How to choose the best business travel credit card

Business travel credit cards help you earn cashback or travel rewards while offering perks like airport lounge access with select small business cards. In fact, 65% of small businesses use their credit cards for travel-related purchases, making travel a common charge on business cards.

However, traditional travel credit cards often come with high annual fees, limited card issuance for larger teams, and the risk of accruing high interest, especially if you carry a balance and are subject to a variable APR.

Finding the right balance between earning rewards and managing costs can determine whether travel credit cards help or hurt your business finances.

How business travel credit cards work

Business travel credit cards function like regular business credit cards but offer enhanced rewards and benefits specifically for travel-related purchases. You earn points, miles, or cash back on everyday business expenses, with bonus rates for travel categories like flights, hotels, and rental cars.

The card issuer typically partners with airlines, hotel chains, or operates their own rewards program. You redeem accumulated points for flights, hotel stays, statement credits, or transfer them to partner programs. Many cards offer additional perks like airport lounge access, travel insurance, and priority boarding based on your spending and card tier.

Types of business travel credit cards

Business travel cards cost companies an average of $500-$1,200 annually in fees, yet many businesses choose the wrong type and miss out on thousands in potential savings. The key lies in matching your card type to your actual travel patterns, not just chasing signup bonuses or flashy perks.

General travel rewards cards

These cards work across all airlines and hotels without restricting your choices. You earn points on purchases that you can redeem through the card's travel portal or transfer to airline and hotel programs. Companies with unpredictable travel patterns or those wanting flexibility benefit most. The trade-off: you won't get brand-specific perks like free checked bags or elite status.

Example: Capital One Venture X Business Card earns 2x miles on all purchases and offers transfer partnerships with multiple airlines.

Single-brand airline cards

Partner with one airline to earn enhanced miles and perks when flying that carrier. You get benefits like priority boarding, free checked bags, and sometimes airport lounge access. Best for businesses that primarily fly one airline due to hub location or negotiated corporate rates. The downside: limited value when booking other airlines.

Example: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card offers 3x miles on Delta purchases, free checked bags, and priority boarding.

Hotel-branded cards

Designed for businesses that book with one hotel chain repeatedly. You earn extra points at that brand's properties and often receive automatic elite status with perks like room upgrades and late checkout. Ideal for companies with regular travel to the same markets where that hotel has strong presence. Less valuable for diverse booking needs.

Example: Marriott Bonvoy Business Credit Card provides automatic Silver elite status and earns 6x points at Marriott properties.

Simple cash-back cards

These cards offer straightforward cash back or points with fixed redemption values for travel purchases. You don't need to track transfer partners or optimal redemption rates—every point has the same value. Perfect for businesses wanting simple expense tracking without complicated reward strategies. You sacrifice potentially higher values for predictability.

Example: Ramp provides simple cash back across all spending categories, including travel, while including automated expense management tools.

What to look for in a business travel credit card

The first feature most business owners consider is the rewards rate. If earning maximum points or cash back is your main goal, that may work but you could end up paying more in annual fees than you earn in rewards. Start by calculating the actual value rather than focusing solely on percentages.

Evaluate annual fees

Many cards that offer attractive travel benefits come with high annual fees. Generally, the higher the fee, the better the membership rewards. Calculate whether a card's benefits exceed its annual fee. For a $400 annual fee card offering $300 in travel credits, you net a $100 cost. If the card provides $500 in additional value through lounge access, bonus points, or insurance, it's worthwhile.

Consider welcome bonuses

Most business credit cards for travel entice you with a welcome offer soon after opening the card. For example, you may get 100,000 bonus points after spending $10,000 in purchases in the first three months of your card membership. However, don't let a large bonus distract you from the card's ongoing value - consider whether you'll reach the spending requirement naturally.

Watch for hidden fees and restrictions

Pay attention to foreign transaction fees (typically 2.5-3% per transaction), over-limit fees, and cash advance charges. Many travel cards waive foreign transaction fees, but double-check the fine print. For a $10,000 international trip, even a 2.5% fee costs you $250.

Also, review bonus category caps. Many cards limit bonus earnings—like 3x points on travel purchases up to $150,000 annually. After hitting the cap, you earn the base rate (often 1x). Track your quarterly or annual spending in bonus categories to maximize rewards and avoid surprises.

Analyze reward structures

Different cards offer various reward rates: 5x points when booking through their portal, but only 1x on other purchases. Some cards make points worth 25% more when redeeming for travel. Research transfer partners and redemption values before choosing a program.

Assess travel-specific perks

Consider perks like airport lounge access, priority boarding, and purchase protection. If your business is near a smaller airport, employees likely spend more time changing flights at larger airports with longer layovers. They might benefit more from lounge access than employees near major airports who take nonstop flights.

Best business travel credit cards

Most businesses overspend on travel cards by chasing flashy signup bonuses while ignoring ongoing costs. The cards below offer proven value through low fees, strong earning rates, and practical benefits that actually save money over time.

Cards without annual fees

Ramp Business Credit Card

• Annual fee: $0
• Rewards: Cashback
• Key features: Real-time trip expense monitoring, unlimited employee cards, automated expense management tools
• Best for: Businesses wanting simple cash back across all spending with built-in expense controls

Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards

• Annual fee: $0
• Rewards: Points
• APR: 17.49%–27.49% variable
• Key features: No annual fee, attractive welcome offers
• Best for: Businesses seeking simple earning structure without annual fees

Cards with moderate annual fees

Chase Ink Business Preferred

• Annual fee: $95
• Rewards: Points
• APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months then 17.74-29.99%
• Key features: 3x points on travel, shipping, internet and phone services, and qualifying ad spending
• Best for: Businesses with varied travel expenses who value flexibility

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express

• Annual fee: $125
• Rewards: 4x points on Marriott purchases, 2x on travel
• APR: 19.99-28.99% (variable)
• Key features: Marriott Gold Elite status, priority lounge access through status
• Best for: Marriott loyalists who frequent specific hotel chains

Premium cards with lounge access

American Express Business Platinum

• Annual fee: $695
• Rewards: 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines
• APR: 18.49%-27.49% variable with Pay Over Time
• Key features: 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked via Amex Travel
• Best for: Frequent travelers who value extensive lounge networks and premium perks

Capital One Venture X Business

• Annual fee: $395
• Rewards: Miles on purchases
• APR: 21.99%-28.99% (variable)
• Key features: No fees for international transactions, transferable miles to travel partners
• Best for: Businesses wanting premium benefits at a more accessible price point

Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business

• Annual fee: $650
• Rewards: 3x miles on Delta purchases
• APR: 19.99%-28.99% variable
• Key features: Delta Sky Club access, annual companion certificate, accelerated status
• Best for: Frequent Delta flyers who value airline-specific benefits

How to choose the right business travel card

Poor card selection creates long-term financial drain through annual fees that outweigh benefits, administrative overhead from complex reward systems, and missed opportunities for meaningful savings. Since businesses rarely change cards after implementation, your initial choice sets the trajectory for years of expenses.

Calculate total cost of ownership

Beyond annual fees, consider:

• Time spent on expense management and reconciliation
• Cost of carrying balances if cash flow is tight
• Value of rewards earned vs. time spent optimizing them
• Administrative overhead of managing multiple employee cards

Test with a pilot program

Start with one card for key travelers before rolling out company-wide. Track for 3-6 months to assess:

• Actual rewards earned vs. projected
• Time saved or lost on administrative tasks
• Employee adoption and compliance
• Integration challenges with existing systems

Consider your business stage

Startups might prioritize cards with no annual fees and simple earning structures. Established businesses with substantial travel budgets can justify premium cards with higher fees but better perks.

How companies are saving on travel with Ramp

Companies using Ramp for travel management are seeing significant cost savings and operational improvements. Here's how real businesses have transformed their travel expense process.

Sana Benefits: From "no rules" to controlled spending

Sana Benefits, a healthcare company with 115 employees, was facing uncontrolled travel spending. Like many businesses, employees had full autonomy to book travel however they wanted, with finance dealing with the aftermath later. This approach led to wildly inconsistent spending on flights and hotels, with no guidelines to keep costs in check.

After implementing Ramp Travel, Sana achieved:

• 10% reduction in out-of-policy travel spend
• Automated expense tracking that reduced receipt collection from weeks to moments
• Effortless policy setup with flexible parameters

"The ability to create flexible parameters, such as allowing bookings up to 25% above market rate versus rigid guidelines, has been really good for us," says Caroline Hill, Assistant Controller. "Plus, having all the information within the same platform is really amazing."

JDC Power Systems: Eliminating manual expense management

JDC Power Systems, with 41 field service technicians who travel frequently, was bogged down by manual expense reports and multiple credit cards. Their CFO Rocco D'Andraia explains: "We had multiple accounts, and everyone would send mail envelopes with paper copies to our corporate office, where we'd match them up with paper statements one-by-one."

The results after switching to Ramp:

• Cut 1-2 days per month of manual expense management
• Eliminated expense reports entirely
• Expedited month-end close by 1-5 days

"It's hard to manage various travel policies without a platform in place. Now with Ramp Travel, we can manage by exception rather than have to review every single person traveling," notes Rocco.

Simplify business travel with Ramp’s all-in-one business credit card

Instead of a business credit card that offers rewards for travel only, consider a card that meets all your business's spending needs. While traditional credit cards encourage spending to earn rewards, Ramp's corporate card offers cashback on purchases and comes with spend management software designed to help your business save.

Ramp cards also come with travel management features like real-time trip expense monitoring, custom trip budgets and spending categories on employee cards, and easily accessible travel itineraries. All these features add up to save Ramp customers an average of 5% a year.