Travel rewards credit cards can open the door to adventurous opportunities. When used properly, these travel rewards cards can give your travel budget a boost. 

The only downside is that you’ll need to choose from a wide selection of worthwhile credit card opportunities.

Today, we’ll take a closer look at two great options – the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. 

Capital One Venture X Rewards Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card overview

Here’s a quick breakdown of the features Capital One Venture X Rewards Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card have to offer. 

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: overview

With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card from Capital One, you’ll tap into a suite of benefits to enjoy.

The benefits kick off with a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. 

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. 

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: overview

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! You’ll 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!

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: pros and cons

Pros:

• Welcome bonus opportunity – You’ll earn one of the highest bonuses in the industry – 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 mile, but you’ll find you can earn all the way up to 10x miles on certain purchases. 

Cons:

• The annual fee – This fee puts this card out of reach for many first-time travel hackers.
• 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 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.

Cons:

• $95 annual fee – If you’re anti-annual fee, you’ll want to find a different card.
• No introductory APRs – This is a straight-forward 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!

Read more: When Is An Annual Fee Credit Card Worth it?

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 requirement. 

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

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.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Read more:

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards Of 2021: Snag Up to $1,000 in Travel
• Cash Back Or Travel Rewards: Which Should You Choose?