How European Founders Fly Business Class on US Card Points

Running a US LLC means real US business spend, and real US business spend can be turned into transferable points that book business and first class seats out of Europe. Here is how the mechanics actually work.

The lifestyle unlock most founders miss

Most European founders set up a US LLC purely for the banking and payments benefits: a US entity, a US bank account, and the ability to invoice American clients or use Stripe without friction. Fewer realise that the same setup opens the door to the US business credit card ecosystem, which is the richest points economy in the world. Cards like the Amex Business Platinum or Chase Ink Business Preferred were not designed with a founder's holiday in mind, but the transferable points they earn on ordinary business spend, software subscriptions, ad spend, contractor payments, can be converted into business and first class flights from Europe that would otherwise cost several thousand euros in cash.

This only works if the foundations are set up correctly first. Points are the reward at the end of a chain that starts with a properly formed entity and proper documentation.

What has to exist before you can apply for a card

US banks and card issuers will not open an account or approve a card for a business that exists only on paper. In order, you need:

• A US LLC. Wyoming is the common low-cost default for non-resident founders because of its flat fees and privacy, though Delaware and New Mexico are also used depending on the business.
• An EIN (Employer Identification Number). Non-residents without a US Social Security Number apply using Form SS-4, and because you cannot get one online without an SSN, it has to go in by fax or mail to the IRS.
• An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) for the founder. This is the piece most people get wrong: you do not need a US visa to get one. An ITIN exists specifically for people who are not eligible for a Social Security Number but still need to be identified for US tax and financial purposes. It is what lets you appear as a real person to a bank or card issuer instead of an anonymous foreign entity.
• A US business bank account. Mercury, Wise Business and Relay all onboard non-resident founders remotely, and having a genuine US account with real transaction history is what most card issuers want to see before they extend credit.

This is exactly the sequence Founders Credit handles end to end for non-US founders, LLC formation, EIN, ITIN, and the bank account, so that by the time you get to the card stage the paperwork is already sorted rather than half finished.

How business spend turns into a business class seat

The two currencies that matter are Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, both of which sit behind business cards that non-resident founders with an ITIN and US banking history can apply for. Neither currency is worth much on its own. The value comes from transferring points, usually at a 1:1 ratio, into airline frequent flyer programmes that price business and first class award seats far below the equivalent cash fare.

The sweet spots worth knowing

Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic both regularly release business class award space on transatlantic and long haul routes at rates well below what you would pay in cash, and both are transfer partners for the major US card currencies. ANA's chart is particularly strong for premium cabin redemptions to Europe and Asia when space is available. None of this is guaranteed availability, award seats are limited and fluctuate, but the pattern of ordinary business expenses quietly becoming a business class seat to a client meeting or a conference is real and repeatable once the card and points infrastructure is in place.

Timeline and realistic expectations

This is not a same week outcome. Forming the LLC and getting the EIN typically takes a few weeks. The ITIN can add more time depending on IRS processing. Opening the bank account is usually the fastest step once the entity documents exist. Card approval depends on the issuer's own underwriting, banking history, and stated income, and no service, including this one, can promise a specific approval outcome. Founders who treat the first year as building a track record, starting with one card and using it consistently, tend to get approved for better cards later rather than applying for everything at once.

Do not skip the boring compliance step

A foreign-owned single-member US LLC has an annual filing obligation regardless of whether it earns any revenue: Form 5472 alongside a pro-forma Form 1120. This is an information return, it does not calculate or trigger tax on its own, but failing to file it carries a penalty of $25,000 per instance. It is easy to forget this once the exciting part, the cards and the flights, is up and running, but it is the thing that keeps the whole structure legitimate and keeps the IRS off your back.

Glossary

EIN: Employer Identification Number, the US tax ID for a business, obtained via IRS Form SS-4.

ITIN: Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, issued to individuals who need a US tax identifier but are not eligible for a Social Security Number. No visa is required to obtain one.

Transferable points: Rewards currencies like Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards that can be moved into airline or hotel loyalty programmes, usually at a 1:1 ratio, rather than only being redeemable for cash back.

Form 5472: An annual IRS information return required for foreign-owned single-member LLCs, filed alongside a pro-forma Form 1120, even when the LLC has no income.

Award seat: A flight seat booked using loyalty points or miles rather than cash, subject to availability set by the airline.

Frequently asked questions