Which purchases qualify for 3 points per dollar with the Ink Business Preferred?
Editor's Note
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees) is popular for small-business owners because it earns transferable Ultimate Rewards points in multiple common business spending categories.
It's currently offering new applicants a welcome bonus of 100,000 points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Let's examine the types of purchases that earn bonus points on the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card and the details of the sign-up bonus.
Bonus categories
With the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, you'll earn 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on the first $150,000 you spend in combined purchases each account anniversary year in the following categories:
- Travel
- Shipping purchases
- Internet, cable and phone services
- Advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines
If you spend $150,000 in these categories during an account anniversary year, you'll earn 450,000 Ultimate Rewards points on your purchases.
Based on TPG's January 2025 valuation of Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each, these points would be worth a whopping $9,225.
Related: How to choose the right credit card for your business expenses
Qualifying merchants
You may wonder exactly which merchants are covered by the Ink Business Preferred's 3-points-per-dollar bonus categories. Luckily, Chase provides more guidance on its website. Here are the definitions:
Travel
Merchants in this category include airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages.
Some merchants that provide transportation and travel-related services are not included in this category, such as real estate agents, educational merchants arranging travel, in-flight goods and services, on-board cruise line goods and services, sightseeing activities, excursions, tourist attractions, RV and boat rentals, merchants within hotels and airports, public campgrounds and merchants that rent vehicles for the purpose of hauling. Purchases from gift card merchants or merchants that sell points or miles will not qualify in the travel category.
Related: Which purchases count as travel with Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve?
Shipping purchases
Merchants in this category specialize in mailing packages, hauling freight, and transporting goods or documents. Shipping merchants include couriers, postal and freight shipping companies, express shipping services and mailbox stores.
Merchants who sell a wide variety of general goods but also ship items, including office supply stores that also mail packages will not be included in this category. The additional cost to ship something you buy, or using a third party (such as Amazon) for bulk warehousing and shipping will not qualify. Merchants that primarily sell boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap or other shipping supplies are also not included in this category.
Internet, cable and phone services
Only purchases for internet, cable, satellite television and radio, cellular, wireless data, and landline services will qualify.
Purchases of equipment are not included. If you purchase or pay for your internet, cable and satellite television, phone or related services in a merchant's store that is not classified by the merchant in the applicable services category, the purchase or payment will not qualify; for example, phone bill payments in a merchant's store that is classified as a telephone equipment store.
Advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines
Merchants in this category include social media websites and online search engines that advertise a business, brand, products or services.
Advertising purchases that are not made directly from a social media website or online search engine merchant may not qualify; for example, advertising purchases made through a third party such as an ad agency or web designer offering related services. Also, purchases from social media websites or online search engines that are not for advertising will not qualify; for example, subscription or app purchases.
Related: 5 reasons to get the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Welcome bonus
Currently, the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card offers new applicants a sign-up bonus of 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. These 100,000 points are worth $2,050, according to TPG's January 2025 valuations, if you transfer them to airline and hotel program partners.
There are 11 airline and three hotel Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners, so you can snag many sweet spots when you utilize this redemption option.
One valuable transfer partner is World of Hyatt for redemptions at low-category or high-category properties. Another popular option is to transfer to Iberia to redeem for distance-based, nonstop flights between the U.S. and Madrid.
Finally, Air Canada Aeroplan is a solid transfer choice thanks to its region—and distance-based award chart and a plethora of partner airliners for which you can redeem miles.
Bottom line
The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card has a $95 annual fee and allows for accelerated earning in the Chase Ultimate Rewards landscape.
Now that you better understand the 3-points-per-dollar earning categories, you can use the Ink Business Preferred alone or add other cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards, like the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (see rates and fees) and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (see rates and fees) to the mix to further maximize the points you earn.
To learn more about the card, read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred.
Learn more: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Related reading:
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees