10 Best Airline and Hotel Business Credit Cards for Travel (2027)

As companies expand their horizons, travel becomes integral to fostering growth, building relationships, and seizing opportunities. The significance of choosing the right business credit card for managing travel expenditures cannot be overstated. This is where choosing a business credit card becomes a strategic decision that can shape your company's financial health and overall success. From airline miles to hotel stays, these 10 best business credit cards for travel are designed to cater to your travel needs.

The ten cards below are all co-brands: five tied to a major US airline, five tied to a major hotel group. They reward concentration rather than flexibility, which makes them the right choice for some travel programmes and the wrong one for others.

Criteria for Evaluating Business Credit Card for travel

Choosing the right business credit card for travel expenses is a strategic decision that requires carefully evaluating various factors. Here are the key criteria businesses should consider when choosing one of the top 10 business credit cards for travel:

• Annual Fees: Annual fees can vary widely among credit cards. Some cards may offer robust benefits and rewards, justifying higher fees, while others may have lower or no annual fees.
• Rewards Programs: Different cards may offer rewards in various forms, such as cashback, travel points, or specific perks. Choose a card with a rewards program that aligns with your business needs and spending habits.
• APR (Annual Percentage Rate): APR includes the interest rate and any additional fees or charges. A lower APR can save money on interest payments, especially if the cardholder carries a balance.
• Additional Perks: These perks can enhance the overall value of a credit card, providing additional convenience or cost savings for business travelers.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: For businesses involved in international travel, choosing a card with no or low foreign transaction fees is essential to avoid unnecessary costs.
• Credit Limit and Flexibility: A higher credit limit can provide financial flexibility, but ensuring it aligns with your business's needs and spending practices is important.
• Introductory Offers: These offers can provide immediate benefits, but it's crucial to understand the terms and conditions, especially if they change after the introductory period.
• Customer Support and Online Tools: Responsive customer support and user-friendly online tools contribute to a positive experience in managing and monitoring your credit card.
• Redemption Flexibility: Business credit cards with versatile redemption options allow businesses to tailor rewards to specific needs, increasing the overall value of the rewards program.

The 10 cards at a glance

Five major US airline programmes and five major hotel groups, one card each.

Annual fees are as published at the time of writing and change without notice. Confirm with the issuer before applying.

Airline co-branded business cards

One card for each of the five largest US carriers. These pay off when your team flies the same airline repeatedly, because free bags, priority boarding and status progress apply on every trip rather than needing a redemption decision.

1. Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card

Annual Fee - $70 per company; $25 per card

Welcome Bonus

• Receive 50,000 bonus miles and Alaska's Famous Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $3,000 or more within the first 90 days of opening your account.

Mile Earning Structure

• Earn 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases.
• Get 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, shipping, and local transit (including rideshare) purchases.
• Earn 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Annual Companion Fare

• Earn another Alaska's Famous Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) on each account anniversary after spending $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year.

Travel Benefits

• Enjoy a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to 6 guests on the same reservation, saving $60 per person roundtrip.
• Priority Boarding is included for the cardholder when paying for the flight with the Alaska Airlines Business card.

2. Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard

Annual Fee - $99, waived for the first 12 months

Earning Structure

• Accelerated miles on American Airlines purchases.
• Bonus categories covering telecommunications, car rentals and gas stations, which is where a lot of field-team spend sits.
• Base earn on everything else, with no cap on total miles.

Travel Benefits

• Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights for the cardholder and companions on the same reservation.
• A checked bag free on domestic itineraries for the cardholder and travelling companions.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Who It Suits

• Teams routing through American hubs, particularly Dallas, Charlotte, Phoenix and Miami.
• Companies wanting AAdvantage status progress from spend rather than only from flying.

3. Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express

Annual Fee - $350

Earning Structure

• Accelerated miles on Delta purchases, plus bonus categories on US shipping and advertising spend.
• Base earn on all other eligible purchases.

Travel Benefits

• A companion certificate each year on renewal, which covers most of the fee on its own if your team flies Delta round-trip domestically.
• First checked bag free on Delta flights for the cardholder and companions on the same reservation.
• Main Cabin 1 priority boarding.

Status and Perks

• Medallion Qualification Dollar waivers on spend, so card usage contributes toward Delta status.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Who It Suits

• Delta-heavy programmes, particularly teams based near Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City or Seattle.

4. Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card

Annual Fee - $199

Welcome Benefit

• Earn 80,000 points when you spend $5,000 in the initial 3 months of card purchase.

Anniversary Bonus

• Receive 9,000 points every year on your Cardmember anniversary.

Points Earning Structure

• Earn 4 points for every $1 spent on Southwest Airlines purchases.
• Earn 3 points for every $1 spent with Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners.
• Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on social media, search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services.
• Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.

Cardmember Benefits

• Four Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
• Unlimited tier qualifying points - Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $10,000 spent.
• $500 fee credit for points transfers per year.
• Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit every 4 years.
• Up to 365 inflight WiFi Credits per year.

5. United Business Card

Annual Fee - $150

Earning Structure

• Accelerated miles on United purchases.
• Bonus categories covering dining, gas stations, office supply stores and local transit, which covers most day-to-day business spend.
• Base earn on everything else.

Travel Benefits

• First checked bag free on United flights for the cardholder and one companion on the same reservation.
• Priority boarding for the cardholder and companions on the same reservation.
• An annual United travel credit after qualifying purchases, plus expanded award availability for cardholders.

Who It Suits

• Teams routing through United hubs, particularly Chicago, Denver, Houston, Newark and San Francisco.
• Companies wanting lounge passes and Premier status progress from card spend.

Hotel co-branded business cards

One card for each of the five largest hotel groups. Free night awards and elite status are the draw, and both are worth more to a team that concentrates stays than a slightly higher points rate would be.

6. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

Annual Fee - $95

Welcome Offer

• Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months of Card Membership.

Points Earning Structure

• Get 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar for purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases using the Hilton Honors Business Card.

Priority Pass Select

• Receive 10 complimentary visits to over 1,200 airport lounges annually with a Priority Pass Select Membership.

Hilton Honors Diamond Status Upgrade

• Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year to earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.

7. IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Annual Fee - $99

Welcome Bonus

• Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Points at IHG Hotels and Resorts

• Up to 26X total points at IHG Hotels and Resorts.
• 10X points with this card, up to 10X points from IHG for being an IHG One Rewards member, and earn up to 6X points from IHG with Platinum Elite Status.

Anniversary Free Night

• Receive a complimentary Anniversary Free Night each account anniversary year with a point redemption cap of 40,000 points.
• Existing IHG One Rewards account points can be redeemed for your Anniversary Night at hotels above the 40,000-point redemption level.

Annual Spending Bonus

• Earn a $100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 each calendar year.

8. Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card

Annual Fee - $125

Earning Structure

• Accelerated points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
• Bonus categories on US restaurants, US gas stations, wireless telephone services and US shipping.
• Base earn on all other eligible purchases.

Hotel Benefits

• A free night award each year on renewal, redeemable at properties up to a set points value.
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, which brings room upgrades where available and late checkout.

Status and Perks

• Elite night credits each calendar year, plus additional credits on spend thresholds.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Who It Suits

• Teams staying across the Marriott portfolio, which is the largest hotel group by property count and therefore the easiest to standardise on in secondary cities.

9. World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

Annual Fee - $199

Welcome Bonus

• As one of the top 10 business credit cards for travel, the Hyatt card offers 60,000 Bonus Points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Accelerated Earning

• Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent in your top three spend categories through 12/31/24, then your top two categories each quarter.
• Eligible categories include travel and emergency assistance.

Hyatt Hotel Benefits

• Up to 9 total Points per $1 spent at Hyatt Hotels.
• Earn 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt Hotels.
• Get 5 Base Points from Hyatt per eligible $1 spent for being a World of Hyatt member.

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance

• Receive reimbursement of up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares in case of trip cancellation or interruption due to covered situations.
• Covered situations include sickness, severe weather, and other qualifying events.

10. Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card

Annual Fee - $95

Welcome Bonus

• Earn up to 45,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days.

Reward Structure

• Earn 8 points per $1 spent on eligible purchases at Hotels by Wyndham and on qualifying gas purchases.
• Get 5 points per $1 spent on eligible marketing, advertising, and utilities purchases.
• Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham Vacation Club down payments).

Diamond Membership

• Automatically receive Wyndham Rewards DIAMOND member-level benefits.
• Enjoy perks like suite upgrades, welcome amenities at check-in, and more.

Anniversary Bonus

• Receive a bonus of 15,000 points each anniversary year.
• This bonus is sufficient for up to two annual free nights at participating hotels.

Which card should you actually pick?

Co-brand cards reward concentration. The question is whether your travel programme concentrates.

Look at last year's bookings before the rewards tables. If 60% or more of flights sit with one carrier, or stays with one hotel group, the matching co-brand card pays back its fee through bags, boarding and status rather than through points. Below that threshold the maths rarely works, and a transferable-points card is the better answer. The best business credit cards for travel ranking covers those.

Watch the fee against the recurring credits, not the welcome bonus. A companion certificate, a free night award or an annual travel credit repeats every year. A welcome bonus arrives once. Cards here range from $70 to $350, and the ones at the top of that range only justify it through the recurring benefits.

One card per programme, not one per employee preference. The value of a co-brand card comes from consolidating spend onto it. Letting each traveller pick their own defeats the point and leaves you managing five loyalty currencies.

None of this solves visibility. A rewards card reports spend after the statement arrives. It does not apply policy before a booking, route approvals or match a receipt to a trip. That is a separate layer, and it is the gap ITILITE's corporate card and expense management are built to close. If you are choosing between card types rather than card brands, corporate credit cards for small businesses cover the SaaS-versus-bank-card decision.