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Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Simple rewards for business owners

Kat Tretina
Updated 6 min read

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business credit card is a good option for small business owners looking for a simple, straightforward travel rewards card. Instead of tracking multiple categories or rotating bonus calendars, you'll earn a flat rewards rate on most purchases.

  • Annual fee: $0 for the first year; after that, $95 per year

  • Welcome offer: Earn 50,000 miles after spending at least $4,500 within the first three months

  • Rewards: Earn 2x miles per $1 spent on every purchase for your business and 5x miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

  • Recommended credit score: Good to Excellent (670–850)

  • More details: Up to $100 in travel credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees

During the first year, the annual fee for the Spark Miles card is $0. After that, the fee increases to $95 per year.

New card members can earn 50,000 miles after spending at least $4,500 on new purchases within three months of opening an account. Once you meet the spending requirement, Capital One will apply the bonus to your account within two billing cycles.

If you redeem that reward for travel arrangements booked through Capital One Travel, the new card member offer is worth up to $500.

Currently, there is no introductory APR promotion for the Capital One Spark Miles card.

Compared to other rewards cards, the Spark Miles for Business card has a relatively simple rewards structure:

  • 5x miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

  • 2x miles per $1 spent on every business purchase

To maximize your rewards, book your work travel, such as hotel stays and car rentals, through the Capital One Travel platform; you'll earn five miles for every dollar spent. Use your card for your routine business purchases, such as your internet service, cell phone bill, or shipping costs, to earn two miles for every dollar spent.

You can earn unlimited miles, and they will never expire as long as your account is open.

The primary redemption method for the Capital One Spark Miles card is travel arrangements booked through Capital One Travel. When you redeem your miles through the Capital One Travel portal, each mile is worth one cent. For example, if you earn 20,000 miles, you could redeem them for $200 worth of flights, car rentals, or hotel accommodations.

Capital One allows you to transfer your points to its travel partners, including loyalty programs like Emirates Skywards or Finnair Plus. You can also redeem your miles in other ways, including gift cards or account credits, but the value of your points may be less with those redemption options.

Other benefits include:

  • Free employee cards: You can get free cards for your employees and earn rewards on their purchases. Plus, you can set spending limits on employee cards.

  • Lifestyle Collection: Use your card to book a stay with a hotel in the Lifestyle Collection, and you'll enjoy benefits like a $50 experience credit to use during your stay, room upgrades, and early check-in or late checkout (when available).

  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit: Speed up your time in the airport security line by signing up for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. This card will give you up to $100 in statement credits to reimburse you for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees.

  • Extended warranty protection: When you make an eligible purchase, such as a new laptop or copier, with a warranty of three years or less with your card, Capital One will extend its warranty protection by one year.

  • Capital One Lounge: The Capital One Lounge is a network of airport lounges in select cities. As a Spark Miles cardholder, you can enjoy free Wi-Fi, food, and coffee, which gives you a chance to relax or catch up on work before your flight.

The Spark Miles card is best for small business owners, including independent contractors or freelancers, who travel often for work. You'll earn a higher rewards rate on hotels and car rentals and a flat rate on all other business purchases.

The card provides added benefits and protections, and the $95 annual fee is relatively low for a card that offers so many perks.

  • No annual fee the first year: The annual fee is waived for the first year, giving you time to try out the card and earn rewards before deciding whether to keep it and pay the fee.

  • Simple rewards: Even the best rewards card can be incredibly complex, requiring users to keep track of rotating spending categories and special bonus offers. The Spark Miles card is much simpler, offering a flat rate on most purchases.

  • Added benefits: Card members enjoy benefits like extended warranty protection and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursements.

  • Must have excellent credit: To qualify for the Spark Miles card, you must have excellent credit. According to Equifax, one of the three major credit bureaus, a very good to excellent credit score would be between 740 and 850. You won't qualify for the card if your score isn't within that range.

  • Lack of travel insurance: For a travel rewards card, the Spark Miles card lacks some significant benefits, including common perks like baggage delay insurance, car rental damage insurance, and travel cancellation or interruption coverage.

  • No introductory APR: The Spark Miles doesn't have an introductory APR offer, so you don't get the benefit of 0% APR for purchases or balance transfers.

The Spark Miles card is a Mastercard, and most retailers and merchants in the U.S. and other countries accept it.

You can make payments on your Spark Miles card online, through a mobile app, or by sending a check through the mail.

Capital One

Attn: Payment Processing

PO Box 71087

Charlotte, NC 28272-1087

Customer support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can reach customer service via phone or social media:

If the Capital One Spark Miles card isn't the right card for you, these other business credit cards may be a better fit:

Why we like it: The Chase Ink Business Unlimited card has no annual fee, and you can earn a flat 1.5% cash-back rate on every purchase.

Recommended credit score: Good to Excellent

Why we like it: The Amex Blue Business Cash Card also has no annual fee and an introductory 0% APR promotion on purchases completed within the first 12 months. After that, the regular APR of 18.49% to 26.49% applies (terms apply; see rates and fees).

Recommended credit score: Good to Excellent

Why we like it: The United Business Card has a $99 annual fee, but it offers robust benefits. Its perks include trip cancellation or interruption coverage, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, and auto rental collision damage waivers.

Recommended credit score: Good to Excellent

This article was edited by Rebecca McCracken

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.