The best cards for small-business travel spend.
Our editorial ranking of the best business credit cards for travel rewards — Chase Ink Preferred, Amex Business Platinum, Ink Cash, and more.
Business cards are the most-underused lever in points and miles. Chase Ink cards do not count against 5/24, business Amex cards run parallel to personal welcome bonuses, and the earning categories often bonus categories personal cards ignore (advertising, telecom, office supplies).
You do not need an LLC to apply. A sole proprietorship — freelance income, a side hustle, a small consulting practice — qualifies for every card below. Below we rank the business cards worth holding by welcome bonus, earning multiplier, and how the card fits into a full personal-plus-business points ecosystem.
How we ranked
- Welcome bonus value against typical minimum spend
- Bonus category earn rates
- Compatibility with the personal cards you already hold
- Whether the card counts toward Chase 5/24 for future personal applications
- Annual fee justified by ongoing use, not just welcome bonus
Ink Business Preferred
The single best business card. 3x on travel, advertising (Google, Meta, LinkedIn), phone/internet, and shipping — the four categories where most businesses actually spend. Points transfer to the same 14 partners as the Sapphire Preferred and Reserve. The 100,000-point welcome bonus is worth $1,500+ transferred.
Chase Ink Business Cash
The no-fee business essential. 5% at office supply stores (includes Amazon Business) and on phone/internet/cable, plus 2% on gas and dining. Combined with a Sapphire Preferred, the 5% becomes 5x transferable Ultimate Rewards — better than any personal card on those categories.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited
The business Freedom Unlimited. 1.5% flat on every business purchase, no annual fee. Standalone it is fine; paired with a Sapphire, its 1.5% becomes 1.5x transferable points on everything — including rent, software, and any category no other business card bonuses.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express
The premium business travel card. Full lounge access (Centurion + Delta Sky Club + Priority Pass), 5x on flights and prepaid hotels via Amex Travel, and the same coupon-book credits as the personal Platinum. If your business has real travel spend, this earns back its $895 fee mechanically.
American Express Business Gold Card
The adaptive-earning business card. 4x on your top two spending categories from a defined list (advertising, U.S. supermarkets, telecom, computer hardware, restaurants, and more) — Amex looks at where you spend each month and awards 4x automatically. Great for businesses with concentrated but shifting spend.
Capital One Venture X Rewards
Available as a business card (Venture X Business) with slightly different terms but similar structure — flat 2x on all purchases plus Priority Pass and Capital One Lounge access. The right choice for businesses whose spend does not concentrate in specific bonus categories.
The bottom line
The Chase Ink Business Preferred is the answer for most small businesses. $95, 100,000-point welcome bonus, 3x on the categories every business actually spends on, and full access to Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners. It is also the single best 5/24-safe entry point into the Chase ecosystem for anyone building a personal + business points stack.
Once the Ink Preferred is in place, add an Ink Cash (5% on office supplies and telecom) or an Ink Unlimited (1.5% flat) — both no-fee — to complete the Chase business trifecta. Amex business cards are worth stacking too, but only after the Chase side is set.