Best airline credit card 2022: Earn business travel points

Looking for a credit card for your business? Today, there is no shortage of rewards credit cards on the market that allow you to earn points through your regular spending. And for business owners or employees who travel often, a business airline credit card is an excellent way to earn points from travel you're already doing.

But how do you decide which airline credit card is right for your business? There are plenty of options to choose from, and they're sure to be a perfect card for your business. Keep reading to learn the best airline credit cards for businesses and how to decide which is right for you.

Here are our top picks for the best airline credit cards:

Intro BonusEarn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening

APR15.99% – 24.99% (Variable)

Recommended Credit Excellent, Good

Reward Rates

  • Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants.
  • Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.

Annual Fee$99, waived for first 12 months

Intro Purchase APRN/A

The CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select credit card is perfect for American Airlines travelers, as it offers travel benefits ranging from preferred boarding on flights to no foreign transaction fees. 

Pros:

  • High signup bonus in addition to regular travel rewards
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Other travel perks like free checked bags and a companion certificate

Cons:

  • Bonus miles aren't available for account holders who have received a CitiBusiness / AAdvantage bonus in the past 48 months
  • It doesn't include some common travel perks like TSA Precheck or lounge access
  • Requires an excellent credit score to qualify

Intro BonusEarn 75,000 miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Earn an additional 75,000 miles after you spend $20,000 total in the first 6 months.

APR16.49% to 23.49% Variable

Recommended Credit Excellent/Good

Reward Rates

  • 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.

Annual Fee$99

Intro Purchase APRN/A

The United Business card is perfect for businesses who prefer flying United, as it gives you miles for everyday spending. It also offers other travel benefits like United Club passes, no foreign transaction fees, and more.

Pros:

  • Large signup bonus
  • Extra travel perks like lounge access and free checked bags
  • Add employee cards at no extra cost

Cons:

  • Lower miles rewards than many competitors on airline spending
  • Signup bonus must be earned in two separate parts
  • Starting  APR is higher than some competitors

Intro BonusEarn 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.

APR15.74%-24.74% Variable

Recommended Credit Excellent/Good

Reward Rates

  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

Annual Fee$250

Intro Purchase APRN/A

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business card is designed for businesses who fly with Delta and want to enjoy some extra travel perks. Beyond earning miles on purchases, it offers travel benefits like a free checked bag, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and more.

Pros:

  • Travel perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and more
  • Companion certificate included
  • High rewards rate for Delta and hotel spending

Cons:

  • High annual fee
  • Most spending categories only earn 1X miles
  • No complimentary lounge access

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Intro BonusEarn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

APR15.99% to 22.99% Variable

Recommended Credit Excellent/Good

Reward Rates

  • New! Earn 4X points on Southwest® purchases.
  • Earn 3X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car partners.
  • New! Earn 2X points on rideshare.
  • Earn 2X points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services.
  • 1X points on all other purchases.

Annual Fee$199

Intro Purchase APRN/A

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit card is one of two business cards available through Southwest. You can earn points on various purchases to help you qualify for the Companion Pass, which allows a companion to fly free with you for one year. Other travel perks includee upgraded boarding, inflight Wi-Fi credits, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, no foreign transaction fees, and more.

Pros:

  • Travel perks like TSA PreCheck and upgraded boarding
  • 9,000 points each year on cardmember anniversary
  • Ability to qualify for Southwest Companion Pass

Cons:

  • High annual fee
  • Low rewards on everyday spending
  • Not suitable for international travel

Intro BonusEarn 50,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days and earn 10,000 points when a purchase is made on an employee card in the first 90 days.

APR15.99% – 24.99% based on your creditworthiness

Recommended Credit N/A

Reward Rates

  • 6X points on JetBlue purchases
  • 2X points at restaurants and office supply stores

Annual Fee$99

Intro Purchase APRN/A

The JetBlue Business card is offered by Barclays and allows you to earn miles for JetBlue travel. You can earn points on everyday purchases, and other travel benefits for the card include no foreign transaction fees, free checked bags for up to four people, and 50% off inflight food and drinks.

Pros:

  • 5000 bonus points on your account anniversary each year
  • Signup bonus is easy to earn
  • High rewards for JetBlue purchases

Cons:

  • Few travel perks compared to other business airline cards
  • Low rewards points on most purchases
  • Redeemable for few international locations

Intro BonusEarn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 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 Ultimate Rewards®

APR15.99% to 20.99% Variable

Recommended Credit Good, Excellent

Reward Rates

  • 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–with no limit to the amount you can earn

Annual Fee$95

Intro Purchase APRN/A

The Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit card isn't associated with a specific airline, so it's great for businesses that want travel perks with flexibility when it comes to the airline. You can earn points on everyday purchases that are redeemable for cashback or travel rewards through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Other travel perks include no foreign transaction fees, point transfer to Chase travel partners, travel insurance, and more.

Pros:

  • Flexibility to use with any travel companies
  • Higher welcome bonus than many competitors
  • Rewards can be used for cashback in addition to travel

Cons:

  • High spending threshold to earn the signup bonus
  • Fewer travel-related perks than many business airline cards
  • 3X rewards on only the first $150 000 of spending

How did we choose these airline credit cards?

There are many business credit cards on the market, many of which offer excellent travel benefits. When crafting this list of the best business airline credit cards, we aimed to find a variety of cards so that no matter which major airline you fly, there's a card for you.

Additionally, we looked for cards that had plenty of travel perks that businesses want without too many downsides. We paid attention to factors like signup bonuses, spending rewards, interest rates, annual fees, travel perks, and more.

Which one is the best airline credit card for your business?

One of the biggest questions to ask yourself when looking for the right airline credit card for your business is: How do you normally travel? If you usually fly with a specific airline and want to maximize the benefits, then choose the card that corresponds to your airline of choice.

 If you travel often but want the flexibility to fly with any airline, then the Chase Ink Business Preferred card is probably right for you.

What are the benefits of a business airline credit card?

Airline credit cards allow you to earn miles that you can later redeem for flights. They also come with additional travel perks such as free checked bags, access to airport lounges, priority boarding, TSA PreCheck, and more.

What credit score do you need for an airline credit card?

Airline business credit cards typically require good or excellent credit scores. If your business doesn't have sufficient credit, but you do, then you may be able to guarantee the card with your personal credit.

Are there alternative cards worth considering?

There's no shortage of rewards credit cards that businesses can choose from. Some are specifically designed for travel, while others can be used for anything, including travel. A few other cards to consider include:

Source