% for every purchase made outside the U.S. The fee is usually around 2% for non-U.S. ATM withdrawals and debit card purchases.

Most banks charge a foreign transaction fee of around 3% for every purchase made outside the U.S. The fee is usually around 2% for non-U.S. ATM withdrawals and debit card purchases (although some banks are starting to charge even more).

The good news is that many credit cards don’t have this fee at all; some even have no foreign transaction fees when you use them abroad (it’s worth checking the terms and conditions of your card before you travel).

If you do have a foreign transaction fee on your credit card, it’s generally waived if you use your card to pay in U.S. dollars or if you’ve paid off your balance in full by the end of each billing cycle — so make sure you always pay off your balance in full to avoid paying interest on top of these fees!

Interest rates

 Interest rates are low. And they’re not likely to rise anytime soon.

The Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates since 2015, when it began a campaign of “quantitative tightening.” It’s slowing down the supply of money that goes into the economy, which pushes up interest rates.

But the Fed has stopped short of its goal of raising interest rates to a neutral level. In other words, the Fed is still pushing down on its accelerator pedal, even though it’s about to put on its brakes.

“Our sense is that the Fed will continue to err on the side of caution,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton LLP in Chicago. “If we get an economic slowdown or a recession and things look really bad for them, then they’ll probably cut more aggressively.”

Application fee

 The application fee is $150. This fee covers the cost of reviewing your application, processing and maintaining your accounts, and providing you with customer service.

If you are applying for a business account:

The first time you apply for an account, we will charge a one-time application fee of $150. If you apply for another business account within 12 months of opening your first account, we will not charge an additional application fee.

However, if you have more than one business account with us and want to obtain additional accounts, each new business account will require a $150 application fee.

If you are applying for an individual checking account:

The first time you apply for an individual checking account, we will charge a one-time application fee of $25. If you apply again within 12 months of opening your first individual checking account, we will not charge an additional application fee.

However, if you have more than one individual checking account with us and want to obtain additional accounts, each new individual checking account will require a $25 application fee.

Hotel and car partners

 The best way to book hotels and cars is to use one of the following travel partners:

Hotels

Booking.com – Offers the best selection of hotels with low rates. It has a lot of extra features like price alerts and cancellation protection which makes it a great option for booking your hotel.

Agoda – Has a wide range of hotels at great prices. It’s also well-known for their excellent customer service.

Car Rentals

Rentalcars.com – Rentalcars is an online car rental booking site where you can compare prices from different companies and find the cheapest deals for your trip.

Customer Service

 Service is a major part of any business. It is the foundation on which all other aspects of your business are built.

Without good customer service, no one will want to do business with you.

Customer service is about making sure that all of your customers are satisfied with the way that they are treated and how the company responds to their needs and concerns.

The goal of customer service is to make sure that every customer who interacts with your business has a positive experience. If they have a negative experience, then you need to find out why and take steps to resolve it.

Business eligibility

 Business eligibility is one of the most important factors in determining the health care plans that are available to you. If you’re an individual and your business doesn’t meet the requirements, you won’t be able to get coverage through the Marketplace.

Businesses have different eligibility rules based on their size and type:

An employer that has 50 or more full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) must offer health insurance or pay a fee for each employee who receives a premium tax credit for purchasing coverage through the Marketplace. This is called the employer shared responsibility payment.

Smaller employers need only offer coverage to their full-time employees if they don’t already provide insurance.

Certain types of businesses are eligible for special rules: nonprofit organizations, small businesses with 25 or fewer FTEs, seasonal workers, non-calendar year plans, certain religious employers and sole proprietorships.

Credit Score

 In the United States, a credit score is a number ranging from 300 to 850 that is assigned to consumer credit files to indicate the likelihood of future loans or credit card applications. Although there are many different companies and organizations that generate credit scores for various purposes, the most commonly used scale is the FICO score.

The scoring system was developed by Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) in 1956, but its popularity increased after it was acquired by the three major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Credit bureaus use it to determine whether or not an individual should be given a loan or credit card based on their ability and willingness to repay debts.

As consumers began applying for more loans and credit cards over the years, lenders realized there was a need for a standard way of evaluating applicants’ financial history.

By creating a set of criteria that all lenders could use when reviewing applications, they could make better decisions about who should get approved for what type of loan or how much money they were willing to lend individuals.

Other factors

 When you’re traveling for business, it’s important to have a credit card that can help you keep track of your spending and earn rewards. If you travel frequently for work, the right travel rewards card can save you money on flights and hotels and even help you get additional benefits like free checked bags.

When choosing a credit card for business travel, there are several factors to consider:

The type of rewards program. Some cards offer cash back or points that can be redeemed for gift cards and travel. Others allow you to use points toward airfare or hotel stays.

The cost of the annual fee. Some cards charge an annual fee that can range from $50 to $450 or more. If you want to maximize your rewards while minimizing your costs, look for cards with no annual fee.

The foreign transaction fee. A foreign transaction fee is charged every time you use your credit card while traveling abroad — anywhere outside the U.S., Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands — whether you’re shopping at a store, paying for services such as hotels or restaurants or buying tickets online from an airline or other website that processes payments in euros instead of dollars (or vice versa).

Best Business Credit Cards – Wrapping Up

The best business credit cards come with a lot of perks and benefits, but it’s important to take note of what each card gives you before applying.

We hope this guide on the best business credit cards has been helpful for you.