Travel for work? Here are the 7 best credit cards for you

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A business travel credit card can help you turn business spending into free travel. These cards allow you to earn rewards on everyday business expenses and redeem them for flights and hotel stays.

The best business travel cards include added travel perks like elite status, airport lounge access, and travel insurance.

We've reviewed a wide range of business credit cards and compiled a list of the best options for travelers. We’ve included both co-branded cards with specific travel brands and those with flexible travel rewards and benefits.

The best business credit cards

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for premium travel benefits
• United℠ Business Card: Best for frequent flyers
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Best for domestic flights
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Best for Delta flyers
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Best for hotel stays
• Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Best for flat-rate rewards
• Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard®: Best for no annual fee

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for premium travel benefits

Consider Amex's Platinum business card if you want to travel in style with elite benefits. This card has one of the highest annual fees but can be worthwhile if you use the card’s generous rewards, travel perks, and added business benefits.

The card gives travelers access to more than 1,400 airport lounges through the American Express Global Lounge Collection. You'll also receive elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors.

Other travel perks include airline fee credits, a CLEAR Plus credit, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, and some travel insurance protections.

With this card, you’ll earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels and 2X on prepaid rental cars booked through American Express’s travel portal. You’ll also earn 1.5X points on key purchases of $5,000 or more (up to a $2 million limit each calendar year). This includes electronics, retailers, software, and cloud service providers. You’ll earn 1X points on all other purchases.

Pros:

• High welcome bonus
• Worldwide airport lounge access
• Extensive list of potential statement credits

Cons:

• $695 annual fee. See rates and fees.
• High spending requirement to earn the welcome bonus
• Some perks may be hard to use

United℠ Business Card: Best for frequent flyers

The United℠ Business Card is a good choice if you fly often for business — or pleasure. The co-branded airline card has a solid welcome bonus, decent rewards rates, and elevated travel benefits.

You can earn 2X miles on United Airlines purchases, dining, gas stations, office supplies, local transit, and commuting. You’ll earn 1X miles on all other purchases.

This business card is free for the first year, then costs $99 annually after. But, the card’s value may outweigh the fee if you fly regularly and earn enough rewards from business spending.

Cardholders receive valuable United benefits, including free checked bags on eligible United flights, priority boarding, United Club lounge passes, and 25% back on inflight purchases.

Pros:

• United travel benefits
• Solid welcome bonus
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons:

• Lower reward rates compared to other cards
• High APR

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: Best for domestic flights

The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card may be a good choice if you travel primarily within the U.S..

For one, it carries a massive welcome bonus offer — one of the highest on the market today. Cardholders also receive bonus points each year after their card anniversary.

You can earn 4X points on Southwest purchases, 3X points on select hotel and car rentals booked through Rapid Rewards, and 2X points on local transit, rideshares, commuting, advertising costs, and internet, cable, and phone services. You’ll earn 1X points on all other purchases.

Southwest Airlines offers some flights to the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico, but most of its destinations are within the United States. If you regularly travel out of the country, there may be better cards for you.

That said, if you’re a Southwest regular, this card can make your experience even more rewarding. It includes upgraded boardings, in-flight Wi-Fi credits, and fee credits for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or Nexus. You’ll also get protections like lost luggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance.

Pros:

• Generous welcome bonus
• High rewards rate for Southwest purchases
• Anniversary bonus points
• No blackout dates on award flights

Cons:

• $199 annual fee
• No airport lounge access
• Not a great option if you’re not a Southwest loyalist
• Limited redemption options
• Limited travel protections

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Best for Delta flyers

If you prefer to fly Delta, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card is the card for you. The card's $650 price tag is steep but can be justifiable if you use the card's benefits. See rates and fees.

You’ll earn 3X miles on all eligible Delta purchases and 1X on all other purchases. Plus, once you hit $150,000 in yearly spending, all purchases will earn 1.5X miles.

This card offers a robust welcome bonus and added perks for regular Delta flyers.

For example, you’ll get complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs and Centurion Lounges when traveling on a Delta-operated or marketed flight. You’ll also get an annual companion travel certificate, free upgrades, priority boarding, free checked bags, and concierge service.

Pros:

• Airport lounge access
• Annual companion certificate
• Potential status boosts
• Added delta travel features

Cons:

• $650 annual fee. See rates and fees.
• Limited redemption options
• High ongoing APR

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Best for hotel stays

The Marriott Bonvoy Business card is an excellent choice if your business trips include hotel stays.

The co-branded hotel card comes with 6X points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels (or up to 18.5X points if you book through the Bonvoy loyalty program with Gold Elite status). You can also earn 4X points on worldwide restaurants, U.S. gas stations, U.S. shipping, and U.S. provider wireless telephone service purchases. You’ll also earn 2X points on all other purchases.

This card comes with a welcome bonus offer of Free Night Awards. Plus, because this card gives you complimentary Gold Elite status, you’ll get access to perks like late checkout, room upgrades, and discounts.

Pros:

• Generous welcome bonus
• High rewards rates
• Points transferable to partner airlines

Cons:

• $125 annual fee. See rates and fees.
• Benefits are best for regular Marriott customers
• No non-travel redemption options

Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Best for flat-rate rewards

Even if you love travel rewards, keeping track of all the earning rates to ensure you're maximizing your rewards can be a pain.

If you want a simpler way to earn and track your rewards, consider the Capital One Spark Miles card. The card earns unlimited 2X miles on all purchases. You’ll also earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

You can redeem your miles for travel through Capital One, transfer your miles to airline and hotel partner programs, or put miles toward gift cards, Amazon.com purchases, and cash back.

This card comes with a decent welcome bonus and a $0 annual fee for the first year (then $95 after). You’ll get perks like a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit.

Pros:

• Annual fee waived the first year
• Straightforward rewards earning rates
• No blackouts or seat restrictions
• Valuable welcome bonus
• Flexible redemption options

Cons:

• $95 annual fee after the first year
• Fewer additional travel perks than other business cards
• High ongoing APR
• No travel insurance protections

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard®: Best for no annual fee

Earning rewards is great, but doing so without paying an annual fee is even better.

With Bank of America’s Business Advantage Travel Rewards card, you can earn a flat rate of 1.5X points on all purchases and 3X points on travel booked through the Bank of America Travel Center. It's especially valuable if you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member — you’ll earn up to 75% more points on purchases.

This card won’t come with many of the elite travel perks you’ll see with other cards, but it does come with some travel protections and no foreign transaction fees. Plus, if avoiding an annual fee is top of your list, this card is a great option.

Pros:

• No annual fee
• Decent welcome bonus with a low spending requirement
• Intro APR offer
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons:

• Below-average reward rates
• No premium travel benefits

Do you need a business travel credit card?

Business credit cards allow you to separate business and personal expenses, track spending, and build your business credit profile. If you have employees, most issuers offer free employee cards, allowing you to use more company spending to earn rewards.

Business travel credit cards, in particular, are especially valuable if you frequently travel for work or want to use business rewards to fund personal travel.

There are some potential disadvantages to consider before getting a business credit card. These cards generally offer fewer consumer protections than personal cards. Business credit cards also often have higher APRs than types of business lending.

Keep in mind that issuers look at your personal credit history when you apply for a business credit card. It may be challenging to qualify for a business card if your personal credit falls short of the mark.

The bottom line

Business travel credit cards are a great option for business owners with enough annual business expenses to leverage for rewards. It's also an excellent way for business travelers to access added benefits when flying or staying at a hotel.

When choosing a travel credit card, consider factors like the annual fee, interest rates and reward options to ensure that the benefits you'll receive outweigh the costs. If you don't travel frequently or if your business expenses are not significant, a general rewards credit card might be a better fit.

*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.