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![Capital One Venture Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card [Detailed Comparison]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Capital-One-Venture-vs-Chase-Sapphire-Reserve-Upgraded-Points-LLC.jpg?auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1420&height=650&fit=crop)
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Selecting the appropriate travel rewards card can be a daunting task, especially when you’re first starting out. It’s a natural inclination to simply choose a card with an earning structure you understand, a few benefits you might use, and redemption options that are easy to execute.
On the flip side, a traveler might want to jump in with both feet and select a premium travel rewards card with all the bells and whistles.
Today we’re going to talk about 2 such very different rewards cards. One is a card you might consider if you were just starting out, mostly because of its simplicity but also because of its familiarity due to its advertising exposure.
The other card has a high annual fee, bonus earning categories, various flexible redemption options, and a long list of travel benefits.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are both respectable travel rewards cards, each offering value when matched with the right type of traveler.
So, is it better to keep things simple or go for the card with all the premium offerings?
We’re about to take on that conundrum and dive deep into our 2 featured cards to assist you in determining which is the better fit for you.
Before we dive into all the details, let’s look at a side-by-side overview of the Capital One Venture card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card for a glance at the overall value of each card as it could relate to your situation.
Please note that the information for the Capital One Venture Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and has not been provided by the card issuer. Some of these benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See your respective guide to benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
| Feature or Benefit | Capital One Venture Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve Card |
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| Top Redemption Options |
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| Reimbursements/Statement Credits |
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Welcome bonuses offer an opportunity to quickly build a bank of redeemable rewards. You’ll earn this bonus on either of our featured cards after meeting minimum spending requirements within the first 3 months after card approval.
Here’s how these cards stack up with regard to these initial bonuses.
Welcome offers for the Capital One Venture card may vary, but you can expect to receive a reasonable bonus. Miles may be worth potentially more when transferred to airline and hotel partners.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesGet 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!
As a frequent traveler with excellent credit, you’re always on the lookout for a credit card that comes with all the bells and whistles. And the easier it is to understand, the better!
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great sign-up bonus, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.
The welcome bonus offered on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is worth 1.5x more when redeemed through the Chase travel portal or transferred to the Chase airline and hotel partners for potentially even greater end value.
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there.
The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.
Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!
The Capital One Venture card earns rewards in the form of Capital One miles, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card earns Ultimate Rewards points.
While redemption values differ, here’s how the 2 cards compare when earning rewards on every purchase you make.
| Card | Earnings |
| Capital One Venture card |
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| Chase Sapphire Reserve card |
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We’ve put together complete guides on the best ways to earn lots of Capital One miles and Ultimate Rewards points so you can learn even more.
Bottom Line: If you want simplicity, you won’t find a better earning structure than the Capital One Venture card with a minimum of 2 miles per dollar earned on every purchase. If you’re a frequent traveler and have a lot of associated spending, however, you’ll find greater upside earning opportunities and travel benefits with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
Capital One miles earned on the Capital One Venture card are not the same as frequent flyer miles — the miles function as redeemable miles similar to the Ultimate Rewards points earned on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
When you’re ready to redeem your rewards on either card, you’ll find several options, although values vary depending on the redemption option you select.
| Redemption Option | Capital One Venture Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve Card |
| Transfer to Travel Partners | Transfer to nearly 20 airline and hotel programs with most at a 1:1 ratio | Transfer to over a dozen airline and hotel programs at a 1:1 ratio |
| Purchase Travel via the Card’s Travel Portal | Purchase travel through Capital One Travel at 1 cent per mile | Purchase travel through the Ultimate Rewards for 1.5 cents per point |
| Statement Credit/Cash-back |
| Redeem for a statement credit or cash at 1 cent per point |
| Other Redemption Options | Gift cards, Amazon | Gift cards, Amazon, Apple, experiences |
While redemption options on each card are similar, the rewards currencies can differ significantly in the value received. The sweet spot for Capital One miles is transferring the miles to travel partners for the best potential value.
Ultimate Rewards points can also be transferred to travel partners for potentially more value, plus you have the option to redeem the points for 1.5 cents each on the Chase travel portal. When redeeming Capital One miles for travel with Capital One Travel, miles are only worth 1 cent.
Ultimate Rewards points are much more valuable overall, however, as points could also be redeemed for cash at 1 cent each versus Capital One miles at 0.5 cents each.
Here are some great ideas for redeeming your Capital One miles and Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value.
Bottom Line: Ultimate Rewards points earned on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card are more valuable than Capital One miles as the Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for 1.5 cents each towards travel or 1 cent per point for statement credits or cash-back.
The Capital One Venture card and Chase Sapphire Reserve card are in different leagues regarding earning rewards, redeeming rewards, and benefits offered. The same differences hold true regarding annual fees, adding authorized users, and transfers between accounts.
The Capital One Venture card currently charges an annual fee of $95. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has an annual fee of $550.
The Capital One Venture card does not charge a fee to add an additional user to your card. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card charges $75 to add an authorized user. Authorized users do, however, receive worldwide lounge access via Priority Pass Select membership and some travel/shopping benefits and protections.
The Capital One Venture card allows free transfers of Capital One miles to any account that is eligible to earn miles. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card allows no-fee transfers to family members’ accounts in the same household.
Both of these featured cards offer benefits and protections that can save you money and provide assistance during your travels.
Here are some common travel benefits and protections found on our featured cards:
In addition to the previously mentioned benefits, the Capital One Venture card comes with these useful and money-saving features:
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is packed with additional valuable travel benefits and protections.
This list of benefits and protections is not all-inclusive, and descriptions have been abbreviated. You’ll want to access the specific card’s guide to benefits for the full descriptions, terms, and conditions.
Bottom Line: While both cards come with several travel benefits and protections, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is by far the winner for the frequent traveler. The card comes with a high annual fee, however, so you’ll want the card only if you can optimize the offered benefits.
While you might not select a travel rewards card for its shopping benefits and protections, these perks could influence your decision.
Here are the shopping-related benefits/protections that come with each card.
| Benefit/Protection | Capital One Venture Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve Card |
| Extended Warranty | For items with manufacturers’ warranties of 3 years or less, the warranty will be doubled, up to 1 additional year | Manufacturers’ warranties of 3 years or less will have 1 additional year added |
| Purchase Protection |
90 days of protection from purchase date for damage and theft on eligible items | 120 days of protection from purchase date for damage and theft of eligible items, up to $10,000 per claim, $50,000 per year |
| Complimentary DoorDash DashPass Subscription and Monthly Credit | N/A |
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| Instacart+ Membership and Monthly Credit | N/A |
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| Return Protection | N/A | Up to $500 per item, $1,000 per year if the merchant will not accept a return within 90 days of purchase |
If you use DoorDash or Instacart, having complimentary subscriptions for those purchases is a big positive for Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders.
If you’re just starting out and trying to decide on a travel rewards card, the Capital One Venture card does make the process simple — you spend on the card and earn 2x rewards. Even with several redemption options, that process is also simple.
If you’re a frequent traveler, however, you could receive better value from a travel rewards card such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. With 3x earnings on travel and dining, worldwide lounge access, up to $300 in travel credits, and a long list of travel benefits, the card offers a package that matches most traveling profiles. It does have a hefty annual fee, but if you can use even a couple of its benefits, such as lounge access and the travel credit, you could receive value far beyond that fee.
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.
The best card for your situation will depend on how the card’s earnings match up with your spending, whether the redemption options align with your travel goals, and if you’ll use the benefits on the card.
If you’re looking for simplicity and don’t want to pay a high annual fee, the Capital One Venture card could be the better choice.
If you’re a frequent traveler and find value in premium travel benefits such as worldwide lounge access, travel statement credits, travel benefits and protections, and top redemption values, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, even with its higher annual fee, could be a fit.
Capital One miles are flexible, redeemable miles. You earn a set number of miles for every dollar you spend on your Capital One credit card.
The miles earned are deposited in your account after each statement period closes and then subsequently available for redemption.
You can redeem your miles for travel, transfer the miles to travel partners to purchase award tickets or hotel rooms, redeem for statement credits against prior travel purchases, shop at Amazon, redeem for gift cards, or for cash.
Capital One miles do not expire as long as you have an active miles-earning card.
Ultimate Rewards points are earned on every purchase you make with your eligible Chase credit card. There are also bonus categories that earn multiple points per dollar spent.
These points are deposited into your Chase Ultimate Rewards account each statement period and are then ready for redemption.
You can redeem your points via the Chase travel portal, transfer your points to airline and hotel partners, shop at Amazon and Apple, and redeem for cash, experiences, gift cards, and more.
Ultimate Rewards points do not expire as long as you have an active Ultimate Rewards-earning card account.
Capital One miles can be transferred to any other Capital One account at no charge. The only requirement is that the Capital One account you’re transferring to is also a miles-earning account.
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Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
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