Best Business Credit Card for Travel

Are you looking for the best business credit card for travel?

I know there are a billion options for credit cards out there (trust me, I'm an international traveler, turned international multi-preneur...I've looked)!  So I'll save you some trouble and help point you in the direction to help you maximize your points and minimize your fees if you travel a lot for business or own an international business, like I do!  I have the best credit card for travel on the market for my business needs!  Here's the breakdown:

Best Business Credit Card for Travel

The Chase Ink family of credit cards are hands down the best group of cards for business owners, and I particularly prefer the Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card (see what I did there?).  This card is especially for those of you who are often on the move, and ultra-highly recommended if you own an international business and/or travel a lot for business whether domestically or internationally.

The Pros of the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

1. Excellent Sign Up Bonus Offer!

If you have high spending anyways, and are likely to spend $8,000 or more in the first 3 months, you'll be able to reap the rewards of the sign up bonus which equates to $1,000 cash back!  You could also choose to use the rewards points toward travel where they're worth 25% more for cardholders: $1,250!  I'm a travel agent, so I tend to stick to the cash back and use my insider skills to make that cash back work magic!

2. Avoid Late Fees with auto payments from Chase Checking or Savings

If you have Chase business checking or savings account, you can schedule automatic payments to make sure you're never late to be sure you don't get smacked with high interest or late fees

3.  Earn 3x the Points on common business expenses

When you spend on any of the following categories, you earn 3x the points for every $1 spent (up to $150,000 per year!): 

• shipping, 
• advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines, 
• internet, cable and phone services, and - of course - 
• TRAVEL!

4. 1:1 Travel Points with Airline Programs

 You can transfer your points 1:1 for travel with airline partner companies:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards®
• Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®
• United MileagePlus®
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

   5. 1:1 Travel Points with Hotel Programs

You can transfer your points 1:1 for travel with hotel partner companies:

• IHG® One Rewards Club
• Marriott Bonvoy®
• World of Hyatt

6. NO FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEES!

As someone who lives and works internationally, if you already do or will be traveling internationally this is a HUGE money-saver for you!  Most credit cards charge really high fees for international use - so you can save hundreds of dollars when you use this for international travel or purchases abroad!

7. Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance 

Make sure you book with your Chase Business Ink credit card!

8. Roadside Dispatch

For help if you run into trouble on the road!

9. Cell Phone Protection

I know a lot of you work from your phones, and if you are prone to break yours day one when your dog jumps up and knocks it out of your pocket, like me...this can be a huge help!

10.  Purchase Protection

This is important whether you travel or not - it covers damage OR theft for up to 3 months from the purchase date!

11.  Extended Warranty Protection

You can extend some warranties by up to a year!

12.   Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver

You can decline coverage with the rental company for theft and collision damages both domestically and abroad when renting a vehicle when booking your rental with this card!

The Cons of the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

1.  There may be other cards with a more accessible sign up bonus

If you won't hit the bonus spend of $8,000 in 3 months, you may prefer to get a card with a bonus you can achieve!

2.  Annual Fee

There is a $95 annual fee (but, in case it helps to see the bigger perspective, the cash back alone pays the annual fee off for me, multiple times over)!

3.  Lower Interest Rates Elsewhere

The interest rate ranges are fairly typical, but you may be able to find options with lower interest rates if you shop around (though they likely won't provide the same number or level of rewards).

4. Restrictions May Apply!

As with ALL credit card rewards programs, please make sure you read the fine print about how the program works, be sure to use the card that the coverage if offered on, review the limitations on coverage, AND be sure to file any claim(s) correctly and on time per their requirements to make sure you're covered!

Summary of the Best Credit Card for Business Travel

I've been a Chase Ink Business client for a few years now and can absolutely recommend it from the standpoint of an international business owner AND as an international business traveler!  Whether or not you use Chase Checking and Savings for your business (which give you some added positives like those easy automated payments and fast turnaround times compared to making payments from other banks, it's a super intuitive connection.  Not only does the sign up reward you 12.5% back on the initial spending requirement, but the year-round card benefits are unrivalled for business travelers from what I've seen on the market!  If you're in the market for the best business credit card for travel or the best business credit card for international travel, take a look at the Chase Ink Business Preferred option and let me know what you think!

Surf & Yoga Retreats in Paradise: Now with Costa Rica Surf Trip!

After years of vacation planning, surf lesson and coaching instruction, and surf trips, Costa Rica Surf Trip is branching out within their specialty and offering surf and yoga retreat packages, among others!

They have just announced that they will be holding one from April 7-11, 2018 so if you're interested, be sure to register immediately to get your reservation in progress!

Here's the scoop on how it works.

They take a $250, 100% refundable damage deposit to register via their website.  Upon receipt of your damage deposit, they'll send you an information and reservation package via email to get details about your travelers, sleeping arrangements, emergency contacts, etc.  The key to the registration packet is that it also includes information on how to complete your reservation by making a 50% deposit for your trip package (10% of your total trip package is non-refundable once paid, but what are the chances you're going to back out of an international trip to paradise that you've been planning for months unless something extreme happens).  Your 50% reservation deposit may incur a small credit card fee, or you can direct deposit to the company account via the secure Zelle Quickpay option or Venmo for no additional charge.

You don't have to pay the remaining balance of your trip package until one month before you arrive, so if you plan ahead, you will have plenty of time to save up!  50% of deposit becomes non-refundable one month before arrival because of activity and accommodation cancellation policies that are out of control of the events organizers, but again...you should already have your tickets in hand and your bag packed by then, so you should probably just pay your balance and get ready for the time of your life at what is sure to be a stellar combination of surf, sun, yoga, and adventure with Costa Rica Surf Trip and Lisa Pineda Yoga!

Here's the Costa Rica Surf Trip flyer announcing the surf and yoga retreat package options with certified New York City / Long Island yogi, Lisa Pineda:

Costa Rica Surf Trip Presents:  Costa Rica Surf & Yoga Retreat Packages, 2018

Family Trip to Costa Rica

More surfing and adventures!  Love!  Get out there with your family, your friends, your partner in crime, or even on your own!  Have an adventure!  Live a little!  Go talk to Costa Rica Surf Trip and let them plan your family vacation to Costa Rica.  So amazing!

Costa Rica Surf Trip - Surfing the Pura Vida!

Doesn't it make you want to surf in Costa Rica?

TShirt Travel Lingo

In case you ever thought you could never get along in a foreign country without knowing the language...you may be in luck!  They say "a picture is worth a thousand words" and these t-shirts may finally prove it!

See more here.

Prince Ea - I am not Black You are Not White - Video Traducido al español

Yo.
No soy negro.
Digo; Asi me llama el mundo pero no es quien soy yo.
No sali del vientre de mi madre diciendo "Hola a todos, soy negro!"
No.  Fui enseñado ser negro.
Y te enseñaron llamarme así igual que lo que sea que te llamas a ti.
Es solamente una etiqueta.
Ves?  Desde el nacimiento el mundo nos mete en vena estas etiquetas.
Y eventualmente todos las tragamos.
Las digestionamos y las aceptamos.
Nunca jamás dudándolas.
Pero hay un problema.
Las etiquetas no son ustedes y las etiquetas no soy yo.
Las etiquetas son simplemente...etiquetas.
Pero quienes somos de verdad no es epidérmico.
Vea, cuando yo conduzco mi carro, nadie confundiría el carro conmigo.
Pero cuando conduzco mi cuerpo porque me confundes con mi cuerpo?
Es mi cuerpo.
Entiendes?
No yo.
Déjame simplificarlo.
Nuestros cuerpos son sencillamente carros que nosotros operamos y manejamos.
La concesión que llamamos "la sociedad" decidió etiquetar la mía "la edición negra."
La suya, la irlandesa o la edición blanca.
Y sin una cuota inicial, cero por ciento de tasa de interés anual, sin probar el manejo, se nos forzó ser dueños de estos cuerpos por el resto de nuestras vidas.
Discúlpame pero yo no puedo ver la lógica ni el orgullo en definirme a mi mismo o en juzgar a otro por el carro que uno conduce.
Porque quienes somos de verdad se encuentra adentro de uno.
Escúchenme, no estoy aqui para decirles que la ciencia ha concluido que genéticamente somos todos mezclados y que "raza" en la especie humana no existe ni tampoco que cada historiador sabe que "raza" fue inventada en el siglo XV para dividirse a la gente y que se ha funcionado perfectamente...
NO!
No estoy aqui para regañar.
Sólo quiero preguntar una pregunta.
Quién sería usted si el mundo no le hubiera dado una etiqueta?
Nunca le dió una cajita para marcar...
Sería blanco? negro?  mexicano? asiático? americano nativo? del medio oriente? indio?
No.
Seríamos uno.
Estaríamos juntos.
No más viviendo en el error de llamarles a seres humanos "personas negras" o "personas blancas."
...Estas etiquetas que siempre nos cegará de ver una persona por lo que es, pero al contrario verla por los filtros sentenciosos, perjudiciales, artificiales de lo que pensamos que sean.
Y cuando tú dejes que una etiqueta artificial defiene quien eres, pues, amigo mío, has escogido la pequeñez sobre la grandeza y has minimizado a ti mismo.
Has limitado y dividido a ti mismo de los demás.
Y es un hecho indiscutible que donde haya división habrá conflicto, y el conflicto causa guerras, entonces cada guerra ha empezado por etiquetas.
Siempre es "nosotros" versus "ellos."
Entonces la respuesta a la guerra, racismo, sexismo, y todos los demás "-ismos" es tan sencillo que se les ha escapado a todos los politicos...Son las etiquetas.
Tenemos que arrancarlas.
No es curioso que ningún bebé nace racista pero que todos los bebés lloran cuando escuchan los gritos de otro, no importa el género, cultura, o color.
Probando que al fondo tuvimos la intención de conectarnos y cuidarnos, unos a los otros.
Esta es nuestra misión.
Y esto NO es mi opinión, esto es la verdad en un mundo que nos ha vendido la ficción.
Por favor, escúchen.
Las etiquetas solamente distorcionan nuestras visiones, lo que cause que la mitad de los que vean esto, lo descartarán o sintirán resistencia, y conflicto.
Pero acuérdense...
también lo sintió la oruga antes de que rompió su cáscara y se hizo la mariposa magnifica.
Pues, estas etiquetas son nuestras cáscaras y tenemos que hacer lo mismo para que por fin podemos extender nuestras alas.
Los seres humanos no fueron hechos para ser estampados con etiquetas como provisiones en los supermercados!
La ADN no puede ser controlado por la administración de alimentos y medicamentos!
Fuimos hechos para ser libres.
Y sólamente cuando las quitemos todas, y paremos de vivir y pensar tan pequeños estarámos...libres para ver a nuestros mismos, y a los demás, por quienes somos de verdad.

We are all People of the World

If only we all knew how very connected we are...the world could be such a different place.

One world.  One people.  One love.