As things begin returning to normal and business travel becomes expected, so do the awful expense reports that ask you to itemize the 10 different hotel “taxes” that end up being 1/3 of the room rate! I was recently chatting with a friend who was interviewing for a new job that told him “All businesses expenses will be reimbursed”… which is actually the best possible scenario. Corporate cards can be good for some people but if you are looking to maximize your points, using your own card and being reimbursed can result in some SERIOUS points. Let’s look at both why you would want to choose reimbursement and a few card recommendations!
Benefits of Corporate Cards
Corporate credit cards(normally American Express or Citi) are great in the fact that they typically don’t effect your credit score as they are reported against the organization. American Express does however pull your credit to make sure that you do not have any derogatory credit history, but it does not report your utilization and other factors on a monthly basis. If you are someone who often runs high utilization on your personal credit cards, adding additional expense(by choosing the reimbursement path) to your personal card could actually negative effect your credit, in which case a corporate card is the best option. If you fall into this category, please check out my other post, What Makes Up My Credit Score.
Benefits of Reimbursement
For the majority of individuals, choosing to use a personal credit card and being reimbursed by your company is a no brainer! If given the option to use my personal card and be reimbursed, I would have generated approximately 60K points in 2019 alone… which could cover anything from 2 Round Trip tickets on Delta to a free night at a swanky hotel. Aside from points, you are also able to use this opportunity to both increase your available credit, earn a great sign up bonus, and increase your card portfolio for better points earnings. If possible, I would also recommend opening a new card and keeping your business expenses separate from your personal expenses, in case your company ever wants to audit your spending.
Card Recommendations
I would highly recommend either the American Express Platinum or the American Express Gold Card for business expense reimbursement… or EVEN BOTH! The American Express Platinum is my personal favorite, currently offerings 125K Membership Rewards points + 10X points at restaurants for your first 6 months. The American Express Platinum comes with benefits like 5X points on all travel booked through amextravel.com or the airline directly, a $250 airline credit, access to the Delta SkyClub, access to the American Express Centurion Lounges, Hilton Honors Gold status, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, National Rental Car Executive status, and a $120 Uber/Uber Eats Credit. If you are going to be traveling for work, this card will allow you to unlock many upgrades and comforts while you are jet setting or driving to visit your clients. I personally have found this card to make my life a little more comfortable when traveling… from sitting in lounges at airports, upgraded rental vehicles, and upgraded rooms that provide more space to relax and work. If you are a Delta Airlines fan… this one is a NO BRAINER that allows you to enjoy the Delta SkyClub instead of being with the hustle and bustle of the normal gate area.
Along with the American Express Platinum, I would also recommend the American Express Gold as typically your biggest expenses when traveling are dining and transportation. The American Express Gold card is currently offering 60K Membership Rewards points and offers 4X points on all dining as well as 3X points on airfare booked through amextravel.com and airlines directly. Although having both cards is my preferred strategy, if you had to choose one card to maximize business expense points it would be the American Express Gold.
American Express Secrets
Ironically enough, there are a couple of “secret” benefits that most people don’t know about when it comes to American Express Corporate cards.
- If you have an American Express Corporate card you are eligible to receive a credit for your personal card annual fees. For the Platinum it is $150 and the Gold is $100, which puts you even closer to positive Return on Investment for your annual fees. Just click this link to sign up for the Corporate Advantage Program
- Depending on your companies agreement with American Express, you may be able to earn points on your corporate card that are then deposited to your personal Membership Rewards portal. The fee is typically $100, however your company has to elect to be in this program.
Are you traveling to visit clients yet? Do you ever see yourself being a road warrior again? Drop a comment below as I know personally the days of flying across the country for lunch are gone for me!
The Points Authority: Mastering The Points Game 