American Express: Benefits of Amex Business Cards

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Marie-Ève Leclerc
Marie-Ève Leclerc

Marie-Ève Leclerc

Marie-Ève Leclerc
Marie-Ève, Web Director at Milesopedia, is an expert in budget travel and a slow travel enthusiast. Specializing in Aeroplan, Scene+, and Marriott Bonvoy programs, she spends nearly six months a year abroad, making travel her way of life. Constantly seeking the best waves to surf, excellent coffee, and strategies to extend her travels, she is often found in coworking spaces with fellow digital nomads or by the sea, watching the sunset.
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American Express Cartes Entreprise PME
To the point If you're self-employed or a small business owner, check out this guide to discover the benefits of Amex business cards.

In the business world, financial management is a central pillar in ensuring the survival and growth of a company. Business credit cards, including those from American Express, are essential tools for entrepreneurs and the self-employed. In particular, by offering solutions tailored to the specific needs of SMEs. This article focuses on the advantages of Amex business cards: cash management, airport lounges, online offers and much more.

List of American Express Business Cards

Each of these Amex business cards has its own advantages.

Improve your company's cash flow management

Financial flexibility: credit vs. cash

American Express cards offer financial flexibility through credit and charge card options. The fundamental difference lies in the associated spending limits and reimbursement terms and conditions:

  • Credit cards: fixed spending limit (and balance can be carried forward from month to month)
  • Payment cards: no predefined limit, offering greater financial flexibility (but balance must be paid in full each month)

If you make “small” purchases for your business each month (under $100,000), you may want to consider one of these Amex business credit cards:

On the other hand, if you make a lot of purchases for your business every month – and don’t want to worry about your credit limit – you can opt for one of these payment cards:

Optimized cash flow

With an American Express business card, you can optimize your cash flow.

You have up to 28 to 31 interest-free days to pay your credit card bill, depending on the number of days in the month. This period begins when your statement is closed and ends on the closing date of the following statement. The exact number of interest-free days may vary for various reasons, such as the date you purchase with your card.

If you pay your bill in full each month before the next statement closing date, you won’t pay interest on your purchases. Payment in full means that you pay the entire amount shown on your statement, including all purchases, cash advances, fees and other transactions, before the next statement closing date. If you do, you’ll benefit from an interest-free period of up to 31 days.

Based on how American Express works, this means you could benefit from up to 55 interest-free days on purchases made early in the billing cycle!

Expense management and electronic statements

No matter which American Express Business Card you choose, American Express Business Cards make it easy to manage expenses with detailed reports and online e-statements, enabling accurate, real-time tracking of transactions.

This is particularly useful for companies seeking to optimize their budgets and gain clear visibility of their spending.

You can easily retrieve statements and expense management reports from your American Express online account.

expense management reports amex

Benefits of Amex Business Cards

The benefits of Amex Business Cards are numerous, including advantages for frequent travelers and online offers.

Travel benefits (frequent travelers)

Some American Express business cards offer advantages for frequent travelers.

With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you benefit from numerous Air Canada travel privileges such as access to Maple Leaf lounges in North America for you and one guest, priority check-in, priority boarding and priority baggage handling.

As cardholder, up to 8 passengers can check in their first baggage item free of charge (maximum weight 23 kg/50 lb) when travelling on an Air Canada flight.

TD Salon AC-43

With the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you get benefits for your travel and business life:

  • Complimentary and Unlimited access for you and one additional traveller to over 1,300 airport lounges in more than 130 countries.
  • Annual travel credit of $200
  • $100 NEXUS Card Statement Credit
  • Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
  • Hilton Honors Gold Status
  • Access to the Fine Hotels and Resorts program
  • Up to $120 per year in statement credit for eligible mobile services
Business Platinum Card® from American Express Centurion

With the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card, you’ll receive an annual one-night free certificate worth 35,000 points, plus 15 Elite nights per year towards your Marriott Bonvoy status.

bonvoy companycard featured image

American Express Online Offers

American Express regularly adds online promotional offers that you can find in your American Express account.

These offers allow you to shop at partner merchants and earn savings, depending on the amount spent, as a statement credit or additional points.

Here are just a few of the merchants who have made offers on American Express Small Business Card accounts:

  • LenovoPro
  • Dell Technologies
  • Best Western Hotels & Resorts
  • Marriott International
  • netParcel
  • Rent a car
  • United Airlines
  • EffyDesk
  • Norton
  • Indeed

Benefits of Amex Business Cards for Employees

The benefits of Amex business cards for employees are numerous, including access to airport lounges for employees using additional cards.

Additional Cards for Employees

Additional cards for employees make it easier to manage business expenses while earning additional reward points. They also offer the option of setting spending limits for each Card, ensuring greater financial control. With American Express, you can add up to 99 additional cards for your employees to your main card account.

Access to Airport Lounges for Employees

Would you like your employees to be able to work efficiently while on the move? By opting for an additional American Express card, you could give them access to airport lounges.

American Express Airport Lounges Worldwide

For exemple, by adding an additional card to your Business Platinum Card® from American Express, at a cost of $250 per additional card, your employee will also have access to the airport lounges in the American Express World Collection. Here are the access conditions for each of the airport lounges:

Lounges Details
Priority Pass Free, unlimited access for holder AND one guest
1,300 lounges worldwide
Executive Lounges by Swissport Free access for the cardholder and his/her spouse & 2 children under 21 upon presentation of the Platinum card.
E.g.: National Bank lounge in Montreal, Aspire in Amsterdam, Gatwick…
V.I.P. lounge at the Québec City International
International Airport
Free access for the cardholder and a travelling companion & 2 children under 18 on presentation of the Platinum card
Plaza Premium Lounges Free access for the cardholder and his/her spouse on presentation of the Platinum card.
E.g.: Numerous Plaza Premium lounges in Montreal(Air France), Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg…
Delta Sky Club Free access for cardholder upon presentation of Platinum card & Delta Airlines ticket
Airspace Lounge lounges Free access for the cardholder and his/her spouse
& 2 children under 21
or 2 travelling companions on presentation of the
Platinum cardSan Diego and Cleveland airports
Escape Lounges Free access for cardholder & 2 travel companions upon presentation of Platinum card
Oakland, Minneapolis… airports
Centurion lounge Free access for cardholder & 2 travel companions on presentation of Platinum card
Miami, Las Vegas, La Guardia, San Francisco, Hong Kong airports…
International lounges
American Express
Complimentary access for cardholder
Amex Platine PME Salon Air France

Travel in North America

If your employee travels only within North America with Air Canada, you may prefer to add an additional card to your American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card account, at a cost of $199 per additional card.

With this additional card, your employee and one guest will have access to Air Canada’s Maple Leaf lounges in North America (provided travel is on board Air Canada).

TD Salon AC-36

Welcome Offers from Amex Business Cards

Business Platinum Card® from American Express

American Express® Business Gold Rewards Card®

Earn up to 40,000 Membership Rewards points with this limited-time welcome offer for the American Express Gold Rewards Card for small businesses:

  • 40,000 Membership Rewards points after $7,500 in purchases in the first 3 months
  • 10,000 bonus points when you charge $20,000 in net purchases to your Card account each calendar quarter (up to 40,000 Membership Rewards points)

With this Card, you earn 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar on your purchases.

You can then use your points in many ways:

  • Statement credit for travel purchases
  • Statement credit for all purchases
  • Transfer to partner programs (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Delta Skymiles, Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, etc.)
  • Book your flight with American Express Travel at a special rate

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to:

  • 40,000 Aeroplan points
  • 40,000 Avios points
  • 30,000 Flying Blue Miles
  • 48,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

Alternatively, 40,000 Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for $400 worth of travel or any other Card purchase.

Also, as a cardmember, you get many advantages such as up to 55 interest-free days to maximize your cash flow.

Finally, you are covered with reliable insurance for your travels and purchases.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card

With this welcome offer for the American Express® Aeroplan®* Business Reserve Card, you can earn up to 90,000 Aeroplan points.

Here’s how:

  • Earn 65,000 Aeroplan points after spending $10,500 in purchases on your Card within the first 3 months.
  • Plus, earn an additional 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $3,500 in purchases in month 13.

With this Card, you earn 3X the points on purchases made directly with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations. And 2X the points on hotels and car rentals. Everywhere else, you will earn 1.25X the points.

With this Card, you receive many Air Canada travel benefits, such as access to Maple Leaf Lounges in North America for you and one guest, priority check-in, priority boarding and priority baggage handling.

Enjoy your first checked bag free (up to 23kg/50lb) for up to 9 people travelling on the same reservation on Air Canada®* flights.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card

The Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card is the best credit card for travelling self-employed professionals and small business owners.

With this welcome offer, you can earn 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points by spending $5,000 in the first 3 months after joining.

It’s a Card we recommend keeping because each year at renewal, you get an Annual Free Night Award (for up to 35,000 points at hotels worldwide) and 15 Elite Night Credits per year, counting towards your Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.

With this Card, you earn 5 points per dollar on all purchases at Marriott Bonvoy properties. And you can earn 3 points per dollar for:

  • Gas
  • Dining purchases
  • travel purchases

And 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Bottom Line

In short, business credit cards are a must-have for entrepreneurs and the self-employed. Among other things, to simplify the management of your expenses and the accumulation of rewards points. But, also, for the many benefits specific to frequent travelers. In this article, we’ve explored the key benefits of Amex corporate cards. To find out more, take a look at the following offers:

Frequently asked questions about American Express Business Cards

Is Amex a good option for small businesses?

American Express Canada has set itself apart by offering business cards for self-employed workers and SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) owners. So, if you run a sole proprietorship (self-employed or SME), you can take out an Amex business card. That’s one of the advantages of Amex corporate cards.

Can I get an Amex card for my company?

Whether you’re self-employed or own a small business, you can sign up for an Amex business card as soon as you generate business income and expenses. You don’t need to be incorporated.

What salary do I need to have to take out an American Express Business Card?

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there’s no minimum personal or business income requirement. In fact, that’s one of the advantages of Amex business cards.

What are the key benefits of using an American Express business card?

The benefits of an American Express Business Card include simplifying bookkeeping by separating business expenses from personal expenses, offering economic advantages such as cash back on everyday expenses, access to more rewards, monitoring employee spending, and managing cash flow, including using the card as a tool to manage financial irregularities.

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Milesopedia is your ultimate guide to maximizing the benefits of rewards programs, credit cards, and budget-friendly travel. Written by a passionate team of experts in personal finance and travel, each article authored by Milesopedia reflects our commitment to providing practical advice, effective strategies, and in-depth analysis to help you save money and travel smarter. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, Milesopedia is here to support your goals and answer all your questions.
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