Key Takeaway
Chase Ink Business Premier ($195/yr) is built for high-volume transactions, awarding an uncapped 2.5% cash back on single purchases of $5,000 or more (2% on all other spend). Amex Business Platinum ($695/yr) delivers 1.5x Membership Rewards points on purchases over $5,000 (capped at $2M/yr) and luxury airport travel perks.
- Ink Premier: Earns an uncapped 2.5% cash back on every invoice or transaction of $5,000 or greater
- Amex Business Platinum: Earns 1.5x points on $5,000+ purchases (effective ~3% value when redeemed for premium flights)
- Redemption Caveat: Ink Premier points cannot be transferred to airline/hotel partners, unlike Ink Preferred or Sapphire
Large Purchase Analysis ($5,000+ Invoices)
For businesses regularly paying supplier invoices, inventory orders, or construction materials over $5,000, these are two primary charge card contenders:
- Chase Ink Business Premier ($195/yr): Pays 2.5% cash back on every eligible purchase of $5,000 or more. Points can be redeemed for statement credits at a flat 1 cent per point. Note: Unlike other Chase Ink cards, Ink Premier rewards cannot be combined with personal Sapphire cards to transfer to airline partners.
- Amex Business Platinum ($695/yr): Pays 1.5x Membership Rewards on purchases over $5,000 and select business categories (up to $2,000,000 per calendar year). If you transfer those points to Virgin Atlantic, Air France/KLM, or Singapore Airlines, you can achieve redemption valuations exceeding 2.0¢ per point (effective ~3.0% net return).
Recommendation
If your business seeks pure cash back with zero redemption friction, Ink Premier at $195 is the highest flat return on $5,000+ transactions. If your executive team values international business-class flights and global airport lounge access, Amex Business Platinum wins.
Recommended Cards for This Strategy
Chase
$95/yr
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Base Return
1.0%
Top Category
3x / %
American Express
$895/yr
Amex Business Platinum Card®
Base Return
0.0%
Top Category
5x / %