When I started freelancing, I charged everything—flights, hotels, supplies—to my personal credit card without a second thought. But chatting with a friend made me realize I qualified for small business cards.
If I was going to be charging so many expenses every month, why not get something back in return? That led me to travel rewards business cards. The best ones offer generous points, miles, or cash back for common purchases.
Whether you have a private practice, a partnership, or earn money with a blog or podcast—you could be in the same boat. But picking the right business travel card is tricky, especially with so many options, sign-up bonuses, annual fees, etc.
So I’ve compiled and reviewed the best of the best cards to help fellow entrepreneurs like you rack up travel rewards on your business expenses.
Stick around as I’ll outline my top recommendations, best uses, and tips for maximizing their long-term value.
Read more:
11 Best Credit Cards for Business Travel and Travel Rewards
I’ve categorized the top contenders into 11 groups based on common business travel priorities.
Whether you’re looking for straight travel rewards, easy upgrades to business class, perks for overseas trips, or partnerships with your favorite airline, there should be a perfect pick for you here.
Travel Business Cards Categories | Top card recommendation |
Best business credit cards for travel rewards | card_name |
Best credit cards for business class travel | card_name |
Best small business credit cards for travel rewards | card_name |
Best business credit cards for travel no annual fee | card_name |
Best business credit cards with no foreign transaction fees | card_name |
Best airline business credit cards | card_name |
Best hotel business credit cards | card_name |
Best international business credit cards | card_name |
Best business frequent flyer credit cards | card_name |
Best American Express business travel card | card_name |
Best Chase credit card for business travel | card_name |
Best business credit card for travel rewards—card_name
Venture X Business is one of the best business credit cards for travel points. And if you’re business involves a lot of jet-setting or meeting with clients on the go, this card will deliver in spades.
Talking about the perks—you’ll bag bonus_miles_full, a seriously impressive deal.
Sure, there’s a $395 annual fee, but when you stack up the privileges, it’s a no-brainer.
Digging into the rewards game:
- Score 10x miles on hotel and rental bookings through Capital One Travel.
- Get 5x miles on flights booked via Capital One Travel.
- Keep a steady 2x miles for all other transactions.
And these miles can be transferred to top-notch airlines and hotels, giving you some serious bang for your buck.
The redemption value for these miles can go up to 1 cent per mile through Capital One Travel or an average of 2 cents with the right transfer partner.
Now, for the extra benefits:
- Enjoy $300 in annual travel credits, plus TSA PreCheck, and global lounge access.
- Get credits and upgrades for hotel stays booked through Capital One Travel.
- Access business features like employee cards, purchase alerts, $0 liability for unauthorized charges, and more.
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Click here to read my in-depth Capital One Venture X Business Card review.
Apply for the Capital One Venture X Business Card.
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Best credit card for business class travel—card_name
The Amex Business Platinum reigns supreme in the world of the best business credit cards for travel miles.
It hooks you up with great travel perks, killer rewards, and flexible ways to use your points. But that $695 yearly fee might make you think twice about its worth.
So, what do you get in exchange for that hefty fee?
Prime travel benefits include a whopping 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights and pre-paid hotels, 1.5x on other business purchases and eligible purchases over $5,000, and 1x on everything else you charge.
Plus, my favorite part, you’ll rake in points immediately. bonus_miles_full
Now, $20,000 is a lot of cheddar. But if you’re planning on spending this kind of money on your business anyway, charge it to this card to grab some coveted Amex points.
You’ll also get a $200 yearly airline fee credit and credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, access to over 1,400 global airport lounges, and credits for a CLEAR® membership.
It doesn’t end there—this card goes beyond great airport perks. You’ll bag complimentary Hilton and Marriott Bonvoy Gold statuses and other swanky hotel benefits worth around $600. You can also tap into premium rental car upgrades, discounts, and priority service at no extra cost.
To top things off, you can use the 24/7 concierge service to fetch hard-to-get restaurant reservations, event tickets, last-minute gifts, and more. You only pay for whatever they order on your behalf.
So, is the $695 yearly fee worth it? Absolutely, if you can maximize the benefits.
Read a more detailed review of the Amex Business Platinum Card.
Apply for the Amex Business Platinum Card.
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Best small business credit cards for travel rewards—card_name
I can’t stress enough about this—Chase’s Ink Business Unlimited Card is an A+ pick for small businesses and solo hustlers.
And here’s why: You get a valuable 1.5% unlimited cash back earning rate on all purchases with no annual fee.
That’s a huge perk because most business cards come with specific (and limiting) bonus categories for earning rewards. Or worse, they cap your total rewards no matter how much you spend. For instance, card_name offers 2x points but only up to $50,000 a year.
But to fully maximize the benefits of this Chase card, you need to know how they work. If you’ve got any major purchases coming up, now’s the time to put them on this card for a couple of key reasons.
- You’ll enjoy a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first intro_apr_duration before it shifts to a variable 18.24% – 24.24% rate. So you’ve got a year interest-free to pay off any large purchases before rates kick in.
- Plus, bonus_miles_full
And like most business cards, you get nice extras too—auto rental insurance, extended warranty protection, and free employee cards. All at no extra charge.
Read my detailed take on the Ink Business Unlimited Card.
Apply for the Ink Business Unlimited Card.
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Best business credit cards for travel no annual fee—card_name
On the lookout for the best no fee business credit card?
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Card (a mouthful, I know) is a great pick, especially if you have an existing relationship with the bank.
This catch-all business card comes with a decent welcome bonus. bonus_miles_full
But this seemingly ordinary card can turn into one that gives you the highest reward base rates if you’re enrolled in Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards for Business program (which requires keeping sufficient funds with the bank).
As a member, you earn up to 2.62 points per $1 spent—that’s solid value, considering this is a $0 annual fee card. But for non-members, the earning rate drops to a not-too-bad 1.5 points per $1 on all purchases.
Apply for the Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard Card.
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Best business credit cards with no foreign transaction fees—card_name
If you’re a frequent business traveler, you’re best signing up for cards that don’t charge you an arm and a leg on overseas spending.
I recommend the reliable Capital One Spark Miles for Business Card. With a reasonable $95 annual fee (waived the first year), this card offers double miles on all business purchases. You also get two lounge passes yearly to elevate your travel.
But the real standout feature is the flexibility to redeem miles. Capital One miles can transfer to 18 airline and hotel partners.
And right now, Capital One is running a nice sign-up bonus. bonus_miles_full
The fee kicking in year two may be disappointing. But if you maximize the perks of this card, you can easily offset that $95 cost.
Read my detailed Capital One Spark Miles for Business Card review.
Apply for the Capital One Spark Miles for Business Card.
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Best airline business credit cards—card_name
The CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard is arguably the best business airline credit card in the market right now.
Go for it if you’re a small business owner who frequently flies with American Airlines. With this card, you can get your first checked bag for free on domestic flights, plus a 25% discount on inflight Wi-Fi, food, and drinks.
Currently, the welcome bonus lets you bonus_miles_full
This card earns 2x miles per dollar spent on telecom, cable, satellite, gas stations, car rentals, and eligible American Airlines purchases. You’ll also get 1 mile per dollar on other purchases and 1 Loyalty Point per $1 on business purchases.
On the business side, you can take advantage of expense-tracking features, employee cards, and dedicated customer support for business inquiries.
If you’re an American Airlines regular, the Loyalty Points should excite you more than anything. After all, these points open doors to benefits based on your accumulated points. AAdvantage® Loyalty Point Rewards tiers have thresholds spanning from a minimum of 15,000 points to 5,000,000.
Top perks you can get include:
- Free checked bags
- Window seat upgrades
- Trip credits
- Avis President’s Club status
- Main Cabin Extra and Preferred Seats
- Upgrades on American and Alaska Airlines
Another perk you shouldn’t sleep on—if you spend $30,000 or more on your CitiBusiness credit card in a year, you’ll get an American Airlines Companion Certificate for a $99 domestic economy fare ticket. This ticket lets you bring a guest for a round-trip domestic flight.
Read our detailed review of the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard.
Apply for the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard.
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Best hotel business credit cards—card_name
American Express offers business travelers the Hilton Honors Business Card, tailored specifically to frequent Hilton guests.
A prime feature includes automatic Hilton Honors Gold Status, giving members special upgrades, and an 80% points bonus on stays. The card also grants ten free airport lounge visits through Priority Pass.
With a 12x maximum point earnings rate on Hilton purchases, this card is definitely a valuable opportunity for regular patrons. When charging Hilton stays directly to the card, you can earn 12 points per dollar spent. This includes restaurants and spas at Hilton properties.
For other travel expenditures like gas, shipping, phones, car rentals, and flights, you get 6 points per dollar. All other purchases earn 3 points per dollar (still a generous rate).
At an average value of 0.6 cents per point, you can redeem these accrued points for Hilton rooms and services. And spending $40,000 annually will upgrade you to the coveted Diamond status.
Of course, there’s a $95 annual fee, but the sign-on bonus alone will offset this cost. Currently, you Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
That’s about $780 in value. Given average Hilton stays run $151 per night, this card gives loyal guests exceptional value.
Read a thorough review of the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.
Apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.
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Best international business credit cards—card_name
As one of America’s big three carriers, United touts a wingding of a welcome offer. bonus_miles_full
And like any respectable airline card, United bundles a free checked bag for cardholder bookings. Plus, Priority boarding applies to you and a traveling buddy, with two passes to the coveted United Club lounges.
Apply for the United Business Card.
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Best business frequent flyer credit cards—card_name
Delta, another one of the “big three” US airlines, offers a quality business card via their partnership with American Express.
bonus_miles_full
You can also bag a $100 credit towards a future Delta flight made if you spend $10,000 in a calendar year.
Of course, your first checked bag flies free and you’ll qualify for priority boarding. Also, note that the $99 annual fee is waived in the first year.
Apply for the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card.
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Best American Express business travel card—card_name
The American Express Gold Card satisfies foodies and jet-setters with generous dining rewards, travel perks, and shopping bonuses.
Currently, you can bonus_miles_full
Plus, you can enjoy up to 4x points on popular spending categories like restaurants, groceries, and airfare.
Here’s the full breakdown:
- 4x points per $1 spent at dining establishments worldwide.
- 4x points per $1 spent at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 annually.
- 3x points per $1 spent directly booking flights or through Amex Travel.
Flexible point values range from 0.5 to 2 cents apiece based on the redemption method.
Beyond earning potential, the dining credits prove to be quite appetizing. Score a $120 annual dining credit at participating establishments, plus $120 in Uber Cash for late-night fare.
Additional travel benefits include airport lounge access, baggage insurance, and discounts on hotels and car rentals.
Now for the catch: a $250 annual fee accompanies this golden card. However, if you’re a frequent diner and traveler, you can easily offset this cost through point redemptions and statement credits.
Read our insightful review of the Amex Gold Card.
Apply for the Amex Business Gold Card.
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Best Chase credit card for business travel—card_name
Bear with me as I rave about this powerhouse rewards card from Chase.
The signup bonus says it all. bonus_miles_full
You’ll also rack up 3x points per $1 on common business purchases, with the first $150,000 spent each cardmember year earning triple points across:
- Shipping
- Advertising
- Internet/Cable/Phone
- Travel
After hitting that threshold, it’s 1x point per dollar with no cap. If maxed out, that equates to 450,000 points or approximately $9,000 in redeemable value.
Redemption is obviously a breeze through Chase Ultimate Rewards, with options like cash back, gift cards, and travel.
Read our detailed Chase Ink Business Preferred Card review.
Apply for the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.
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FAQ
What is the best credit card to use for business travel?
The best travel credit cards for business isn’t one-size-fits-all. It boils down to your spending, priorities, and personal preferences. But if racking up maximum rewards points is your top goal, card_name offers pretty sweet.
You get 10x miles on hotels and car rentals, and 5x miles on flights—not too shabby. Plus, you get a whopping 150,000 mile bonus when you meet the $30,000 spending minimum within three months of account opening.
To top things off, Venture X throws in $300 yearly travel credits, TSA PreCheck eligibility, and access to airport lounges worldwide.
For a card aiming to maximize business travel perks across the board, I’d say this one is a stellar contender.
Read my detailed review of the Capital One Venture X Business Card.
What is the best business credit card for small business?
The best corporate credit card for a small business can depend on various factors, including your spending habits, preferences, and the specific needs of your business. But I recommend looking at the card_name from Chase.
This catch-all card offers a valuable 1.5% unlimited cash back on all purchases and comes with no annual fee. Plus, you get a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 months, making it ideal if you have significant business expenses lined up.
Want more insights into this card? Check out my in-depth Ink Business Unlimited Card review.
Which credit card has the best travel benefits?
Again, the answer to this boils down to your personal preferences, how you travel, and what’s important to you. But a safe and reliable bet would be card_name
This travel-rewards-heavyweight hooks you up with:
- 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels, 1.5x on other biz purchases over $5,000, and 1x on everything else.
- A hefty welcome bonus—score 150,000 points if you spend $20,000 in the first 3 months.
- $200 back each year for airline fees.
- Access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally.
- CLEAR membership credits, so you breeze through airport security.
- Free Hilton and Marriott gold status and other hotel perks.
- Reimbursement if you apply for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck.
Read our detailed review of the Business Platinum Card from American Express for more.
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