Best Travel Credit Cards for Business of January 2023
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The spending required to keep your small business or side hustle humming can also give you a boost toward your next trip — if you put those expenses on a business travel credit card that gives you points or miles for your purchases. Many of the top business travel cards offer added perks, too, like lounge access, free hotel stays or checked bags, and statement credits for Global Entry or Clear fees.
When choosing a business travel card, consider what kind of rewards would work best for you. So-called flat-rate cards give you a fixed number of points or miles for every dollar you spend, while bonus rewards cards give you extra points in specific categories.
General-purpose travel cards give you flexible rewards you can redeem for a variety of travel expenses. By contrast, business credit cards that carry the name of a specific airline or hotel chain, like United or Hilton, offer the best rewards value if redeemed through that brand.
All of our selections for the best travel business cards are chosen by our editorial team, which independently evaluates and rates cards based on fees, rewards rates and redemption options, among numerous other factors.
Note: Some of our selections can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you’ll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.
The spending required to keep your small business or side hustle humming can also give you a boost toward your next trip — if you put those expenses on a business travel credit card that gives you points or miles for your purchases. Many of the top business travel cards offer added perks, too, like lounge access, free hotel stays or checked bags, and statement credits for Global Entry or Clear fees.
When choosing a business travel card, consider what kind of rewards would work best for you. So-called flat-rate cards give you a fixed number of points or miles for every dollar you spend, while bonus rewards cards give you extra points in specific categories.
General-purpose travel cards give you flexible rewards you can redeem for a variety of travel expenses. By contrast, business credit cards that carry the name of a specific airline or hotel chain, like United or Hilton, offer the best rewards value if redeemed through that brand.
All of our selections for the best travel business cards are chosen by our editorial team, which independently evaluates and rates cards based on fees, rewards rates and redemption options, among numerous other factors.
Note: Some of our selections can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you’ll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.
Best Travel Credit Cards for Business From Our Partners
Credit card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Capital One Spark Miles for Business Apply now on Capital One's website | Best for Flat-rate travel rewards | $0 intro for the first year, then $95 | 2x- Points | 50,000 Points | Apply now on Capital One's website |
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply now on Chase's website | Best for Sign-up bonus | $95 | 1x- Points | 100,000 Points | Apply now on Chase's website |
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card Apply now on Bank of America's website | Best for No annual fee | $0 | 1.5x- Points | 30,000 Points | Apply now on Bank of America's website |
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Apply now on American Express' website | Best for Premium travel rewards and perks | $695 | 1x- Points | 120,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website |
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card Apply now on American Express' website | Best for Airline business credit card | $550 | 1x- Miles | 60,000 Miles | Apply now on American Express' website |
United℠ Business Card Apply now on Chase's website | Best for Airline business credit card | $0 intro for the first year, then $99 | 1x- Miles | 75,000 Miles | Apply now on Chase's website |
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card Apply now on American Express' website | Best for Hotel business credit card | $125 | 2x- Points | 75,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website |
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card Apply now on American Express' website | Best for Hotel business credit card | $95 | 3x- Points | 130,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website |
Our pick for
Flat-rate travel rewards
on Capital One's website
on Capital One's website
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
2x-5x
Points
50,000
Points
Pros
High rewards rate
No minimum redemption amount
Cons
Has annual fee
No Intro APR period
High APR
Pros
High rewards rate
No minimum redemption amount
Cons
Has annual fee
No Intro APR period
High APR
Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account
Unlimited 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
Fly through security with one statement credit for either the $85 TSA PreCheck® application fee or the $100 Global Entry application fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
Our pick for
Sign-up bonus
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
$95
1x-3x
Points
100,000
Points
Pros
New cardholder bonus offer
Bonus categories
Transfer partners
Cons
Has annual fee
No intro APR offer
Pros
New cardholder bonus offer
Bonus categories
Transfer partners
Cons
Has annual fee
No intro APR offer
Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
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
With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring.
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 Ultimate Rewards®
Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Our pick for
No annual fee
on Bank of America's website
on Bank of America's website
$0
1.5x-3x
Points
30,000
Points
Pros
No annual fee
New cardholder bonus offer
No reward caps
No foreign transaction fees
Intro APR period
Cons
Requires excellent credit
Pros
No annual fee
New cardholder bonus offer
No reward caps
No foreign transaction fees
Intro APR period
Cons
Requires excellent credit
Earn 30,000 online bonus points after you make at least $3,000 in net purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening which can be redeemed for a $300 statement credit towards travel or dining purchases.
Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases everywhere, every time-no matter how much you spend. Points don't expire.
Earn 3 points per every dollar spent on travel purchases (car, hotel, airline) booked through the Bank of America® Travel Center.
No annual fee and no international transaction fees.
0% Introductory APR on purchases for your first 9 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 16.49% to 26.49% will apply.
Redeem points for a statement credit to offset travel and dining purchases, travel with no blackout dates at the Bank of America Travel Center, cash back or gift cards.
Earn up to 75% more points on every purchase, if you have a business checking account with Bank of America and qualify for our highest Preferred Rewards for Business tier. That means you could earn up to an unlimited 2.62 points per $1 spent on all purchases and up to 5.25 points per $1 spent at the Bank of America Travel Center.
Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
This offer may not be available if you leave this page or visit our website. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Our pick for
Premium travel rewards and perks
on American Express' website
on American Express' website
$695
1x-5x
Points
120,000
Points
Pros
Lounge membership
Transfer partners
Bonus categories
Automatic elite status
Premium travel protections
Cons
High annual fee
Complicated rewards
Requires good/excellent credit
Pros
Lounge membership
Transfer partners
Bonus categories
Automatic elite status
Premium travel protections
Cons
High annual fee
Complicated rewards
Requires good/excellent credit
Welcome Offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Get 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 eligible purchases 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 everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
Unlock over $1,000 in value per year for statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless with the Business Platinum Card.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card or any of the Additional Cards on your Platinum Card account.
$189 CLEAR® Credit: CLEAR® uses biometrics to assign you a touchless ID, allowing you to move faster through security at select airports and stadiums across the U.S. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR membership with up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR with your Business Platinum Card®.
The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more lounge location options than any other credit card on the market as of 9/2021.
$695 Annual Fee.
Terms Apply.
- View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Airline business credit card
on American Express' website
on American Express' website
$550
1x-3x
Miles
60,000
Miles
Pros
High rewards rate
Luxury perks
Lounge membership
Companion benefit
Cons
Has annual fee
Requires good/excellent credit
Pros
High rewards rate
Luxury perks
Lounge membership
Companion benefit
Cons
Has annual fee
Requires good/excellent credit
Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
With complimentary access into Delta Sky Club®, you can relax before your Delta flight, or find downtime between connections. You’ll also receive two Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes each year so you can share the experience with others when you’re traveling together.
When you purchase a Delta flight with your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, you will receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner.
After you spend $150,000 on your Card in a calendar year, you earn 1.5 miles per dollar (that’s an extra half mile per dollar) on eligible purchases the rest of the year. If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply (ex. you would earn 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta instead of 1.5X).
Plus enjoy 3X miles per dollar on all eligible Delta purchases.
With Status Boost®, earn 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to 4x per year getting you closer to Medallion Status.
Terms and limitations apply.
- View Rates & Fees
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
$0 intro for the first year, then $99
1x-2x
Miles
75,000
Miles
Pros
Free checked bag
Lounge membership
Anniversary perk
Cons
Has annual fee
Rewards have limited flexibility
Pros
Free checked bag
Lounge membership
Anniversary perk
Cons
Has annual fee
Rewards have limited flexibility
Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
Receive a 5,000-mile "better together" bonus each anniversary when you have both the UnitedSM Business Card and a personal Chase United® credit card.
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, dining including eligible delivery services, at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting.
Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Plus, employee cards at no additional cost - miles earned from their purchases accrue in your account so you can earn rewards faster.
Enjoy a free first checked bag - a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip (terms apply), 2 United ClubSM one-time passes per year, and priority boarding privileges.
Get one-year complimentary DashPass, a membership for both DoorDash and Caviar that provides unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders. After that, you are automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. Activate by 12/31/24.
$100 United® travel credit after 7 United® flight purchases of $100 or more each anniversary year.
Our pick for
Hotel business credit card
on American Express' website
on American Express' website
$125
2x-6x
Points
75,000
Points
Pros
Anniversary perk
High rewards rate
Automatic elite status
Cons
Has annual fee
Rewards have limited flexibility
Lower acceptance abroad
Pros
Anniversary perk
High rewards rate
Automatic elite status
Cons
Has annual fee
Rewards have limited flexibility
Lower acceptance abroad
Welcome Offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
6x points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
2x points on all other eligible purchases.
Receive a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at hotels that participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program when you book directly. Terms and Conditions Apply.
Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Card.
Terms apply.
- View Rates & Fees
on American Express' website
on American Express' website
$95
3x-12x
Points
130,000
Points
Pros
High rewards rate
Automatic elite status
Luxury perks
Cons
Has annual fee
No free anniversary night
Pros
High rewards rate
Automatic elite status
Luxury perks
Cons
Has annual fee
No free anniversary night
Welcome Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card: 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, 6X at U.S. gas stations, on U.S. purchases for shipping, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel, on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants, 3X on all other eligible purchases.
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card.
Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
Earn another Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year.
Terms apply.
- View Rates & Fees
FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS FOR BUSINESS
Click the card name to read our review. Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Our pick for: Sign-up bonus
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card starts you off with one of the biggest sign-up bonuses of any credit card anywhere (assuming you spend enough to earn it), then gives you bonus rewards in common business spending categories. Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for: Flat-rate travel rewards
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is basically a business version of the popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. You earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Miles can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent apiece for any travel purchase, without the blackout dates and other restrictions of branded hotel and airline cards. The card offers a great sign-up bonus, too. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for: No annual fee
This is the business version of the issuer's excellent no-annual-fee travel card. The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card pays solid rewards on every purchase and gives you wide flexibility in redeeming your points for any travel purchase, without the restrictions of branded airline and hotel cards. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for: Premium travel rewards and perks
Like the consumer version of this card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express comes with a big annual fee. But business travelers who prefer to go in style will find plenty that appeals to them: high rewards on certain travel purchases, bonus rewards on larger non-travel purchases, a superb newcomer welcome offer, extensive airport lounge access, elite hotel status, hundreds of dollars a year in available credits and a list of perks as long as your arm. It's not cheap, but luxury never is. Terms apply. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for: Intro APR offer
The Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business is the $0-annual-fee version of Capital One's business travel card. It comes with a lower rewards rate: 1.5 miles per dollar spent, with miles redeemable for any travel purchase. The bonus offer is smaller, too: Earn a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles - equal to $200 in travel - once you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. However, you do get an introductory 0% APR period, which is somewhat unusual for a travel card.
Our pick for: Airline business credit card
If your business has you on the road a lot, you'll appreciate the airport lounge access on the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, which includes both Delta's own Sky Clubs and American Express's Centurion Lounges when flying Delta. The annual companion certificate — which is good even in first class — and the checked-bag benefit add considerable value, too. Terms apply. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for: Airline business credit card
The United℠ Business Card is a stand-out option for frequent business flyers, particularly those loyal to United. Cardholders earn rewards on everyday spending, like dining, gas stations and transit. A sign-up bonus, plus no annual fee for the first year, sweeten the pot. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for: Hotel business credit card
The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card can pay for itself just with the automatic free night's stay every year. Add in automatic elite status, generous rewards, a dandy welcome offer and more, and it's hard to go wrong. Terms apply. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for: Hotel business credit card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is an outstanding small-business hotel credit card — though a little unusual. It comes with rich ongoing rewards, automatic elite status with Hilton and 10 free visits to select airport lounges each year (a rare perk for hotel cards). Rather than automatically granting a free night each year, like most hotel cards with annual fees, you have to spend at least $15,000 per calendar year to earn a free weekend night. Terms apply. Learn more and apply.
Don't fly Delta or United? Try these options
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Southwest's most expensive card comes loaded with perks that go a long way toward making up for the cost, including credit for upgraded boardings and great sign-up and anniversary bonuses. Rewards include 4 points per dollar spent with Southwest; 3 points per dollar spent with hotel and car partners; 2 points per dollar on social media and search engine advertising and internet, cable and phone services; 2 points per dollar on rideshare; and 1 point per dollar elsewhere. Annual fee: $199. NerdWallet rating: 5 (out of 5). See our review for more.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Earn 2 miles per dollar spent with American Airlines and at gas stations, rental car agencies, telecommunications merchants and cable and satellite providers. Other spending earns 1 mile per dollar. Cardholders can earn a good bonus and enjoy a checked-bag benefit, priority boarding and other perks. Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $99. NerdWallet rating: 4.6 (out of 5). See our review for more.
To view rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page. To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, see this page. To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, see this page. To view rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, see this page.
Information related to the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
Last updated on January 24, 2023
Methodology
NerdWallet's Credit Cards team selects the best credit cards for small business based on overall consumer value, as evidenced by star ratings, as well as their suitability for specific kinds of small-business operators. Factors in our evaluation include annual and other fees, rewards rates, the earning structure (for example, flat-rate rewards versus bonus categories), redemption options, bonus offers for new cardholders, introductory and ongoing APRs, and other noteworthy features such as special financing arrangements, free cards for employees or tools for managing business expenses. Learn more about how we rate business business credit cards.