Can Your Blog Qualify You for Business Credit Cards?

July 27, 2014 By Million Mile Secrets

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Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.

Million Mile Secrets reader Andrew commented:

Can blogging count as a small business to apply for business credit cards?

Can Your Blog Qualify You For Business Credit Cards — Andrew Can Get a Business Credit Card If His Business Is Blogging

Andrew wants to know if he can get a business credit card if he writes a blog.

Emily and I love the sign-up bonuses we’ve gotten from our business cards. I recently applied for the American Express Simply Cash business card. We use business cards to keep our personal and business expenses separate.

Blogging Counts as a Small Business

Business cards are an easy way to get extra miles and points. And Andrew can qualify for a business card even if it’s a start-up business or a blog. Note: Your blog can be considered a business IF you intend to make a profit from it in the future. If you have absolutely NO intention of EVER making a profit, then your blog may be considered a hobby.

That said, there are many ways to make money on a blog by selling ebooks, having affiliate links, selling ads, and linking to products on Amazon.

Business cards have less impact on Andrew’s personal credit score because the business card credit line and spending are usually NOT reported to the personal credit bureaus, unless he doesn’t pay his bills.

At the Million Mile Secrets Booth! — We Put Our Blog Expenses on Business Credit Cards!

4 Top Business Cards

Andrew should consider applying for 1 of these business cards. These business cards offer the best sign-up bonuses, points and miles earning, and overall perks. Because these cards are offered by 4 different banks, Andrew could get 4 of these business cards.

1. Chase Ink Bold and Chase Ink Plus

Update: The Chase Ink Bold card is no longer available for new sign-ups.

Link: Chase Ink Plus card

Link: My review of the Chase Ink Plus card

Link: Chase Ink Bold card

Link: My review of the Chase Ink Bold card

Andrew can get a sign-up bonus of 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $5,000 in the 1st 3 months on the Chase Ink Bold and Chase Ink Plus cards. Note that there is currently a better offer for 70,000 points in Chase branches!

They earn Chase Ultimate Reward points which can be transferred to select airlines and hotels including:

British Airways
Korean Air
Singapore Airlines
Southwest Airlines
United Airlines
Virgin Atlantic
Hyatt Hotels
IHG Hotels
Marriott Hotels
Ritz-Carlton Hotels
Flying Blue

Andrew also gets:

5 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per $1 spent at office supply stores, phone bills, internet, and cable TV (up to $50,000 a year)
2 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per $1 spent at gas stations and hotels
NO foreign transaction fees
$95 annual fee (waived the 1st year)

Andrew can earn a lot of Chase Ultimate Rewards points with these cards, especially if he’s a Big Spender!

I like these cards for the sign-up bonuses, no foreign transaction fees, and 5X points for paying cable and internet. Andrew gets a lot flexibility being able to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to select airlines and hotels.

The Chase Ink Bold and Chase Ink Plus are issued by Chase bank. Here’s how to fill out a Chase business card application.

2. Citi American Airlines Business Card

Link: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®

Andrew can get a 50,000 American Airlines mile sign-up bonus on the Citi American business card after spending $3,000 within 3 months.

Andrew can redeem American Airlines miles to fly to many destinations including Asia on Cathay Pacific.

Andrew gets:

Free 1st checked bag for himself and up to 4 travel companions
Preferred boarding and a 25% discount on in-flight purchases
2 miles per $1 spent on American Airlines tickets
$95 annual fee (waived the 1st year)

50,000 American Airlines miles can get him 2 round-trip domestic tickets or ~1 round-trip ticket to Hawaii!

But I actually prefer spending money on the Starwood Business card (#3) to earn American Airlines miles!

Here’s how to fill out a Citi business card application.

The information for the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

3. Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card From American Express

Link: Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card

Link: My review of how to use Starwood points

Andrew can get 25,000 Starwood points after spending $5,000 in the 1st 6 months on the Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card From American Express. He’ll earn Starwood hotel points, which he can use for hotel nights or airline tickets.

Andrew gets:

2 Starwood points per $1 spent at Starwood hotels
1 Starwood point per $1 spent on everything else
$65 annual fee (waived the 1st year)
Terms and conditions apply

Andrew can transfer Starwood hotel points to 31 airlines including American Airlines. He’ll get a bonus of 5,000 points for every 20,000 Starwood points he transfers.

So he’ll earn 1.25 American Airlines miles per $1 spent (if he transfers 20,000 Starwood points to America Airlines) on the Starwood business card. Andrew can use American Airlines miles to fly to Paris.

But the Starwood business card charges foreign transaction fees, so Andrew shouldn’t use it outside the US. Instead he should use Chase Ink Bold or Chase Ink Plus cards instead.

4. US Bank Club Carlson Business Card

Link: US Bank Club Carlson Business Card

Andrew can get 85,000 Club Carlson points after spending $2,500 in the first 3 months from the Club Carlson business card.

He can use Club Carlson points at Club Carlson hotels such as:

Andrew gets:

Free night when using Club Carlson points for 2 or more consecutive nights at the same hotel
Free Club Carlson Gold Elite status as long as he has the card
40,000 Club Carlson points each card anniversary
$60 annual fee NOT waived for the 1st year
3% currency fee when you use it outside the US

Note: US Bank tends to deny applications from people who have a lot of recent credit inquiries. So Andrew should apply for this card 1st before he applies for other business cards.