american airlines incentive travel gift certificate

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Two Easy Ways To Give The Gift Of Travel

Give the gift of travel.

An American Airlines gift card is the perfect gift for any occasion. You can have your card delivered by mail or email that can be used toward the purchase of a ticket to hundreds of exciting destinations. Terms and Conditions apply.

Choose the right gift card for you:

Virtual Gift Cards

• Available to use in 72 hours
• Sent directly to your recipient through email
• Option to send directly to yourself and forward to your recipient
• Ability to buy multiple cards to be emailed to multiple addresses
• Customizable options for different occasions and personalized messages to your recipient
• No expiration date

Plastic Gift Cards

• Delivery in 4 - 5 business days ($4.95 shipping and handling charges apply)
• Space to add a personalized message to your recipient
• Ability to buy multiple cards and personally deliver them to your recipients (if buying multiple cards in the same order, gift card denominations must be the same)
• Signature required for delivery!

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Other Ways To Buy American Airlines Gift Cards

Purchasing gift cards.

You can also purchase American Airlines Gift Cards by calling American Airlines Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CT at 1-800-677-9555 (shipping and handling fees apply).

ALREADY A CARDHOLDER?

Limited-time: Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles Terms apply

Select a category to find the best travel credit card for you:

Select a card category:

• Travel Needs
• Everyday Purchases
• Admirals Club® Membership
• Business Owners

Offers available if you apply here today. Offers may vary and these offers may not be available in other places where the cards are offered.

All your travel needs.

Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles plus travel benefits

Bonus miles earned after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, citi® / aadvantage® platinum select® world elite mastercard®, $0 intro annual fee for the first year , then $99 *, variable purchase apr: 21.24% – 29.99% *, *pricing details.

EVERYDAY PURCHASES AND NO ANNUAL FEE*

American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®

Earn 15,000 american airlines aadvantage® bonus miles with our no annual fee credit card*, bonus miles earned after $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, bonus miles earned after $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, no annual fee *.

BEST VALUE FOR ADMIRALS CLUB® MEMBERSHIP

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

Limited-time: earn 100,000 american airlines aadvantage® bonus miles and enjoy the only credit card with admirals club® membership, bonus miles earned after $10,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, annual fee $595 *.

BUSINESS OWNERS

Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®

Earn 65,000 american airlines aadvantage® bonus miles to redeem for business travel, bonus miles earned after you or your employees spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening, make business travel more rewarding.

International credit cards

Find the country you live in and choose the card for you.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Offer availability.

American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account in the past 48 months.

The card offer referenced in this communication is only available to individuals who reside in the United States and its territories, excluding Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Bonus miles

Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) are not purchases. American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles typically will appear as a bonus in your AAdvantage® account 8-10 weeks after you have met the purchase requirements. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Purchases must post to your account during the promotional period. Many merchants will wait for a purchase to ship before they post the purchase to your account. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account.

First checked bag free

For benefit to apply, the Citi® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, these benefits will be cancelled.

Eligible Citi® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmembers may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on itineraries marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. All flights on the itinerary must be domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. For the Citi® / AAdvantage® credit card, up to four (4) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get their first checked bag free of charge if they are listed in the same reservation. Waiver does not apply to overweight or oversized bags. This benefit cannot be combined with any existing AAdvantage® elite program benefits, or with First or Business class benefits, including any waiver of baggage charges. Please see aa.com/baggage » for baggage weight and size restrictions. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Double miles on American Airlines purchases

Eligible American Airlines purchases are items billed by American Airlines as merchant of record booked through American Airlines channels (aa.com, American Airlines reservations, American Airlines Admirals Club®, American Airlines Vacations℠, Google Flights, and American Airlines airport and city ticket counters). Products or services that do not qualify are car rentals and hotel reservations, purchase of elite status boost or renewal, and AA Cargo℠ products and services. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8-10 weeks.

Double miles at restaurants and gas stations

Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent on purchases at restaurants (including cafes, bars, lounges, and fast food restaurants) and at gas stations. Food and beverage purchases made at the American Airlines Admirals Club® will be awarded 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent as part of the Double Miles on American Airlines purchases benefit.

Certain non-qualifying purchases: Restaurant purchases not eligible to receive double miles include, but are not limited to, supercenters, warehouse clubs, discount stores, restaurants / cafes inside department stores, bowling alleys, public and private golf courses, country clubs, convenience stores, movie theaters, caterers and meal kit delivery services. Gas station purchases not eligible to receive double miles include, but are not limited to, purchases made at warehouse clubs that do not code gas station purchases under a gas station code, discount stores, department stores and convenience stores.

Merchant classification for rewards categories: Merchants are assigned a merchant category code (“MCC”), which is determined in accordance with Visa/Mastercard/American Express procedures based on the kinds of products and services the merchants primarily sell. Citi does not control the assignment of these codes and are not responsible for the codes used by merchants. When you use your card to make a purchase, Citi is provided an MCC for that purchase. Citi groups similar merchant codes into categories for purposes of making rewards offers. Sometimes you may expect a purchase to fit within a rewards category, but if the code assigned to the merchant wasn’t grouped into that category as recognized by Citi, your purchase will not qualify for additional miles. [For example, you won’t earn additional miles for purchases at a restaurant located within a retailer if the restaurant is assigned a “retailer” code instead of a “restaurant” code.] Please also note – purchases made through mobile/wireless technology may not earn additional miles depending on how the technology is set up to process the purchase.

Citi® reserves the right to determine which purchases qualify for this offer. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) do not earn miles. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8-10 weeks.

1 mile per $1

AAdvantage® miles are earned on purchases, except balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions). Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8-10 weeks.

Preferred boarding

For benefit to apply, the Citi® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, this benefit will be cancelled. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Up to four (4) companions traveling with and listed in the same reservation as the Citi® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmember are eligible to board at the same time as the primary credit cardmember. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Eligible credit cardmembers will board after Priority boarding is complete, but before the rest of economy boarding. The boarding benefit will display on your American Airlines boarding pass as Group 5. This benefit applies on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

$125 American Airlines Flight Discount

Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount certificate (the “Flight Discount”) after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases that post to your Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® credit card billing statement during your credit cardmembership year (every 12 months from the billing cycle after your anniversary month through the billing cycle of your next anniversary month). With the exception of special account status or circumstances (e.g. Military relief programs), the anniversary month will coincide with the month in which the annual fee is billed. To receive the Flight Discount, your account must be open for one full billing cycle after your anniversary month. For your first year of credit cardmembership, purchases qualify as of the date of your account opening. The Flight Discount expires one year from date of issue of the certificate. The Flight Discount is redeemable toward the initial ticket purchase of air travel wholly on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. for itineraries originating in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or U.S. Virgin Islands, and sold in US Dollars. The Flight Discount is also redeemable for air travel on any oneworld® carrier or American Airlines codeshare flight. The Flight Discount is redeemable online at aa.com, or by calling American Airlines Reservations. A reservations services fee may apply for travel booked through American Airlines Reservations. The Flight Discount is redeemable only toward the purchase of the base airfare and directly associated taxes, fees and charges that are collected as part of the fare calculation for travel. The Flight Discount cannot be used to pay the taxes and charges on mileage redemption tickets where only taxes and fees are being collected. The Flight Discount may not be used for flight products and/or services that are sold separately or non-flight products and/or services sold by American Airlines. If the ticket price is greater than the value of the Flight Discount, the difference must be paid only with a credit, debit or charge card, or with American Airlines Gift Cards. Any unused balance can be applied towards eligible future travel until the stated expiration date. If travel booked with the Flight Discount is cancelled or changed by the credit cardmember, the Flight Discount will be forfeited and the credit cardmember will be responsible for any applicable fare difference and the applicable change fee. The Flight Discount will not be replaced for any reason. The Flight Discount is non-refundable, may not be sold and has no cash redemption value. After qualification, please allow 8-12 weeks for delivery of the Flight Discount.

25% savings on eligible inflight purchases

Citi® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their Citi® / AAdvantage® card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases, such as wireless internet access. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember’s card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Authorized user

Before adding an authorized user to your credit card account you should know:

You’re responsible for all charges made or allowed to the credit card account by the authorized user. Miles earned on an authorized user’s credit card will be allocated to the AAdvantage® account of the primary credit cardholder and not the authorized user. Authorized users have access to your credit card account information. Before adding an authorized user, you must let him/her know that we may report credit card account performance to the credit reporting agencies in the authorized user’s name. If we ask for information about the authorized user, you must obtain their permission to share their information with us and for us to share it as allowed by applicable law. Authorized users do not receive the first checked bag free or boarding benefits.

Fraud Disclosure

If Citi sees evidence of fraud, misuse, abuse, or suspicious activity, as determined by Citi in its sole discretion, Citi reserves the right to take action against you and your credit card account. This may include, without limitation and without prior notice, declining your credit card account application, stopping you from earning American Airlines AAdvantage® miles for purchases made with your card, suspending or closing your Citi® / AAdvantage® card account, and advising American Airlines of such activity. Citi may also take legal action against you to recover monetary losses, including litigation costs and damages. Examples of activities that may trigger such actions include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) application for a card account in an attempt to take advantage of a bonus offer that was not intended for you or for which you are not eligible per the terms of the offer; (2) repeated cancellation or conversion of your Citi card accounts within one year after account opening or conversion; (3) returns of purchases you made to satisfy all or a substantial portion of the purchase requirements for a bonus offer or excessive returns of purchases for which you have earned AAdvantage® miles or (4) using your account other than for personal, family or household purposes.

Card Account Disclosure

The Card Account is only available if you have an open AAdvantage® program membership in your name. Citi reserves the right to cancel your Card Account if you or American Airlines terminates or deactivates your AAdvantage® program membership.

American Airlines reserves the right to change the AAdvantage® program and its terms and conditions at any time without notice, and to end the AAdvantage® program with six months’ notice. Any such changes may affect your ability to use the awards or mileage credits that you have accumulated. Unless specified, AAdvantage® miles earned through this promotion/offer do not count toward elite-status qualification or AAdvantage Million Miler℠ status. American Airlines is not responsible for products or services offered by other participating companies. For complete details about the AAdvantage® program, visit aa.com/aadvantage » .

Travel booked on American Airlines may be American Eagle® service, operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

American Airlines, American Eagle, AAdvantage, AAdvantage Million Miler, MileSAAver, Business Extra, Flagship, Admirals Club, Platinum Pro, AAdvantage MileUp, AA Cargo, the Flight Symbol logo and the Tail Design are marks of American Airlines, Inc.

one world is a mark of the one world Alliance, LLC.

Citibank is not responsible for products or services offered by other companies. Cardmember program terms are subject to change.

Mastercard, World Elite and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.

© 2021 Citibank, N.A. Citi, Citi and Arc Design and other marks used herein are service marks of Citigroup Inc. or its affiliates, used and registered throughout the world.

American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp® Mastercard®

Statement credit and American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a statement credit or American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles for a new AAdvantage MileUp® account in the past 48 months.

Double miles on grocery store purchases

Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent on purchases at grocery stores. Grocery stores are classified as supermarkets, freezer/meat locker provisioners, dairy product stores, miscellaneous food/convenience stores, markets, specialty vendors, and bakeries.

Certain non-qualifying purchases: You won’t earn double miles for purchases at general merchandise/discount superstores, wholesale/warehouse clubs, candy/confectionery stores, cafes, bars, lounges, and fast food restaurants.

Merchant classification for rewards categories: Merchants are assigned a merchant category code (“MCC”), which is determined in accordance with Visa/Mastercard/American Express procedures based on the kinds of products and services the merchants primarily sell. Citi does not control the assignment of these codes and are not responsible for the codes used by merchants. When you use your card to make a purchase, Citi is provided an MCC for that purchase. Citi groups similar merchant codes into categories for purposes of making rewards offers. Sometimes you may expect a purchase to fit within a rewards category, but if the code assigned to the merchant wasn’t grouped into that category as recognized by Citi, your purchase will not qualify for additional miles. [For example, you won’t earn additional miles for purchases at a restaurant located within a retailer if the restaurant is assigned a “retailer” code instead of a “restaurant” code.] Please also note – purchases made through mobile/wireless technology may not earn additional miles depending on how the technology is set up to process the purchase.

AAdvantage MileUp® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their AAdvantage MileUp® credit card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases, such as wireless internet access. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember’s card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

No mileage cap

There is no maximum number of American Airlines AAdvantage® miles that you can accumulate through your Citi® / AAdvantage® credit card account.

You’re responsible for all charges made or allowed to the credit card account by the authorized user. Miles earned on an authorized user’s credit card will be allocated to the AAdvantage® account of the primary credit cardholder and not the authorized user. Authorized users have access to your credit card account information. Before adding an authorized user, you must let him/her know that we may report credit card account performance to the credit reporting agencies in the authorized user’s name. If we ask for information about the authorized user, you must obtain their permission to share their information with us and for us to share it as allowed by applicable law.

American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive account in the past 48 months.

Eligible Citi® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmembers may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on domestic itineraries marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. All flights on the itinerary must be domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. For the Citi® / AAdvantage® card, up to eight (8) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get their first checked bag free of charge if they are listed in the same reservation. Waiver does not apply to overweight or oversized bags. This benefit cannot be combined with any existing AAdvantage® elite program benefits, or with First or Business class benefits, including any waiver of baggage charges. Please see aa.com/baggage » for baggage weight and size restrictions. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Enhanced airport experience

For benefits to apply, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel AND reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, these benefits will be cancelled. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive credit cardmembers will have the following benefits: priority check-in (where available), priority airport screening (where available), and priority boarding privileges. The priority boarding benefit will display on your American Airlines boarding pass as Group 4.

These benefits apply when traveling on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. Up to eight (8) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get priority check-in (where available), priority airport screening (where available), and priority boarding privileges if they are listed in the same reservation. You may check in at any Business Class check-in position or First Class check-in when Business Class is not available, regardless of the class of service in which you are traveling on American Airlines.

These benefits will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Exclusive lanes at security checkpoints are available, subject to TSA approval. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Citi® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their Citi® / AAdvantage® credit card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases, such as wireless internet access. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember’s card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Admirals Club® membership and credit card authorized user access

Only Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® primary credit cardmembers who are eighteen (18) years of age or older will receive full membership access privileges to Admirals Club® lounges. An authorized user of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® who is eighteen (18) years of age or older will receive access privileges to American Airlines Admirals Club® lounges. Full Admirals Club® membership privileges do not apply to a credit card authorized user. An Admirals Club® membership includes access to other airline lounges and clubs with which American Airlines may have reciprocal lounge or club access privileges. Membership also includes special pricing on conference rooms and other special offers that are available exclusively to Admirals Club® members. Neither membership nor the credit card authorized user access benefit provides access privileges to the Arrivals Lounge, International First Class Lounges, or Flagship® Lounge facilities, including Flagship® First Dining. Additionally, the credit card authorized user access benefit does not provide: (i) access privileges to other airline lounges or clubs with which American Airlines may have reciprocal lounge or club access privileges; or (ii) special pricing on conference rooms or other special offers. To locate a current list of Admirals Club® lounges please visit aa.com/admiralsclub » .

To access an Admirals Club® lounge, primary credit cardmembers and credit card authorized users must present: (i) their (a) active and valid Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® or (b) with respect to primary credit cardmembers only, AAdvantage® number; (ii) their current government-issued I.D.; and (iii) a boarding pass for same-day travel on an eligible flight, which includes any departing or arriving flight that is (1) marketed or operated by American Airlines, (2) marketed and operated by any oneworld® carrier, or (3) marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines; and (iv) any additional documentation required by American Airlines. Either immediate family members (spouse or domestic partner and children under eighteen (18) years of age) or up to two (2) guests traveling with the primary credit cardmember or authorized user may be admitted for free when accompanied by the primary credit cardmember or authorized user. Family members and guests must present a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight as defined above. All persons must be of valid drinking age, based on applicable law, to consume alcohol.

If the primary credit cardmember is an Admirals Club® member on the date his or her Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit card account is approved by Citi® and has sixty (60) or more days remaining on such current Admirals Club® membership, he or she is eligible to receive a prorated refund from American Airlines for any unused portion of his or her current Admirals Club® membership fee. The refund will be a prorated amount of the annual membership fee calculated based on the number of days remaining on such primary credit cardmember’s current Admirals Club® membership as of the date his or her Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit card account is approved by Citi®. Refunds will be automatically made in the original form of payment within twelve (12) weeks of becoming a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit cardmember. Memberships redeemed with Business Extra points, Lifetime Admirals Club® members and AirPass members with Admirals Club® privileges are not eligible for a refund.

Upon closure of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® account, all Admirals Club® benefits and access associated with the account will be immediately terminated, including, but not limited to, all benefits afforded to credit card authorized users. All Admirals Club® membership rules, terms and conditions apply. AMERICAN AIRLINES RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY ANY OR ALL RULES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. SUCH MODIFICATIONS SHALL BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND INCORPORATED INTO THIS AGREEMENT. BY ACCESSING ANY ADMIRALS CLUB® LOUNGE YOU SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE ACCEPTED THE ADMIRALS CLUB® TERMS AND CONDITIONS. To review the complete Admirals Club® membership terms and conditions, visit aa.com/admiralsclub » .

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit cardmembers are eligible to receive one statement credit up to $100 per account every five years for either the Global Entry or the TSA PreCheck® program application fee. Credit cardmembers must charge the application fee to their Citi®/ AAdvantage® Executive credit card to qualify for the statement credit. Credit cardmembers will receive a statement credit for the first program (either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®) to which they apply and pay for with their eligible card, regardless of whether they are approved for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Please allow 1-2 billing cycles after the qualifying Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee is charged to the eligible account for the statement credit to be posted to the account. Only fees associated with either the Global Entry or the TSA PreCheck® application fee will be eligible towards the statement credit.

For information on Global Entry, visit globalentry.gov. For information on TSA PreCheck®, visit tsa.gov. Applications are made directly with these organizations, and this information is not shared with Citi, nor does Citi have access to Global Entry or TSA records. Citi does not share account information with Global Entry or TSA. Decisions to approve/deny applications are made solely by these organizations, and Citi has no influence over these decisions. Citi is not notified of approvals or denials of applications.

TSA PreCheck® is a registered trademark of the Department of Homeland Security.

CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account in the past 48 months.

Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) are not purchases. American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles typically will appear as a bonus in your AAdvantage® account 8-10 weeks after you have met the purchase requirements. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmember and employee cardmembers. Purchases must post to your account during the promotional period. Many merchants will wait for a purchase to ship before they post the purchase to your account. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account.

For benefit to apply, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, these benefits will be cancelled.

Eligible CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmembers may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on itineraries marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. All flights on the itinerary must be domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. For the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card, up to four (4) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get their first checked bag free of charge if they are listed in the same reservation. Benefit does not apply to overweight or oversized bags. This benefit cannot be combined with any existing AAdvantage® elite program benefits, or with First or Business class benefits, including any waiver of baggage charges. Please see aa.com/baggage » for baggage weight and size restrictions. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Double miles on purchases in select business categories

Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on purchases at certain telecommunications merchants, car rental merchants, cable and satellite providers, and at gas stations. Telecommunications merchants are classified as merchants that sell telecommunications equipment such as telephones, fax machines, pagers, and cellular phones, along with providers of telecommunications services including local and long-distance telephone calls and fax services. Car rental merchants are classified as providers of short-term or long-term rentals of cars, trucks, or vans. Cable and satellite providers are classified as merchants that provide the connection and ongoing delivery of television, internet (computer network, information services, email website hosting services) telephone and radio programming via cable or satellite on a subscription or fee basis. Gas stations are classified as merchants that sell fuel primarily for consumer use and may or may not be attended.

Certain non-qualifying purchases: Car rental purchases not eligible to receive double miles include purchases at merchants that rent motor homes or other recreational vehicles and purchases made through travel agencies, tour operators and online third party travel sites, and charges paid on car rental redemptions through RocketMiles. Gas station purchases not eligible to receive double miles include, but are not limited to, purchases made at warehouse clubs that do not code gas station purchases under a gas station code, discount stores, department stores and convenience stores.

Citi® reserves the right to determine which purchases qualify for this offer. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) account do not earn miles. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8–10 weeks.

For benefit to apply, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, this benefit will be cancelled. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Up to four (4) companions traveling with and listed in the same reservation as the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmember are eligible to board at the same time as the primary credit cardmember. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Eligible CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers board after Priority boarding is complete, but before the rest of economy boarding. The boarding benefit will display on your American Airlines boarding pass as Group 5. This benefit applies on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

25% savings on eligible inflight purchases of food and beverage

CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember’s card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

25% savings on inflight Wi-Fi purchases

Receive a 25% savings when you use your CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum® Select credit card for the purchase of inflight Wi-Fi service from American Airline’s Wi-Fi merchants Gogo, Viasat, or Panasonic, and on American Airlines’ Wi-Fi Subscription Plan. This benefit applies to flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember’s card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

American Airlines Companion Certificate

The primary credit cardmember will earn a $99 domestic economy fare American Airlines Companion Certificate after you spend $30,000 or more in purchases that post to your CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® credit card billing statement during your credit cardmembership year (every 12 months from the billing cycle after your anniversary month through the billing cycle of your next anniversary month). With the exception of special account status or circumstances (e.g. Military relief programs) the anniversary month will coincide with the month in which the annual fee is billed. To receive the Companion Certificate, your account must be open for one full billing cycle after your anniversary month. For your first year of credit cardmembership, purchases qualify as of the date of your account opening. After these conditions are met, please allow at least 8-10 weeks for availability of the Companion Certificate. You must have an open AAdvantage® account for the Companion Certificate to be awarded to your account and to redeem the certificate. When used according to its terms, the primary credit cardmember will pay a $99 companion ticket fee plus $21.60 to $43.20 in government taxes and fees, depending on itinerary, for one round trip qualifying domestic economy fare ticket for a companion when an individual round trip qualifying domestic Main Cabin fare ticket is purchased and redeemed through American Airlines Meeting Services. Travel must be booked and purchased in select Main Cabin inventory. The certificate must be redeemed and all travel completed by midnight of the Travel Expiration Date shown on the certificate. Valid for travel on flights within the 48 contiguous United States on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. For residents of Alaska and Hawaii, the companion certificate is also valid for round-trip travel originating in either of those two states and continuing to the 48 contiguous United States. For residents of U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, companion certificate eligible travel is also defined as round-trip travel originating in either of those two territories and continuing to the 48 contiguous United States. The Companion Certificate is not redeemable for air travel on any oneworld® carrier or on an American Airlines codeshare flight. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Details, terms and conditions, certain restrictions, and restricted dates apply and will be disclosed on the certificate.

Employees may be added to the account as authorized users. Miles earned on an authorized user’s credit card will be allocated to the AAdvantage® account of the primary credit cardholder and not to the authorized user. You must pay us for all charges made or allowed by authorized users. Authorized users are able to get account information. Authorized users must be employees or contractors of your business. You need the authorized user’s permission to give us any information about them that we request and to allow us to share information about them as allowed by applicable law. This includes information we may get from you, any authorized user and others. It also includes information about their transactions on the account.

If Citi sees evidence of fraud, misuse, abuse, or suspicious activity, as determined by Citi in its sole discretion, Citi reserves the right to take action against you and your credit card account. This may include, without limitation and without prior notice, declining your credit card account application, stopping you from earning American Airlines AAdvantage® miles for purchases made with your card, suspending or closing your CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card account, and advising American Airlines of such activity. Citi may also take legal action against you to recover monetary losses, including litigation costs and damages. Examples of activities that may trigger such actions include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) application for a card account in an attempt to take advantage of a bonus offer that was not intended for you or for which you are not eligible per the terms of the offer; (2) repeated cancellation or conversion of your Citi card accounts within one year after account opening or conversion; (3) returns of purchases you made to satisfy all or a substantial portion of the purchase requirements for a bonus offer or excessive returns of purchases for which you have earned AAdvantage® miles or (4) using the account other than for business purposes.

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How To Get and Use the American Airlines Companion Certificate

Katie Seemann

Senior Content Contributor and News Editor

352 Published Articles 55 Edited Articles

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Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

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Table of Contents

What is the american airlines companion certificate, how to get an american airlines companion certificate, how to use the american airlines companion certificate, final thoughts.

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Saving money on airline tickets is a goal for most of us, so knowing how to utilize companion certificates is a smart piece of knowledge to acquire. While many airlines offer companion certificates, they all work a little differently.

In this post, we’ll review exactly what the American Airlines Companion Certificate is, what you need to do to get one, and how to redeem it for a companion flight.

The American Airlines Companion Certificate is a benefit offered on several American Airlines credit cards . It allows the cardholder to purchase a companion ticket for $99 plus taxes.

The Companion Certificate does have some restrictions that you’ll want to keep in mind. For starters, it’s only good on qualifying domestic economy tickets (within the 48 contiguous states) on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on flights marketed by American Airlines but operated by any of the following airlines:

• Compass Airlines LLC*
• American Eagle by Envoy Air Inc.**
• Envoy Air Inc.
• Mesa Airlines Inc.
• Piedmont Airlines Inc.
• PSA Airlines Inc.
• Republic Airways Inc.
• SkyWest Airlines Inc.

* Valid on certificates from Barclays credit cards only. ** Valid on certificates from Citi credit cards only.

The companion certificate is not valid on Oneworld flights or any American Airlines codeshare flights .

For Residents of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

For residents of these states and territories, the companion certificate is valid on round-trip economy tickets originating in the state or territory of residence with a destination in the 48 contiguous states.

Only certificates earned from Citi cards offer eligibility for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands residents.

Cost of the American Airlines Companion Certificate

When you earn an American Airlines Companion Certificate, you won’t be getting a completely free ticket, or even one that you just have to pay taxes on (like the Southwest Companion Pass ).

The companion ticket will cost $99 plus taxes which range from $21.60 to $43.20.

Bottom Line: The American Airlines Companion Certificate isn’t free. It costs $99 plus taxes, so you’ll end up paying between $120.60 to $142.20 for the companion fare.

The American Airlines Companion Certificate can be earned by spending either $20,000 or $30,000 on select American Airlines credit cards.

Here’s a quick look at which credit cards come with a companion certificate:

* No longer open to new applicants

Hot Tip: The AAdvantage Aviator Silver card comes with a companion certificate that’s good for 2 companion flights for $99 each once the minimum spending requirement is met. This card is no longer open to new applicants, but you can upgrade to it if you have the AAdvantage Aviator Red card.

In addition to the minimum spending requirements, there are some additional things to keep in mind when earning an American Airlines Companion Certificate.

• The minimum spend requirement is based on net purchases within the cardmember year (the 12-month period through your cardmember anniversary month).
• Your account must remain open for a minimum of 45 days after the anniversary date (or for a full billing cycle for the CitiBusiness Platinum Select card ).
• The certificate is valid for 1 year from the date of issue.
• The certificate is only valid for qualifying round-trip domestic economy fares purchased through American Airlines Meeting Services.
• After meeting the requirements, the certificate will be available for use within 1 to 2 weeks for AAdvantage Aviator cardholders or 8 to 10 weeks for CitiBusiness Platinum Select cardholders.

Bottom Line: The American Airlines Companion Certificate is only good for round-trip domestic economy tickets. Certificates earned through the CitiBusiness Platinum Select card specify that the economy ticket must be a Main Cabin fare.

American Airlines Companion Certificates are good for qualifying round-trip domestic economy flights. That means you can’t use these certificates for business class or first class tickets. In addition, the certificate earned from the CitiBusiness Platinum Select card specifies that it can’t be used for Basic Economy fares.

If you live in the contiguous 48 United States, the companion certificate can only be used on travel within the 48 contiguous states.

If you reside in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, a domestic ticket is one that originates in your state/territory of residence and travels to the contiguous 48 states.

American Airlines Companion Certificates can be redeemed by calling American Airlines Meeting Services at 800-433-1790.

The American Airlines Companion Certificate is almost like getting a 2-for-1 deal. With this certificate, cardholders who meet the minimum spending requirement will be eligible for a $99 companion ticket (plus taxes) when they purchase a domestic economy ticket. It’s a nice perk on select American Airlines credit cards.

If the American Airlines Companion Certificate doesn’t work well for you, other airlines offer companion certificates, including Delta , Southwest , British Airways , and Alaska Airlines .

The information regarding the AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Red World Elite Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.  The information regarding AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Silver Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding AAdvantage ® Aviator ® World Elite Business Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the CitiBusiness ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an american airlines companion certificate.

An American Airlines Companion Certificate is a perk that comes with select co-branded American Airlines credit cards. Once a cardholder meets a minimum spending requirement ($20,000 to $30,000), they will earn a companion certificate which allows them to add a companion to a domestic economy flight for $99 plus taxes.

Does American Airlines offer companion fares?

Yes, American Airlines offers companion fares through select co-branded credit cards. Cardholders will earn a companion fare certificate after meeting a minimum spending threshold (either $20,000 or $30,000 depending on the card).

What credit cards offer the American Airlines Companion Certificate benefit?

Currently, there are 4 credit cards that offer a companion certificate as a benefit:

• AAdvantage Aviator Red card
• AAdvantage Aviator Silver card (no longer open to new applicants)
• AAdvantage Aviator Business card
• CitiBusiness Platinum Select card

Can I use the American Airlines Companion Certificate for first class tickets?

No, the American Airlines Companion Certificate can only be used for economy tickets.

Can I use the American Airlines Companion Certificate to fly to Hawaii?

No, the American Airlines Companion Certificate can only be used for travel within the contiguous 48 states. However, residents of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands can use the certificate to fly from their home states/territories to the contiguous 48 states.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

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How to Get More Hotel Points and Airline Miles in June 2024

By Ramsey Qubein

Summer is here, and it’s vacation time for many families looking to get away from the grind. Points and miles can help make sure your next trip doesn’t drain your budget by putting your airline loyalty accounts, hotel memberships, and credit cards to work for you. It's a good month for travel deals—to encourage business, many companies offer seasonal promotions rewarding repeat purchases or loyalty. Below, the deals and perks you need to know about to kick off summer with a bang.

But first: If you need to learn how to get started with travel rewards credit cards or how to use points and miles, read our guide for beginners here . And for more guides, advice, and reviews of travel credit cards, go to our points and miles section .

Get more value and loyalty points when flying Delta

Delta loyalists, rejoice: The airline has a couple of promotions with deadlines coming up—so act fast. First, Delta has a new promotion that lets travelers earn one (1) Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) per dollar spent when reserving hotels or car rentals through its travel portal. This offer is a great way to get closer to elite status without actually flying, and it’s available through June 24. Note that, because you’re booking hotel stays through Delta’s travel portal, you will not earn hotel points or be eligible for hotel status benefits during those stays. It is best to use this travel portal only when booking stays where you’re not looking to earn hotel points or status perks, perhaps at properties where you may not have any kind of loyalty anyway.

There’s also a special offer available until June 17 (or while supplies last) that rewards travelers with a bonus $20 Starbucks gift card when purchasing a Delta gift card worth $300 using any credit card. This could be a good way to bank cash for a future flight; Delta gift cards are easy to use and are treated like cash, meaning using a gift card to buy a plane ticket through Delta means you’re eligible to earn miles and loyalty points with the airline.

Earn more points at stays with Marriott, Choice Hotels, and Best Western

Considering a vacation rental in beach, mountain, or urban destinations this summer? Marriott Bonvoy members can earn five points per dollar spent on any Homes & Villas by Marriott booking made between now and June 26. The stay should last for a minimum of five nights and take place between now and March 31, 2025. Be sure to register for this promotion before your stay.

Through August 5, guests who complete a stay at Choice Hotels properties can earn 8,000 points (enough for a $50 gift card) after completing two qualifying stays. Travelers can earn the bonus as many as four times, but only after registering for the promotion . Choice Privileges points can be used at the brand’s portfolio of hotels, but also at Preferred Hotels & Resorts , a collection of independent luxury hotels around the world, which include The Leela Palace Udaipur in India (a Condé Nast Traveler Gold List editor’s pick) and The Fullerton Hotel Sydney in Australia.

Best Western Rewards released their summer offer with 10,000 bonus points earned after staying for three nights. Stay for another three nights, and you earn another 10,000 bonus points, capped at 20,000 points. Staying beyond six nights during the promotion unlocks another perk: double points on all stays with a weekend checkout, and triple points when checking out on a weekday (Again, be sure to register before your first stay ). This promotion is valid through September 2 at participating Best Western hotels.

Best Western’s network is larger than what you might think, including a partnership with WorldHotels, which has its own promotion this summer. Between now and September 2, members can earn up to 20,000 points when staying at WorldHotels’ independent hotels and resorts like the Alhambra Palace Hotel in Granada, Spain, and Makedonia Palace in Thessaloniki, Greece. WorldHotels Rewards members will earn 10,000 points after staying three nights at participating properties. They can earn the bonus twice, but be sure to register before your first stay .

Buy points and miles with a bonus

In addition to booking stays and taking flights, you can always just outright buy points and miles to get closer to an award redemption with a hotel or an airline. You have until June 10 to take advantage of a 70% bonus when buying Flying Blue miles, the points currency of Air France-KLM. You can use those miles to book flights with the European megacarrier or any of its partners like Delta and Virgin Atlantic.

And if you need Hyatt points, you’re in luck: World of Hyatt is offering a 20% bonus on purchased points between now and July 1. These points are well-spent for stays at places like the recently renovated Park Hyatt Milano in Milan, Italy, or the beautiful new Thompson Houston, by Hyatt that just opened earlier this year.

If you take advantage of these opportunities, note that purchases for both these bonus offers are processed through Points.com, and not directly through the airline or hotel themselves. This means you wouldn’t earn extra points for using a credit card that gives bonus spending categories for flights or hotel stays, respectively. You’re better off using a card that earns two points per dollar spent on all types of spending, like the Capital One Venture card .

Secure a status match through cruises

If cruises are part of your summer plans, consider a status match available for the Royal Caribbean Group’s trio of brands: Royal Caribbean , Celebrity Cruises , and Silversea . If you hold elite status with one of the three cruise lines, you are now eligible for equivalent status on the other two—and that includes all the onboard discounts and bonuses that come with it depending on your status. You don’t need to do anything to take advantage of it other than provide your loyalty number before your cruise.

Use up those credit card perks and rewards

Each month, credit card companies provide incentives, like Amex Offers, for spending a certain amount with different retailers and brands. These can prove to be lucrative ways to score bonus points or sizable cash rebates. This month, The Platinum Card from American Express is offering many cardholders a $40 statement credit when spending $180 on Delta tickets. The offer is available through July 5, but must be activated in your credit card account first. Hilton, Hyatt Inclusive Collection, JetBlue, and Hertz have similar cash back offers valid for the start of summer.

By CNT Editors

By Lindsey Tramuta

By Lauren Burvill

By Meaghan Kenny

Other American Express cardholders may find offers for WorldHotels to earn a $150 statement credit after spending $750 between now and July 19. And an offer especially for those with the Delta Platinum American Express card : 7,500 bonus Delta SkyMiles added to your account after spending $200 on Delta flights before August 15.

Chase Sapphire Reserve members attending the Olympics in Paris have access to a special VIP lounge that will have food, drinks, and meet-and-greets with Olympic athletes. Cardholders can bring one guest any time the lounge is open between July 27 and August 11. They are also eligible for special access to dinner reservations at an iconic restaurant with tasting menus in view of the Eiffel Tower .

Other good hotel bonuses to check out

Another promotion from World of Hyatt: If you book a stay at a Thompson Hotel or a Dream Hotel—two of Hyatt’s boutique luxury brands—each night will count as two nights towards elite status. This is running until July 15, an extension of an original promotion that was offered earlier in the year. Be sure to register before your stay .

Additionally, IHG One Rewards members can hit two birds with one stone by staying at any IHG property, earning their usual nights and points for the hotel stay, and earn United MileagePlus miles on top of that. The booking must be made by June 30, and the stays must be completed by August 31. Registration is required .

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Best business credit cards of June 2024

The best business credit cards offer generous earning rates, lucrative perks and additional features to affect both your bottom line and your operational efficiency. Selecting the right business card allows you to earn rewards while focusing on the day-to-day operations of your enterprise — whether you own a formal business with multiple employees, are just getting your company off the ground or simply do freelance work as a side gig.

Business credit cards allow you to separate business and personal spending. In addition, they allow you to access more rewards and unique perks that aren’t typically offered on personal credit cards. Consider where your business spends the most and what type of rewards you want to earn when selecting your business card — or cards.

Check out our curated selection and comprehensive guide on some of the best business cards from our partners below.

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for travel perks
• Capital One Venture X Business : Best for businesses with high-spending
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card : Best for bonus earning
• Capital One Spark Cash Plus : Best for unlimited business cash back
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express : Best for no annual fee
• American Express® Business Gold Card : Best for flexible rewards earning
• Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card : Best for freelancers
• Capital One Spark Miles for Business : Best for everyday business spending
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card : Best for office supplies
• Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card : Best for businesses that fly Alaska Air regularly
• Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card : Best for BofA Preferred Rewards for Business members
• Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card : Best for customizable business cash back
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card : Best for frequent Southwest Airlines flyers
• United℠ Business Card : Best for United Airlines flyers

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Comparing the best credit cards, more details on the best credit cards, credit pointers with brian kelly, maximizing business credit cards, helpful tools, how we rate cards, what is a business credit card, how to choose the best business credit card, ask our experts, pros + cons of business credit cards, frequently asked questions.

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The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The Business Platinum Card from American Express is a great card for frequent travelers looking to add a touch of luxury to their business trips. While the card does come with a high annual fee, you’re also getting a ton of valuable benefits in return. They include generous annual travel credits, unparalleled lounge access that includes Amex Centurion Lounges and more. Read our full review of the Business Platinum Card from American Express .

• Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years or $85 TSA PreCheck credit every 4.5 years (enrollment is required)
• Up to $400 annual statement credit for U.S. Dell purchases (enrollment required)
• Gold status at Marriott and Hilton hotels; access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program and Hotel Collection (enrollment required)
• Steep $695 annual fee.
• High spend needed for welcome offer.
• Limited high bonus categories outside of travel.
• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card®, here.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
• $695 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Capital One Venture X Business

The Capital One Venture X business card has all the Capital One Venture X Reward Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit and lounge access. Read our full review of the Capital One Venture X Business card .

• The Capital One Venture X Business card has a welcome offer of 150,000 miles.
• In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 travel credit and airport lounge access, at a reasonable annual fee of $395.
• Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
• The card requires a high spend of $30,000 in the first three months to earn the 150,000-miles welcome bonus.
• Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Travel.
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
• This card has no preset spending limit, so you get purchasing power that adapts to your spending needs. The annual fee on this card is $395
• Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
• Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get the best prices on thousands of options
• Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
• Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
• Skip the lines with up to a $100 statement credit on TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry. Then enjoy unlimited complimentary access to Capital One Lounges and a network of 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Priority Pass™ and Plaza Premium Group lounges
• This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
• Elevate your stay at luxury hotels and resorts from the Premier Collection with a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits on every booking

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card’s sign-up bonus is among the highest we’ve seen from Chase. Plus earn points across the four bonus categories (travel, shipping, advertising and telecommunication providers) that are most popular with businesses. The card comes with travel protections, shopping protections and will also have primary coverage when renting a car for business purposes for you and your employees. Read our full  review of the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card .

• One of the highest sign-up bonuses we’ve seen — 100,000 bonus points after $8,000 worth of spend in the first three months after card opening.
• Access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal for points redemption.
• Reasonable $95 annual fee.
• Bonus categories that are most relevant to business owners; primary car insurance.
• Perks including cellphone and purchase protection; extended warranty; trip cancellation/interruption insurance; trip delay reimbursement;.
• Yearly cap on bonus categories.
• No travel perks.
• Subject to Chase's 5/24 rule on card applications.
• Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• Member FDIC

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus is a business cash-back card that offers 2% on all purchases. If your business spends more than $7,500 annually and doesn’t want to keep up with multiple bonus categories, this is the perfect card for you.

• Unlimited 2% rewards rate on all purchases with no categories to keep up with
• No foreign transaction fees, making this a great card to bring on your travels abroad
• $150 annual fee may be pricey for small business owners
• Earn a one-time cash bonus of $1,200 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months
• Earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
• Comes with no preset spending limit, so it can adapt to your needs based on your spending behavior, payment history and credit profile
• Get your $150 annual fee refunded every year you spend at least $150,000
• Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Add employee cards for free, and earn unlimited 2% cash back from their purchases
• $150 annual fee
• Spark Cash Plus has no APR because your balance is due in full every month

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

The Blue Business Plus is a great card for small business owners who want to earn lucrative Membership Rewards points on everyday business spending. It was created specifically for sole proprietorships and start-ups with limited revenue who would appreciate a card with an introductory interest rate and expanded buying power. Read our full review of the Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express . 

• No annual fee.
• Earn Membership Rewards points; transfer points to 22 travel partners.
• 2x points capped at $50,000 a calendar year (then 1x)
• No higher bonus categories for business-related spending.
• Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.49% - 26.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening. APR will not exceed 29.99%
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter.
• You’ve got the power to use your Card beyond its credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power.
• *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors.
• No Annual Fee
• Terms Apply

American Express® Business Gold Card

The Amex Business Gold card is a solid choice for high-spending small businesses with the flexibility to earn 4 points per dollar in the two categories where you spend the most. The card is ideal for businesses who value simplicity above all. Read our full review of the Amex Business Gold card .

• You'll earn 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar in the top 2 spending categories each month (on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year).
• Hefty $375 annual fee.
• There may be better options for small businesses who don't spend a lot.
• Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
• Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
• Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
• Your Card – Your Choice. Choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
• *Terms Apply
• See Rates & Fees

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited' sign-up gives you a generous $750 cash back spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening plus unlimited 1.5% cash back on every business purchase. It fills in rewards gaps not covered by the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. You can maximize this card by pairing it with cards including the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Ink Business Preferred. Read our full review of the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card .

• Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• No Annual Fee.
• Primary insurance for car rentals.
• No conversion to Chase points without holding the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred.
• Higher spend to receive sign-up bonus.
• No travel protections.
• Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
• Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
• Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
• 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business offers a simple way to earn rewards on every business purchase, no matter the category. Those miles can then be easily redeemed for travel purchases or by transferring to partners. Read our full review of the Capital One Spark Miles for Business.

• You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you don’t have to juggle different bonus categories.
• Employee cards are free and also earn 2 miles per dollar on all spending.
• It’s an affordable card that only charges $95 in annual fees, and that fee is $0 the first year.
• The sign-up bonus is only worth $925 according to TPG valuations (not provided by the issuer), which falls short against some of the top business travel cards.
• The card comes with minimal perks if you’re wanting additional benefits for when you travel.
• Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account
• Unlimited 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
• Skip the lines with up to a $100 statement credit on TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
• Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

The Chase Ink Business Cash is an excellent no annual fee card for small business owners. Cardholders can earn 5% cash back on office supplies and select utilities, as well as 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations. Ink Business Cash cardholders also get automatic credit limit increase assessments every six months — and sometimes even sooner — to suit the needs of their growing enterprises. Read our full review of the Chase Ink Business Cash card . 

• Earn $350 after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
• You’ll earn 5% at office supply stores and on common monthly bills such as internet, cable and phone services. Plus, you’ll earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.
• 5% and 2% cash back earned on certain categories is capped at the first $25,000 you make in combined purchases each account anniversary year.
• Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening
• Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
• Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
• 10% Business Relationship Bonus If you have the Ink Business Cash card plus a Chase Business Checking account on your first card anniversary
• Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card

For small business owners in the Pacific Northwest, this card definitely packs a punch. You can jump start your earning with a good sign-up bonus and the famous companion fare offer, and Alaska Airlines has some good airline transfer partners if you need to go another route. Read our full review of the Alaska Airlines Visa Business card .

• Get Alaska's Famous Companion Fare each year card is renewed (after meeting spend requirement)
• Free checked bag
• 20% back on inflight food, beverage and Wi-Fi purchases when you pay with your card
• Only earns 1-2 miles per dollar for all purchases outside of Alaska Airlines purchases
• Get 50,000 bonus miles and Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
• Earn another Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after spending $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year.
• Free checked bag for any cardholder and up to 6 guests on the same reservation when you pay for your flight with your card - that's a savings of $60 per person roundtrip!
• Priority Boarding for any cardholder when paying for the flight with an Alaska Airlines Business card.
• Earn 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases, 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, shipping and local transit (including rideshare) purchases and 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Earn a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases if your company has an eligible Bank of America® small business account.
• Enjoy 20% back on Alaska Airlines inflight purchases when you pay with your new card.
• Get $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ Membership purchased with your Alaska Airlines Business card.
• Plus, no international transaction fees and a low annual fee of $70 for the company and $25 per card.
• This offer may not be available if you leave this page or visit our website. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

The Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Back offers phenomenal returns on all purchases, with a 1.5% earning rate that could potentially climb to 1.875-2.62x for existing Bank of America customers who participate in the Preferred Rewards for Business program. Read our full  review of the Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard credit card .

• Unlimited 1.5% earning rate on all eligible purchases, no matter the category.
• Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business members could have access to even more earning potential.
• There’s a 3% foreign transaction fee, so you want to avoid using this card on your international travels.
• Redemption options are limited to cash back rewards.
• Get a $300 online statement credit after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases, or join Preferred Rewards for Business for no fee, and earn up to an unlimited 2.62% cash back on all purchases if you have a Bank of America® business checking account and qualify for Preferred Rewards for Business Platinum Honors tier.
• No annual cap and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
• Choose how to redeem your cash rewards – as a deposit into your Bank of America® checking or savings account, as a card statement credit or as a check mailed to you.
• 0% Introductory APR on purchases for your first 9 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 18.49% to 28.49% will apply.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card offers small businesses a way to mold their rewards structure to fit changing business needs. If you qualify for the Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business program, this no-annual-fee card has the potential to easily earn you thousands of dollars in cash back each year. Read our full review of the Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash card.

• Flexible earning structure (3% cash back in the category of your choice and 2% on dining; up to $50,000 in combined purchases per year (then 1%)
• No annual fee or expiration on rewards.
• $300 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
• Only one category can be chosen for the 3% rewards rate each month.
• 3% foreign transaction fee.
• Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice: gas stations & EV charging stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services or business consulting services, 2% cash back on dining purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• You'll earn 3% cash back on purchases in the category of your choice and 2% cash back on dining purchases on the first $50,000 in combined choice category/dining purchases each calendar year, 1% thereafter.
• You can earn up to 75% more cash back on every purchase, if you have a business checking account with Bank of America and qualify for Preferred Rewards for Business Platinum Honors tier. That means you could earn up to 5.25% cash back in your selected choice category and up to 3.5% cash back on dining purchases on the first $50,000 in those combined purchases each calendar year, and up to an unlimited 1.75% cash back on all other purchases.
• Choose how to redeem your cash rewards-as a deposit into your Bank of America® checking or savings account, as a card statement credit or as a check mailed to you. Cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
• To change your choice category for future purchases, you must go to the Mobile Banking app or Business Advantage 360, our small business online banking. You can change it once each calendar month, or make no change and it stays the same.

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business card is ideal for business travelers and loyal Southwest flyers interested in hitting A-List status or earning a Companion Pass. Read our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card . 

• 9,000 points on each cardmember anniversary
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus credit (up to $100)
• 4 upgraded boardings a year
• $199 annual fee means only those loyal to Southwest will truly benefit
• Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• 9,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
• Earn 4X pts on Southwest® purchases.
• Earn 3X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
• Earn 2X points on rideshare.
• Earn 2X points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services and 1X points on all other purchases.
• 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.

United℠ Business Card

The United Business Card offers a plethora of travel benefits that will benefit business owners who prefer to fly United — all for a reasonable annual fee. Read our full review of the United Business Card . 

• Earns 2 miles per $1 spent in a variety of categories, including United purchases, dining (including eligible delivery services), gas, office supplies and more
• Get a $100 United travel credit after qualifying purchases each year
• If you have a personal United card, too, you can earn 5,000 bonus miles each year
• Open employee cards at no additional cost
• Redemption options are mostly limited to United and its partners
• Other United cards have higher earning rates on some purchases
• You might get more use from transferable points instead of United miles
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
• Receive a 5,000-mile "better together" bonus each anniversary when you have both the United℠ Business Card and a personal Chase United® credit card.
• Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, dining including eligible delivery services, at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting.
• Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Plus, employee cards at no additional cost - miles earned from their purchases accrue in your account so you can earn rewards faster.
• Enjoy a free first checked bag - a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip (terms apply), 2 United Club℠ one-time passes per year, and priority boarding privileges.
• $100 United® travel credit after 7 United flight purchases of $100 or more each anniversary year.

While its $695 annual fee (see rates and fees ) may appear jarring at first, the Business Platinum Amex offers unmatched benefits, including lounge access, plus other value-added perks that can easily offset the card’s annual fee each year. Not to mention, it has an earning structure that can add up quickly for those who travel frequently. If you want to be rewarded for travel spending with American Express Travel and want extra comfort on your trips, this card provides both. New applicants can earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership.

You don’t have to be a high spender to find value in this card. It’s well suited for those who travel frequently, will enjoy airport lounge access , will benefit from automatic elite status with Marriott and Hilton (enrollment required) and can maximize the card’s various statement credits. Plus, the card’s return on spending for travel purchases is very strong — as is the return in select business categories and purchases totaling more than $5,000. You’ll also enjoy a 35% points rebate on eligible flights booked with Amex Travel on up to 1 million points back per calendar year.

“I find that the annual perks and credits vastly outweigh the large annual fee. And that's even without using some of them. By using the benefits with Priority Pass and Amex lounges, the airline incidental credits, plus the statement credits for Clear, our cellphone plan and restocking my home printer with ink and paper from Dell, I get more value out of the card than it costs to keep it. Plus, it earns my favorite points — American Express Membership Enrollment is required for select benefits. Rewards — earning 5 points per dollar spent on flights and hotels booked with Amex Travel.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

If you have a business banking relationship with Capital One, consider the Capital One Venture X Business card. It comes with a lower annual fee (see rates and fees ) and access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One Lounges. Additionally, it earns at least 2 Capital One miles per dollar spent on all purchases.

The Capital One Venture X Business credit card features a $395 annual fee (see rates and fees ) that more than pays for itself when you account for the considerable rewards and perks that come with the card. We love that the Venture X Business card earns an unlimited 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase when you book via Capital One Travel. We especially love the generous earning structure that gives you 5 miles per dollar spent on flights and the whopping 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars (when booked through Capital One Travel).

Fans of Capital One who frequently book travel via the Capital One portal and want a card the offers no foreign transaction fees.

In addition to a solid earning structure, the Venture X Business card provides you with a $300 annual credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel in addition to 10,000 bonus miles every year on your account anniversary — starting with your first anniversary.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great option for those who want to take advantage of a solid earning structure that provides them with easy to redeem miles. The Venture Rewards card earns an unlimited 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase plus an unlimited 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. You get similar benefits that come with the more premium Capital One Venture cards with a smaller annual fee of $95 (see rates and fees ).

With just a $95 annual fee, you’ll unlock several valuable perks on the Ink Business Preferred . These include a strong earning structure, valuable insurance benefits and access to Chase’s full range of airline and hotel transfer partners, such as World of Hyatt and United Airlines MileagePlus. Using these partners is the key to getting huge value from your Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Additionally, you can earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on purchases within three months from account opening.

Small business owners who spend heavily on travel, shipping, advertising or internet, cable and phone services will benefit from earning 3 points per dollar spent on these purchases (on up to $150,000 of purchases per account year, then 1 point per dollar). Plus, they can take advantage of the card’s primary rental car insurance, excellent  purchase protection , extended warranty and  cellphone protection  (when you pay your monthly bill with your card) — valuable benefits if something goes wrong.

“I originally signed up for the Ink Business Preferred primarily for its sign-up bonus. But, over the last year, I’ve found myself making it my go-to card when booking travel. After all, the Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar spent on travel and provides excellent travel protections, including trip delay protection and rental car insurance.”  —  Katie Genter , senior writer

Consider the  Capital One Spark Miles for Business , which has a $0 introductory annual fee the first year, then $95 (see  rates and fees ). It earns 5 miles per dollar spent on hotel and rental car reservations made with Capital One Travel and unlimited 2 miles per dollar spent on other purchases. You’ll also enjoy reimbursement for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee — a benefit worth up to $100 once every four years.

We love earning 2% cash back on all purchases with the Spark Cash Plus, meaning there are no bonus categories to track or complex transfer partners to understand when it’s time to redeem your rewards. Plus, the card has two user-friendly elements: Rewards don’t expire as long as your account is open, and you can redeem your cash back in any increment, starting from just a cent. The annual fee is a reasonable $150 (see rates and fees ).

Business owners whose spending habits fluctuate will love the fact that this card has no preset spending limits. It adapts to you, which can be great when you need to spend more around busy periods or to restock inventory. If you can pay your bill in full each month (which is required on this card), you’ll love this spending flexibility.

High-spending businesses can take home a ton of cash-back without worrying about complicated travel rewards.

If you’d prefer to earn transferable rewards points or get higher earnings in your most common spending categories, the American Express® Business Gold Card might fit well in your wallet. You’ll earn 4 points per dollar (an 8% return on spending based on TPG’s valuations ) in your top two spending categories each month on up to $150,000 of these purchases annually, then 1 point per dollar.

The Blue Business Plus Card from American Express offers a solid earning rate of 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar. If your small business spends less than $50,000 each year in purchases, the Blue Business Plus can be a good no-annual-fee option (see rates and fees ) that provides an effective 4% return on spending, based on TPG’s valuations of Amex points. For those with spending that falls outside other cards’ bonus categories, this is an excellent option.

Freelancers, those with a side hustle, newcomers to points and miles and those with varying expenses will love this card and the fact that it doesn’t require tracking any bonus categories to maximize earnings . Instead, its flat earning rate provides value on all purchases without an annual fee required to unlock its full potential.

“ There are very few no-annual-fee cards that award fully transferable points, but the Amex Blue Business Plus is one of them. Not only that, but you'll earn 2 Membership Rewards points for every dollar you spend (on up to $50,000 each year). That's a fantastic return of 4% back based on TPG's valuations, making this a great option for your small-business needs.” — Nick Ewen , director of content

If you want a card without an annual fee that doesn’t have the earning limits of the Blue Business Plus, look at the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card . You’ll earn 1.5% back on all purchases (and can convert these into transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you have other eligible Chase credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card). Doing so would yield a 3% return on all spending based on TPG’s valuations.

There are few perks more rewarding than earning a large number of points automatically — but that’s just the attraction of the Amex Business Gold. You’ll earn 4  Membership Rewards points per dollar in your top two spending categories monthly (on up to $150,000 of these purchases annually, then 1 point per dollar). Categories include popular business expenses like U.S. restaurants, U.S. advertising in select media and U.S. computer software, to name a few. Plus, you can add up to 99 employee cards, paying just a $95 annual fee for the first five cards, and then a $95 annual fee for each card after (see rates and fees ). The card currently has a welcome bonus of 70,000 bonus points after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.

Business owners who spend in the card’s bonus categories will love its up-to-8% return (based on TPG’s valuations ). Bonus categories where you can earn up to 4 points per dollar include transit purchases; U.S. purchases for online, TV and radio advertising; monthly wireless phone service charges made directly from U.S. service providers; U.S. purchases at gas stations; U.S. purchases at restaurants; and U.S. purchases from electronic goods retailers and cloud system providers. You’ll also enjoy perks like Amex Offers . 

“ No other card provides the earning potential and adaptability this card has. Sure, its annual fee isn’t cheap, but I love the fact that I don’t need to think about what purchases I put on this card. It will automatically adapt and provide 4 points per dollar in my top two spending categories monthly (up to $150,000 of these purchases yearly).” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

If you’re looking for a lower annual fee or a card that earns bonus points on more purchase categories (not just your top two per month), consider the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card . You’ll earn 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel, shipping, select advertising purchases and internet, cable and phone services (on up to $150,000 in annual purchases, then 1 point per dollar). Its annual fee is just $95.

If you’re looking for ease of earning on all your purchases — or a card that earns well on purchases that don’t fall into bonus categories with other credit cards — the Ink Unlimited card is a clear winner. Freelancers and independent contractors love the ability to earn 1.5% back on all purchases, pay no annual fee and even combine the points they earn with Chase Ultimate Rewards from other eligible Chase credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Plus, there are no earning limits on this card.

There are two types of business owners who will benefit from this card. The first is the person looking for a card with a lucrative earning structure but no annual fee. The second is someone who needs a card for those “other” expenses that fall outside the bonus categories offered by other rewards cards in their wallet. This is an ideal card for everyday business expenses.

“I have the Chase Ink Business trilogy — the Ink Business Cash Credit Card, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card. The first two cards maximize my points-earning on things like office supply, internet and phone purchases, while the Ink Unlimited covers everything else with a flat 1.5% earn rate. The fact that I have the Ink Preferred means I can convert my cash back from the Ink Unlimited into more valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. This no-annual-fee card will stay in my wallet for years to come.” — Matt Moffitt , senior credit cards editor

If you’re looking for a card that rewards you based on your banking relationship, the Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card earns 1.5% back on all purchases. Those with banking and investment accounts at Bank of America can bump their earning rate up to 2.625% on all purchases thanks to Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business .

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business card has an intro offer of 50,000 miles after spending $4,500 in the first three months from account opening. Based on TPG’s valuations , this bonus is worth $925. You can transfer Capital One miles to 15+ airline and hotel transfer partners, including Air Canada Aeroplan and Wyndham Rewards, and you’ll earn at least 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases. Plus, the card has an introductory annual fee of $0 the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees ).

Business owners who want to earn a transferable currency will love Capital One miles, which have grown in value and redemption options over the past few years. You’ll also enjoy a  Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit (up to $100) and the flexibility to use your miles to cover travel expenses at a fixed value of 1 cent apiece. If you’re looking for a card that earns valuable miles without needing to track bonus categories, this is it.

You’ll earn transferable points on every purchase without worrying about bonus categories, all for a low annual fee.

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has the same $95 annual fee but earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points instead of Capital One miles. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel, shipping, select advertising purchases and internet, cable and phone services (on up to $150,000 in annual purchases, then 1 point per dollar); you’ll earn 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

No card can match the Ink Business Cash for earning on office supplies. You’ll love accruing 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year, plus 2% back on the first $25,000 in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. New applicants can earn up to $750 back: $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 after spending $6,000 on purchases within six months of account opening. However, you can turn your cash back into Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you have other eligible Chase credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

This is an ideal card for business owners whose primary expenses are at office supply stores, telecommunications providers, gas stations or restaurants thanks to those bonus categories. You can earn handsomely in these categories without paying an annual fee to keep the card in your wallet.

“I love this card for awarding 5% back on my telecommunication services and office supply purchases, all with no annual fee. But my favorite perk is taking those cash-back rewards and combining them with my earnings from the Chase Sapphire Reserve. This means I’m effectively earning 5 fully-transferable Ultimate Rewards points for every dollar I spend in these categories — which I then can transfer to valuable partners like World of Hyatt and Air Canada Aeroplan.” — Nick Ewen , director of content

If your expenses are spread across many categories, you may prefer a card that earns a flat rate on all purchases. Consider The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express , which earns 2  American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on all purchases (on up to $50,000 of purchases annually, then 1 point per dollar) and has no annual fee (see rates and fees ).

The Alaska Airlines Visa Business card offers great airline-specific perks like priority boarding, a $100 annual Alaska Lounge+ credit, elevated earnings on Alaska Airlines flight purchases and more. In addition, the card is currently offering 50,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) when new cardholders make purchases totaling $3,000 or more within the first 90 days of opening their account.

Businesses who frequently fly Alaska Airlines could benefit from the packed airline-specific perks on this card. Flyers will enjoy priority boarding, a free checked bag and earn 3 points per dollar spent on Alaska Airlines flights.

"I opened the Alaska Airlines Visa Business card when it was offering an elevated welcome bonus, but I keep it to earn 2 miles per dollar on gas and for the annual Companion Fare I get after spending $6,000 in a year. And because I have a Bank of America checking account, I get a 10% bonus on all the miles I earn using the card." — Nick Ewen , director of content

If your business frequently travels but is not an Alaska Airlines loyalist, consider the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card . The Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent on travel and other business categories each year. The card is also currently offering an incredible 100,000-point sign-up bonus after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The card does not offer many airline-specific perks but allows you greater flexibility when it comes to bonus earning and redemption options.

This card has few travel perks but no annual fee, so it can be worthwhile for business owners looking to earn cash back easily. The Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash offers a terrific 1.5% earning rate on all purchases, but Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business customers can earn even higher rates — from 1.875% to 2.625%, depending on their tier within the program.

Business owners who can qualify for Preferred Rewards status should consider this card thanks to its accelerated earning rates that are based on your banking and investment accounts. Additionally, this card is a solid option for business owners looking for a quality cash-back rate on a card without an annual fee and without annual earning limits.

For no annual fee, earning up to 2.625% back on your business expenses is a solid return.

Consider the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card if you don’t have qualifying accounts with Bank of America or prefer to earn points in the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem. The Ink Unlimited earns 1.5% back on all purchases, but you can redeem these as transferable Ultimate Rewards points if you have other eligible Chase credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

With the Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash, you can maximize your ever-changing business purchases with up to 3% cash back. You can choose your top spending category monthly for 3% earnings, plus receive 2% on dining purchases (for the first $50,000 spent in combined category and dining purchases per year, then 1% back). If you have qualifying accounts for the Bank of America Preferred Rewards for Business program , you could boost your earning rate to 5.25% back in your chosen category — impressive earnings for a card with no annual fee.

Two types of business owners should consider this card. First, it works well for those who can maximize the 3% categories — which include gas and EV charging stations, office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom and wireless, computer services and business consulting services — and are looking for a card without an annual fee. Second, those who can qualify for Preferred Rewards tiers will love the accelerated earnings rates that far outpace earnings on other cards without annual fees.

Picking your top spending category each month allows you to maximize rewards, even when your purchases vary across the year.

Those who need different bonus categories or who won’t qualify for Preferred Rewards should consider the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card . It has no annual fee and earns 5% back on the first $25,000 of purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each cardmember year. You’ll also earn 2% back on the first $25,000 of combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each cardmember year and 1% back on other purchases.

The Southwest Performance Business credit card is ideal for Southwest fans, as it’s packed with perks that will make business trips on the airline more comfortable than ever, especially for those who don’t yet have A-List or A-List Preferred status. You’ll earn extra points in popular business categories, enjoy four priority boarding positions each year, receive up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi credits annually and have the ability to accelerate your path to the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass .

Business owners who can both take advantage of those day-of-travel perks and maximize this card’s earning structure. It accrues 4 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases; 3 points per dollar spent on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases; 2 points per dollar spent on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, phone services, local transit and commuting; and 1 point per dollar spent on other eligible purchases.

“It made sense for me to get this as my first Southwest card given that I live in Austin, where almost 40% of flights are operated by Southwest. I get the most value out of this card by taking advantage of the upgraded boardings, inflight Wi-Fi credits and 9,000 anniversary bonus points, which help offset the significant annual fee.” — Matt Moffitt , senior credit cards editor

If you only fly Southwest a handful of times per year or want a lower annual fee, you should consider the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card instead. You'll enjoy a 25% discount on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi purchases, have the chance to spend your way toward A-List status, get a shortcut toward the Companion Pass and receive two EarlyBird check-ins each year.

The United Business Card is an affordable option for business travelers who tend to fly with United and its partners. This is a great card to pair with your personal United credit card, too, because it will not only help you keep personal and business expenses separate, but you’ll also receive 5,000 bonus miles each year on your United Business Card account anniversary for carrying both cards. Plus, you can spend your way toward United elite status and gain access to expanded award availability when it comes time to redeem those MileagePlus miles.

Those who want elite-like benefits with United — such as priority boarding and free checked bags — but aren’t willing to shell out for premium cards with lounge access will love this card. Its earning rates, perks and moderate annual fee ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99) are a powerful combination for those who fly United a few times a year.

“As a frequent United traveler, I actually have a couple of United credit cards that unlock different perks and benefits. While I initially got the United Business Card for the bonus and to keep business expenses separate, I keep it for the discount on inflight purchases, the 5,000 annual mile bonus for having both a business and personal United card and the $100 statement credit for charging at least seven annual United flights to the card.” — Summer Hull , director of content

If you’re looking for points you can use with United and in other ways, see if the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a better fit for your wallet. For a $95 annual fee, this card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points that you can transfer to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners, including United, though you do miss out on the airline-specific perks.

Use it as often as possible

The more you use your card, the more points and rewards you’ll earn. It can be strange to switch up spending habits but try to switch to using your business credit card as your go-to option rather than cash, debit, bank transfers, or other payment methods.

Use it for all business expenses and pay it off every month

You can maximize your business credit cards by charging all business purchases to your credit card. This is a great way to keep your business expenses separate from personal expenses as well as maximize the return on your spending. Most credit cards geared toward small businesses offer at least 1% cash back or 1 point per dollar spent. The right credit card for your business will likely offer even higher returns. By putting all of your expenses on a business credit card, you will earn more rewards! 

But this does not mean you should spend money you wouldn’t have otherwise spent. Charging everything on your business credit card is a means to earn rewards on spending that would’ve occurred anyways. 

Finally, be sure to pay off your balance in full every month to avoid interest and fees that could cancel out any rewards you earn.

Consider multiple cards for different expenses

If you’re a small business, it is likely that your spending is not concentrated on one category. Luckily, many business cards offer various bonus categories. In order to receive the most return on your spending, consider having multiple cards that earn an elevated return on your business’s various main spending categories. Then, cover your bases with a solid flat-rate card for every purchase you make that doesn’t fall into an eligible category.

However, if that’s too much for you to manage, aim for that sweet spot of a card with a lucrative rewards structure and affordable annual fee.

What TPG readers have to say about their favorite business credit cards

We surveyed our readers to see which business credit cards they favored the most. With several great options to choose from, these cards are the standouts TPG readers love.

Note: Responses have not been edited.

“We use our Business Gold card for as many purchases as possible.” — MaryAnn D via Facebook

“ Easy 2x on everything.*” — Tarik M via X

*2 points per dollar up to $50,000 annually, then 1 point per dollar thereafter.

“Unlimited 2x back on everything , no gimmicks.” — Jeremy C via Facebook

• Awards vs cash calculator Compare the cost in points or miles to cash.
• CardMatch™ Get prequalified offers in less than 60 seconds.

Many travelers are familiar with personal credit cards, but business credit cards are an entirely different segment of the market. These products are generally geared toward those who run small businesses , and as such, they frequently include perks that are valuable to a business owner — including features like no preset spending limit, bonus rewards on shipping or technology purchases, and even statement credits toward software purchases.

Note that you don’t necessarily need a formal business to apply (and get approved) for a business credit card. Many freelancers or sole proprietors can use a business card to separate business-related expenses from their personal ones.

Types of business credit cards

Having a business credit card is important for both small businesses and larger corporations. The primary difference between a small business card and a corporate business card is who is liable for the debt and fees.

Small Business

Small businesses hold the primary cardholder liable for debts and fees and the primary cardholder earns the rewards for small business cards.

Corporate cards hold the company liable for debts and fees and the company generally keeps the rewards for corporate cards.

How to apply for a business credit card

If you own a small business or just do freelance gigs , you could be eligible for a business credit card. You don’t necessarily need a tax ID or an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to qualify for a business credit card ; if you’re a sole proprietor with a small business or side gig, you can usually enter your Social Security number (SSN) instead.

How do Business cards work?

When you’re approved for a business credit card, your company is essentially taking out a loan with the issuing bank. You can then use the card to make purchases, but you need to pay off the loan according to the terms. And each time you swipe it, you’re earning rewards that can be used in a variety of ways — including reinvesting them right back into your business.

Information you’ll need to provide

When filling out an application form for a business credit card, there are some extra pieces of information required in addition to what you might provide for a personal credit card application.

This is likely to include:

The name of your business

When you start your application, you might not be sure what name to put on a business card application . If you’re the sole owner of your small business, you might not even have a designated name for it. If this is the case, don’t worry, you’re allowed to use your own name instead.

Contact information

Similarly, if you don’t have a separate business contact number and mailing address, you can also use your own here too.

A Taxpayer Identification Number

There are two numbers you could use for this, depending on how your business is set up. If you’re the sole business owner, you can use your Social Security number. Or, in the instance that you employ staff or have a more formal business structure, then you should use your business’s Employer Identification Number . You can easily get an EIN on the IRS website .

Your industry

It’s up to you how you want to describe your business; you can either use more rigid categories like travel, food and drink, or retail, or you can describe the exact service you provide should your business type not fall into those categories.

How long you’ve been in business

This one’s pretty self-explanatory.

Revenue and expenses

This is the part where you enter how much money your business makes and how much your outgoings were to run your business.

What you do not need

A specific business type.

Whether you have a structured company, LLC or partnership, or you operate without a formal or legal business structure, you’re still perfectly eligible to apply.

Business credit history

In most cases, your small business credit card would be guaranteed by you personally and not the business itself. This means that you won’t be required to include an existing credit history for your business.

While business credit history is not a requirement for approval, building your business credit could provide better access to a host of benefits, including lower interest rates and cheaper business insurance premiums. 

Check out the following guides to applying for small-business cards for issuer-specific strategies:

• How to fill out an Amex business card application
• How to complete a Chase business credit card application
• How to complete a Capital One business credit card application

Related: 5 ways you might be eligible for a business credit card without realizing it

• 1 Sign-up bonus Find a card that your business can readily meet the minimum spend for its sign-up bonus. A welcome bonus plays a large part in a card’s value as it typically offers more points than can be earned through general business spending.
• 2 Annual fee If your card features an annual fee, it is important to consider if the card’s perks and benefits outweigh the card’s annual fee.
• 3 Bonus categories Choose a business card that features elevated earning rates on your regular business spending.

What's your favorite business credit card — and why?

• Using business credit cards responsibly can help you build your business credit score.
• Business credit cards can earn cash back, points or miles on every dollar you spend.
• Business credit cards provide purchase, theft and fraud protection.
• Business credit cards provide business-friendly perks like travel insurance, complimentary hotel stays and bonus points on expenses like shipping or software.
• Opening a business credit card can separate personal and business expenses.
• Credit cards can encourage overspending.
• Carrying a balance and using your card irresponsibly can damage your business credit score.
• The cost of borrowing on business credit cards is higher than traditional loans.
• You’re still personally responsible for business credit card debt.
• Having too many card applications can negatively affect your credit score.

Business and personal credit cards have similar functionalities. Many card issuers allow for personal referrals for business cards . In both cases, you’re extended a line of credit to make purchases, and you agree to pay for those purchases over time based on the cardholder agreement.

However, business credit cards are geared toward small businesses, and depending on the issuer (or specific card product), you may need to produce formal documentation in order to be approved. In addition, business cards typically include bonus categories or benefits that may hold less appeal to the general consumer. This can include bonus rewards on shipping purchases, statement credits for business-related service providers or embedded technology to help with accounting.

Additionally, many personal credit cards pair well with business credit cards. Complementary personal/business card combinations can help you diversify your points earning and bonus categories and can play a part in a responsible spending strategy. 

There’s no single card that would be considered the “best” for every, single small business . Instead, it’s important to consider the type of rewards and selection of benefits that make the most sense for your company. If your company travels internationally often, you would want a business credit card with no foreign transaction fee . If you’re not interested in travel rewards, then a cash-back business card could make the most sense. If your small business spends a bunch of money on client dinners, then a business card with a dining bonus could be the best fit.

While it’s not technically “illegal” to use a business card for personal use , it’s generally against the terms and conditions of most business credit cards. In addition, combining personal and business purchases on a credit card can make it harder to separate legitimate, business-related transactions when tax season rolls around. Finally, business credit cards tend to have fewer protections for cardholders, so using one for personal reasons could backfire.

Sometimes. It all depends on the given issuer , since some will consistently report business card account information to both consumer and commercial credit bureaus, while others won’t. Instead of worrying about this question, though, focus your energy on paying your balance in full and on time each month. This will ensure that any business cards reported to a credit bureau will only impact your score in a positive way.

Plus, your business credit card could provide multiple benefits to your personal score. This could be done by managing your business credit card account responsibly, which demonstrates you’re a reliable borrower, or lowering your personal credit utilization, for instance. 

You certainly can , though each issuer reserves the right to review your application and determine whether you qualify for a business line of credit. In many instances, you can use your Social Security number as a sole proprietor and get approved for a card. Even if you have no business credit history, an issuer will look at your personal credit score and history to determine your eligibility.

It is possible to refer someone to a business card even if you only have personal cards. Every issuer has their own policy regarding rewarding referrals so you will have to check with your specific card issuer to see if you are eligible for a referral bonus. Check out our in-depth guide on earning referral bonuses on both personal and business credit cards .

The best small business credit card will depend on your small business. See what perks and benefits your business is looking for and if the card you're looking at is the best fit for your business spending. You can use our guide above to help you see which card is the best for your business.

There is no limit to the amount of business cards you can have. It is important to know your business and what cards align most with your spending.

While it’s easy and free to check your personal credit score, the process with a business credit report requires jumping through a few more hoops. You can check your business credit score through free services that send alerts when your score or report changes. However, you often have to pay additional fees to view unlimited full reports. 

Tracking your business credit score may be a bit harder, but it’s not any less important than your personal credit report

The wording of these two may be similar, but the features of a business credit card and a business line of credit are very different. 

A business credit card is like a personal credit card because it allows borrowers to spend with a predetermined credit limit at an annual percentage rate (APR). Most business cards are unsecured, and borrowers can be approved for one without proof of assets or collateral. 

A business line of credit is a revolving business loan with a preset credit limit. To be approved for a business LOC, your business’s financial picture and creditworthiness are considered. Sometimes, approval is based on collateral. LOCs are meant to cover day-to-day operative expenses that may exceed a credit limit on a credit card, such as payroll.