Last updated: July 2026. Sign-up bonuses change often — confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before you apply.
The Chase Ink Business Preferred® is the best-value business card in the Ultimate Rewards ecosystem, and one of the most underrated cards period. For a $95 annual fee it does the one thing that matters most: it unlocks full Ultimate Rewards transfers to Hyatt, United, Air France/KLM, and the rest — the same partner access as a Sapphire card — while adding a strong 3x bonus structure and genuinely useful cell-phone insurance. If you have any business activity (and a side hustle, freelance work, reselling, or a sole proprietorship all count), this is the cheapest full-featured seat at the transfer table.
Advertiser disclosure: we may be compensated when you're approved through our links. It doesn't affect our editorial take. Terms apply — see the issuer's Rates & Fees.
At a glance
| Annual fee | $95 |
| Sign-up bonus | ~90,000–100,000 points after meeting minimum spend (verify current offer) |
| Bonus value | $1,800–$2,000 in travel at our 2.0¢ valuation |
| Best for | Unlocking UR transfers cheaply; business spenders |
| Points earned | Chase Ultimate Rewards (transferable) |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
| Card network | Visa (Signature Business) |
Apply Now → see the current offer
What the points are worth
We value Ultimate Rewards points at 2.0¢ each because they transfer 1:1 to Hyatt, United, Air Canada, Air France/KLM, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and more. Here's the key detail most people miss: the Ink Business Preferred is a full transfer card. A no-annual-fee Chase card (like the Freedom family) earns points that are stuck at 1¢ unless you also hold a card with transfer rights. The Ink Preferred is that card — for $95 — and the points it holds combine into one Ultimate Rewards balance with your personal Sapphire or Freedom cards.
A 90,000-point bonus is therefore worth:
- $900 cashed out (don't) ·
- $1,125 toward travel at 1.25¢ if pooled with a Sapphire Preferred ·
- $1,800+ transferred to a partner for a well-chosen award.
Where your points can go
The Ink Business Preferred's points transfer to these airline and hotel programs — tap any partner to see how to use those miles, what they're worth, and the best redemptions:
Airline transfer partners United MileagePlus · Air Canada Aeroplan · Air France/KLM Flying Blue · British Airways / Qatar Avios · Qatar Qsuite award · Virgin Atlantic · Singapore KrisFlyer · Southwest Rapid Rewards · JetBlue TrueBlue
Hotel transfer partners World of Hyatt · IHG One Rewards · Marriott Bonvoy
For every transfer ratio, transfer time and current bonus, see the complete transfer partners chart.
Earning rates
| Rate | Category (combined cap: first $150,000/account year, then 1x) |
|---|---|
| 3x | Travel |
| 3x | Shipping purchases |
| 3x | Internet, cable and phone services |
| 3x | Advertising purchases with social media and search engines |
| 1x | Everything else |
The advertising and shipping categories are the sleeper win: a business spending on Google/Meta ads or shipping product earns 3x = an effective 6% back in travel value, on up to $150,000/year of combined spend. Few cards touch that on ad spend.
Benefits & credits
Coverage limits and perks change — verify each is current before you count on it.
- Cell phone protection — up to $1,000 per claim (typically $600–$1,000, with a modest deductible and a per-year claim cap) when you pay your monthly phone bill with the card. This alone can offset the fee versus paying for carrier device coverage.
- Full Ultimate Rewards transfer partners — the whole 1:1 list (Hyatt, United, Air Canada, Air France/KLM, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Southwest, JetBlue, Marriott, IHG, Aer Lingus, Iberia).
- 1.25¢ portal redemptions through Chase Travel℠ (better than the 1¢ floor on no-fee cards).
- Primary auto rental CDW when renting for business purposes.
- Trip cancellation/interruption, trip delay and purchase protection / extended warranty coverage.
- Employee cards at no extra cost — points from all of them pool into one balance.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Best uses (sweet spots), with examples
Every example uses the same formula: (cash price − taxes) ÷ points × 100 = cents per point (CPP).
1. Transfer to Hyatt for outsized hotel value. A Category 4 night listing at $350 for 18,000 Hyatt points: (350 − 0) ÷ 18,000 × 100 = 1.94¢. Two nights = a $700 stay for 36,000 points.
2. Transatlantic business class via Air France/KLM Flying Blue. A ~$4,000 lie-flat seat to Europe for 55,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$250 taxes: (4,000 − 250) ÷ 55,000 × 100 = 6.8¢/point — one award like this returns the annual fee dozens of times over.
3. Star Alliance business via Air Canada Aeroplan (no fuel surcharges). A ~$4,200 seat to Europe for 60,000 Aeroplan points + ~$200: (4,200 − 200) ÷ 60,000 × 100 = 6.67¢/point.
4. Domestic nonstop via United. A $220 fare for 12,500 United miles + $5.60: (220 − 5.60) ÷ 12,500 × 100 = 1.72¢/point — a clean everyday redemption.
Why this is the smartest $95 in the hobby
The Ink Business Preferred's real job is to be the transfer key for a bigger points machine:
- Earn fast on no-fee cards → the Freedom Unlimited/Flex give 5x, 3x and 1.5x.
- Pool every point into one Ultimate Rewards balance.
- Use the Ink Preferred's transfer rights to send that whole balance to Hyatt or Flying Blue.
Result: you can build most of a UR-earning setup for $95 total (one Ink Preferred) plus no-fee cards, without ever paying a Sapphire fee — if you have qualifying business spend.
Fine print worth knowing
- 5/24 rule: Chase generally won't approve you with 5+ personal cards opened in the past 24 months. Note that most Chase business cards, once approved, don't add to your 5/24 count, though the application is still subject to it.
- Legitimate business required: a sole proprietorship (freelance, gig, resale, consulting) is acceptable — apply with your name/SSN and estimated revenue. Don't misrepresent.
- The $150,000 bonus-category cap is combined across all four 3x categories and resets each account year.
- Points don't expire while the account is open.
Who should get it
Get the Ink Business Preferred if you have any business income, want full UR transfer access at the lowest fee, and can use 3x on travel/shipping/telecom/advertising. It pairs perfectly with personal Chase cards and is the backbone of a business points setup.
If you have no business activity, start with the Sapphire Preferred instead — it's the personal-card path to the identical transfer partners.
Bottom line
The Ink Business Preferred is the cheapest full ticket into Ultimate Rewards transfers, with a bonus structure (3x on ads and shipping) that rewards real businesses and cell-phone insurance that can pay the fee by itself. Combine it with a no-fee Chase Freedom card and a Sapphire if you want, and you've built a points engine that funds business-class trips on everyday spend.
Apply Now → see the current offer
Related: How much are your points worth? · Chase Sapphire Preferred guide · Chase Freedom Unlimited & Flex guide · Chase transfer partners
