If youâre travelling several times a year for work and paying for flights, hotels, and client dinners with your business credit card, you might be leaving points on the table.
Many business credit cards offer bonus points on certain spending categories. This means you could earn double or triple the points on certain purchases. Thereâs no complicated strategy to implementâyou just need to align your spending with the right card. Understanding the difference between regular and bonus points can help you learn how to make your business travel credit card work harder for you.
Regular vs. bonus points
Regular credit card points are known as base rewards, and you earn them on every purchase you make. Some business credit cards offer tiered points systems, which allow you to earn higher points (bonus points) on certain categories. For example, you might earn 3x the base rate on all travel purchases, or 2x the base rate on dining. Knowing which purchases earn bonus points is the first step to making the most of your spending.
How to earn more on business travel
Assess your business spending
If you want to maximize your bonus points on business travel, you need to know where your highest spend categories are. Review your past statements to find your top spending areas. Is it flights, fuel, dining out, or hotel stays? Once you know, you can assess whether your current credit card aligns with your spending habits or if a different card could work harder for you. For example, if you take multiple international flights each year, look for a travel credit card that offers bonus points on flights.
Book through your travel portal
You can often earn bonus points when you book through your credit card travel portal instead of directly through the airline or hotel website. If youâre attending an international conference and you have some flexibility in booking your flight, accommodations, or rental car, itâs worth logging into your credit card portal to see if you can book any of your preferred options there.
Take advantage of the welcome bonus
Many business travel credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses if you meet a minimum spend requirement. For example, letâs say you can earn up to 50,000 points when you spend $9,000 in the first three months. Timing your credit card application to coincide with large purchases, such as flights, hotel bookings, or conference fees, can help you meet the requirements and secure bonus points. Just keep in mind that the welcome bonus is only valuable if youâre already planning to spend enough to meet the minimum threshold.
Consolidate employee credit card points
If you have employees who travel for work, consider providing them with a company card. This way, you can consolidate business expenses and earn points more quickly. Each time an employee books travel, these purchases can contribute to your overall rewards balance, helping offset future costs.
This strategy can also help simplify expense management by reducing the need for employees to use their personal cards and then go through the reimbursement process. You can earn more points and simplify the process by pooling all business charges onto one monthly statement.
Stack credit card rewards
In addition to your credit card rewards, you may be able to earn even more by combining rewards programs. For example, when youâre booking a flight using your business travel credit card, you can also enter your frequent flyer number. This way, you can earn points from both your credit card and the airline on eligible purchases.
You can use the same strategy when you’re booking a hotel or rental car. Many travel providers have their own loyalty programs, which may allow you to earn points in addition to your credit card rewards, but it depends on how you book and the providerâs policies.
Pay your balance in full each month
Carrying a credit card balance can result in interest charges that quickly reduce the value of any points you earn. For example, if your business carries a $5,000 balance at 20%, youâll pay approximately $83 per month in interest, or close to $1,000 per year. This might be more than you can earn in bonus points over the same amount of time. If you want to maximize your bonus points and make them count, do your best to pay your balance in full each month.
Stop leaving points on the table
Your business is already spending money on travel, so it makes sense to get as much value from those expenses as possible. With the right business travel credit card and a few simple habits, you can turn your necessary business travel into points that you can use to offset future travel costs. Align your card with your spending, take advantage of welcome bonuses, consolidate employee expenses, and pay your balance in full each month so interest payments donât negate your bonus earnings.
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Name: Sonakshi Murze
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