Let’s take a closer look at two great travel rewards credit card options: the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card vs Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
| Features | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (See Rates & Fees.) | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (See Rates & Fees.) |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening | 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening |
| Annual fee | $395 | $95 |
| Miles per dollar purchased | 10x on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5x on flights booked via Capital One Travel 2x on other purchases |
Unlimited 2x miles on all purchases |
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Overview
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
| Annual Fee | Intro APR, Purchases | Intro APR, Balance Transfers | Regular APR | Credit Needed |
| $395 | N/A | N/A | 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) |
|
With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card from Capital One, you’ll tap into a suite of benefits to enjoy. The benefits kick off with a nice welcome bonus: 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. And if you love traveling, you’ll enjoy the other perks that come with this card:
- 10x on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- 5x on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
- Annual statement credits up to $300 for bookings made through Capital One Travel.
- Account anniversary gift of 10,000 bonus miles each account anniversary.
- Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.
The cherry on top is unlimited access to all-inclusive Capital One Lounge amenities and access to 1,300+ Priority Pass lounges worldwide. In a Capital One Lounge, you can take advantage of a moment of quiet filled with the amenities you want access to within an airport.
As a cardholder, you can also book travel through Capital One Travel. On the surface, this may seem like just another place to book a hotel. But what I really like about the platform is the option to freeze a price for up to 14 days before booking a particular hotel, car, or flight.
» MORE: Learn more/apply or read our full Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Overview
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
| Annual Fee | Intro APR, Purchases | Intro APR, Balance Transfers | Regular APR | Credit Needed |
| $95 | N/A | N/A | 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) |
|
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a solid rewards credit card that has been on the market for a while. Although the benefits are not quite as extensive as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is certainly nothing to sneeze at. With this credit card, you can start to enjoy the benefits with a bang! Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. After that, you’ll earn 2x miles for every dollar you spend. Plus, you can enjoy a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.Personally, I use this card as my go-to for building travel rewards. And I have yet to be disappointed!
» MORE: Learn more/apply or read our full Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Pros and cons
Pros:
- Welcome bonus opportunity – 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- 10,000 account anniversary bonus – You’ll earn a whopping 10,000 extra miles on your card anniversary (starting on your first anniversary).
- Up to $300 annual credit for Capital One Travel bookings – If you’re a frequent traveler (which you should be if you use this card), you’ll more than make up for the annual fee with benefits like this.
- Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® – Another prime travel perk that can help offset your annual fee.
- Freeze prices for 14 days in the Capital One Travel portal before booking – This will give you time to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
- At least 2x miles earned per dollar spent – The minimum you’ll earn is 2x miles, but you’ll find you can earn all the way up to 10x miles on certain purchases.
Cons:
- The $395 annual fee – This fee puts this card out of reach for many first-time travel hackers (See Rates & Fees.).
- There’s a big spending requirement to score the welcome bonus – $4,000 isn’t a lot to spend, but if you have a big purchase you were planning on making, you’ll be rewarded.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Pros and cons
Pros:
- Welcome bonus opportunity – This card is perfect for those still looking to earn a hefty bonus.
- Reasonable spending requirement – You have to spend this amount in the first three months to enjoy the welcome bonus.
- Earn 2x miles for every dollar spent – If you’re looking for a straightforward travel rewards card, this is the perfect card.
- No foreign transaction fees – You can travel abroad without worrying about extra fees (See Rates & Fees.).
Cons:
- $95 annual fee – If you’re anti-annual fee, you’ll want to find a different card.
- No introductory APRs – This is a straightforward rewards card with no intro APRs to speak of.
Why choose Capital One Venture X Rewards Card
Outstanding welcome bonus
If you are able to spend the amount necessary on purchases, the welcome bonus offered by the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card is difficult to beat.
Perks make up for the annual fee
It is understandable to feel a bit of sticker shock when you see the annual fee. But in reality, you can more than justify this relatively high annual fee if you are a frequent traveler.
Just two of the perks – the $100 credit for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry + the $300 annual credit for Capital One Travel bookings – adds up to $400. With that, you can essentially recoup the cost of your annual fee right there!
Account anniversary bonus
Everyone loves to feel appreciated! The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card makes this a reality by giving you 10,000 bonus points each year. That’s worth $100 in travel. It is easy to see how choosing this credit card will allow the perks to add up quickly.
Ability to freeze a price before booking
It is no secret that prices for travel purchases like flights and hotels fluctuate dramatically. But even if you see a great price, you might not be quite ready to move on it.
In most cases, that failure to act quickly could cost you. But not when you are a Capital One Venture X Rewards cardholder. Instead, you can freeze the price when you see it and make a decision within the next 14 days.
Why choose Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Lower spending requirements
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card may not have all of the perks. But it is still an incredible card that comes with a more affordable annual fee and more manageable spending requirements.
At only $95 per year, you can enjoy the features of a premium travel rewards credit card. Plus you can earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening (See Rates & Fees.).
Worthwhile perks
Beyond the travel benefits, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card comes with several perks. A few of my favorites include the auto rental collision damage waiver, travel accident insurance, and the ability to transfer miles.
I have found that using this card pays for itself. If you are a relatively frequent traveler, then you can likely find plenty of opportunities to use the perks that this card has to offer.
Summary
In the end, both of these credit cards have a lot to offer. But which one is right for you?
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is for you if…
…you want to tap into a truly premium travel rewards credit card and are willing to pay the price. The high annual fee may not be right for everyone, but frequent travelers will appreciate the numerous perks that can make the annual fee worth it.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card for you if…
…you know that you cannot spend $4,000 in three months. If the idea of chasing that large of a spending requirement is too much, that’s okay! You can still enjoy an incredible experience with this card. The reasonable costs and big rewards will give you a lot of bang for your buck.