Review of the Capital One Spark Miles for Business credit card: Earn double miles on every purchase

Overview of the Capital One Spark Miles for Business

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is a robust business credit card that grants double miles on all transactions. Miles are transferable to any of Capital One's 15+ airline and hotel partners, with a modest annual fee of $95 (waived in the first year; see rates and fees). Card Rating*:⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card rating reflects the views of TPG's editors and is not swayed by the card issuer.

My mother has run a small accounting and tax preparation business since I was young. Until recently, her small business—now expanded to five employees—hadn't accrued any points or miles on her business credit card.

Since she wanted a single card for all her business expenses, she chose the Capital One Spark Cash Plus — which offers cash back rather than miles — as she values the simplicity of earning cash.

However, if your small business involves travel — or you wish to offer travel benefits to yourself or your employees using the miles accumulated from business expenses — the Spark Cash has a companion card, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business, which could deliver even greater value. TPG suggests a credit score of 670 to boost your approval odds.

Here’s what you should know about the Capital One Spark Miles for Business and how it can benefit your business.

Pros and cons of Spark Miles For Business

Welcome offer for Spark Miles For Business

The Spark Miles for Business Card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles after you spend $4,500 within the first three months of opening your account.

You can easily redeem your miles at a fixed rate of 1 cent each, meaning the 50,000-mile bonus could equate to $500 for travel. However, TPG's assessments value Capital One miles at 1.85 cents, making 50,000 miles worth approximately $925.

You may also be able to achieve even greater value depending on the transfer partners you select (value added based on TPG's assessment, not provided by the issuer).

Benefits of Spark Miles For Business

The Spark Miles card may not provide as many perks as some more expensive business cards, but it delivers a surprising array of benefits for its $95 annual fee (waived in the first year; see rates and fees).

A valuable benefit includes a statement credit for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee (up to $100). Both services can enhance your travel experience, and you only need to pay the application fee using your Spark Miles card. You can even apply it for an employee if desired.

When you buy eligible items with your card, you receive purchase security for any covered loss within the first 90 days after purchase, along with extended warranty protection that can lengthen the original manufacturer's warranty on qualifying items.

The Spark Miles card also provides these additional benefits that may be especially beneficial for small businesses:

• No foreign transaction fees (refer to rates and fees) — Make purchases abroad without incurring additional charges just for being outside the U.S.
• No-fee employee cards — Add employees as authorized users and set spending limits for their cards (see rates and fees)
• Quarterly and year-end summaries — Receive a detailed, itemized report of your spending to assist with planning, budgeting, and tax preparation
• Travel and emergency assistance services — Access a variety of emergency services, including legal or medical referrals and ticket replacement
• Account and business management tools — Choose your monthly payment due date, enable AutoPay, and download itemized spending reports at year-end
• Designate an employee as account manager — This individual can make purchases and payments, review transactions, and address any issues.

Earning miles with the Spark Miles For Business

The charm of the Spark Miles lies in its simple earning structure. You'll earn 2 miles for every dollar spent with no annual limit, plus 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

While it keeps things straightforward, having just one bonus category means there might be more rewarding alternatives for certain purchases.

If a significant portion of your credit card spending is concentrated in categories like gas or office supplies, other cards might provide a much higher return. It may be worth considering multiple business cards to manage different types of expenses.

Redeeming miles with the Spark Miles For Business

Capital One offers a selection of 15+ airline and hotel transfer partners. Since the Spark Miles card earns 2 miles per dollar spent, that effectively translates to 1-2 miles or points with an airline or hotel partner for every dollar charged to the card.

You could follow TPG editor Emily Thompson and take advantage of Capital One's transfer partners for redemptions, such as using 116,000 Capital One miles for Lufthansa first-class award seats between the U.S. and Europe when booking through Avianca LifeMiles.

If you're uncertain about how to transfer your Capital One miles and redeem them for award flights or hotel stays, check out these helpful guides:

• How to transfer Capital One Miles to airline partners
• Top methods to redeem Capital One Miles for domestic flights
• Best ways to use Capital One Miles on Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam airlines
• To transfer or not to transfer: Managing your Capital One Miles

While transferring your miles typically offers the best value, if you prefer simplicity, you can redeem your miles at a fixed value of 1 cent each for travel expenses. You can use your miles when booking new travel through Capital One or to reimburse any eligible travel purchase made with the card in the last 90 days.

Eligible travel purchases aren't limited to flights and hotel reservations; they also include expenses like Uber rides and Airbnb accommodations. Plus, there's no minimum redemption amount as long as you’re covering an entire purchase.

Which cards rival the Spark Miles For Business?

Since Capital One miles can be transferred to airline and hotel partners, the Spark Miles is on par with other cards that earn transferable currencies.

• If you lean towards Amex: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card From American Express has no annual fee (see rates and fees) and earns 2 points per dollar on purchases. However, this rate applies only to the first $50,000 spent each calendar year; after that, you'll earn one point per dollar. Additionally, there is a 2.7% fee on foreign transactions (see rates and fees). For further details, check out our full review of the Blue Business Plus.
• If you prefer Chase: The nearest competitor is the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, which offers 1.5% cash back on purchases. You can convert these earnings into Ultimate Rewards points if you also hold a premium Chase card. For more insights, read our full review of the Ink Business Unlimited.
• If you want to avoid an annual fee: Consider the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business. This streamlined version earns 1.5 miles per dollar on all spending, features a smaller sign-up bonus, and provides similar benefits, including no foreign transaction fees, without an annual fee. For more details, see our full review of the Spark Miles Select for Business.

The information regarding the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business has been gathered independently by Dinogo. The card details presented on this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

For more choices, explore our full list of the best travel cards.

Is the Spark Miles For Business a good choice?

If you're after straightforwardness, the Spark Miles card could be an excellent choice for all your business expenses, offering two miles for every dollar spent on any purchase. Even if you already have cards that earn bonus miles in specific categories, the Spark Miles card can enhance your earnings on purchases that don't fit into those bonus areas.

Final thoughts

The Spark Miles provides an impressive value for a card with such a modest annual fee.

If you're a business owner seeking great value with uncomplicated earning rates on a user-friendly card, the Spark Miles might be ideal for you.

Discover more: Capital One Spark Miles for Business

For Capital One offerings mentioned on this page, some of the benefits listed are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may differ by product. Please refer to the respective Guide to Benefits for further details, as terms and exclusions may apply.