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Best business credit cards for travel
Earn powerful and flexible rewards through normal business spending.
These cards are designed for businesses on the move, offering solid perks like cash back or rewards in categories that include hotels, airfare and upgrades. For a business owner who spends countless hours on work trips, travel rewards are the most lucrative rewards there are. Pick up a travel business credit card if you travel for business often or simply want to save rewards for an occasional trip.
If you travel constantly — and like doing so in style — put this card on your shortlist. The card offers accelerated rewards only on eligible flights and hotels through American Express Travel, so it’s much easier to earn meaningful rewards if you’re always on the go.
Welcome offer: 75,000 Membership Rewards points. Spend $15,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of card membership to earn 75,000 points.
Rewards: 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels on American Express Travel. These are excellent rewards, and they are most useful if you are a frequent traveler.
American Express Global Lounge Collection. Access over 1,100 airport lounges around the world, including the best-in-class Centurion Lounge.
Fee credits. Receive a $200 airline fee credit and $100 statement credit every four years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Hotel status upgrades. Upgrade to Gold status in Starwood Preferred Guest and Hilton Honors without meeting stay requirements.
Annual fee
$595
Purchase APR
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
75,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
5x points on flights and prepaid hotels through Amex Travel, 1.5x points if you spend $5,000 on a single eligible purchase on up to 1 million additional points per year and 1x points on all other purchases
This card is a powerful product, with up to 3x points in common business categories. Your points are worth 25% more when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Signup bonus: 100,000 bonus points. Spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months or card membership to earn the bonus. These points are worth $1,250 when you redeem them through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Rewards: Up to 3x points in business categories. Earn 3x points on the first $150,000 you spend in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, and eligible advertising purchases. Earn 1x points on all other purchases.
Point transfers to airline and hotel partners. Transfer your points at a 1:1 ratio to nine airline programs and four hotel programs.
Annual fee
$95
Purchase APR
15.99% to 20.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
100,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
3x points on the first $150,000 on travel and select business categories annually, then 1x after and on all other purchases
If you want to keep your rewards simple, this may be the card for you. It offers 2x miles on all purchases and 5x miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel.
Annual fee: Waived for the first year, then $95.
Signup bonus: 50,000 bonus miles. Spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months of card membership to earn this bonus.
Rewards: Up to 5x miles. Earn 5x miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel. On everything else, you'll earn 2 miles per dollar. There are no blackouts or seat restrictions for redemption, and there is no minimum to redeem.
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)
Purchase APR
20.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
50,000 miles after spending $4,500 in the first 3 months
Rewards
5x miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travelâ„ and 2x miles on all other purchases
Best for intro APR
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
When you anticipate heavy spending, an intro APR can be a lifesaver. If that’s what you’re after, check out this card. Not only does it offer a strong intro APR promotion, it also offers impressive flat travel rewards.
Annual fee: None. You might be surprised by the strength of the cards rewards given the $0 annual fee.
Intro APR: 0% on purchases for 12 months following your account opening. After that, your APR reverts to 13.24% to 19.24% variable depending on your creditworthiness.
Rewards: 2x points on all purchases. Earn 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent in all categories, on up to $50,000 in purchases each year, then 1x points after that.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 13.24% to 19.24% variable)
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of the transaction value
Welcome offer
N/A
Rewards
2x points on everyday business purchases on up to $50,000 annually, then 1x points
Best for hotels
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card will serve you best if you frequently stay at Marriott properties on business. It offers 6x points on eligible Marriott Bonvoy hotels and a solid welcome offer.
Earn 6x points on eligible Marriott Bonvoy properties. Earn 4x points on restaurants, US gas stations, wireless services and US shipping. Earn 2x on everything else.
Earn 75,000 points after you spend $3,000 in your first three months of account opening.
This card offers complimentary Silver Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.
Receive a free night award each card anniversary.
Annual fee
$125
Purchase APR
15.74% to 24.74% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Welcome offer
75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
6x points at Marriott Bonvoy, 4x points at US restaurants, US gas stations and on US wireless telephone and shipping services, 2x points on all other purchases
How we selected our top cards
We looked at a few factors when comparing business cards for travel, including annual fees, welcome offers, reward opportunities, redemption options and other features a consumer might consider in a business travel card. We highlighted those that stood out above the others in a particular category.
What’s changed in 2020
The rebranding of the Marriott line of cards produced some excellent new cards, including our new hotel pick in the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card. With strong rewards even on non-travel purchases, this card can benefit a range of businesses.
Compare business cards for travel
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Pros and cons of travel business credit cards
Pros
Generous rewards on travel purchases
High welcome offer
Travel perks
Employee spending controls and monitoring
No foreign transaction fees
Cons
Not many cards come with a 0% intro APR period
Better cards come with a higher annual fee
Accelerated rewards only on travel purchases
How to compare business credit cards for travel
There’s no such thing as a perfect card. Rather, there’s a card that works well specifically for your business. While comparing different products, consider these factors.
Annual fee. A good starting consideration for any credit card is what it’ll cost you out of pocket. Typically, you’ll pay either $0 or around $95 a year for a business credit card. For high-end cards, expect to pay upwards of $450 a year.
Rewards. In considering an annual fee, think about how your business could benefit from the card’s rewards. Certain cards offer accelerated points or miles for specific categories. If you accumulate those rewards, you may find your card effectively pays for itself. If you don’t want to keep track of different reward tiers, go for a flat-rewards card that has offers like 2x miles on all spending. You’ll earn strong rewards, and you won’t wonder whether you’re optimizing your spending for the most points or miles.
Card type. You’ll choose between a general, airline or hotel credit card. A general card is typically a good choice if your spending is dispersed throughout several categories or if you don’t travel much. You’ll earn points or miles you can spend on a variety of travel rewards, such as airfare, hotels, cruises and car rentals. Consider an airline or hotel card if you’re a loyal customer of a certain travel brand. For example, there’s a perfect card for you if you’re a power Delta flyer. And if you simply must stay at Marriott properties wherever you go, there’s a card with your name on it.
Signup bonus. Business credit cards often come with lucrative signup bonuses. Before applying for one, consider whether you can reach its bonus spending requirement. You get one chance to fulfill the requirement — if you don’t meet it within a specified time, you won’t get another shot.
Intro APR. A purchase or balance transfer intro APR is helpful especially when you have existing business debt or anticipate large business purchases. Any intro APR period 12 months or over is a good deal for a business card. Promotions generally top out at around 15 months.
Types of business credit cards for travel
There are three types of travel business cards, each with its own perks and features.
General travel cards. These are often best for businesses that travel with a variety of airlines and stay at a variety of hotels. That’s because travel cards reward you on general travel purchases and you can redeem your rewards on general travel purchases.
Airline credit cards. These are best for businesses that prefer one airline and their partner airlines. With this type of card, you earn accelerated rewards on one airline and you may get additional perks like free checked bags, priority boarding or in-flight food and beverage discounts. If you meet certain spend requirements, you may even reach an elite status tier that comes with additional perks.
Hotel credit cards. These are best if you prefer one hotel brand. That way, you’ll earn the most rewards on your hotel stays, plus you’ll get a host of other benefits like reward nights, complimentary breakfast, early check-in and more.
Note: Most airline and hotel credit cards let you transfer your points to partners, or you can redeem for a variety of other rewards. This makes them almost as versatile as general travel rewards cards.
Luxury business cards for travel
Traveling often for business can get tiresome fast. But with the right luxury business credit card, travel can be easy and even enjoyable. This type of card is designed to help you enjoy your business travel with perks such as airport lounge access, priority boarding and baggage handling, free checked bags and elite status with an airline or a hotel rewards program.
American Express® Business Gold Card: best for variety of reward categories. This can be an excellent credit card for your business if your spending categories vary each month. That’s because you’ll earn accelerated points on the two categories you spend most on each billing cycle, including airfare.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: best for travel. Consider this card if you often travel for business and want to enjoy premium hotel and airline perks. You can earn a generous welcome offer, accelerated points on flights and prepaid hotels, airline fee credit each year, lounge access and more.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: best for companion certificate. Consider this card if you frequently fly Delta for business. You’ll earn a companion certificate each year on your card anniversary, meaning your companion will get a complimentary round trip ticket once a year. In addition, you get to earn a generous welcome offer, priority boarding, Delta Sky Club access and more.
United Clubâ„ Business Card: best for earning rewards If you prefer United Airlines for your business travel, this may be a card worth considering as you can earn accelerated miles on all purchases. Other perks include a generous signup bonus, United Club membership, free checked bags and priority boarding.
How to compare luxury business credit cards
To make sure the card you choose meets your requirements, ask yourself:
Do you want the ultimate airline perks? If yes, choosing an airline credit card may be a better choice over a general travel card. That’s because you get to use perks you may otherwise not get, including free checked bags or priority boarding.
Do you want a combination of airline and hotel perks? In this case, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is the clear winner as it offers airline fee credit, airport lounge access, TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit and accelerated rewards points on airfare. But you also get hotel benefits, such as elite status with Marriott and Hilton hotels and benefits at Fine Hotels & Resorts.
Do you occasionally travel? The American Express® Business Gold Card may the best choice in this case, as you get to earn reward points on a variety of business categories, which you can redeem whenever you need for travel purchases.
Should I get a business credit card for travel?
To answer this question, consider the following:
Do you want to separate personal and business expenses? There can be many benefits to getting a business card, such as establishing business credit history, keeping your personal credit utilization low and acquiring employee cards. In addition, you get spending management tools to simplify bookkeeping.
Do you travel a lot? If travel is a big business expense, you might have a great reason to get a business credit card for travel. Most notably, you can earn significant rewards for activities like flying and staying in hotels.
Do you want travel rewards? Even if you don’t travel much, a business credit card for travel might be useful. You can earn rewards throughout the year from normal business spending, then use your points or miles for an occasional getaway.
Do you want travel perks? Cobranded credit cards offer perks when used at a specific airline or a hotel. This may include free checked bags, airport lounge access, hotel elite status, complimentary breakfast and Wi-Fi and more.
What type of travel insurance is available with business credit cards?
The type of travel insurance varies between business credit cards but generally falls under one of the following types of policies:
Travel accident insurance. Coverage for death and dismemberment while traveling on a common carrier such as a bus, plane, train or a ship.
Travel inconvenience cover. Coverage for issues such as trip delays, luggage loss and trip cancellations.
Emergency assistance. This includes emergency ticket replacement, lost item assistance, referrals to lawyers, medical assistance and more.
Vehicle rental cover. Provides insurance for loss or damage to your rental vehicle.
What else do I need to know about business credit cards with travel insurance?
Keep these factors in mind to get the most out of a business credit card with travel insurance:
Policy activation. In most cases, you need to use the credit card to pay for some or all of your eligible travel before you leave.
Annual fee. Make sure you weigh the cost of the annual fee against the potential benefits of the card, including travel insurance, to decide if it’s worth it for your business needs.
Additional cardholder fee. If you want to share your business credit card account with employees, make sure you check whether an additional cardholder fee will apply and how much it costs.
Interest rate. If you need to pay for some or all of your travel using the credit card, make sure you check the interest rate and factor in the cost that could apply if you don’t pay your balance in full.
Other features. Remember to consider the other features of the card, including expense tracking, compatibility with accounting software and rewards.
Bottom line
A business credit card for travel can be a good choice if you travel often or want to save rewards for occasional trips. To find the right card for you, evaluate products by weighing out the cost and rewards of each. Consider the cards we listed as our best picks.
If you’re not sure that a business credit card for travel is right for you, compare other business credit cards.
Frequently asked questions
You’ll need your tax ID number if your business is a limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. If you’re a sole proprietor, you may use your Social Security number.
With most business credit cards, you can add your employees to your account as authorized users. Most card providers will let you set employee spending limits and track spending.
There are many possible reasons a provider may deny your application. For example, you may have limited income, no business credit score or a lack of collateral.
Kevin Joey Chen is a credit cards writer whose work and analysis have appeared on CNN, U.S. News & World Report, The Dallas Morning News, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com. He's passionate about helping you get your finances in order and expertly navigate the cutting-edge financial tools available -- including credit cards, apps and budgeting software.
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finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which finder.com receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. finder.com compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
