Free Perks for Freelancers, Small Biz Owners
Travel for work? Delta Business Traveler’s free program gives freelancers and small business owners access to discounts, travel perks and business offers that are actually useful. We signed up to see what’s included, and some of the deals are worth a closer look.
Here’s what you need to know.
Delta Business Traveler
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Cost
Free; must be a SkyMiles® member to sign up
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Mobile app
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Perks
Discounted Industrious co-working membership, Express VPN services, LinkedIn Premium, Thumbtack services, Rent The Runway and Delta Vacations®, plus other offers
Pros
- Free to join the Delta Business Traveler program — you just need to be a SkyMiles® member, which is also free to sign up for
- Offers access to discounts on business and lifestyle products
- Open to freelancers, small business owners and corporate employees
Cons
- Doesn’t offer many perks or benefits on booking business travel and stays other than discounts on packages booked through Delta Vacations®
Delta Business Traveler eligibility
To sign up for the free program, you’ll need to be a Delta SkyMiles Members traveler and someone who travels for business. Delta SkyMiles accounts are free and easy to sign up for, making program qualifications extremely accessible.
Currently, you must be a U.S. resident to sign up for Delta Business Traveler.
Delta Business Traveler perks
Delta Business Traveler offers several benefits across lifestyle and business needs, including:
- Access to a discounted Industrious coworking membership (Delta Business Traveler members get one month for free then pay $99 per month)
- 3 months of Calm Premium for free
- 71% off and 4 months free of Express VPN services
- 50% off your first 3 months of LinkedIn Premium
- $25 off your next 10 projects on Thumbtack
- 20% off 6 months of Rent the Runway
- Access to a 1-month free trial of ClassPass
- Earn 30 miles per $1 spent on Airalo eSIMs
- Ways to save on vacation packages booked through Delta Vacations
As with any membership, offers may be seasonal and subject to change over time.
CNBC Select Tested
After signing up for a Delta Business Traveler account, you may find some additional perks in your portal. I signed up for a free account and found an offer for a $250 Indeed Sponsored Job credit (great if you’ve just signed up for Indeed and want to post a job listing for your business), Hertz Five Star status for 6 months and annual travel protection plans through Allianz Travel Insurance.
Should you sign up for Delta Business Traveler?
It doesn’t really offer much in the way of perks for booking (and enjoying) a trip, however. If you’re hoping to get airport lounge access and annual travel credits, you’re better off applying for a business credit card with travel perks, such as the Capital One Venture Business Card and the Business Platinum Card from American Express.
With the Venture Business, cardholders get an annual $50 travel credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel and up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years, among other premium perks.
Amex’s Business Platinum Card offers complimentary access to more than 1,550 airport lounges across 140 countries, up to $600 in statement credits per calendar year on some bookings through American Express Travel* ($300 semi-annually) and a $200 airline fee credit (per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected qualifying airline), just to name a few of the more luxe credit card perks.
*The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
The Capital Venture Business has a simple and lucrative rewards program because you earn at least 2X miles on every purchase and you can transfer those miles to travel partners.
- Earns flexible travel rewards you can transfer to airline and hotel loyalty programs such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Choice Privileges and Emirates Skywards
- Application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Up to $100 in annual credits
- Has an annual fee
- High spending requirement to earn the full welcome bonus
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Limited-time offer: Earn up to 150,000 bonus miles—75,000 miles once you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months, and an additional 75,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won’t expire for the life of the account
- Receive up to $220 in credits: Receive an annual $50 travel credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel, up to an annual $50 statement credit for purchases at qualifying advertising or software merchants, plus up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® every four years. Terms and conditions apply
- Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
- Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
- $95 annual fee
- Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
- Top rated mobile app
The Business Platinum Card from American Express is a premium business card loaded with statement credit offers for business services and travel that help justify its steep annual fee.
- Access to 1,550 airport lounges, including Priority Pass (Enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges
- Hotel and rental car elite status perks
- Earns flexible rewards you can transfer to 20+ airline and hotel loyalty programs (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned; Benefits may be subject to auto-renewal)
- High annual fee
- Limited bonus spending categories
- Some statement credit offers are earned in small increments or only apply to purchases from a single brand
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- As High As 300,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 300,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $20,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,550 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card company on the market as of 07/2025.
- See how you can unlock over $4,000 in business and travel value annually after meeting qualifying spend thresholds on the Business Platinum Card. Terms apply.
- Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 in statement credits per calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using the Business Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- No Preset Spending Limit: The spending limit on the Business Platinum Card is flexible, so unlike a traditional credit card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment and credit history.
- Make the Business Platinum Card® work even harder for you. Hilton for Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties across the globe. Gift cards are not an eligible purchase. Benefit enrollment required.
- Fly like a pro with a $200 Airline Fee Credit. Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
- Use the Business Platinum Card and get up to $209 back per calendar year on your CLEAR+ Membership (subject to auto-renewal).
- Maximize your time away with Fine Hotels + Resorts through Amex Travel™.
- Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits on U.S purchases directly with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card and an additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more on that same Card per calendar year.
- Enroll and get up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year on U.S. purchases of ChatGPT Business* on the Business Platinum Card. *Subject to auto-renewal.
- Enroll and get a $250 statement credit after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year on the Business Platinum Card.
- Get up to $90 in statement credits quarterly for purchases with Indeed on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $360 back per year. Enrollment required.
- Get up to $10 in statement credits per month for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $120 back per year. Enrollment required.
- 2X points on purchases at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
- 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com
- 1X points on other eligible purchases
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Of course, given how easy (and free) it is to sign up for Delta Business Traveler, it doesn’t hurt to sign up to access service discounts that business credit cards may not offer, like the Calm membership discount or the discount on Industrious coworking spaces.
The Delta Business Traveler program may actually be a good way for new business owners to begin wading their way into the world of business perks without shelling out meaningful cash on annual fees or membership pricing.
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Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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