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What are the best business credit cards for consultants? As a business consultant, you most likely spend a fair amount of your work week traveling between clients. These business credit cards will help you maximize your travel and dining expenses. Plus, you might enjoy a few extra card benefits as well.
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.
6 Best Business Credit Cards For Consultants
Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is in high demand for a reason. It’s easy to earn bonus points and your points can be worth more when redeeming for travel compared to other travel cards.
Each year you earn 3x on the first $150,000 in combined spending for these purchases:
- Travel
- Shipping Purchases
- Internet, Phone, and Cable Services
- Search Engine and Social Media Advertising
When it comes to redeeming your rewards points, travel redemption is oftentimes the most valuable option. You get a 25% redemption bonus when booking award travel on Chase Travel℠. But your points can be worth more with the many 1:1 transfer partners, including United, Southwest, Hyatt, and Marriott.
New Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card cardholders can earn 100k bonus points after spending $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℠.
One reason why you might hold off on applying for the Ink Business Preferred is that it’s subject to the notorious Chase “5/24 Rule.” If you have five or more new credit cards in the last 24 months, Chase will decline your application for the Ink Business Preferred and many other fine rewards cards.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express
While there are many premium cards in the consumer card space, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a novelty. It comes with many air travel benefits other cards don’t offer.
For starters, you can earn an impressive 5x Membership Rewards® points per $1 spent on air travel and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com. Remember that most cards award up to 3 points per $1 for airfare.
Earn 1x points for each dollar spent on eligible purchases.
Cardholders earn 1.5x points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases 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.
Plus, get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline to your Card.
Cardholders can get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when they use their Business Platinum Card®.
With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, with The American Express Global Lounge Collection®. You have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023. Enrollment is required for some lounges.
Additionally, cardholders can get a 35% airline bonus when using their points to pay for all or part of a flight with a qualifying airline booked on amextravel.com, up to 500,000 bonus points annually.
Your most valuable redemption options are booking award flights as you can get 35% of your redeemed points back. The 1:1 airline transfer partners of Amex Membership Rewards like Delta, Emirates, and Aer Lingus are great options too.
Additionally, unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
Welcome Bonus Offer
New The Business Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders have the opportunity to earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
The annual fee is $695 (See Rates & Fees).
United Business Card
The United℠ Business Card offers several United credit cards perks including:
- First checked bag free for you and one companion (terms apply)
- Priority boarding
- Two one-time United Club passes each year
- Space-available Premier Upgrades for MileagePlus Premier members
Additionally, get a $100 United® travel credit after 7 United flight purchases of $100 or more each anniversary year. Also, cardholders can receive a 5,000-mile “better together” bonus each anniversary when they have both the United℠ Business Card and a personal Chase United® credit card.
You can also earn unlimited 2 miles per $1 spent on these purchases:
- United® purchases
- Dining (including eligible delivery services)
- Gas Stations
- Local transit and commuting
- Office Supply Stores
United Business Card cardholders earn 1x mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Additional business benefits include employee cards at no additional cost.
New United℠ Business Card cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
That signup bonus can bump this card to being one of the best credit cards for travel miles.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is one of the most elite business airline cards. If you fly Delta often it’s worth a look. Even if you don’t fly Delta enough to justify the $550 annual fee (See Rates & Fees), don’t forget there are the Platinum and Gold Delta business versions too.
Owning the Delta Reserve for Business lets you enjoy these Delta benefits:
- Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding
- Free Checked Bag
- Earn 3x SkyMiles on direct eligible Delta purchases
With complimentary access into Delta Sky Club®, you can relax before your Delta flight, or find downtime between connections.* You’ll also receive two Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes each year so you can share the experience with others when you’re traveling together. *Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. Once all 15 Visits have been used, Eligible Card Members may purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits (including Grab and Go) at a per-visit rate of $50 per person using the Card.
When you purchase a Delta flight with your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, you will receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner.
Additional Perks
After you spend $150,000 on your Card in a calendar year, you earn 1.5 Miles per dollar (that’s an extra half mile per dollar) on eligible purchases the rest of the year. If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply (ex: you would earn 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta instead of 1.5X).
With Status Boost®, earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card through 12/31/23, up to four times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status.* MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights.*Effective 1/1/24, this benefit will no longer be available, and there will be a new way to earn toward Medallion Status with the Card. Learn more.
Additionally, save 15% On Award Travel With TakeOff 15. Eligible Card Members now enjoy exclusive savings on Delta flights. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
New Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card cardholders can earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after spending $5,000 in purchases on their new Card in their first 3 months of Card Membership.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card can be a sweet deal if you enjoy staying within one of the many Hilton hotel brands including Homewood Suites, Hampton Inn, Home2, or Hilton Garden Inn. Of course, don’t forget the upscale brands like Conrad or Waldorf Astoria if you have the privilege of consulting high-profile clients.
To get the most value from this card, plan on spending at least $15,000 annually to get a Free Night Reward. Spending another $45,000 gives you a second Free Night Reward.
Each year with your The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, you get 10 free Priority Pass airport lounge visits (once enrolled) and complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status that gives you complimentary hotel breakfast and space-available room upgrades.
Cardholders earn Hilton Honors bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases on their Card:
- 12x at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
- 6x at:
- U.S. gas stations
- U.S. purchases for shipping
- On wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers
- On flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel
- Also on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies
- At U.S. restaurants
- 3x on all other eligible purchases
New The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card cardholders earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of Card Membership.
There is a $95 annual fee (See Rates & Fees).
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card comes with some great Marriott Bonvoy benefits:
- Premium on-property internet and Boingo Wi-Fi hotspot access
- 6x points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program
- Earn 4x points on purchases at U.S. gas stations, and restaurants worldwide, shipping from U.S. providers, and wireless phone purchases also from the U.S.
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card cardholders can receive 1 Free Night Award annually after their Card renewal month. Plus, they can earn an additional Free Night Award after spending $60k in purchases on their Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Cardholders can also enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.
Plus, receive a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at hotels that participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program when booking directly. Terms and Conditions Apply.
New Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card cardholders can earn 3 Free Night Awards after using their new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points for each bonus Free Night Award, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
The annual fee is $125 (See Rates & Fees), which can easily be offset with the free annual night certificate. Terms apply.
Summary
You should pick the card that helps you get more value from the airline or hotel you travel with the most. Other bonus categories like gas stations or dining rewards can also be pivotal in making your decision. With any of these cards, you can get more mileage from each dollar you spend on the business.
For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, please click here.
And For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, please click here.
