Best Business Credit Cards for Lounge Access and Travel Perks
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As a business owner, having the right credit card can help you earn rewards on all your business purchases. The right card can also make your travels more comfortable, convenient, and affordable thanks to the travel benefits it offers.
This article covers the best business credit cards for travel perks, such as lounge access, elite status, and free checked bags, to help you choose the one that will make your travels go smoothly.
Best Business Credit Cards for Travel – Key Features to Look For
When it comes to the best business credit cards for travel, there are a few things to consider when choosing the right one for you.
In making your selection, you’ll want to decide how much you care about each of the following perks and benefits:
- lounge access (e.g., complimentary passes through programs like Dragonpass, Priority Pass, or Visa Airport Companion Program, or more specific lounge access, such as Maple Leaf Lounge passes through Aeroplan credit cards)
- travel insurance coverage
- elite status offers
- annual travel credits
- airline-specific free checked bags and priority airport experiences (like fast-tracked security lines and check-in)
- car rental discounts and elite status
- rewards currency (i.e, would you rather collect Aeroplan points, Membership Rewards points, Scene+ points, or something else?)
As you peruse our choices below, consider which one offers the diversity of benefits that best suits your travel style.
Best Business Credit Cards for Travel – The Contenders
Business Platinum Card from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best travel cards on the market, offering a vast array of travel benefits.
Although the card comes with a hefty annual fee of $799, the following benefits (plus more non-travel features) can make it easy to justify the expense:
Lounge Access
- Plaza Premium lounge access for the cardholder plus one guest
- Priority Pass for the cardholder plus one guest
- The Centurion Lounge access for the cardholder plus two guests
- Delta Sky Club access for the cardholder
Travel Benefits
- Instant Hilton Honors Gold elite status
- Instant Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status
- Book Fine Hotels + Resorts with American Express Travel and enjoy complimentary benefits including daily breakfast for two, guaranteed 4pm late checkout, room upgrade (when available), and more
- Book The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel and get benefits like $100 hotel credit for amenities during your stay, room upgrades, early check-in, and late check-out (all subject to availability)
- Travel insurance coverage including emergency medical insurance, trip cancellation insurance, trip interruption insurance, travel emergency assistance, travel accident insurance, car rental insurance, lost or stolen baggage insurance, baggage delay insurance, flight delay insurance, and hotel burglary insurance
- $200 annual travel credit
- $100 NEXUS statement credit every four years
- Additional perks such as car rental discounts and elite status, airfare discounts, premium airport transfer options, and special benefits at Toronto Pearson International Airport
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express earns Membership Rewards points at a rate of 1.25 points per $1 spent on all purchases. These points are both valuable and flexible, with American Express giving you options to redeem them for travel and merchandise (among other options), or you can transfer your points to airline and hotel loyalty programs like Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy.
- Annual fee
- $799
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,360Total$1,360$680 deferred bonus, excluded from the first-year estimate and not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,360
- Welcome offerAfter $15,000 in 3 months
- Up to 120,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Scotiabank Passport Business Visa Infinite
The Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Business* Card comes with a much lower annual fee of $199, equally in line with the travel perks that it offers.
Lounge Access
- 6 complimentary lounge passes through the Visa Airport Companion Program
Travel Benefits
- No foreign transaction fees (save 2.5% on all your foreign currency purchases)
- Complimentary Avis Preferred Plus membership
- Visa Infinite Benefits, including Visa Infinite Concierge, Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection, Visa Infinite Dining Series, and Visa Infinite Wine Country Program
- Travel insurance coverage that includes emergency medical insurance, trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance, flight delay insurance, delayed and lost baggage insurance, travel accident coverage, car rental coverage, and hotel burglary insurance
With the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Business* Card, you earn 1.5x Scene+ points on all purchases. These points can then be redeemed for travel, gift cards, free groceries, and more.
- Annual fee
- $199
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$400Total$400Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $400
- Welcome offerAfter $60,000 in 12 months
- Up to 40,000 points
- Ends Feb 28, 2027
Apply Now
on Scotiabank's website
American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card is another of the best business credit cards for travel in the Canadian market.
Coming in with an annual fee of $599, this card has a focus on Air Canada travel perks designed to reward your loyalty and make your travels more convenient and comfortable. For your employees' flights, add the free Air Canada Embarq program: it gives travellers 50% more Aeroplan points on eligible business flights until December 30, 2026, and the company discounts of up to 5% until December 10, 2026.
Lounge Access
- Complimentary access to eligible Maple Leaf Lounges for you and a guest in Canada and the US
- Complimentary Priority Pass membership (though you still need to pay the lounge entrance fee)
Travel Benefits
- Get an Annual Worldwide Companion Pass
- Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 companions when your travel originates on an Air Canada flight
- Priority check-in, boarding, baggage handling, airport standby, and airport upgrades
- 4th night free at eligible hotels when redeeming Aeroplan points
- Accelerated path to Aeroplan elite status. Earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and 1 Status Qualifying Segment for every $5,000 spent on eligible purchases
- Complimentary updgrade to Avis’ President’s Club
- $100 NEXUS statement credit (every four years)
- Travel Insurance including travel emergency assistance, travel medical insurance, flight delay insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost or stolen baggage insurance, hotel burglary insurance, car rental insurance, travel accident insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and trip interruption insurance
- Bonus benefits at Toronto Pearson International Airport, including access to a priority security line, complimentary valet service at the Express Park and Daily Park, and discounts on parking rates and car care services
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you can earn up to 3 Aeroplan points per $1 spent. These points are one of the most valuable loyalty currencies for travellers based in Canada as they’re easy to collect and allow you to book award flights to destinations around the world.
- Annual fee
- $599
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,300Total$1,300$500 deferred bonus, excluded from the first-year estimate and not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,300
- Welcome offerAfter $10,500 in 3 months
- Up to 90,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
BMO Ascend World Elite Business Mastercard
The BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Business Mastercard®* is a solid travel-focused business credit card that let’s you earn BMO Rewards points and spend wherever Mastercard is accepted (like Costco).
The card comes with an annual fee of $175, waived the first year. In return, you get the following travel perks:
Lounge Access
- Free annual membership to Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass, plus 2 free passes each year
Travel Benefits
- Comprehensive travel insurance, including out of province/country emergency medical coverage, car rental insurance, trip cancellation/trip interuption insurance, baggage delay insurance, and more.
The BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Business Mastercard®* earns up to 4 BMO Rewards points per $1 spent on common business purchases like gas, office supplies, and cell phone and internet bills. Your BMO Rewards points can then be used for travel, merchandise, gift cards, and loads more.
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $175
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,005Annual fee rebated$175Total$1,180Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,180
- Welcome offerAfter $30,000 in 12 months
- Up to 150,000 points
Apply Now
on BMO's website
CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Card
The CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Business Card is another Air Canada-focused travel credit card that lets you earn Aeroplan points on all your business expenses.
This card comes with an annual fee of $180 and provides the following travel perks and benefits:
Lounge Access
- Opportunity to earn up to 4 complimentary Maple Leaf Lounge passes per year (earn one pass for every $10,000 spent on the card)
Travel Benefits
- First free checked bag for the cardholder and up to 8 companions on the same reservation when you fly with Air Canada
- Ability to share the card’s perks with others by linking their Aeroplan accounts
- 4th night free at eligible hotels when redeeming Aeroplan points
- Complimentary upgrade to Avis Preferred Plus
- Accelerated path to Aeroplan elite status. Earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and 1 Status Qualifying Segment for every $5,000 spent on eligible purchases
- Excellent travel insurance coverage, including trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance, flight delay and baggage insurance, car rental insurance, and common carrier accident insurance
With the CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Business Card, you can earn up to 2 Aeroplan points per $1 spent, helping you save up for your next big adventure.
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $180
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,500Annual fee rebated$180Total$1,680Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,680
- Welcome offerAfter $40,000 in 12 months
- Up to 75,000 points
Apply Now
on CIBC's website
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card
The final card we’ll mention stands out in this list as the only card that doesn’t actually offer free airport lounge access. However, the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card has enough notable and unique travel perks that we felt we should mention it anyways.
For an annual fee of $150, this card gives you the following travel perks and benefits:
Lounge Access
- N/A
Travel Benefits
- An annual Free Night award (after your cardmember anniversary each year)
- 15 complimentary Elite Night Credits each year to help you reach Bonvoy elite status
- Instant Gold Elite status when you spend $30,000 on the card within the year
- Solid travel insurance, including travel emergency assistance, travel accident insurance, car rental insurance, flight delay insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost/stolen baggage insurance, and hotel burglary insurance
In addition to the perks mentioned above, the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card also earns up to 5 Bonvoy points per $1 spent, and your points can then be redeem for free stays at Marriott properties and more.
- Annual fee
- $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$700Total$700$100 deferred bonus, excluded from the first-year estimate and not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $700
- Welcome offerAfter $5,000 in 3 months
- Up to 80,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Bottom Line
As shown above, there’s a range of excellent travel-focused business credit cards to choose from, with the best choice ultimately depending on your spending habits, travel habits, and priorities.
Whether you’re looking for an Aeroplan-specific card like the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, a flexible top-of-the-line option like the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, or something with good perks but a lower annual fee like the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*, there’s definitely a card out there that’s perfect for you and your business.
To broaden your comparison, check our best credit cards ranking and our selection of the best business credit cards in Canada. To stay on top of our analyses, sign up for our newsletter.
FAQs
What business credit cards have airport lounge access?
There are a number of business credit cards that offer airport lounge access as part of their perks and benefits.
Our top picks are:
- Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card
- BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*
- Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Business* Card
- CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Business Card
How do I use a credit card to access airport lounges?
Using a credit card to access airport lounges is a great way to make your travel more comfortable. We’ve written a guide to accessing airport lounges with a credit card that gives you all the important details of how this works.
For your next Hilton stay, see the Hilton Honors American Express® Card available in Canada and the terms of its current offer.
