If you work for yourself, chances are high that you regularly spend a good chunk of business-related cash whether you own a small business, work side gigs, or work as an independent contractor or freelancer. So why not earn something for it by using a small-business credit card that earns travel rewards?
Keeping your personal and business spending separate is prudent, especially when tax season comes around. And maintaining a distinct business credit card makes tracking the goods and services you've purchased much easier. In addition, the bonus categories for purchase rewards typically align with business expenses such as advertising, shipping, and office supplies.
Let's explore several top business cards for travel that will reward you for paying company expenses.
Best Travel Business Credit Cards
Here are Business Insider's picks for the best travel business credit cards:
- Best overall: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Best for premium benefits: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- Best for high spenders: Capital One Venture X Business Card†
- Best Amex card for unlimited rewards: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
- Best Chase card for unlimited rewards: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Best for 4x Amex bonus categories: American Express® Business Gold Card
- Best Capital One card for unlimited rewards: Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business†
- Best for Southwest frequent flyers: Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Business Travel Credit Card Reviews
Travel is a consistent part of running a company for many small business entrepreneurs, and time is the most valuable resource many business owners have.
The right travel rewards credit card can save you money and time on travel delays, cancellations, interruptions, and lost baggage issues without costing you more than you already pay for your annual fee. And the best business credit cards for travel offer significantly more value both on the road and back at home.
The reviews below highlight the best credit cards for business travel you can get right now, as chosen by Business Insider's credit card experts.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a fantastic jack-of-all-trades business credit card for many small business owners. The card comes with a generous sign-up bonus and valuable ongoing bonus categories for a reasonable $95 annual fee. Even better, you'll earn rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, perfect for booking travel.
This card's benefits include a wide array of trip protection and travel insurance perks such as trip cancellation and trip delay protection to help you recoup some expenses when travel goes awry, primary car rental coverage, and much more. The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card also offers cellphone protection benefits: When you pay your cellphone bill using this credit card, you and eligible employees alike can claim up to $1,000 per incident in the event of qualifying instances such as phone damage or theft.
Right now, new cardholders can earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. You'll also earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points at the following rates per dollar spent:
- 3 points per dollar on travel
- 3 points per dollar on shipping purchases
- 3 points per dollar on internet, cable, and phone services
- 3 points per dollar on advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
- $150,000 annual cap on 3X bonus earnings on combined purchases (1X thereafter).
- 1 point per dollar on all other spending
Read our full Chase Ink Business Preferred card review to learn more about this business credit card.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is, without a doubt, the perennial premium business travel card, thanks to its extensive array of perks and ability to earn flexible, valuable Membership Rewards points. Although the annual fee of $695 is high, valuable perks like statement credits, airport lounge access, and top-notch travel and purchase protection offset it (rates and fees) (Terms Apply).
We'll get right to it: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express isn't for every business owner. The earning rates on most categories of spend are low, even compared to many other Amex Membership Rewards cards (see the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express below).
Instead, this card shines for its incredible benefits, including annual credit toward a CLEAR verification membership and top-tier airport lounge access to American Express Centurion Lounges, as well as the worldwide Priority Pass network. You'll also receive hundreds of dollars in valuable statement credits for purchases at Dell, Indeed, and Adobe (enrollment required) (Terms Apply).
New cardholders can earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the card within the first three months of card membership. You'll also earn Membership Rewards points at the following rates per dollar spent (Terms Apply):
- 5x on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
- 1.5x on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more
- 1.5x on eligible purchases in the US at electronics goods retailers, software, and cloud service providers
- 1.5x at eligible US shipping providers
- 1.5x on eligible US purchases of construction materials and hardware supplies
- 1x on everything else
The 1.5x categories are capped at a total of $2 million in combined purchases each year — after that, you'll earn 1 point per dollar in these categories.
Read our full Amex Business Platinum card review to learn more about this business card.
Capital One Venture X Business Card†
The Capital One Venture X Business Card† is a newcomer on the business credit card scene that heavily rewards big spenders. This card has a $395 annual fee, and comes with a generous welcome bonus of 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first three months from account opening. However, the hefty spending requirement may be tricky to reach for some small business owners.
This card's generous benefits include:
- $300 annual credit for travel purchased through the Capital One travel portal
- Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One lounge access
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® credit
- Cellphone insurance
- Rental car benefits and primary insurance coverage
- Travel interruption or cancellation protections
- Anniversary bonus of 10,000 miles
Read more about this card in our Capital One Venture X business card review.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is one of our favorite business travel credit cards for its generous 2 Membership Rewards points earn rate on every purchase, all with no annual fee (Terms Apply). It's simple, rewarding, and often goes under the radar; essentially, this card is a gem hidden in plain sight. This card is for business owners who need a reliable daily-use credit card that doesn't require planning ahead for bonus categories.
This credit card comes with a 0% introductory APR (then 17.49% - 25.49% Variable APR, rates and fees) which is valuable for business owners anticipating major purchases coming up (Terms Apply).
One of the best ways to maximize your reward redemptions is to transfer Membership Rewards points to one of many Amex airline and hotel transfer partners including Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy, and many more.
New cardholders can earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within your first three months of card membership. You'll also earn rewards at the simple rate of 2 points per dollar on the first $50,000 spent on the card each year, then 1 point per dollar after that. Note that this card carries a foreign transaction fee, so don't bring it abroad (Terms Apply).
Read our full Amex Blue Business Plus credit card review to learn more about this business credit card.
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is a no-annual-fee business credit card that earns generous cash back on business-related categories while providing useful perks such as purchase and extended warranty protection. For small businesses without major expenses, this is the card to get, especially since you can add employee cards at no additional cost.
The 0% introductory APR offered on this card is one of the best benefits for new applicants (then 17.49% - 25.49% Variable APR). This perk can help you pay off large expenses over time without incurring interest.
This is a cashback card on the surface, which means you can redeem your rewards toward travel at a rate of 1 cent per point on the Chase Travel℠ Portal. However you can level up the value of your Ink Business Cash® Credit Card rewards if you have a card like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, the personal Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or the personal Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
When you transfer the rewards from your Ink Business Cash® Credit Card to one of these credit cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you get an additional reward redemption option which can be way more lucrative in many cases. If you go this route, your rewards can be used across the full suite of Chase airline and hotel transfer partners.
New cardholders can earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening. You'll also earn rewards at the following rates per dollar spent:
- 5% cash back on up to $25,000 a year in spending at office supply stores and on cable, internet, and phone service
- 2% cash back on up to $25,000 a year in spending at gas stations and restaurants
- 1% cash back on all other spending
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card charges foreign transaction fees, so it isn't a good card to pack for international travel.
Read our full Chase Ink Business Cash credit card review to learn more about this business credit card.
American Express® Business Gold Card
The American Express® Business Gold Card is unique because it automatically earns a powerful — and very business-friendly — 4 points per dollar in your top two spending categories each month from six eligibile categories, which means you don't have to pick a spend category and commit to it. On top of that, you'll earn valuable Amex Membership Rewards points at the following rates (Terms Apply):
- 4X points per dollar on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, then 1X
- 3X points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 1x points per dollar on all other purchases.
This card has a $375 annual fee (rates and fees) (Terms Apply).
Read our full Amex Business Gold card review to learn more about this business card.
Capital One Spark Miles for Business†
There's nothing to memorize here: The Capital One Spark Miles for Business† offers a simple rewards structure so you can purchase what you need without considering bonus categories. You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on pretty much anything. That's it. You can earn a bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, and the annual fee is $95, waived the first year.
Our guide on how to earn and redeem Capital One miles will offer more in-depth information. But In most cases, you'll get the best value out of your rewards if you transfer your miles to one of Capital One's hotel and airline transfer partners. Alternatively, you can redeem your miles for airfare, hotels, or rental cars directly through the Capital One Travel portal at a rate of 1 cent per mile.
Read our full Capital One Spark Miles for Business card review to learn more about this business credit card.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card has the highest annual fee in the Chase/Southwest card family, but it's still quite reasonable at just $199, especially compared to other contenders in this guide.
This card earns 4 points per dollar on Southwest® purchases, 3 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners, 2 points per dollar on rideshare, social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. New cardholders can take advantage of a welcome offer of 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, easily worth several round-trip flights during travel sales.
Cardholders get 365 WiFi credits each year when they pay for WiFi onboard a Southwest flight using their Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card. Credits appear in the form of a statement credit for each WiFi transaction, so cardholders can still earn 4x Rapid Rewards per dollar each time they buy Internet mid-flight.
Southwest often offers cardholders the opportunity to earn bonus points through various promotions, including generous bonuses for referring friends and fellow business owners to apply for the card.
Read our full Southwest Performance business credit card review to learn more about this business credit card.
Compare the Top Business Credit Cards for Travel
$95
N/A
20.24% - 26.24% Variable
Earn 90,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- High sign-up bonus
- Offers 3 bonus points on several spending categories, including travel and advertising purchases
- Includes comprehensive travel coverage
- Welcome bonus has a very high minimum spending requirement
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers a huge welcome bonus and solid earning and benefits for a moderate annual fee. If your small-business expenses line up with the card's bonus categories and you like redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards® points for travel, this is one of the best small-business credit cards to consider.
Ink Business Preferred Card- Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 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
$695
N/A
18.49% - 27.49% Variable
Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points
Good to Excellent
- More travel benefits than you'll find on any other business credit card
- Generous airport lounge access options, from American Express Centurion Lounges to Priority Pass (enrollment required)
- Complimentary hotel elite status (enrollment required)
- Access to Amex concierge services
- Very high annual fee
- Limited opportunities to earn bonus points
- Annual statement credits won't be useful for everyone
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best small-business cards with an elevated bonus and top-notch benefits (and a premium annual fee to match). It's an excellent offer if you like earning Membership Rewards points and you can maximize the bonus spending categories and perks — but be sure to assess whether the annual fee is worth it for you before you commit.
Amex Business Platinum Card- Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
- Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card®.
- Fly like a pro with a $200 Airline Fee Credit. Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
- NEW! Make the Business Platinum Card® work even harder for you. Hilton For Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties across the globe. Benefit enrollment required.
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
$395
N/A
no APR but a 2.99% monthly late fee if balance is not paid in full
Earn 150,000 bonus miles
Excellent
- Excellent earning rates and perks that offset the high annual fee
- Premium benefits include travel statement credits and airport lounge access
- No preset spending limit for flexibility
- Balance must be paid in full each month to avoid a late fee
- Annual travel statement credits only apply to Capital One Travel purchases
$0
0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months from account opening
17.49% - 25.49% Variable
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points
Good to Excellent
- The rare no-annual-fee card to earn Amex Membership Rewards points
- Solid earning rate on the first $50,000 in purchases each year
- For eligible purchases above $50,000 each year, you will only earn 1 point per dollar
If you're a small-business owner looking for a credit card that offers flexible rewards points without paying an annual fee, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is an excellent option. You don't need to own a full-time business to be eligible to apply, either — even freelancers and those with side gigs can qualify for a small-business card.
Amex Blue Business Plus Card- Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.49% - 25.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening. APR will not exceed 29.99%
- Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
- You’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power. *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply.
$0
0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months
17.49% - 25.49% Variable
Earn up to $750 bonus cash back
Good to Excellent
- Broad 5% and 2% cash-back categories (you can earn bonus cash back at office supply stores and at gas stations and restaurants)
- Intro APR offer for purchases
- No annual fee
- You can pair this card with a card that earns Ultimate Rewards to redeem your cash back for travel
- Annual cap on bonus categories
Between offering a big welcome bonus, extra rewards in useful categories, and ongoing benefits like primary car rental insurance and purchase protection, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is an excellent no-annual-fee cash-back business credit card for small-business owners.
Ink Business Cash- Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening
- Earn 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
- Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
- With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Member FDIC
$375
0% intro APR for six months from the date of account opening on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time
18.49% - 27.49% Variable
Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points
Good to Excellent
- You can earn bonus points on the categories where you make the most purchases (from a list of options)
- High annual fee
The American Express® Business Gold Card is a good choice if your business spends a lot in certain categories and you want to earn Membership Rewards points for travel or other redemptions. It's got a high annual fee, but if you can use the card's benefits to your advantage, it can be well worth it.
Amex Business Gold Card- Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
- 0% Intro APR ¤ for 6 months from the date of account opening on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time, then a 18.49% to 27.49% variable APR.*
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.*
- Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.*
- Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.*
- The Business Gold Card comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and White Gold. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
- *Terms Apply
- See Rates & Fees
$95, waived the first year
N/A
25.24% Variable
Earn 50,000 miles
Excellent
- No bonus categories to keep track of
- Annual fee is waived the first year
- You can redeem miles to erase travel purchases from your statement, or you can transfer to various airline and hotel programs
- Not many extra benefits
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is a solid rewards business credit card to consider if you want to earn a flat rate of rewards that are easy to redeem. This card gives you an unlimited 2 miles for each dollar you spend just about everywhere, and you can redeem them to cover any travel purchases you want.
Capital One Spark Miles for Business†
$199
N/A
20.49% - 27.49% Variable
Earn 80,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- 4 bonus points per dollar on Southwest purchases
- Valuable Southwest perks including four upgraded boardings per year, in-flight Wi-Fi credits, and 9,000 points each year on your anniversary
- $199 annual fee is on the high side
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card is a great fit for small business owners who frequently fly Southwest, especially if you often purchase inflight WiFi.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card- Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 9,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
- Earn 4X pts on Southwest® purchases.
- Earn 3X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
- Earn 2X points on rideshare.
- Earn 2X points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services and 1X points on all other purchases.
- 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
- Member FDIC
Business Travel Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions
The best business credit cards for travel offer generous rewards on travel-related purchases such as flights and hotels, and most do not charge foreign transaction fees. They may also come with luxury benefits such as airport lounge access, free WiFi credits, and complimentary travel insurance.
Generally speaking, points and miles rewards earned on business credit cards are not considered taxable income. However, you may trigger tax liabilities if you earn and claim cash-back rewards past a certain dollar amount. Check with your accountant or CPA regarding specific regulations in your state.
You should always keep business and personal expenses separate to avoid potential accounting and tax complications. However, you can apply for a business travel credit card and use it for personal charges even if you do not own a formal business.
Premium credit cards usually offer top-tier benefits worth far more than their high annual fees, especially for frequent travelers who can utilize perks such as airport lounge access and travel insurance. To decide if the benefits are worth the cost to you, tally up the monetary value of the benefits you'll actually use, then subtract the annual fee from that number. The final number will represent the value of that card for your spending needs.
Maximize your benefits by using your card for all business-related travel expenses. You should also take advantage of any sign-up bonuses available to you, and leverage any credit card perks such as free travel insurance and lounge access.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is one of the best overall credit cards for small business owners. This card combines generous travel benefits and purchase protection with a great welcome bonus, all for a reasonable $95 annual fee.
Frequent travelers will want to keep The Business Platinum Card® from American Express close at hand on the road. Premium travel benefits include expedited security access, membership to hundreds of airport lounges worldwide, and significant rebates on travel expenses booked through Amex Travel.
You can use your business credit card to pay for travel expenses relevant to your company. If you plan to travel internationally, make sure you bring a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best business credit cards for people who travel frequently. For a fee, small business owners can request credit cards for employees and authorized users to take advantage of a number of the premium benefits of this card (Terms Apply).
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Business Credit Cards for Travel
Business Insider's credit card reviewers are experts when it comes to business expenses. Not only do many of us own and operate our own small businesses, we also evaluate and compare every credit card on the market. We chose the business credit cards highlighted in this particular guide for the following reasons:
Rewards — Each of the business credit cards on this list provides a minimum of one cent per dollar spent, and some do so without charging an annual fee. These build your business credit score and history while rewarding you for everyday expenses related to your company.
Travel benefits — Every card on this list of best business credit cards for travel comes with soft benefits that improve the quality of your work life. Whether we're comparing premium travel benefits such as airport lounge access or something basic such as bonus points per dollar spent on travel, each of these cards makes your life as an entrepreneur just a little bit easier or better on the road.
Value — The cards in this list run the gamut from free to hundreds of dollars per year in annual fees. Some business owners find the high value provided by premium credit cards worth the hefty annual fee (which counts toward your business expenses for the year). Other entrepreneurs prefer cards that don't take additional money out of their wallets. Each of the cards on this list gives back more than it takes, regardless of the annual fee.
Protection — Purchasing business equipment, supplies and raw materials can be expensive, tedious, and challenging to manage and maintain. The business credit cards we highlighted here offer an extra layer of protection between you and asset loss: Many provide purchase protection and extended warranties, while others may offer a 0% introductory APR period to help you pay off big expenses over time without incurring interest.
Interested in our evaluations? Learn about Business Insider's review methodology on how we rate credit cards.
