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Qualifying for business credit cards gives you an undeniable leg up in the points and miles world, as it lets you pursue more welcome bonuses while keeping expenses off your personal credit report. The downside is that most business owners don’t have the time to learn all the ins and outs of which points to earn and burn, which is why a number of credit card issuers have gone out of their way to design benefits specifically for them. Here are a few of the best business-friendly credit card perks currently available.
Dynamic Bonus Categories: American Express® Business Gold Card
Each month, Amex will calculate which of the following two categories you spend the most in and automatically award you 4x points in those categories:
- Airfare purchased from airlines
- US purchases for advertising in select media
- US purchases for shipping
- US purchases at gas stations
- US purchases at restaurants
- US purchases made from select technology providers
Your business needs might change from month to month, especially if you’re in a cyclical industry, and Amex made the incredibly generous decision to reward you where you spend the most without you doing any extra work. Your 4x earnings are capped at a total of $150,000 a year, with the card earning 1x on all other purchases. Still, if you can max out that amount, your company will have a whopping 600,000 Membership Rewards points at its disposal to jump-start your corporate travel. That’s worth $12,000 based on TPG’s valuations.
Luxury Travel Perks: The Business Platinum® Card from American Express
The Business Platinum card from American Express has dozens of luxury travel perks, any one of which could help smooth out your business operations. First there’s the airport lounge access, consisting of a Priority Pass select membership, access to Amex Centurion lounges and Delta Sky Clubs when you’re flying Delta, which can help you squeeze in a bit more work before you board the plane. The Gold elite status with Hilton and Marriott will give you bonus points toward free nights and a few other brand specific perks, and the card’s $595 annual fee (see rates & fees) is offset by an up to $200 annual statement credit for Dell technology purchases.
Travel Protections: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
If you’re still under 5/24 with Chase, the Ink Preferred should be at the top of your wish list thanks to its massive sign-up bonus of 80,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. For businesses that travel frequently, one of the best benefits of the Ink Preferred is access to Chase’s A+ suite of travel insurance policies. You’ll enjoy primary car rental insurance, trip delay/cancellation/interruption insurance and cell phone protection as well. As an added benefit, many of these policies kick in if you pay for even a small part of your trip with the Ink Preferred, so you can use your card to pay the taxes on an award ticket and still enjoy the great coverage.
Flexible Redemption Options: Capital One Spark Miles for Business
While “simplicity” and “flexibility” may not be the conventional definition of credit card perks, it’s clear that the Spark Miles for Business was designed with to streamline the lives of busy company owners. The card earns a fixed 2x miles on all purchases, so there’s no worrying about bonus categories or annual limits and you simply swipe away. When it comes time to redeem your miles, you can choose to use them at a fixed rate of 1 cent each to erase travel purchases made with the card. If your employees need to be on a specific flight you can book the cash ticket instead of hunting for award space, and then simply wipe the charge away with your points. If your travel plans are a little more flexible, you can transfer your miles to Capital One’s top-notch partners, including Avianca LifeMiles, Aeroplan and Etihad Guest, which are equally rewarding for short domestic flights and international premium cabin awards.
Free Night Certificates: Marriott Bonvoy Business
American Express® Card
While every Marriott Bonvoy credit card offers some form of an annual free night certificate (most of which are worth up to 35,000 points), the Bonvoy Business Amex makes it easy for high-spending businesses to reap the rewards. Earlier this year the card offered a targeted monthly spending bonus, allowing business owners to earn up to 45,000 bonus points — 7,5000 for each month you spend $5,000 or more on the card, up to 6 months. If you maxed this bonus out and spent $30,000 in 6 months, you’d be half way toward earning a second free night certificate (worth up to 35,000 points), which is awarded to cardholders who spend $60,000 a year. The ability to earn two free night certificates and a ton of bonus points along the way makes this card a great choice for businesses with frequent travel.
Bottom Line
While some issuers simply make their business credit cards a perfect copy of the consumer versions, the truth is business owners have different needs. The cards on this list are all designed to make your life easier, more efficient and more rewarding, without distracting from your primary goal of running a business.
For rates & fees of the Business Platinum Amex, click here.
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