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Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Our Rating 4.5/5 How our ratings work Read the review
- APR21.24% - 26.24% (Variable)
- Annual Fee$95
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Sign Up Bonus
100,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 in the first three months Dollar Equivalent: $2,300 (100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base)
Those with travel and advertising expenses will like the high earning rates in these categories, plus cardholders can eke out even more value with fully transferable rewards through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. One drawback is the modest annual fee, though many can offset this with the card’s earning potential.
Overview
This card offers a whopping 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 in the first three months — with the card’s 25% bonus on travel booked through Chase, that’s worth $1,250. But you could potentially get more through one of the bank’s transfer partners. The rewards you earn from the Ink Business Preferred Card can be transferred to 10 different airline partners including United, Southwest, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore and British Airways, as well as hotel partners Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott.
Unlike the other two Ink Business cards, you can use this card to transfer your rewards directly to airline miles and hotel points. Travelers may also like this card’s cellphone protection policy that will cover up to $600 per claim.
Pros
- 3x points on 5 different categories (up to $150,000)
- Robust travel, purchase and cellphone protections
- Ability to earn transferable points to use on travel partners
- No additional charge for extra cards for additional authorized users
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Businesses that don't spend on the category bonuses won't benefit
The Ink Business Preferred credit card is consistently ranked one of the best business cards, and for a good reason. The card leads the pack when it comes to welcome bonuses, rewards potential, travel protections, and currency value. If you’re looking to boost your Ultimate Rewards balance, there’s currently no better way to do it than with this card. The annual fee is downright reasonable compared to other business cards, and what you get in return far outweighs this cost.
If you’re in the market for a new business card, here are five reasons to apply for the Ink Business Preferred now:
One of the Best Sign-Up Bonuses
The Ink Business Preferred credit card offers its highest welcome bonus ever. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are hard to come by, between just three cards and the limitations of the 5/24 rule. If you qualify for the Ink Business Preferred, this is an excellent opportunity to stock up on one of the most valuable rewards currencies.
At the very least, you can for $1,000 in cash back or $1,250 in travel rewards. Transfer your points to one of 13 airlines and hotels, and you’ll get even more value out of them. For example, you can often get at least 1.8 cents of value out of your Hyatt points. Transfer Ultimate Rewards to World of Hyatt, and you’ll increase their value and get access to an impressive portfolio of budget, luxury, and all-inclusive hotels.
Inflation is quickly driving up travel costs, making points and miles more important than ever in keeping expenses manageable. Rising costs can also mean potential devaluations – it shouldn’t come as a surprise if airlines and hotels start inflating their award charts to match demand. Investing in a transferable rewards program like Chase’s will make your rewards balance virtually devaluation-proof. If one transfer partner hikes redemption rates, you have 12 others to choose from.
If you plan a trip for this year or next, chances are you’ll get excellent use out of the Ink Business Preferred’s welcome bonus.
Generous Category Bonuses
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Welcome bonuses are great, but the true mark of an excellent business card is earning potential on everyday spending. The Ink Business Preferred® credit card offers generous rewards on common business spending categories. Cardholders earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on shipping, travel, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar spent.
If your business has expenses in these categories, you’ll definitely benefit from having an Ink Business Preferred in your wallet. You can get free employee cards to further ramp your point earnings.
Travel Protections Galore
With service disruptions due to weather or operational inefficiencies, travel insurance is as pertinent as ever. The Ink Business Preferred provides a host of travel protections when you charge your expenses to the card. These will come in handy when your flight is delayed, your trip is canceled, or you have an accident in your rental car.
Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance
Chase provides Ink Business Preferred cardholders with up to $5,000 per person in trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per trip and applies to prepaid and nonrefundable travel expenses. You can request reimbursement for airfare, hotels, and tours if your trip is canceled for a covered reason.
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
Accidents happen, and when it involves a rental vehicle, you’ll be glad to have paid for it with your Ink Business Preferred. The card provides primary auto rental collision coverage, so you won’t have to go through your own insurance to file a claim. Nor do you have to pay a daily fee to the rental car company to get your rental vehicle properly insured.
Roadside Dispatch
If you’re stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire or empty gas tank, your Ink Business Preferred can connect you with roadside assistance. The service also covers towing, a jumpstart, and lockout. Simply call the designated roadside emergency line and have your Ink Business Preferred on hand to pay the service fees.
Cell Phone Protection
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We’ve all been there: You’re a responsible person who gets a pretty cell phone case to protect your shiny new phone. But you drop it, and the screen shatters. With the Ink Business Preferred, you don’t need AppleCare or hundreds of dollars to repair the damage. Cardholders get cell phone protection, which covers up to $1,000 per claim.
You’ll have to pay a $100 deductible per claim, but that’s a small price compared to the cost of repairing or replacing a phone. You can file up to three claims within 12 months. The only stipulation is that you must pay your cell phone bill with your Ink Business Preferred card to qualify for this coverage.
Combine the Card With Other Cards for Higher Rewards
If you have a Chase card that earns cash back, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex, adding an Ink Business Preferred to your wallet could be even more rewarding. That’s because pairing an Ultimate Rewards-earning card lets you convert your cashback to Ultimate Rewards points. Why is that so lucrative? Because the Freedom cards already earn bonus rewards on personal spending categories. The Freedom Unlimited even offers 1.5% cash back (doubled for a limited time) on non-bonus spending.
By pairing an Ink Business Preferred with one of these cards, you’ll increase your overall earning potential and convert your cash-back rewards to valuable Ultimate Rewards points. And since the Freedom cards don’t have annual fees, all it will cost you is $95 per year.
Bottom Line
At the beginning of the year, you may take stock of your credit card portfolio and decide what stays and goes. The Ink Business Preferred is an excellent card whether you run a small or large business. The card’s welcome bonus is a nice incentive, but the generous category bonuses and travel protections make it valuable in the long term. Factor in a best-in-class rewards currency, and you’ll go far even as travel costs continue to rise.
Ariana Arghandewal
Ariana Arghandewal is a rewards travel expert and founder of Pointchaser, an online publication dedicated to rewards travel topics. She brings over a decade of experience writing about travel, points, miles and credit cards. Her expertise includes her roles as an editor for distinguished travel and finance publications such as NerdWallet, The Points Guy and FlyerTalk. She has also authored many articles featured in major financial news & travel channels like Forbes, U.S. News Weekly, Business Insider & Fodor’s Travel.
