Traveling for free sounds like a dream, but it’s possible if you know the best business credit card travel options!
The key is using business credit cards strategically.
Jamie Trull recently sat down with Joy and Mayra from Savvy Travel Mamas to discuss exactly how small businesses and entrepreneurs can leverage their business expenses for free or reduced-cost travel.
Below is a breakdown of the most valuable insights shared during the interview—plus tips on how to get started.
1. Maximizing Points for Free Travel
The key to traveling for free lies in being strategic with credit card points. If you’re already using credit cards for business expenses—like office supplies, internet bills, and client gifts—you could be earning points toward your next vacation without extra spending.
Joy emphasized, “It’s about putting your everyday purchases on the right cards—whether for business or personal use.” By understanding which credit card earns the most rewards in a specific category, you can maximize your points with no additional effort.
2. Choosing the Right Business Credit Card for Travel
Not all business credit cards are created equal. Some cards partner with airlines and hotels, such as Chase with Southwest or American Express with Hilton, which offer higher-value rewards for specific types of travel.
Mayra highlighted that the right card depends on factors like:
- How often you travel
- Your comfort level with fees
- Current signup bonuses
- Travel partners available through the card
If you own a small business or side hustle, getting a business credit card helps build business credit while giving you access to better travel rewards.
Joy suggests pairing business and personal credit cards from the same issuer for maximum value, such as the Chase Ink Business Preferred with the Chase Sapphire Preferred for personal use. Combining these points expands the travel possibilities.
Pro Tip: Always track your expenses and which cards to use for maximum rewards with a spreadsheet. Savvy Travel Mamas offers templates to keep your strategy organized!
3. Unlocking Tax Benefits with Credit Cards
When using credit cards for business, Jamie reminds us that redeeming points for business-related cash back can reduce deductible expenses—and it’s better to save points for personal travel rewards.
Additionally, cards like the Chase Ink Business Preferred offer perks such as cell phone insurance, making them even more valuable beyond just travel.
4. Real-Life Success Stories of Using Points
Savvy Travel Mamas shared inspiring client stories, including:
- A dentist who uses rewards points to take exotic vacations in first class.
- A doula who planned a family world-schooling trip to Europe using business card points.
- A small business owner of a sporting goods store who is funding a Scotland trip with rewards from business and personal credit cards combined.
These examples show that planning ahead and using rewards wisely can lead to unforgettable travel experiences—whether for family vacations or once-in-a-lifetime adventures.
5. Getting Started with the Right Strategy
The interview wrapped up with some practical advice for beginners:
- Take it slow. Start with one card at a time and learn how it works before adding new ones.
- Understand card rules. Different issuers have their own rules, so plan your applications wisely to avoid being locked out of future rewards.
- Start earning points now. Even if you don’t have travel plans yet, start accumulating points for when you’re ready to book.
Note: According to Mayra, even 80,000 points can unlock high-value rewards, such as a first-class flight worth $8,000 to India.
6. Recommended Starter Cards for 2025 Travel
If you’re just starting, the Chase Ink Business Preferred is a top recommendation. However, if the $8,000 minimum spend feels too high, start with the Chase Ink Business Cash and Chase Sapphire Preferred cards. These provide flexibility, low fees, and access to a wide range of travel partners.
Conclusion: Travel Smarter with a Business Credit Card Strategy
With the right strategy, your business can do more than just generate profit—it can also help you fund amazing travel experiences. By matching your expenses with the right cards and using rewards strategically, you can travel the world for free (or nearly free) while keeping your business finances healthy.
Additional Resources:
- Recommended Business Credit Cards: Visit JamieTrull.com/CreditCards for an updated list of the top credit cards and current signup bonuses.
- Savvy Travel Mamas’ Free Travel Tools: Check out their freebies on Instagram @SavvyTravelMamas for travel hacks and templates.
Plan ahead, stay organized, and travel the world on points—your business (and your family) will thank you!
Ready to learn more? Watch the full interview with Savvy Travel Mamas for deeper insights and their favorite credit card picks:
The Best Business Credit Card Strategy for Free Travel
This transcript has been formatted for clarity and ease of reading but remains unedited. As such, it reflects the exact words spoken during the interview, including any errors, informal language, or repetitions. Please excuse any mistakes or conversational quirks.
Jamie Trull:
How can you use your business credit card to travel for free? If you’re already using business credit cards to make purchases for your business, then you might as well be utilizing those points to travel completely for free. In this video, I have my friends Joy and Mayra from Savvy Travel Mamas joining me, and they’re going to give you some really specific tips and tricks to help you implement this strategy so that you can travel for free or for a reduced cost.
Make sure you stick around to the end because they’re also going to recommend the best business credit cards for travel perks.
Meet Savvy Travel Mamas
Jamie Trull:
I am here now with Joy and Mayra from Savvy Travel Mamas, and I am really excited for this conversation! I have my notepad sitting here, ready to go, because two things I love are good deals (a.k.a. free) and travel. So, I am ready to learn.
Joy, tell the audience a bit about yourself and what Savvy Travel Mamas does.
Joy:
Hi, everyone! I’m Joy, one-half of Savvy Travel Mamas—my mom, Mayra, is the other half. We teach people how to leverage credit card points for free or nearly free travel. And we offer personalized strategies and give lots of tips to help people travel for free—because, believe it or not, credit cards will pay you to travel. We show you all the tricks to make it happen!
Jamie Trull:
I love all of that. Mayra, you were the inspiration behind this, and I know you’ve been at this for a while. Tell us about your background and how this whole thing started.
Learning About the Best Business Credit Cards
Mayra:
Well, I stumbled into it initially—I didn’t even really know what I was doing! I made a lot of mistakes early on. But as I started to figure things out, I realized we could travel for free. I just kept going with it—and here we are!
I’ve been doing this for 25+ years. We’ve visited all 50 states and all seven continents. At one point, a local college asked me to teach a course on how to do this the right way. I had judges and other professionals in the audience, so I had to make sure I taught it properly—legally and responsibly.
My family thought I was crazy, but we’ve had so much fun, and I just kept at it.
Jamie Trull:
That’s amazing! And I love that it’s a mother-daughter duo now. You guys are such a great team.
Joy:
It’s funny because a lot of the people she followed back in the day aren’t even around anymore. She’s been at this longer than most travel rewards experts on Instagram today.
How to Choose The Right Business Card
Jamie Trull:
I love it! Alright, let’s jump into the good stuff. How can businesses leverage everyday purchases to earn points for free travel?
Joy:
The first step is to choose the right credit cards. Some cards offer great travel rewards, and Jamie will have those linked for you on her Travel Freely page.
Then, it’s about learning how to use those cards strategically—you want to maximize the value of the rewards. Finally, you maximize your everyday purchases by putting things like groceries, gas, office supplies, and even your internet bill on the right card to earn the most points.
Who Can Benefit From a Business Credit Card
Jamie Trull:
I love that! A lot of us aren’t intentional enough with which card we use for certain expenses. But as always, we need to use credit responsibly—no interest or fees, right? It only makes sense if you’re paying off your balance. And businesses typically have larger expenses, so the points really add up quickly.
Mayra:
Exactly. Any type of business can benefit from this strategy—whether you run a dog-walking business, sell sourdough bread, or own a brick-and-mortar store.
Joy:
We recommend that even small businesses or side hustles get a business credit card. It not only helps you build business credit, but you can also pair business and personal credit cards to maximize your rewards.
How To Leverage Business Expenses to Get Bonus Points
Jamie Trull:
Do you have any specific strategies for getting the most out of business credit cards?
Joy:
Yes! First, maximize the bonus categories. For example, if your card offers 5x points at office supply stores, buy gift cards for things you’ll use—like gas or employee gifts.
Also, pay bills like your internet and phone on cards with higher rewards categories. Some cards even offer cell phone insurance as a perk, which is a nice bonus.
Jamie Trull:
That’s such a good point. I love the idea of gift cards. And now I’m inspired to create a spreadsheet to track which card earns the most points in which category!
Decide Your Goals Before You Pick A Business Credit Card
Joy:
We actually have a spreadsheet for that! We’ll share it with you and your audience.
Jamie Trull:
Perfect! How important is it to pick the right card for your travel goals? Are they all the same?
Mayra:
Not at all. Some cards partner with specific airlines or hotel brands—like Chase with Southwest or Amex with Hilton—so you’ll want to choose based on your travel needs. The signup bonus is great, but you should also look at ongoing rewards and whether there are any annual fees.
Joy:
Exactly! And plan ahead—knowing the card rules and when signup bonuses are likely to be higher can really pay off.
Stories of Success For Airline Miles Earned
Jamie Trull:
Can you share real-life examples of trips you’ve taken using this strategy?
Mayra:
Sure! We’ve taken our grandkids on European vacations, treating them to experiences they wouldn’t have otherwise had. We’ve also helped business owners like a dentist and a skincare entrepreneur take luxury trips, like first-class flights and vacations to Hawaii and Scotland.
Jamie Trull:
That’s incredible. And being able to upgrade to first class with points—instead of paying tens of thousands of dollars—is such a great way to travel!
Mayra:
Yes! One of our trips, with multiple flights, trains, and hotels, cost us less than $200 per person using points and miles.
Business Credit Card Advice For New Business Card Holders
Jamie Trull:
So what’s the best piece of advice for someone just starting out?
Joy:
Start slow. Choose your first card carefully, learn the rules, and track your points. It’s a marathon, not a sprint!
Jamie Trull:
Any recommendations for a starter card?
Annual Fee vs. Balance Transfers vs. Bonus Points
Joy:
We recommend starting with Chase cards—specifically the Chase Ink Business Preferred. If the $8,000 minimum spend is too high, go with the Chase Ink Business Cash and Chase Sapphire Preferred for personal use. These cards offer great transfer value for free travel.
Jamie Trull:
That’s what I use, too! I love Chase cards.
Jamie Trull:
Okay, now for those who usually redeem points for cash back—what would you say to them?
Joy:
Cash back is fine, but 50,000 points are worth so much more when redeemed for travel—think first-class flights or resort stays.
Jamie Trull:
That’s so true. And using points for business expenses can reduce your deductible expenses—so it’s better to use them for personal travel.
Joy:
Absolutely! It’s all about being intentional and strategic.
Jamie Trull:
Thank you so much, Joy and Mayra! This was incredibly helpful. Be sure to follow Savvy Travel Mamas on Instagram and check out their resources for custom travel strategies.
