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Best business credit cards for travel

Best business credit cards for travel

Emily Taylor
Contributing writer, BILL
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Business travel spending reached $1.48 trillion in 2024, yet many companies still let employees book travel on personal cards, creating reimbursement headaches and missing out on valuable rewards.

The right business travel credit card does more than earn points. It simplifies expense management, provides travel protections, and gives you real-time visibility into spending, whether your team is booking from headquarters or halfway around the world.

Key takeaways

Business travel credit cards offer specialized perks like airport lounge access, travel insurance, and higher rewards on travel spending that can save thousands annually.

The best card for your business depends on travel frequency, card management needs, and whether you prefer flexible points or brand-specific rewards.

Modern expense management solutions like BILL can eliminate reimbursement hassles while maintaining control over travel spending.

Types of business travel credit cards

Not all business travel cards work the same way. Understanding the different types can help you choose one that matches how your company travels, from flexible rewards to brand-specific benefits.

General travel rewards cards

These versatile cards earn points or miles for general business purchases in select business categories from eligible delivery services to office supply stores. Points for these combined purchases can be redeemed across multiple airlines and hotels, offering the flexibility to book with any travel provider while earning bonus rewards on travel purchases.

General travel cards work well for companies that use various airlines, hotel chains, and local transit options. You're not locked into one brand, and points may transfer to multiple partners for potentially higher value.

Co-branded airline cards

Airline-specific cards reward loyalty with perks that can save hundreds per trip. Benefits typically include free checked bags, priority boarding, and companion tickets.

If your company flies the same airline 80% of the time, these benefits quickly add up. The catch? Accounting opening isn't free, and points usually only work with that airline and its partners.

Co-branded hotel cards

Hotel cards make sense if your team regularly stays with one hotel chain. Beyond earning accelerated points on stays, these cards typically include automatic elite status, free anniversary nights, and room upgrades.

The limitation is that you can typically only redeem points with a single hotel brand, making them less flexible than general travel cards. Unusual credit card purchases outside these hotel partners won't benefit from these rewards.

Cash back business cards

While not specifically travel-focused, cash back cards can fund travel expenses with no restrictions. You earn a percentage back on your everyday business spending, then redeem points for cash to use however you like, including travel.

These cards offer ultimate flexibility with cash rewards but typically provide lower returns on travel spending compared to dedicated travel cards.

Charge cards vs. credit cards

Traditional credit cards let you carry a balance month to month, while pay-in-full charge cards require full payment each billing cycle. Charge cards may come with higher spending limits, making them useful for companies with significant monthly travel expenses. 

The choice depends on your cash flow and payment preferences.

See how BILL streamlines business travel management.

Benefits of using business travel credit cards

Business travel cards deliver value beyond basic rewards. Here's how they can transform your company's travel program.

Cashback and rewards for business spending

Modern business travel cards offer impressive earning rates. Top cards may provide 3-5x points or more on travel purchases, with some offering special perks when booking through their portals or upon reaching your account anniversary year.

These rewards add up quickly. A company spending $50,000 annually with 5x points on travel could earn enough points for several free trips or thousands in statement credits.

Streamlined expense tracking and reporting

Some cards integrate with spend and expense management software, automatically categorizing expenses and syncing with your books. This can save your finance team hours each month, eliminating the need to reconcile expense reports weeks after a trip.

The software may also allow for mobile receipt capture as well as specialized card management features that give your finance and accounting teams better control and visibility when it comes to corporate travel spending.

Card management features

Business travel cards may let you issue employee cards with individual spending limits. When you can set restrictions by category, vendor, or amount, you can give employees the flexibility they need without giving up control over your budget.

Real-time alerts can also notify you of transactions as they happen. Between budget control and instant visibility into transactions, your team can stop wasting time dealing with surprises when the monthly statement arrives.

Key travel-related perks

Beyond rewards, business travel cards pack valuable benefits that improve the travel experience. Priority boarding and free checked bags can save hundreds per trip. Airport lounge access provides a productive workspace during layovers.

Travel insurance protections can cover everything from trip cancellations to lost luggage, and some premium cards even include emergency medical coverage and evacuation services.

How we chose this business travel credit card list

To identify the best business credit cards for travel, we analyzed current offerings from major issuers based on several key factors. We prioritized cards with strong travel rewards programs, valuable travel-specific benefits, and features that support business expense management.

Our evaluation also considered annual fees, travel perks like lounge access and insurance, and overall value for business travelers. 

10 top business travel credit cards by category

These business travel credit cards represent some of the best options currently available (as of 07/2025), organized by card type to help you find what matches your travel patterns. They're presented in no particular order within each category.

General travel rewards cards

These versatile cards earn flexible points that can be redeemed across multiple airlines and hotels.

1. Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business

Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business is a pay-in-full card but offers some flex options. It has an annual fee of $795, offering 8x points when booking through Chase Travel and 4x points on direct airline and hotel bookings[2].

Stand-out features:

  • $300 annual travel credit
  • Complimentary Chase Sapphire Lounge and Priority Pass Select access
  • Many business credits from DoorDash to ZipRecruiter
  • Extended benefits after spending $120,000 in purchases on your card each calendar year

2. The Business Platinum Card from American Express

The American Express Business Platinum card is a pay-in-full card but offers some options for paying over time. It has an annual fee of $695, offering 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com[3].

Stand-out features:

  • Complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries
  • Hilton Honors Gold status
  • Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
  • Numerous business credits, including Adobe, Indeed, and CLEAR

3. Capital One Venture X Business

Another pay-in-full card, Venture X Business has an annual fee of $395, offering 5X on flights and 10X on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel[4].

Stand-out features:

  • Purchases accrue unlimited 2x miles
  • Includes a network of 1,300+ lounges worldwide
  • Comes with TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry
  • 150,000 bonus miles after spending $30,000 in the first 3 months

Airline co-branded cards

Designed for businesses loyal to specific airlines, these business credit cards offer extended perks limited to qualifying flights booked directly through specific brands.

4. Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card from American Express

This Delta-specific card has an annual fee of $650, offering 3x miles on eligible purchases made directly with Delta[5].

Stand-out features:

  • Companion certificate for a first-class, round-trip flight each year after renewal
  • Earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) for card purchases
  • Complimentary Centurion Lounge, Escape Lounge, and Delta Sky Club access
  • Hertz President's Circle status

5. Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard

This American Airlines card has an annual fee of $595, offering 10x miles on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through AAdvantage and 4x miles on American Airlines[6].

Stand-out features:

  • 5x miles on American Airlines after spending $150,000 each year
  • 1 loyalty point for every mile earned from purchases, toward AAdvantage status
  • Complimentary Admirals Club membership
  • Up to 20,000 additional loyalty points per year

6. United Club Business Card

This United card has an annual fee of $695, offering 7x total miles on United flights[7].

Stand-out features:

  • 5x miles on hotel stays at Renowned Hotels and Resorts
  • Up to 2 checked bags free for both cardholder and a companion
  • United Club card included; add All Access by spending $50,000 annually
  • Partner credits for Instacart, Avis, Budget, and rideshares

7. Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card

This Southwest business credit card has an annual fee of $199, offering 4x points for every dollar spent on Southwest Airlines[8].

Stand-out features:

  • 3x points on purchases with hotel and car rental partners
  • 2x points on social media and search engine advertising
  • 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $5,000 spent
  • Four upgraded boardings per year when available

Hotel co-branded cards

Ideal for businesses with hotel brand loyalty, these cards tend to offer free nights and elite status benefits.

8. Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card

This Marriott card has an annual fee of $125, offering 6x points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy[9].

Stand-out features:

  • 4x points at restaurants and gas stations
  • 7% discount on eligible hotel bookings
  • 1 free night every year after card renewal
  • Complimentary Gold Elite status and premium internet

9. Hilton Honors Business American Express Card

This Hilton card has an annual fee of $195, offering 12x points with Hilton hotels and resorts[10].

Stand-out features:

  • 5x points on other purchases for the first $100,000 per year
  • Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status
  • Upgrade to Diamond status by spending $40,000 in a calendar year
  • National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status

10. World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

This Hyatt card has an annual fee of $199, offering up to 9x points with Hyatt hotels[11].

Stand-out features:

  • 2x bonus points in top 3 eligible spending categories per quarter
  • Complimentary Hyatt Discoverist status
  • 5 tier-qualifying night credits toward status milestones for every $10,000 spent per calendar year
  • Savings up to 15% off standard rates at participating Hyatt hotels worldwide

How to choose the right travel credit card

Match your company's spending patterns to the card features that can provide the most value for your specific needs.

Travel frequency

Weekly travelers can often justify premium cards with high annual fees because they'll use benefits like lounge access regularly. 

For occasional travelers, a no-annual-fee card or one with a modest fee might make more sense. Calculate whether you'll earn enough rewards and use enough benefits to offset any annual charges.

Card management needs

Consider how many employees need cards and what controls you require. Some card accounts come with a high enough additional cost per employee card to add up significantly.

Look for cards that integrate with your expense management system. The easier it is to track and categorize spending, the more time you'll save on expense reports.

Type of rewards desired

Do you need flexible points that can transfer to multiple partners, or would you rather have unique rewards tied to specific brands? General travel cards offer more redemption options, while co-branded cards often provide better value within their ecosystem.

Cash back might work best if you want simplicity. Plus, employees often appreciate having their choice of airlines and hotels.

Importance of travel-specific perks

Premium travel perks like lounge access and elite status cost card issuers money, which is often reflected in higher annual fees. Evaluate whether these benefits justify the cost for your business.

A road warrior might find tremendous value in airport lounges and priority boarding, while a business with minimal travel—or travel that isn't directly tied to sales—might prefer cards focused on more general rewards with more modest fees.

Annual fees vs. benefits

Calculate the potential net value of each card by subtracting the annual fee from the benefits you'll actually use, but remember to discount the value of rewards you don't really need, even if you'll use them.

Consider both immediate value (like welcome bonuses) and ongoing benefits from points redeemed. The best card delivers positive value year after year, not just in year one.

Other considerations

Do you expect to make a balance transfer to your new card? What about building your credit history or business credit score?

From foreign transaction fees to priority boarding privileges to that free first checked bag, the premium benefits listed above are only representative of these business preferred credit cards. They should not be considered a comprehensive list of ways you can earn rewards for business trips.

From phone services to shipping providers to electronic goods retailers, to low annual fees or zero liability for fraudulent charges, having more rewards options may help your business get the maximum value from your credit card.

Travel smarter with BILL

Need a less expensive solution that can streamline your travel arrangements as well as your spend and expense management? BILL Spend & Expense with BILL Travel offers a complete solution that handles everything from booking to expense reporting. 

Real-time visibility and control

Finance teams gain complete visibility into travel spending as it happens. Set budgets by department, project, or individual and enforce them automatically.

BILL Spend & Expense provides unparalleled control with customizable spending limits and real-time transaction monitoring, syncing with your bank account and major accounting software. It's like having a travel manager in your pocket.

Flexibility with every booking

When you use your card* to book travel through TravelPerk, you can change or cancel any aspect of a trip, any time, and get 80% of your money back, no questions asked.

Rewards that don't lock you in

Earn up to 7x points on restaurants and 5x on hotels without being limited to a single franchise or brand. Order employee cards at no cost, with no annual fee, and earn cash back.

See how BILL Travel can transform your business travel program.

What customers say about BILL Spend & Expense

"It's the accountability of the card holders. That's the biggest advantage of BILL Spend & Expense, the instant access to budgets that fosters accountability." — Stevens Trucking
"I think BILL Spend & Expense is the best expense tracking system I have ever used. It makes assigning spend to categories fun (if you can believe it!) and easy." — Vermont Flannel
Author
Emily Taylor
Contributing writer, BILL
With a background in finance and over a decade of experience in business writing, Emily simplifies complex finance topics to help businesses streamline operations, manage cash flow, and make smarter financial decisions.
Author
Emily Taylor
Contributing writer, BILL
With a background in finance and over a decade of experience in business writing, Emily simplifies complex finance topics to help businesses streamline operations, manage cash flow, and make smarter financial decisions.
Get more from BILL
Subscribe to finance insights and thought leadership content delivered straight to your inbox.
By continuing, you agree to BILL's Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
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