Best Business Credit Cards for Travel

If you’re a business road warrior, you’ve racked up plenty of miles on your roller suitcase, not to mention frequent flyer miles. Wouldn’t it be nice to also earn rewards for your travel expenses?

That’s where business credit cards that offer rewards points come in. You might have personal credit cards with membership rewards points that you can use for flights or hotel stays. But small business credit cards for travel sometimes offer even better membership rewards than personal cards, along with a host of other perks. Best of all, they help you separate your personal and business finances and build business credit with business credit bureaus.

Best Business Credits for Travel

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

Best for Delta frequent flyers

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

Best for hotel, air, and car rewards

JetBlue Business Card From Barclaycard

Best for discounts and rewards on JetBlue flights and services

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Best for Delta flight upgrades

Types of Business Travel Credit Cards: Are You an Airline Loyalist? 

There are generally two kinds of travel credit cards—ones for those who love a particular airline and hope to rack up points and miles in their loyalty rewards program and ones for those who love travel rewards generally but don’t have to fly with just one carrier. These frequent flyers prefer the flexibility of membership rewards that can be redeemed for travel business expenses in general, not just for airline travel. 

One type of business travel credit card is not better than the other; they just appeal to different kinds of travelers. It’s not unheard of for frequent business travelers to have multiple airline co-branded cards in their wallet as well; just because you fly Delta most of the time doesn’t mean a United Card couldn’t also be a good option for you.

Often, credit card issuers draw you in with a low intro APR and enough bonus points to redeem a free flight if you meet a spending threshold within the first months of having your card. It seems, in fact, like credit card companies are competing to offer you the most enticing introductory offer. That makes it a bit overwhelming to know which cards are best for you, especially because after the glamour of that intro offer wears off, they all provide such different features in terms of points earned and other benefits.

If all those offers make your head spin, you’re not alone. We’ve done the research to identify some of the best business credit cards for frequent flyers that could be a big win for your business.

Which Business Credit Card is Right for You?

Traveling for business can be rewarding when you have the right small business credit card for your journey. Upgrade your wallet with one of the best business credit cards for travel for more perks on your next trip.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

Best For: Delta frequent flyers

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card is a great card for frequent Delta travelers.

This card has a killer signup offer. Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. MQMs help you get closer to reaching Medallion status in the Delta SkyMiles program.

Added benefits:

1. Earn 1.5X miles* on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases, plus single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more. Terms and miles cap apply.
2. Foreign transaction fee: None
3. Earn more Miles with Annual Miles Boost®: 10,000 MQMs after $25,000 in purchases each calendar year, as well as another bonus after $50,000.
4. Earn a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year you renew the card.
5. Added Delta bonuses: free checked bag, priority boarding, 20% savings (via statement credit) on eligible purchases made in-flight.

Drawbacks:

1. If Delta isn’t a convenient airline for you, this won’t be the best card.
2. Annual fee: $350

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

Best For: hotel, air, and car rewards

The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card offers a flexible membership rewards program for frequent flyers of many different airlines, as well as those who enjoy comfortable resort and hotel stays. Like many credit card issuers, American Express wants to draw you in with a great initial offer. WELCOME OFFER: Earn 3 Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Along with a generous rewards program, new cardholders will earn additional bonus points if they spend even more. Earn Gold Elite status after spending $35,000 or more in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.

Added benefits:

1. 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on each dollar of eligible purchases 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.
2. Points can be redeemed at over 6,900 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, and over 300 airlines with the Air+Car Transfer Program.
3. Foreign transaction fee: None
4. Enjoy complimentary in-room, premium Internet access while staying at a participating Marriott Bonvoy hotel.
5. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.

Drawbacks:

1. Annual fee: $125

JetBlue Business Card From Barclaycard

Best For: discounts and rewards on JetBlue flights and services

For frequent JetBlue flyers, this Card is worth a look. With it, you can earn 6 TrueBlue points per dollar spent on all JetBlue purchases, 2 points per dollar spent at restaurants and office supply stores, and 1 point on all other purchases. Earn 5,000 bonus points each account anniversary, plus new cardholders can receive a generous bonus offer upon signup.

Added benefits:

1. Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days, and 10,000 additional points when a purchase is made on an employee card in first 90 days.
2. Free first checked bag on JetBlue flights for you and three companions on the same reservation.
3. Additional JetBlue benefits: 50% savings on in-flight purchases, earn Mosaic status each calendar year you spend $50,000 or more on your card.
4. No foreign transaction fees.
5. Enjoy an annual $100 statement credit after purchasing a JetBlue Vacations package with your card.

Drawbacks:

1. $99 annual fee.
2. Best option only for frequent JetBlue travelers.

*All information about the JetBlue Business Card From Barclaycard credit card has been collected independently by Nav. This card is not currently available through Nav. To see what business credit cards are available, please visit the Nav Credit Card Marketplace.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Best For: Delta flight upgrades

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card from American Express offers great rewards for Delta loyalists, though it comes with a significant annual fee of $650 to match. This Card is best suited for frequent flyers looking for upgrades and Medallion status perks as well as international travelers worried about foreign transaction rates and fees. 

Cardholders also get extra perks like Delta Sky Club lounge access and a Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate for another traveler in your party. These alone can justify the annual fee if used smartly.

Added benefits:

1. Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
2. Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
3. Foreign transaction fee: None
4. First checked bag free, and Main Cabin 1 priority boarding
5. Access to Concierge services

Drawbacks:

1. Annual Fee: $650

What Are the Different Types of Travel Credit Cards?

There are several types of small business credit cards for travel for you to choose from. Depending on whether you travel exclusively with one airline or are just looking for general travel rewards you can apply to different categories of travel expenses, like hotels, car rentals, rideshares, airfare, and meals, see which type of travel credit card below best suits your needs.

General travel credit cards: These cards offer general travel rewards you can typically redeem for all sorts of travel-related expenses, without booking with a particular travel brand. You may be able to use points to erase travel-related purchases or book flights or hotels of your choice.

Co-branded airline credit cards: Airlines partner with credit card issuers to offer rewards with their frequent flyer program. While they don’t offer as much flexibility as general travel cards, they often come with airline-specific perks like companion airfare certificates or free checked bags. Often, purchases made on flights and in-flight food or beverages rack up points or miles faster.

Co-branded hotel credit cards: As with airline credit cards, co-branded hotel cards offer rewards and perks with a specific hotel brand, and allow you to earn points in their loyalty program. You can redeem points for hotel stays, and often they partner with other hotel properties, car rental companies, and airlines for redemption offers as well. 

Secured credit cards: If your credit score is low and doesn’t qualify you for one of the above, look at a secured credit card, where you put down a deposit for the card. Over time, you will build your credit history and qualify for other types of business travel credit cards.

How to Get the Most from Your Business Travel Credit Card

As a new cardholder, the best way to maximize your credit card rewards is to make sure you spend enough in the first few months to qualify for the card’s signup bonus.

Then, it’s important to use the card for business expenses whenever possible to earn points quickly. This will work best if you’ve chosen a card that offers bonus rewards on some of your biggest expense categories, or a card that offers a high, flat rewards rate on everything.

When it’s time to redeem your rewards, take some time to learn about which redemptions will give you the most value.

Also take into consideration other features like balance transfers, cash advances, airline lounge access, or free employee cards, that can take your business travel further.

But remember: a credit card is still a credit card. If you don’t pay your balance in full, you can quickly rack up interest rates and fees that will cost you money. Keep an eye on your credit limit so you keep your balance below it to avoid additional fees.

And speaking of fees: you’ll pay an annual fee (even if the introductory offer waives it for the first year), so make sure you’re getting the value out of the card to make it worth the investment. And don’t forget to pay that amount when it comes due each year, or you’ll end up paying interest on it too.

Nav’s Verdict: Best Business Travel Credit Cards

Take your time assessing which travel card is right for your business. Weigh the rates and fees against the rewards and other perks. A card that has a great introductory APR, for example, might end up with a prohibitively expensive annual fee and therefore not be worth the investment.

If you’re a frequent flyer already paying for business expenses for your trips, why not earn valuable rewards to subsidize the cost of your travels? This can help you lower your expenses and put more money back into your company.