These are the top picks from our team of rewards pros
Business cards can help you establish business credit, finance purchases to grow your business, earn rewards, and enjoy travel perks. But if your small business has modest spending and travel needs, you probably don’t want to pay a premium on a fancy travel card for perks you may never use. Instead, you should be looking for a solid business travel rewards card that meets the following criteria:
- low or no annual fee
- welcome offer with low or no spending requirements
- rewards in the categories you spend the most
- and useful travel perks.
Although no one card is right for every business, to help you choose we’ve selected some of our favorite low-cost small business travel cards for you to check out.
In this post...
1. Chase Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card
As an all purpose travel rewards card, topping our list for small businesses is the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. With an annual fee of only $95, this card has a 80,000 point sign-up bonus when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months of card membership. These points are transferable leading airline and hotel loyalty programs for some potentially lucrative award redemptions. Even if you don’t transfer your points, Chase Ultimate Rewards® points can be redeemed with Chase Travel, in which case each point is worth $0.0125, so the 80,000 bonus points = $1,000 towards travel. Plus, like most business cards, this card has no foreign transaction fees.
Annual Fee: $95
Rewards: 3X points on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising (up to $150,000), 1X points on everything else (no limit)
Sign-up Bonus: 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 within the first 3 months. Rewards points can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to leading frequent travel programs.
Extras: Free employee cards, plus points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Bottom Line: This card would be good for a small business with a mix of travel, shipping, telecom, and advertising expenses, looking to rack up transferable rewards points.
2. Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express
If you’re looking for an airline miles card, the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express is a best bet for small businesses. For small businesses that frequently fly Delta, this card offers a bevy of perks that you can’t get with general travel cards, but will make business travel more comfortable. For starters, you get Zone 1 priority boarding, a free checked bag for you and up to 8 of your companions, discounted Delta Sky Club access ($29 per person), and a 20% discount on in-flight purchases such as entertainment, food, and beverages. As for a welcome bonus, you’ll get 30,000 bonus SkyMiles after you spend $1,000 within the first 3 months of card membership.
Annual fee: $95 (waived the first year)
Welcome offer: 30,000 SkyMiles after you spend $1,000 within the first 3 months.
Rewards: 2X SkyMiles on Delta purchases and 1X on everything else
Extras: $50 statement credit when you make a purchase within the first 3 months. Priority boarding, free checked bag, 20% in-flight discount, and discounted Delta Sky Club access for you and up to two guests for $29 a person.
Bottom Line: Along with a great sign-up bonus, this card earns SkyMiles and travel perks for frequent Delta business travelers.
3. Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
This is one of the best hotel rewards card offered by American Express. With up to 6x Bonvoy points at Marriott hotels and 4x points at US restaurants and gas stations, small business owners can earn free hotel nights fast. Another way to earn points quickly: after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months of having the card, you earn 100,000 bonus points. As you may know, Bonvoy points are one of the most valuable points currencies, as they can be redeemed at Marriott properties OR transferred to over 40 airlines with a 8.3% points bonus (when redeemed in 60,000 point increments). As an added sweetener, you’ll get Marriott Bonvoy Silver Status thrown in.
Annual Fee: $12
Welcome offer: 100,000 Bonvoy points after you make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
Rewards: Up to 6x Bonvoy points on Marriott purchases, 4x at US restaurants and gas stations, and 1X Starpoints® on everything else
Extras: Marriott Bonvoy Silver Status
Bottom Line: If you are a frequent guest at Marriott hotels, this business card will help you earn Bonvoy points fast, which you can redeem for free nights or free flights (plus taxes and fees, of course).
4. Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
The Capital One(R) Spark(R) Miles for Business is one of the more flexible small business cards. If your business wants to earn travel miles but spends in a variety of categories other than travel, this card fits the bill. Earn unlimited 2X miles on everything and a one-time 50,000 mile bonus (equal to $500 in travel) after you spend $4,500 within the first 3 months of card membership.
Annual Fee: $95 (waived the first year)
Sign-Up Bonus: 50,000 miles after you make $4,500 in purchases within the first 3 months.
Rewards: 2X miles on everything (unlimited)
Extras: Free employee cards
Bottom Line: This flexible travel card earns your business miles on all spending, making it simple to use and very rewarding. Plus, it offers a whopping 50,000 miles bonus (a $500 travel value)
5. Business Green Rewards Card from American Express OPEN
While you have to pay your balance in full each month, the flexibility afforded by charge cards such as this one — mainly no pre-set spending limit — can be extremely valuable for small businesses. Although there are other American Express business travel rewards cards that will earn you greater welcome bonuses, this one has a low $95 annual fee (waived for the first year).
Annual fee: $95 (waived the first year)
Welcome offer: 5,000 Membership Rewards points when you make your first purchase.
Rewards: 2X points for amextravel.com purchases and 1X points on everything else.
Extras: Free employee cards.
Bottom Line: This travel rewards card comes with American Express member privileges and earns Membership Rewards® for businesses that make a lot of travel bookings through amextravel.com.
6. Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard®
If your small business is just starting out and looking for a no fee card, the Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® has you covered. It also won’t charge you any foreign transaction fees and offers a no interest introductory rate for 9 billing cycles, making this one of the lowest cost cards. Although earnings opportunities are somewhat lower than other small business cards you still earn a solid 3X points on Bank of America Travel bookings (powered by Orbitz) and 1.5X on all other spending.
Annual fee: $0
Sign-up Bonus: 25,000 points (redeemable for a $250 statement credit) when you spend $1,000 in the first 60 days
Rewards: unlimited 3X points on Bank of America Travel bookings and 1.5X points on everything else
Extras: 0% APR for the first 9 months
Bottom Line: This travel rewards card is especially valuable for businesses that make a lot of travel bookings through Bank of America travel.
Still deciding whether you need a designated business card? Read Using Credit Cards to Fund Your Small Business.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
With a 60,000 point new cardmember bonus when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months of having the card, plus 2x points on travel and at U.S. restaurants — all for a $95 annual fee — this card is one of the top rewards card values available. Chase points are transferable to 9 airlines and 4 hotels, giving you the option of booking directly via these loyalty programs for some massively lucrative award redemptions in first & business class or at 5-star luxury hotels & resorts.
