When you think of a business credit card, the first word that comes to mind is probably something like “bill” or “plastic”—but probably not “luxury.” Which, well, fair. But if you think about your business credit in a savvy way, all of those bills you pay on that little piece of plastic in your wallet can actually amount to some real indulgences. You just have to spend on one of the best luxury business credit cards.
And why not? You work hard for your business, and the days (or, okay, hours or minutes) that you get to yourself should feel as decadent as they can. Entrepreneurs don’t get a lot of time off, so the best luxury business credit cards will help you ensure that the time you do have is enjoyed optimally—even if it’s spent working, or waiting for a business flight. (Opportunity never sleeps—although you should.)
But there are other things that comprise a luxury business credit card, which we’ll discuss, too. Here are what we’ve found to be the best of the best if you want to cash in your spending for the most rewarding perks out there.
What Makes a Luxury Business Credit Card… Luxury?
Other than the definition of luxury that includes six-figure watches, yachts in Saint Tropez, and Pomeranians carried in monogrammed handbags, what do we mean by luxury here?
Well, as a business owner, luxury business credit cards seem to fall into two distinct categories. The first offers you upgrades—perks that make you feel pampered, special, and like you’re getting just a little bit extra. The second is a card that goes the extra mile—meaning that you have major points potential and generous signup bonuses, so there are huge rewards on the other side.
All of that amounts to a way for you to indulge as you spend—or even just as you carry the card in your wallet. That all depends on which card you pick.
The 5 Best Luxury Business Credit Cards You Can Get
Many top-tier luxury credit cards are personal cards. But if you want to earn rewards for your business, and build your business credit, then you’ll want to stick to a business credit card, of course. And you should—because you still have great options.
Here are your best:
The Overall Best Luxury Business Credit Card: The Business Platinum Card from American Express OPEN
If you know anything about luxury business credit cards, then you won’t be surprised to hear that the Amex Business Platinum Card takes the top spot on this list. We’ve written before about the ridiculous perks that this card offers—and we stand by them.
That’s because when you’re thinking of a luxury business credit card, you’re probably thinking about what’s included when you become an Amex Platinum cardholder. The most luxurious perks that come from just carrying the card include:
- Access to 1,100+ international airport lounges
- $200 airline fee credit for incidental charges like bags or in-flight purchases
- A Global Entry or TSA Precheck credit every four years
- Hilton Honors and Starwood Preferred Gold Status
- Free Boingo WiFi access
- Amex’s Business Platinum Travel Service
And if you book a lot of travel, you’ll benefit with upgrades and discounts if you use Amex’s portal. Of course, you’ll earn Membership Rewards points, too—but 5x on fights and hotels booked through Amex Travel.
Basically, this is a card that’ll give you even more luxurious rewards if you spend big—but you’ll earn well and get the high-end experience you’re looking for regardless with the Amex Platinum.
Luxury comes with a price: a $450 per year membership fee. But do the math—because if you spend on any of the above, like checked bags or Global Entry, for instance, this card likely pays for itself. Plus, there’s big welcome bonus potential: In total, you can earn 100,000 points if you spend $25,000 on this card within your first three months.
The Best Luxury Business Credit Card Welcome Bonus: Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Maybe you know about the Amex Platinum and are looking for an alternative. If that’s the case, the Chase Ink Business Preferred is an excellent luxury business credit card to give you high-quality travel perks.
And that’s especially true if your business has predictable spending in categories including travel, telecom, shipping, etc. That’s because this is a tiered rewards card, so you’ll 3x certain categories up to $150,000 each year, which is major earning potential—and, subsequently, major luxury rewards.
Among the perks you’ll appreciate for being a card member are:
- Primary rental car insurance
- Trip insurance
- Lost and delayed baggage insurance
- 24/7 roadside dispatch while you travel
Most importantly, though, is the card’s signup bonus. As of this writing, you’ll get 80,000 points for spending $5,000 in your first three months with the card. That’s a pretty low threshold for a luxury business credit card, especially when you consider that then travel will be worth upwards of $1,000 when you redeem your points through Chase Ultimate Rewards (they’ll be worth 25% more there).
In general, if you’re smart about maxing out your rewards on this card, you can set yourself up for some pretty indulgent perks—flights and hotels through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, plus the ability to transfer points to partner travel programs. And if you feel like getting yourself something instead, you can shop with your points.
That means the world—or, at minimum, Amazon—is your oyster. Just don’t forget to take into account the $95 annual fee before you go diving for pearls.
The Best Luxury Business Credit Card for Flexible Rewards: The Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN
Gold? How luxurious. And because the Amex Business Gold isn’t actually a luxury business credit card—it’s a charge card—this card has no preset spending limit. Go ahead and be a high-roller. Just make sure you pay off your bill, or you’ll encounter some off-the-wall late fees.
This card’s signup bonus is worth a nod: 50,000 Membership Rewards points if you spend $5,000 in the first three months. And you can redeem these for whatever you’d like, so indulge at your whim—whether you’re into gift cards, merchandise, experiences, or whatever else.
Other than its signup bonus, the Business Gold card gives you lots of opportunities to earn more points, and you can actually choose your top category among five for 3x rewards. You’ll get 2x points on up to $100,000 worth in purchases in the remaining four categories, and 1x point for your remaining purchases.
Travel-wise, you’ll also get lots of the Amex OPEN good stuff, too, like:
- Travel accident insurance
- Roadside assistance
- Car rental loss and damage insurance
- Baggage insurance
Plus, no foreign transaction fee. Your annual fee will be $175, though you’ll get your first year waived—another nice perk for a higher-end card.
The Best Luxury Business Credit Card for Hotel Perks: Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express
To many, luxury isn’t the journey (especially if the journey is an 18-hour flight), it’s the destination. Actually, more specifically, it’s the hotel. If that’s your vibe, the American Express Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card is probably what you’re looking for.
This luxury business credit card is one of the best brand-specific credit cards on the market, and it especially delivers for loyal Starwood and Marriott Hotels customers. The Amex SPG business card works in “Starpoints,” which is just the name for their rewards program. What you need to know is that if you spend a lot on business travel, you rack ‘em up quickly: 2x at participating hotels, and 1x on everything else.
And these points mean free luxury when you redeem them:
- Hotel and resort stays in 100+ countries
- Fights on 150+ airlines (including the SPG Airline Transfer Program, which allows you to exchange points to 30+ frequent flyer programs)
There’s also an easy-to-access welcome bonus: a statement credit of $100 for spending $1,000 in the first six months of card ownership, and an additional $100 if you stay at a qualifying Starwood or Marriott during those first six months. The most luxurious perk kicks in after you’ve reached SPG Elite status, which means you’ll get an annual credit for five nights.
This card has a yearly $95 fee, but it’s waived for the first year.
The Best Luxury Business Credit Card for American Airlines: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®
If you’re an airline loyalist to American Airlines, you’ll be happy to discover the AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard, AA’s own luxury business credit card. This card is designed specifically to lavish high-end perks on its most devoted travelers and biggest spenders—which might be just what you’re looking for.
The biggest upfront perk is a 70,000-mile welcome bonus if you spend $4,000 within the first four months with the card—a pretty low threshold if your business spends a lot. Plus, the card has a lot of other travel perks, including:
- Annual AA Companion Certificate after your business spends $30,000
- Access select destinations with Reduced Mileage Awards (translation: more flights, fewer miles)
- 24/7 personal travel concierge
- 25% off in-flight purchases, including WiFi
- Preferred boarding and a free checked bag
Your mileage potential is also high: You’ll earn 2x on eligible purchases from both AA, as expected, but within select business categories, too. That includes telco, gas, car rentals, and more. And there’s no cap on the number of miles you can earn, so you can rack up as many miles as you need to fly wherever you want.
The annual fee is $99, and AA will waive it for the first year. Again, this card is a top pick for American Airlines devotees—but if you want the absolute most luxurious travel card experience out there, you can’t possibly beat the American Express Platinum Card.
Finding the Right Luxury Business Credit Card
Although a luxury business credit card isn’t exactly a keycard into a room filled with gold bars, it still unlocks access to high-end perks.
When you’re trying to pick your card, decide whether you want a card that’ll give you immediate access to indulgences just by being a cardholder (like the Amex Platinum), or whether the best fit is high rewards potential so you can cash in later on a real treat (like the Ink Unlimited).
The post Top 5 Luxury Business Credit Cards for Indulgent Perks appeared first on Fundera Ledger.
from Fundera Ledger https://www.fundera.com/blog/best-luxury-business-credit-cards
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