💳 New Business Card? Don’t Let Your Best Intentions Backfire

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TOGETHER WITH

There’s a natural instinct among business owners to always be prepared to scale up when necessary.

It’s a mentality perfectly suited for playing the points and miles game. But expanding too much, too fast will almost always lead to problems — including some you truly might not expect. More on that below.

Today, we’re talking about:

🧳 The news you need for smarter travel
💳 How to scale up your cards strategy (without screwing up)
✈️ Should you outsource your award bookings?

NEWS & NOTES

Checking in: Your smart travel briefing

Trying to keep up with all that’s going on in air travel and loyalty programs? Here’s what you should know:

“Basic business” class? A U.S. airline will start offering basic business class. Is it worth it, or just a new way to nickel-and-dime you on the already-pricey seats?
Business card welcome offers, rethought. Two of the leading business rewards cards shook up how they do welcome offers for new cardmembers. They’re now doing personalized offers, and the potential for big bonuses is impressive. And on that note, a brand-new business card has launched, offering unlimited cash back.
United rebooted. United Airlines’ big MileagePlan shake-up launched last week. There’s lots of good news for United credit card holders. But if you don’t have a card, you should make sure you understand what’s changed for you.
It’s always the baggage fees first. Last week, this airline announced that it will counter rising fuel costs by raising fees for checked bags. Then another airline did the same. And (as of this morning) yet another airline has joined them. We’ve seen this pattern before.
The race against devaluation. If you’ve been eyeing any good World of Hyatt redemptions (or even if you just want to lock in today’s fixed pricing at some incredible properties), book now before the new award chart changes kick in. (Trust us, we ran the numbers.)

BUSINESS CARDS

How to scale from 1 to multiple business cards (without screwing something up)

Building out a strong business credit card setup can be a great way to earn more rewards — but only if you scale it the right way.

Adding cards, increasing spending and optimizing categories should happen with a plan, not all at once.

Because here’s where you need to be really careful: Even well-intentioned moves can raise red flags.

Most business owners assume that as long as they’re paying their bills, they’re in the clear. But issuers look at a lot more than that — and some surprisingly common behaviors can cause problems.

Surely paying off your balance right away is a good thing, right? Not necessarily.

Making a big purchase right after approval? While it’s, of course, a natural thing to do when trying to hit a welcome offer’s spending requirement, it can also lead to annoying problems.

Even everyday activity can trip things up. Think international transactions or purchases from overseas merchants — especially if they start to stack up — or making payments from unfamiliar accounts, which can trigger additional scrutiny.

And the worst part is you might not even get a heads-up before your card stops working.

Below, we’ve put together a rundown of seemingly normal habits that can inadvertently get your business card frozen.

SMART REDEMPTIONS

Don’t want to spend time researching redemptions? Someone else will

We know that for business owners, earning points can be incredibly easy. But, as we said a couple of weeks ago, redeeming them smartly is where things can get tricky.

Between transfer partners, limited award space and constantly changing pricing, booking a great redemption can take serious time.

It’s no wonder that more travelers are turning to services that will book award travel for you — handling the research, strategy and booking from start to finish.

Of course, paying someone else to manage your hard-earned rewards isn’t for everyone. (Certainly not me, but I enjoy this sort of thing.)

But if you think they can find better options than you could on your own, they could be a solid resource for you.

Before you go rushing into one of these services (or even if you’re just curious to learn more), check out our guide to these booking services to help you decide if they’re actually worth it.

TOGETHER WITH

Elevated, not complicated

Capital One’s Venture X Business card is the TPG Award winner for Best Business Credit Card of the Year, thanks to its straightforward premium benefits. Cardholders can earn unlimited 2X miles on all purchases — no mental gymnastics. Plus, enjoy a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.

Learn more

Today’s top stories

Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum: Which premium business card is right for you?

The Amex Business Gold has a strong earning structure, while the Amex Business Platinum offers perks like lounge access. Which one should you get?

Booking a ‘day-use’ hotel room: The best $16 an hour spent for rest after a red-eye

When you're traveling and need a room before (or after) standard check-in time, day-use hotel rooms can be the perfect answer. Here's how they work.

5 smart ways TPG staffers use Capital One Travel credits in the portal

Check out real-world examples from TPG staff members of how they redeem Capital One Travel credits on their credit cards for car rentals, hotels and flights.

United is about to open America’s biggest airline lounge — and an ‘even bigger’ one may be next

United Airlines is preparing to open its biggest United Club lounge in Houston, and an even bigger one may be coming to the Washington, D.C., area.

Amex announces new Centurion Lounges and DFW expansion

Amex announced that it will be launching a new Centurion Lounge at BOS and a new Sidecar lounge at CLT. It's also expanding its DFW Centurion Lounge.

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