How to Open a Business Card without an LLC

Bavarian Lodge in Leavenworth, WA

Many people associate business credit cards with owning a formal business, like an LLC or corporation.

But what if you’re a freelancer, sole proprietor, or someone with a side hustle looking to rack up tons of travel points for your personal trips?

The good news is that you don’t need an LLC to qualify for a business credit card.

Business cards have been essential to our strategy in order to avoid going over 5/24 and getting more points, with sometimes no annual fee! Our favorite is the Chase Ink collection, because obviously, you get a lot of flexible points you can transfer to Hyatt or airline partners with a $0 annual fee.

If you decide to get one of the Ink cards, remember you must have the Chase Sapphire Preferred in order to transfer your points to that card and on to transfer partners. The exception to this rule is if you open a Chase Ink Preferred, which has a $95 annual fee and can also transfer UR points to partners.

A good list of business cards that won’t count towards your 5/24 status

Here’s how you can open one and start earning valuable travel rewards:

1. Define Yourself as a Sole Proprietor

A sole proprietorship is the simplest form of business, and it’s often as easy as using your own name. In the eyes of the credit card issuer, a sole proprietor is someone who operates a business without formally incorporating. If you have a side hustle, freelance work, or even just occasional sales, you’re technically a sole proprietor, even if you don’t have an LLC.

When applying for a business credit card, you’ll often be asked for the name of your business. If you don’t have a formal name, you can simply use your own name or create a “doing business as” (DBA) name. For example, if you’re a freelance graphic designer, you might use your own name or something like “John Smith Design Services.” Be prepared though – a few people have told me the bank will come back and ask for proof of business, so if you use a name, you need to be able to prove that it is your business. I never put a business name on my applications.

2. Use Your Social Security Number (SSN)

For small business owners who don’t have an Employer Identification Number (EIN), the application for a business credit card can be completed with your Social Security Number (SSN) instead. Many business credit card issuers allow sole proprietors to use their SSN in place of an EIN. This is particularly useful if you're just starting out or if you haven't registered your business formally.

A business inquiry will NOT count towards your 5/24, so if you’re close to meeting your 5/24, look at opening business cards to still be able to get those points and miles. You must be at or below 5/24 in order to be approved by Chase for a business card, though it doesn’t count towards your 5/24 status.

3. Leverage Your Business Expenses

When applying for a business credit card, you’ll be asked about your business’s annual revenue. If you’re a freelancer, your revenue could include income from freelance projects, side gigs, or any other income you generate through your work. You don’t need to have a high volume of revenue to be approved, but the key here is that you can leverage your existing business expenses to earn rewards. I use the money I make from being a vendor a few times a year. This amount, even though lower than most businesses make in a year, has gotten me approved for all of my business cards.

4. Choose the Right Business Credit Card for Travel Rewards

There are a number of business credit cards designed specifically to help you earn travel rewards. These cards come with lucrative benefits like bonus points for travel-related spending, airport lounge access, and free checked bags.

Our IHG Business card paid for our TSA Precheck applications, and our Southwest Business card paid for a free upgrade to A boarding when Sam and I went to Jamaica. We were credited the very same day.

Here are a few popular business credit cards for travel points:

• Flexible Points:

Chase Ink Business Preferred, Cash or Unlimited Credit Card: This card offers 3x points on travel, shipping, internet, cable, and phone services. It comes with a large sign-up bonus and points that can be transferred to various travel partners like United, Southwest, and Marriott.

American Express Business Gold Card: This card lets you earn 4x points on two categories where your business spends the most each month (including travel, advertising, and shipping). Points can be transferred to travel partners like Delta and Hilton.

Capital One Spark Miles for Business: I’ve been wanting to get this card, but haven’t yet! Capital One miles transfer to Wyndham, which transfers to Vacasa, which is like AirBnB.

With this card, you earn unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, plus a generous sign-up bonus. Miles can be redeemed for travel purchases or transferred to airline partners.

• Airline or Hotel Specific (or non-flexible):

Southwest Business Credit Card: 2X points when spent on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services. 1X points on everything else. Depending on whether you get the Premier or Performance, these come with 2-4 Early Bird Check-Ins per year, TSA or Global Entry credits, Onboard Wifi credits, and no foreign transaction fees. Our business card paid for our Global Entry application of $120!

IHG Business Card: We love getting the IHG co-branded cards as they are super valuable for our family’s travel strategy! This card paid for our TSA Precheck ($75), and it gives you 26X points when spent at IHG hotels, instant Platinum Elite status, 5X points spent on travel and dining, gas stations, and 3X spent on all other purchases.

Hyatt Business Card: If you love Hyatt, this card is a great option. It earns 2X Bonus Points per $1 spent in your top three categories each quarter, 2X points for gym memberships, and 1X on all other purchases. Earn 5 Tier-Qualifying night credits toward status for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar year.

Before applying, make sure to research the best credit cards for your business needs, monitor your spending, and take advantage of the rewards you earn. With the right strategy, you’ll be booking your next adventure with your hard-earned points in no time.