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How to Maximize Rewards From Your Business Purchases

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Andrew Kunesh
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Andrew Kunesh

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As the saying goes, you need to spend money to make money. With that in mind, you may as well get a solid return on your business expenses in the form of airline miles, cash-back, hotel points, or transferable miles and points.

Depending on the type of business expenses you have, you may be able to rake in tons of travel points each month! You can use these miles, points, or cash-back to reinvest in your business — if your next company trip is booked using miles and points, you can use the cash you saved for other important aspects of your business.

In this article, we’ll show you different ways to earn miles and points on your business purchases. We’ll start with helping you pick the best business credit card (or 2), and then move into maximizing purchases with shopping portals and other money-saving promotions.

Let’s get started!

Earn Valuable Rewards With a Small Business Credit Card

Pick the right credit card for your business purchases
Choosing the right card for your business can make a big difference. Image Credit: i viewfinder via Shutterstock

Start by assessing your business credit card situation. There are 3 different types of cards you can use for business purchases:

  • Cards earning transferable points
  • Cards specific to a certain airline or hotel
  • Cards that earn generic cash-back

Each of these has its merits, so we’ve outlined and defined them below and recommended top cards in each category. Use this information to guide your application decision when picking a credit card for your business.

Note that these credit cards generally require a credit score of good to excellent to be approved, even if they’re used for your business.

Hot Tip: Make sure to use your business credit cards wisely — they often have higher interest rates and can affect your personal credit report if you miss payments or otherwise misuse your credit.

Transferable Points Cards

Transferable points cards are generally issued by banks. The award points accrued by these cards can be transferred to various airline and hotel partners, or even be redeemed for credit toward paid flights or merchandise.

However, the best values are usually found when transferring points to airline partners to book international business class seats.

Right now, there are 2 major issuers of business transferable point credit cards: Chase and American Express.

Chase’s currency is called Chase Ultimate Rewards, and the points can be earned with a number of business credit cards:

NEW OFFER
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.
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
100,000 points
$2,000
$95
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a powerhouse for earning lots of points from your business purchases, especially for business owners that spend regularly on ads.

Plus the card offers flexible redemption options, including access to Chase airline and hotel transfer partners where you can achieve outsized value.

Business owners will also love the protections the card provides like excellent cell phone insurance, rental car insurance, purchase protection, and more.

Pros

  • 3x Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on up to $150,000 in combined purchases on internet, cable and phone services, shipping expenses, travel, and ads purchased with search engines or social media sites
  • Cell phone protection
  • Purchase protection
  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
  • Rental car insurance
  • Extended warranty coverage

Cons

  • No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access
  • 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
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card offers great rewards and no annual fee. Any new business owner that needs to get going will enjoy this card.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

This card offers great rewards and no annual fee. Any new business owner that needs to get going will enjoy this card.
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
$750
$750
$0
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 18.49% - 24.49% variable thereafter.
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has a lot going for it that makes it a compelling choice for small business owners. The card features a very lucrative 5% back on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet, and cable TV services each account anniversary year.

When you factor in that the card has no annual fee, and 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter, you could be adding big value back into your business for no cost out of pocket.

Pros

  • Earn 5% back on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet, and cable TV services each account anniversary year
  • Earn 2% back on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% back on all other purchases
  • Travel insurance and purchase protection
  • 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter
  • Employee cards at no additional cost
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • Spending caps in bonus categories
  • Low points earning outside of bonus categories
  • 3% foreign transaction fees
  • Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from 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
  • 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.
  • No Annual Fee
  • Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 18.49% - 24.49% variable thereafter.
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Ink Business Unlimited card is a stellar option for business owners looking for a no-fuss uncapped 1.5% cash-back card without an annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

The Ink Business Unlimited card is a stellar option for business owners looking for a no-fuss uncapped 1.5% cash-back card without an annual fee.
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$750
$750
$0
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

As a business owner, you likely keep pretty busy and probably prefer a credit card that just keeps things simple.

If so, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card might be just the card for you. From zero annual fee to a flat cash-back rate, the card is a no-frills option that you don’t have to think twice about.

Don’t forget too, 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter

Pros

  • 1.5% cash-back on all purchases
  • No annual fee
  • 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter
  • Employee cards at no additional cost
  • Earn flexible rewards

Cons

  • 3% foreign transaction fee
  • 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
  • No Annual Fee
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card

Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Earn up to 5% cash-back for your business without complex bonus earning categories!

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card

Earn up to 5% cash-back for your business without complex bonus earning categories!
Earn $1,000 bonus cash-back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$1,000
$195
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

Chase has introduced the Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card to its business credit card lineup. With straightforward cash-back earnings on everyday purchases and large expenses, tools to help you monitor your business, and multiple ways to redeem your rewards, this is a great card option to consider.

Pros

  • Earn 2.5% total cash-back on purchases of $5,000 or more
  • Earn 2% cash-back on all other business purchases
  • Unlimited 5% total cash-back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance
  • No additional cost for employee cards
  • Cell phone protection
  • Primary rental car coverage
  • Purchase protection
  • Extended warranty coverage

Cons

  • $195 annual fee
  • Some purchases need to be paid in full each month and don’t qualify for Flex for Business APR
  • Rewards cannot be pooled with Chase cards that offer access to transfer partners
  • Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Earn unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.
  • Travel Benefits: Unlimited 5% total cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, No Foreign Transaction Fees and Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance.
  • The only business credit card with 2.5% cash back on every purchase of $5,000 or more.
  • For businesses who prefer to pay their balance in full each month, Ink Business Premier gives access to increased spending power, rich rewards, and premium benefits.
  • Pay off eligible purchases over time with interest up to assigned Flex for Business limit. All other purchases must be paid in full each month.
  • Purchase with confidence with built-in protections like Fraud Protection, Zero Liability Protection, Purchase Protection, Cell Phone Protection, and Extended Warranty Protection.
  • There's no additional cost for employee cards. Monitor spend with digital tools like purchase alerts, set spending limits, reporting, and more.
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

These cards have different benefits and earn bonus points on specific categories like travel, office supply stores, telecommunications, and more.

Chase Ultimate Rewards can be transferred to many Chase airline and hotel partners, including some powerful transfer partners like United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Hyatt, and Virgin Atlantic.

American Express offers a handful of small business credit cards. They have varying benefits like lounge access, bonus points on specific purchase categories, and even rebates on Global Entry and other travel expenses, take a look at our review of the Amex Business Platinum card to find out more about these benefits.

Like Chase, American Express has its own award currency, called Membership Rewards. These points can also be transferred to a number of different airline partners, like Avianca LifeMiles, Air France/KLM FlyingBlue, and British Airways.

OUR BEST OFFER
The Business Platinum Card® from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!
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.
120,000 points
$2,640
$695
19.49% - 27.49% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.

When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,400 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 170,000 points with the Amex Business Platinum. The current public offer is 120,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Pros

  • 5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels at Amex Travel
  • Up to $200 annual airline fee credit on your selected qualifying airline
  • Statement credits on select purchases with your card
  • 35% airline bonus when using Pay With Points (up to 1,000,000 bonus points per calendar year)
  • Access to over 1,400 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
  • Get 50% more Membership Rewards points (1.5 points per $1) on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more (cap applies)
  • Access to Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program

Cons

  • High annual fee of $695 (rates and fees)
  • Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags
  • Welcome Offer: 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.
  • 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 annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline to your 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 your 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.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 19.49% - 27.49% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

BEST FOR BONUSES
American Express® Business Gold CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express® Business Gold Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

American Express® Business Gold Card

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).
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
70,000 points
$1,540
$375
19.49% - 27.49% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The American Express® Business Gold Card is excellent at racking up rewards for your business spend.

The card earns a whopping 4x points per $1 in the 2 categories (from a list of 6) that your business spends the most money on each month. With no need to opt-in or preselect your categories, so you can focus on what matters most — running your business.

Pros

  • 4x points per dollar spent on your 2 highest purchase categories each month up to $150,000 each calendar year in purchases; categories include:
    • NEW! Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
    • NEW! U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
    • NEW! Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
    • U.S. purchases at gas stations
    • U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
    • Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, plus TV and radio)
  • 3x points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card
  • Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
  • Purchase protection and extended warranty protection
  • Trip delay insurance
  • Car rental insurance
  • Cell phone insurance

Cons

  • $375 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access or elite status
  • 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 $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. $12.95 plus applicable taxes.
  • Your Card – Your Choice. Choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
  • *Terms Apply

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 19.49% - 27.49% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Earn Membership Rewards for your business spending the easy way: get 2x points for the first $50,000 in purchases per year.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Earn Membership Rewards for your business spending the easy way: get 2x points for the first $50,000 in purchases per year.
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.
15,000 points
$330
No annual fee
18.49% - 26.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-840)

As a business owner, getting a credit card that maximizes each dollar you spend does not have to be complicated or expensive. Especially when you opt for The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express.

With the Amex Blue Business Plus card, you’ll earn 2x Membership Rewards points on everyday business purchases throughout the year (up to $50,000; 1x thereafter) and receive purchase protections and no-additional-charge employee cards all for no annual fee (see rates and fees).

The simple and straightforward earning structure makes it a great fit for those looking to earn flexible rewards, without having to fixate on which purchases earn the most points.

Let’s take look at all that the Amex Blue Business Plus card has to offer.

Pros

  • 2x Membership Rewards points per $1 on everyday business purchases (up to $50,000; 1x thereafter)
  • Purchase protection and extended warranty protection
  • No annual fee and employee cards at no additional cost

Cons

  • No unique bonus categories and 2x earnings are capped at $50,000 in annual spend
  • No elite travel benefits like lounge access or elite status
  • Charges foreign transaction fees
  • 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

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 18.49% - 26.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Why Do We Like Transferable Points Cards?

At Upgraded Points, we’ve always been partial to transferable points cards, and we recommend using a transferable points credit card for your business purchases.

Our reasoning behind this is simple: with transferable points cards, you’re not tied to one specific airline or hotel loyalty program. Instead, you have the freedom to transfer to a number of different airlines, giving you maximum flexibility and protecting you from devaluations.

Hot Tip: In addition, cards from American Express and Chase often have some of the best welcome bonuses. Check our card review pages for the current offers!

Airline-Specific Rewards

Alternatively, you can choose a co-branded small business card from an airline or hotel loyalty program of your choice. Nearly all major U.S. airlines and hotel chains have a small business co-branded card, so shop around and see which is best for your travel and spending habits.

These cards often have specific benefits for the airline or hotel chain that issues the card. For example, you may get free status, checked bags, upgraded boarding, or other benefits just by holding the small business credit card.

Unlike transferable points cards, your points usually cannot be transferred out of the loyalty program you’re earning with. This means you’ll be subject to devaluations and have limited flexibility in how you redeem your points.

Cash-Back Rewards

Finally, you can also use a cash-back rewards small business credit card to get no-frills cash-back on your purchases. These rewards are usually awarded in the form of a statement credit or a bank transfer, and the amount of cash-back you’ll earn depends on the card you have.

We’ve found that cash-back cards are best for business owners who don’t travel often and prefer to earn simple cash-back on their purchases instead of points.

Hot Tip: With a cash-back card, you might not get as great of a value for your rewards compared to a transferable points card, because you won’t have the opportunity to maximize points for high-cost award tickets.

Use Shopping Portals to Maximize Your Points Return on Purchases

Use shopping portals to earn extra points on your business purchases
Use shopping portals to earn extra points on your business purchases. Image Credit: shopping.mileageplus.com.

Shopping portals are an easy way to earn extra points on business purchases. Just sign up for a portal, find your merchant of choice, and click through the link on the portal’s site before you make a purchase to earn extra points or cash-back.

The number of points you’ll earn on purchases depends on the vendor, the amount of money you spend, and shopping portal you use. Further, the earning rate per dollar fluctuates frequently by merchant, so use a website like CashBackMonitor to keep track of earning rates across all merchants and portals.

Most major airlines have shopping portals where you can earn extra airline miles on your purchases. Additionally, there are a number of cash-back portals that will give you a percentage of your purchases back in the form of a check or bank transfer.

Note that these points are earned in addition to your credit card points. Stack a shopping portal with your favorite small business credit card, and you’ll earn some serious points on your purchases — especially on big-ticket items like computers and cell phones.

Use Amex Offers to Earn Cash-Back on Some Purchases

Use Amex Offers to earn extra cash back on business purchases
Use Amex Offers to earn extra cash-back on business purchases. Image Credit: americanexpress.com.

American Express has special offers called Amex Offers for its personal and small business cardholders. These special offers give you cash-back or extra Membership Rewards points when you spend a set amount of money at a specific vendor.

Amex Offers vary by cardholder, so you may not get the same offers as someone else. You can view your available Amex Offers by logging into your American Express account, loading your small business card, and scrolling down past your recent transactions.

Note that you have to manually add each Amex Offer to your account. When scrolling through your Amex Offers, just click the “Add To Card” button to the right of the offer.

The bonus Membership Rewards points or cash-back will be automatically credited to your account after you make a qualifying purchase. These offers rotate regularly, so keep an eye out for offers you can use!

Hot Tip: If you are a Chase credit cardholder, check out Chase Offers for additional discounts on your purchases.

Enroll in VisaSavingsEdge

Business owners can use VisaSavingsEdge to earn extra cash back on business purchases.
VisaSavingsEdge lets business owners earn extra cash-back on purchases. Image Credit: visasavingsedge.com.

VisaSavingsEdge is a Visa-run cash-back program for small business owners. Just sign up for a VisaSavingsEdge account and link your small business Visa cards to earn extra cash-back on select purchases.

You can view a complete list of participating vendors on the VisaSavingsEdge website, but some of the most useful include Bing Ads, Mail Chimp, and HostGator. Like shopping portals, the amount of cash-back you’ll earn depends on the merchant and how much you spend.

Use Dosh for Bonus Cash-Back at Participating Stores

Dosh gives you extra cash back
Use Dosh to earn extra cash-back on your business purchases. Image Credit: Dosh.

Dosh is a cash-back app for in-store purchases. Just download the app, link your favorite credit cards, and you’ll be on your way to earning cash-back at participating merchants.

You can view a complete list of participating vendors in the Dosh app. We’ve found that most of the included stores are restaurants, but Staples and other office supply stores can also be found in the app.

As you’d expect, the amount of cash-back you’ll earn depends on the merchant and may fluctuate. Cash-back is earned in addition to your credit card rewards, and you can cash out your Dosh earnings via PayPal once you have $25 in your Dosh account.

Enroll in Dining Rewards to Earn Points on Business Meals

American Airlines AAdvantage Dining Program
Use dining rewards programs to earn extra points on your business dining expenses. Image Credit: aa.rewardsnetwork.com.

Most major airlines and some hotel chains have dining rewards programs, which are like shopping portals for eating out: spend money at a participating restaurant, and you’ll earn extra points (in addition to the points you already earn with your credit card).

Most dining rewards programs have 3 tiers of membership, and members with higher status will earn more points on their dining purchases:

  • Basic members: Sign up but don’t opt in for email updates
  • Online members: Sign up and opt-in for email updates
  • VIP members: Sign up, opt-in for email updates, and use the dining rewards portal more than a certain number of times

Using a dining portal is simple: just sign up for an account, link your credit cards, and dine at a participating restaurant.

Hot Tip: With dining rewards, you’ll earn points based on your membership tier and how much you spend at the restaurant — so you can rack up some serious points on business dinners and catering purchases!

Use MileagePlus X for Extra Points on Select Purchases

Use MileagePlus X to earn extra points on business purchases
Use MileagePlus X to earn extra points on business purchases. Image Credit: MileagePlus X.

MileagePlus X is United’s mobile app you can use to earn extra miles on your day-to-day business (and personal) purchases.

Just download the app and find a participating vendor you want to make a purchase from. Then, you can use a credit card linked to your United account to purchase a gift card to the merchant. The number of points you’ll earn per dollar spent varies based on the merchant and may fluctuate from time to time.

Hot Tip: Cardmembers who have a co-branded United Airlines card will earn a 25% bonus on all MileagePlus X purchases — even if you use a different card to actually make the purchase!

In our research, we’ve found that category bonuses will apply to MileagePlus X purchases made with a Chase credit card. So for example, if you use your Ink Business Preferred Credit Card to buy a travel gift card, you’ll still earn 3 points per dollar spent (since this card earns 3x points on travel).

Keep in mind that this may vary from card to card, so try a test purchase before making a large purchase if you’re counting on bonus points.

Final Thoughts

In this article, you learned several ways to maximize points and cash-back on your business purchases. With these methods, you’ll be on your way to earning valuable points and cash-back on money you need to spend for your business anyway.

We recommend starting by picking a solid credit card for your business, and then moving on to the other methods on this list. Before you know it, you’ll have extra points you can use to subsidize business travel — or take a much-needed vacation!

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards?

You can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to multiple transfer partners. Here’s the full list:

  • Aer Lingus AerClub
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Air France/KLM Flying Blue
  • Iberia Plus
  • JetBlue
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
  • United Airlines MileagePlus
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
  • World of Hyatt
  • IHG Rewards Club
  • Marriott Bonvoy

Where can I transfer my American Express Membership Rewards points?

There are many Amex transfer partners.

Here’s the full list:

  • Aer Lingus
  • AeroMexico
  • Air Canada
  • Alitalia
  • ANA
  • Asia Miles
  • Avianca
  • British Airways
  • Delta
  • El Al
  • Emirates
  • Etihad
  • Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
  • Iberia
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • JetBlue
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • Choice Hotels
  • Hilton
  • Marriott
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About Andrew Kunesh

Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now splits his time between Chicago and New York City.

He’s a lifelong traveler and took his first solo trip to San Francisco at the age of 16. Fast forward a few years, and Andrew now travels just over 100,000 miles a year, with over 25 countries, 10 business class products, and 2 airline statuses (United and Alaska) under his belt. Andrew formerly worked for The Points Guy and is now Senior Money Editor at CNN Underscored.

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