Capital One Spark Miles for Business review: Earn easy rewards on everyday business spending
This business rewards card offers double miles on all purchases.
Written by
Edited by
The Bankrate promise
At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for .
Snapshot
4.4
Bottom line
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business may suit small business owners seeking simplicity as it earns 2X miles per dollar spent on all purchases. However, if you frequently spend in certain categories, you could easily maximize more reward earnings with other business reward cards, especially if you prefer earning cash back over miles.
Best for easy rewards redemption
on Capital One's secure site
See Rates & FeesIntro offer
Earn 50,000 miles
Rewards Rate
2X miles - 5X miles
Annual fee
$0 intro for first year; $95 after that
Regular APR
25.24% (Variable)
4.4
Bankrate score
Rewards value
APR
Rewards flexibility
Features
Why you'll like this: You can earn rewards on any travel spending — not just bookings with a specific airline or hotel brand.
Reward Details
Card Details
Remove a card to add another to compare
Remove a card to add another to compare
Capital One Spark Miles for Business Overview
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business credit card brings the streamlined appeal of other flat-rate Capital One rewards cards to small business owners on the hunt for travel rewards. Whether you’re looking for a card that rewards spending in nontraditional bonus categories, a card without quarterly or yearly bonus category spending limits or a second business card to fill in the reward gaps in your budget, the Spark Miles card has you covered.
Unfortunately, this card’s straightforward structure is undermined by a lack of benefits and rewards value. So, is the Capital One Spark Miles the best fit to manage your business expenses? Here’s how it stacks up against the best credit cards for business travel.
-
Rewards
- Unlimited 2X miles per dollar on all purchases
- 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and car rentals booked through Capital One's travel booking site
Expert Appraisal: Good
-
Welcome offer
- 50,000 miles after spending $4,500 within the first three months
Expert Appraisal: Good
-
Rates and fees
- $0 intro for first year; $95 after that
- 25.24% (Variable) (See Rates & Fees)
- 33.64 percent penalty APR if you make a late payment
- Late payment fee: up to $39
Expert Appraisal: Typical
-
Other cardholder perks
- Free employee cards
- $50 experience credit on Lifestyle Collection hotels booked through Capital One Travel
- Hertz Five Star status
- $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit every four years
- Extended warranty and purchase protection
Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive
Capital One Spark Miles for Business pros and cons
Pros
-
Unlimited 2X miles on all purchases without blackouts, seat restrictions or minimum redemptions
-
Up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
-
Rewards are transferable to over 15 travel partners, which could make them more valuable.
-
Free cards for employees with the ability to set spending limits and track spending
Cons
-
$95 annual fee ($0 the first year)
-
No intro APR period on purchases or balance transfers
-
Fewer perks than other business cards with similar fees
First-year value vs. ongoing value
The Spark Miles for Business certainly isn't the largest annual fee on the market, and it gives you an introductory annual fee of $0 in the first year, so you have time to decide if the card is worth it for your company. The flat-rate rewards can accumulate quickly, especially if you issue free cards to your employees, but the monetary perks are light for a card in this price range. After the welcome offer and introductory annual fee are done, will this card still be worth it?
Here’s how much value you can expect to earn based on our card value rating methodology. It assumes an annual business spend of $40,000 and a baseline rewards value of 1.0 cents per mile.
| Benefits and fees of monetary value | First-year value | Ongoing Value |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly rewards | +$30 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee (up to $120 every 4 years) +$50 experience credit on Lifestyle Collection hotels booked through Capital One Travel | +$30 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee (up to $120 every 4 years) +$50 experience credit on Lifestyle Collection hotels booked through Capital One Travel |
| Welcome offer | +$500 | - |
| Perks (of monetary value) | +$30 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee (up to $120 every 4 years) +$50 experience credit on Lifestyle Collection hotels booked through Capital One Travel | +$30 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee (up to $120 every 4 years) +$50 experience credit on Lifestyle Collection hotels booked through Capital One Travel |
| Annual Fee | $0 for the first year | -$95 |
| Total Value | $1,518 | $923 |
Why you might want the Capital One Spark Miles for Business
The Spark Miles for Business has flat-rate business rewards, a moderate welcome offer and account management tools that could make the card worth it for the right business owner.
Welcome offer: A solid reward for moderate business spending
By spending $4,500 in combined purchases within your first three months, you can earn 50,000 miles. This bonus is worth $500 at a 1:1 rate when booking travel through Capital One, but finding a great deal through a Capital One transfer partner could bump your bonus even higher. Bankrate’s latest valuation gives Capital One miles a value of 1.7 cents apiece, which would make this bonus worth up to $850.
Granted, this offer isn’t close to the highest sign-up bonus we’ve seen for business travel cards. The competing Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card from Chase offers a sign-up bonus of 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in purchases within the first three months — a base value of $900 when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel℠. It's worth even more if you transfer those points to one of Chase's travel partners for up to 2 cents each. However, flat-rate rewards spending is the Spark Miles card’s main appeal. So if you're not comfortably able to meet the spending requirements of the Ink Business Preferred, the Spark Miles welcome offer is still an accessible option with solid value.
Business features: Manage spending with ease
Free employee cards make it easy to rack up miles on employee purchases, with guardrails like designated spending limits. You and your employees’ cards will also be safeguarded with Capital One security measures such as card lock control, $0 fraud liability for unauthorized charges and virtual credit card numbers.
Account management and itemized reports make it easy to manage and track your business’ expenses. Your transactions can also be imported into accounting programs like Excel and Quicken. Capital One also offers the outstandingly comprehensive (and free) CreditWise credit monitoring service, which reports TransUnion credit report changes or social security number leaks on the dark web to keep your business credit in good shape.
Rewards: Flat-rate miles with flexible redemptions
The Capital One Spark Miles card earns flat-rate rewards on everyday purchases, which means you’ll earn unlimited 2X miles on all purchases. In addition, you can earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and car rentals booked through Capital One's travel booking site. Flat-rate cards don't typically offer the highest reward rates, but small business owners can rely on the Spark Miles card to consistently earn miles on purchases that wouldn’t normally qualify for boosted rewards. It saves you from worrying about category spending limits or shoehorning your purchases into bonus categories. Plus, Capital One doesn’t impose blackout dates, seat restrictions or minimum redemptions, so your rewards are easier to redeem for travel.
Why you might want a different business travel card
Compared to other business cards, the Spark Miles is missing some helpful travel perks. It's also not a great fit for highly seasonal businesses that may need to hold a balance because of its high interest rate.
Travel perks: light for the annual fee
Considering the annual fee, the travel benefits Capital One provides with the base Spark Miles card are a little light. Similar cards in this price range have more travel benefits, like trip interruption insurance or roadside assistance. The travel assistance services and up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fees can be handy occasionally, but you’ll have to lean on the Visa or Mastercard benefits you qualify for to enjoy beefier perks. For example, Visa Signature Business cards offer special privileges at over 900 properties in the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, the Visa Signature Concierge service, lost luggage reimbursement* (up to $3,000) and more.
Rates and fees: No introductory APR and high ongoing interest rate
The Capital One Spark Miles card doesn’t offer the lowest rates and fees. You'll want to avoid carrying a balance since there are no zero-interest APR periods to shield you from the card’s 25.24% (Variable) (See Rates & Fees). That’s higher than the current average interest rate. Plus, the card’s 33.65 percent penalty variable APR and up to $39 late payment fee will sting, too. That could be an issue for highly seasonal businesses with fluctuating revenue that forces you to hold a balance for months at a time.
While the introductory annual fee is $0, the annual fee for each year after that is $95, which adds to your cost of holding this card. However, if your yearly spending is at least $4,600 or about $383 per month, you'll earn enough rewards to recoup the annual fee. You'll also catch a break on fees for employee cards since those are free and there are no foreign transaction fees.
Best cards to pair the Capital One Spark Miles card with
One of the easiest ways to maximize your flat-rate rewards card is to pair it with another rewards card that offers a higher earning rate on your specialized expenses.
How the Capital One Spark Miles card compares to other business cards
Perhaps the biggest factors for you to weigh when choosing a travel card are how much you travel and how you prefer to travel. Finding a business travel card also requires considering how big and varied your expenses are.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Rewards rate
2 miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere. 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One's travel booking site.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
Rewards rate
Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards rate
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases–with no limit to the amount you can earn.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Is the Capital One Spark Miles for Business right for me?
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is a solid travel rewards business card focused on delivering a streamlined bonus miles experience over a deep benefit roster. This card might be the right one for your business if it fits these traits:
- Small businesses with expenses that surpass or fall outside the scope of traditional bonus categories.
- You'd prefer simplicity over targeted spending in high-earning bonus categories.
- Your business credit card spending exceeds $4,600 a year.
Alternative picks
Whether you want a card with no annual fee or more robust travel perks, these are the alternative business travel card that could be a better choice.
For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.
*You may be eligible for reimbursement due to theft or misdirection when your common carrier tickets are purchased with your card. **Eligible purchases made with the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card are replaced, repaired or reimbursed if you experience a loss in the first 90 days after purchase. (*) Automatically extends the original manufacturer's warranty on eligible purchases made with this card.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
All information about the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card has been collected independently by Bankrate and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.
Complimentary Hertz Five Star® status: As a Spark Miles cardholder, get the most out of your car rental with complimentary Hertz Five Star® status. Skip the rental counter at select locations and choose from a wider selection of cars. Register for status through the link in your Capital One account*
Frequently Asked Questions
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
