Agency Owners Credit Card Rewards: A Complete Guide

Maximizing Credit Card Points and Travel Benefits for Small Business Owners For small business owners, leveraging credit card points and travel benefits can significantly reduce travel costs and enhance the travel experience. This guide is tailored to help you navigate the world of credit cards and loyalty programs to maximize these benefits effectively. Understanding Your Spending and Travel Preferences The foundation of a solid strategy involves two main factors: your business expenses and your travel preferences, including preferred airlines and hotels. For example, if your go-to airline is Delta and you frequently stay at Marriott hotels, your approach to selecting credit cards and loyalty programs should align with these preferences. Selecting the Right Credit Card For Business Expenses If you run a business with considerable online advertising spend, such as a marketing agency, a top choice is the Chase INK Business Premier Business Preferred Card. This card offers: These points can be redeemed for travel expenses, effectively allowing you to double-dip on rewards by also earning points with airlines and hotels when booked through Chase. Though it might seem overwhelming to manage multiple cards, keeping each for its specific purpose simplifies the process. Enjoying Elite Status and Travel Benefits Automatic Elite Status By using branded hotel and airline credit cards, you can automatically gain elite status, which comes with numerous perks. For example: AMEX Platinum Card for Travel Perks The AMEX Platinum Card is another excellent addition to your wallet, known for its comprehensive travel benefits, including: Using the Cards to Multiple Points The real trick comes in how you strategically use the cards. At first it seems like a lot, but eventually it becomes second nature. Here’s how it works for me:1. We use the CHASE business card for all ad spend and general company expenses for most team members. This generates points that I can get a 25% boost on when booking travel with them. I use that points to book PERSONAL travel since I can’t write that off. (Business travel I never use points to book, I always pay cash to get the tax advantage.) 2. By using the CHASE business card points to book personal travel, I then gain points at Marriott for staying there. When I’m there, I use my marriott card for all benefits, upgrades, and additional points. 3. When booking Marriott or Delta, I use those cards to get the multipliers and end up with Platinum status with each of them pretty easily (without actually traveling that much). That means I almost always get upgrades on planes and hotels at no additional cost. 4. The AMEX Platinum card I use for tons of business expenses and travel that isn’t Marriott or Delta and get lots of advantages and perks listed above. Something silly like having access to airport lounges can make travel MUCH more enjoyable and as a result, reduce stress and help you be better in all areas of life. Conclusion By strategically choosing and using credit cards aligned with your business spending and travel preferences, you can significantly enhance your travel experience while saving on costs. The key is to select cards that offer the best rewards for your specific needs and to take advantage of the perks and status they provide. This approach not only simplifies managing your cards but also ensures you’re maximizing every dollar spent on travel and business expenses.