Unique reward categories on business cards

If you use a rewards credit card for personal expenses, you’re probably used to earning bonus miles for things like dining and travel purchases.

But the world of business credit cards is very different. In most cases, the banks that issue these cards understand that business owners have different spending patterns.

Many business expenses are recurring, and some can be quite large. Finding a unique rewards category on your credit card that corresponds to a large recurring expense can be a great “set it and forget it” strategy for winning your next free trip.

Let’s take a look at some of the most useful income categories among popular business credit cards.

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

You might be surprised to see this card at the top, but I think this card is often overlooked by small business owners.

A large portion of business spending doesn’t fall into traditional credit card bonus categories—here’s Hilton Honors American Express Business Card The card earns 5 points per $1 spent on all purchases that are not in a bonus category (up to $100,000 in annual purchases and 3 points per $1 spent thereafter).

This is a great value payout and you can’t get bonus rewards anywhere else. Based on TPG’s December 2025 valuation, Hilton Honors points are worth 0.5 cents each, so you’ll earn a solid 2.5% return on the first $100,000 of unclassified spending each year. Even though Hilton points have seen some significant depreciation, 500,000 of them can still satisfy many wonderful accommodation needs.

Related: Hilton Honors American Express Business Card Review: Elite Benefits on a Budget

American Express Business Platinum Card

American Express Business Platinum Card® The card has long featured statement points and lounge access, and small business owners have found their value. However, until recently, the bonus categories were limited, and it wasn’t a great card for racking up payouts.

However, after a recent update, business owners can now earn 2 American Express Membership Rewards points per $1 spent in a handful of unique categories (up to $2 million in combined purchases per calendar year, and 1 point per $1 spent thereafter). These categories include U.S. cloud service providers, U.S. building materials and hardware suppliers, U.S. electronics retailers, U.S. transportation providers, U.S. software and qualifying purchases of $5,000 or more.

Since U.S. Building Materials and Hardware Supplies is a new award category, I’m still figuring out all of the suppliers it covers. Regardless, this set of categories can bring significant value to most businesses.

RELATED: American Express Business Platinum Card Review: Biggest Ever Bonuses and Premium Benefits Worth the $895 Annual Fee?

Chase Sapphire Commercial Reserve

When it debuted earlier this year, Chase Sapphire Business Reserve℠ (See Rates & Fees) is widely praised for its dazzling welcome bonuses, new hotel points and lounge access. But what really sets this card apart is the fact that you earn 3 points for every $1 spent on social media and search engine advertising.

It’s a huge spending category these days, and while there are other cards that let you earn bonuses (including another Chase business card), the Sapphire Reserve for Business is the only card that doesn’t limit the amount you can earn.

For my two cents, without including bonus categories like this, Sapphire Business Reserve wouldn’t be as useful as it should be. Travel bonuses are common on other business credit cards, many of which have much lower annual fees. If your business consistently spends on social media and search engine advertising, this category can easily increase your Chase Ultimate Rewards point balance while helping to justify the high annual fee.

RELATED: Chase Sapphire Business Reserve Review: Is Chase’s New Business Card Right for You?

Capital One VenturesX Business

Many people choose the Capital One Venture If you book a lot of hotels and rental cars for your employees, the Capital One travel portal might become your new best friend.

Earn 10 miles for every $1 spent when you book with Capital One Travel and pay with Venture X Business. Be sure to compare prices as the rates charged by this portal may be higher than those elsewhere.

Related: Capital One Ventures X Business Review: Huge Earning Potential for Reasonable Annual Fees

Ink Business Cash Credit Card

If you prefer to earn cash back, then you need to consider Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (See Rates & Fees), offers a healthy 5% cash back on office supply stores and on cable, Internet and phone services (up to $25,000 in combined purchases per account anniversary year). If you have an eligible Chase card that you can combine with rewards, 5% back could be 5 points per dollar.

Many small business owners rely on retailers like Amazon for electronics, but getting 5% back when you buy printers and computers through the office supply store’s website might be just the incentive you need to change your buying patterns.

Related: Chase Ink Business Cash Card Review: Great for Office Supplies and Tech Services

Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card

Wyndham Rewards isn’t as popular as other hotel loyalty programs, but it offers a ton of value, especially if you use the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card.

This card has two outstanding bonus categories. Earn a leading 8 points per $1 spent on gas purchases, perfect for companies with fleets, and 5 points per $1 spent on utility bills – something you can’t find anywhere else.

Wyndham Rewards business card earning information is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

bottom line

Small business owners manage dozens of different details every day. Taking the time to figure out the best bonus category for a specific fee may not always be feasible.

But if one of these unique categories fits your monthly spending, it might be worth the effort to set yourself up with a card that can supplement those earnings. Many of these categories are specifically created for small business owners. Not to mention, the extra points will help eliminate the sting of some of the higher (and growing) annual fees we’ve seen.