The Ultimate Guide to Small-Business Travel
Quick summary
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Small business owners can take advantage of the same strategies that individual award travelers use to save money on flights and hotels, but there are also a number of unique cards and loyalty programs designed specifically for business needs. Today we're going to explain how to maximize those benefits.
Best Business Credit Cards for Airfare
Business travelers sometimes have less scheduling flexibility than individuals planning a vacation. If a last-minute meeting requires you to book a specific flight, you may find that award space is unavailable. However, there are a few cards that give you exactly that option.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within your first three months of card membership.
Annual fee: $595 (see rates and fees)
Standout benefits: The Business Platinum Card from American Express has a hefty $595 annual fee (see rates and fees), but it comes with perks that offset the annual fee and that help businesses minimize their air travel costs.
- Up to $200 annual statement credit for airline incidental fees*
- 35% rebate when paying with points for airfare (terms apply) (up to 500,000 point per calendar year)
- 5x points on airfare and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
- Priority Pass Select membership, Amex Centurion Lounge access, Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta Plus and access to Airspace and Escape Lounges*
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit for application fees (up to $100)
*Enrollment required for select benefits.
You often get a better redemption value by transferring your Amex Membership Rewards points to airlines, but if you need to be on a specific flight, you can book through Amex Travel and pay with points to get a 35% rebate on all first- and business-class flights, as well as economy flights with your selected airline. You'll also earn miles on these flights, because they're booked as cash tickets.
Although the up to $200 credit on airline incidental fees has gotten harder to use, it's a great way to avoid fees for checked bags or fees for changing your ticket. The comprehensive lounge access makes your work travel more comfortable.
Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Annual fee: $95
Standout benefits: In addition to offering one of the most valuable welcome bonuses on the market right now, the Ink Preferred earns 3x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories:
- Travel, including airfare, hotels, rental cars, train tickets and taxis
- Shipping purchases
- Internet, cable and phone services
- Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
It gives you access to Chase hotel and airline transfer partners and a 25% bonus when redeeming points through the Ultimate Rewards portal, with a minimum redemption value of 1.25 cents per point and the flexibility to book any seat on any flight.
Related: Best Small Business Credit Card
Cobranded Airline Credit Cards
Both cards mentioned above are the best options for businesses with flexible travel needs. However, you might want benefits specific to a single airline depending on where you're located. If your company frequently books employee travel, you can save hundreds of dollars annually in checked-bag fees if you have the right airline credit cards. For example, all three Delta business credit cards offer a first checked bag free for you and up to eight companions traveling on the same reservation, and two of the cards are offering limited-time elevated welcome offers.
Best Business Credit Cards for Hotels
Business travelers need hotels where they can conduct business away from home. Free nights, bonus points and elite status are all great ways to make work travel more enjoyable and less stressful. In fact, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express leads in this category and offers automatic Hilton and Marriott Gold elite status (enrollment required). Here are a few other cards to consider as well:
Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Welcome bonus: Earn up to 180,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points. Earn 130,000 Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, you can earn an additional 50,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend a total of $10,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months.
Annual fee: $95 (see rates and fees)
Standout benefits: If you take advantage of the welcome bonus on the Hilton Honors business card, you'll enjoy automatic Hilton Gold elite status and the ability to upgrade to Diamond by spending $40,000 a year on the card. Along the way, you'll earn a free-weekend-night certificate after spending $15,000 and another after spending $60,000. The card comes with 10 free Priority Pass visits per year, and earns 12x points on Hilton purchases, 6x on the categories listed below and 3x on all other eligible purchases. The 6x categories are:
- US gas stations
- Wireless phone services purchased from US providers
- US shipping purchases
- US restaurants
- Flights booked directly through the Amex portal
- Car rentals booked directly through select car rental companies
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first three months. Plus, earn up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made on your new card within the first three months of card membership.
Annual fee: $125 (see rates and fees)
Standout benefits: The perk that's going to help your bottom line the most is free hotel nights. The Marriott Bonvoy Business card offers one free night worth up to 35,000 points on your account anniversary and the ability to earn a second by spending $60,000 a year. The card also comes with automatic Silver elite status and the ability to upgrade to Gold by spending $35,000 a year. You'll earn 6x points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 4x at US restaurants, US gas stations, wireless phone services purchased directly from US service providers and on US purchases for shipping, plus 2x on all other eligible purchases.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee: $95
Standout benefits: This is the only card on the list that isn't strictly a business card, but a Venture card can be good for your business if you frequently stay in hotels and aren't loyal to a single chain. The card offers a simple yet rewarding 2x miles per dollar spent on purchases.
The Venture card also lets you pick between transferring your miles to one of 10+ airline partners or using them to erase eligible travel purchases from your billing statement at a fixed rate of one cent each.
Related: Best Hotel Credit Card
How to Save Even More Money as a Small Business
As a small business owner, you're eligible for the same frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs as individuals, but there are other unique options you can take advantage of to double- or triple-dip on your points earnings. The major US airlines offer business rewards programs — such as American Airlines Business Extra — that let you earn free flights, upgrade certificates, lounge access and more. Your employees will still earn miles in their individual AAdvantage accounts, but this additional program makes each flight you take with American that much more rewarding.
Many hotel chains give you special rates if you're booking a large room block or conference rooms. For example, Marriott lets you earn up to 60,000 points on eligible meeting expenses and gives you bonus elite-night credits for booking additional rooms. Note that you must book special rates with Marriott's events team to be eligible for this.
If your business is large enough, you may be able to negotiate corporate discount rates directly with the airline or hotel. Obviously, the more spending power you bring to the table, the better the results.
Bottom Line
In many ways small business owners are incredibly lucky. They enjoy the same perks and can use the same strategies that individual cardholders employ when it comes to award travel, but there are a number of credit cards, loyalty programs and unique benefits designed specifically for small business. By picking the right credit card combination and leveraging all the available programs, small businesses have many tools to minimize travel costs.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Business Amex card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex card, click here.