Review: Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business

Our Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

We give the Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business five out of five stars. Its most prominent feature is its flat rate for most purchases. But you can earn even more rewards for booking some travel with Capital One – and get more for your dollar by taking advantage of mile transfers.

Why we like it

• Unlimited 2X miles per dollar on business purchases
• 5X miles per dollar for hotel and car rentals with Capital One Travel
• One-time 50,000 bonus miles for spending $4,500 in the first 3 months
• Mile transfers to partner airlines
• Global Entry/TSA Pre✓® application fee credit
• No foreign transaction fee

Why it could be better

• $95 annual fee (after the first year)
• No intro APR offer
• Few benefits

The Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business has a few impressive features, and it gives you 1 year before you have to worry about its annual fee.

2X miles per dollar is a good rate, and its rewards are bolstered if you manage to book your hotel or rental car through Capital One Travel. You’re also able to transfer your miles to Capital One’s airline partners to potentially increase their mile value.

You could earn a solid return on your spending with this card, plus save yourself some time moving through airport security by taking advantage of the Global Entry/TSA Pre✓® application fee credit. You also won’t be concerned with paying extra for purchases made outside the U.S., as there’s no foreign transaction fee.

If you’re a small business owner looking for a simple and lucrative card to make business trips a bit easier, this could be it.

Pro tip: The Capital One Spark 1.5X Miles Select for Business is a similar option. It doesn’t require an annual fee but comes with a slightly lower rewards rate (1.5X miles per dollar).

Insider Advice: Getting the Most Out of Your Card

• Use it for everything: The Spark 2X Miles earns a strong 2X miles per dollar for most purchases, making it relatively easy to rake in the miles for every business expense.
• Check Capital One Travel for hotels and rental cars: While 2X miles is impressive, 5X miles is even better. While booking through one specific travel service might not be ideal every time, it’s worth checking out when planning a trip.
• Transfer your miles: Mile transfers can be a great way to increase how much your miles are worth. Capital One has a pretty impressive selection of travel partners to take advantage of. With most partners, miles will transfer at a 2:1.5 rate – not quite as good as some other issuers, like Amex and Chase, where transfers are usually 1:1.
• Apply for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®: Included with the card is an application fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®. Both programs will move you through airport security faster, but Global Entry includes TSA Pre✓® and lets you skip immigration lines when returning to the U.S.
• Keep an eye on your credit utilization: The Spark 2X Miles will report positive and negative activity to both the consumer and business credit bureaus. This means your card spending will appear on your personal credit reports, affecting your overall credit utilization. If you carry a high card balance, it could have repercussions for your credit scores. Most business cards – from other issuers – only report negative activity to the consumer bureaus, so they don’t usually affect your utilization.
• Pair it with another rewards card: If you pair the Spark 2X Miles with another credit card that earns points across a wide selection of bonus categories, you could maximize your rewards. Use the other card where it would earn the most and the Spark 2X Miles for everything else.
• Share the wealth: You can give your employees their own cards at no additional charge, and they’ll earn the same spending rewards. You can monitor their spending and set limits, too.

Spark 2X Miles vs. Spark 1.5X Miles Select: Which Is Better for Your Business?

The table below compares the 2X miles per dollar from the Spark 2X Miles card with the 1.5X miles from the Spark 1.5X Miles Select, showing your cash back equivalent at a rate of 1 cent per mile.

If you’re spending less than $19,000 annually, the Spark 1.5X Miles Select will be the more lucrative option. If your business spends more than $19,000, the Spark 2X Miles will be the more rewarding choice, even after accounting for the annual fee.

Amount Spent Annually	Cash Back Earned (Spark 2X Miles)	Cash Back Earned (Spark 1.5X Miles Select)
$2,500	-$45	$37.50
$4,750	$0	$71.25
$10,000	$105	$150
$19,000	$285	$285
$20,000	$305	$300
$30,000	$505	$450

Redeeming

You can redeem your miles in a variety of ways:

• Travel expenses made within the past 90 days
• Mile transfers
• Statement credits
• Gift cards

Redeeming for travel expenses will net you 1 cent per mile, but you could get an even higher per-mile value by transferring to one of Capital One’s travel partners.

Redeeming for statement credits or gift cards likely won’t provide 1 cent per mile (depending on the gift card).

Capital One Travel Partners

Airline Partners

• Aeromexico Club Premier
• Aeroplan®
• Asia Miles
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Choice Privileges®
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad Guest
• Finnair Plus
• Flying Blue
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• TAP Miles&Go
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
• Virgin Red

Hotel Partners

• Wyndham Rewards
• ALL Accor Live Limitless
• Choice Privileges

The Benefits

The perks offered by the Spark 2X Miles are perhaps its weakest aspect. It’s typical to see a handful of stronger benefits with a travel card asking for an annual fee – at the very least a few better travel protections – and your card may come with some of those.

Check the Guide to Benefits issued with your card to be sure. Regardless, you could still get value from the Global Entry/TSA Pre✓® application fee credit as well as the few protections listed here.

• Global Entry/TSA Pre✓® application fee credit: Every 4 years, you’ll receive up to $100 for the Global Entry application fee or $85 for the TSA Pre✓® application fee.
• Transaction details: You can see merchant information, including business locations and logos, of the companies you’re purchasing from.
• Purchase records: You can quickly access and download your purchase records.
• Free employee cards: You can issue employees their own cards with spend monitoring capabilities for no additional cost. You’ll earn miles from their spending, just like the primary card.
• Capital One digital assistant: Eno, the Capital One digital assistant, will monitor your account and send alerts if anything suspicious occurs. You can also ask questions for instant answers 24/7.
• Extended warranty: You can extend an eligible purchase’s manufacturer’s warranty if it lasts for 3 years or less.
• Purchase protection: Purchases you’ve made within 90 days are covered against damage and theft.
• Rental collision coverage: To be covered against damage or theft, You can decline the rental provider’s insurance offer and charge the full amount to your card.
• Travel and roadside assistance: You’ll gain access to a number of emergency services, including ticket replacement, roadside assistance and legal or medical referrals.
• Virtual card numbers: You can make online purchases more safely by using a virtual card number that’s different from your physical card.

The Bottom Line

The Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business could earn you a good number of miles to use for business trips. And by utilizing mile transfers, it could be pretty rewarding.

2X miles per dollar is a good rate, and the 5X for hotels and rental cars is a nice option to have. But the benefits are pretty lackluster for a credit card with an annual fee, and they don’t offer much more than what the Capital One Spark 1.5X Miles Select for Business comes with.

The rewards offered by the Spark 1.5X Miles Select are only slightly lower than what the Spark 2X Miles offers (1.5X miles compared to 2X miles). As shown above, if your business spends less than $19,000 annually, the Spark 1.5X Miles Select would be more rewarding after accounting for the Spark 2X Miles’ annual fee. But if your business spends more than that, the Spark 2X Miles will come out on top.

Otherwise, there are certainly worse cards to choose than the Spark 2X Miles for Business.

What Credit Scores Do I Need To Qualify for the Spark 2X Miles for Business?

It’s recommended that you have good credit before applying for the Spark 2X Miles for Business.

To qualify for good credit, your credit scores will need to be at least 670 – 739 for FICO scores and/or 700 – 749 for VantageScores.

But keep in mind, credit card issuers take more than just credit scores into account when deciding creditworthiness. Additional information, like income and monthly mortgage or rent payments, factor into the decision as well.

That means if your credit scores are lower than what’s recommended, you could still be approved. However, it also means that even if your scores are high, you might be denied.

Alternatives to the Capital One Spark 2X Miles for Business

Capital One Spark 1.5X Miles Select for Business

The Capital One Spark 1.5X Miles Select for Business is the no annual fee version of the Spark 2X Miles. It has a lower rewards rate but also includes a 0% APR offer.

If you need to finance a large purchase, this version of the card could save you money from interest charges. And though it has a lower rewards rate, it could still be pretty rewarding. If your business spends less than $19,000 annually on general expenses, this would be the card to choose. However, you’ll lose the Global Entry/TSA Pre✓® credit.

American Express Blue Business® Plus Credit Card

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns a solid 2X points per dollar for every purchase, without asking for an annual fee.

Not only does it match the Spark 2X Miles’ rewards, but it too features a lucrative point transfer option to American Express’ travel partners. Capital One and American Express have many of the same partners, but Amex offers two large hotel partners – Hilton Honors and Marriot Bonvoy – and adds Delta Air Lines.

The BBP comes with a $50,000 annual spending limit before the rewards fall to 1X. So if your business is spending more than that, the BBP wouldn’t be the best choice. The Spark 2X Miles card has no such limit.

If you’re spending more than $50,000, choosing the Spark 2X Miles – and perhaps pairing it with a higher-tiered business card, like the American Express® Business Gold Card – would be a better play. If you don’t spend that much, the BBP could prove more rewarding due to the lack of an annual fee.

The benefits are pretty equal to what the Spark 2X Miles offers, but they don’t include a Global Entry/TSA Pre✓® application fee credit. What you will get is access to the Amex Offers shopping portal, as well as the Lowest Hotel Rates Guaranteed perk.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card doesn’t have an annual fee, and it offers a flat 1.5X points for most purchases. However, you could double that rate by booking travel through Bank of America.

While its base rate is slightly lower than what the Spark 2X Miles offers, you can boost your points with the Preferred Rewards for Business program. Depending on your Bank of America business bank account balances and Merrill investment account balances, you could earn up to a 75% point bonus.

This card comes across as slightly more restrictive than the Spark 2X Miles. You really need to focus on utilizing Bank of America’s services to get the most out of it. As for the benefits, there isn’t a Global Entry/TSA Pre✓® application fee credit, but you’ll get more coverage while traveling.

If you already work with Bank of America, or want more extensive protections while traveling, this could be a lucrative option. Redeem your points for past travel and dining expenses (made within 12 months) to ensure you’ll get 1 cent per point. There’s no point transfer feature.

Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a flexible and rewarding card with good point transfer and redemption options.

You’ll earn 3X points per dollar for a few different types of purchases, including a general travel category. If you travel frequently for business, this would be more rewarding than the Spark 2X Miles.

Like the Spark 2X Miles, you can transfer your points to Chase’s hotel and airline partners. The Chase Ink Business Preferred® has a 1:1 transfer rate for every partner, and you could find a better value than 1 cent, given the right deal. There’s also a 25% redemption bonus if you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards to fall back on. It’s a pretty versatile card, and it offers more travel and shopping protections.