We’ve been conditioned to enjoy the simplicity of Capital One’s credit cards. We never expect luxury travel benefits or complex earning structures and it’s easy to understand the process at redemption time. Predictable? Yes, but manageable, familiar, and ultimately rewarding.
Capital One surprised us all, however, with its entry into the premium travel rewards card market, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. With an enhanced earning structure and lots of benefits, the card bears little resemblance to the previous portfolio of Capital One cards.
And, while we like a lot about the card, some may prefer the simplicity of Capital One’s workhorse, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, the alternative no-annual-fee card to the popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Earning and redeeming rewards on the CapOne VentureOne card certainly doesn’t get any simpler, but should you forget about the card and opt for the CapOne Venture X card?
Today we’re going to answer that question by looking at these 2 solid Capital One Miles cards to sort out the differences and define how each card may play a role for the appropriate cardholder.
The Value of a Welcome Offer
Once you’re approved for your Capital One card, you’ll have a unique opportunity to earn a welcome bonus by meeting minimum spending requirements in the immediate months after card approval. The welcome bonus can be earned in the first 6 months after card approval for the CapOne Venture X card, and the first 3 months after card approval with the CapOne VentureOne card.
Depending on the redemption option you select, we estimate Capital One miles to be worth between 1 cent to 1.8 cents each. Welcome bonuses vary, as well as valuations, so be sure to check for the most current available information before you apply for any card.
Bottom Line: Both of our featured cards offer a welcome bonus that can be earned by meeting minimum spending requirements within the initial specified period after card approval. The CapOne Venture X card’s welcome bonus is much higher than the CapOne VentureOne card, however, the minimum spending requirements are also much higher.
Earning Potential
Rewards can be earned on travel purchases and also redeemed for travel. Image Credit: Maria Camila Castaño via PexelsYou will earn rewards on every purchase you make with either the CapOne Venture X card or the CapOne VentureOne card. Maximizing bonus earnings, however, will ultimately depend on your spending mix.
The highest level of earnings will be for select travel purchased via Capital One Travel, but both cards offer flat rate earnings on all other purchases, including travel purchased from other providers.
Here’s how our featured cards compare when it comes to earning rewards:
| Earning Category | CapOne Venture X Card | CapOne VentureOne Card |
| Travel | - 10x miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars via Capital One Travel
- 5x miles for flights booked via Capital One Travel
- 2x miles for all other travel purchases
| - 5x miles for hotels and rental cars via Capital One Travel
- 1.25 miles per dollar spent on all other travel purchases
|
| Additional Earnings | - 10,000-mile bonus at each card anniversary
| |
| All Other Purchases | | - 1.25 miles per dollar spent
|
Bottom Line: Both cards offer accelerated earnings on select travel purchases via Capital One Travel and flat rate earnings on all other purchases. While the CapOne Venture X card offers a minimum of 2x earnings on every purchase and the CapOne Venture card just 1.25x earnings, you will have to pay an annual fee on the CapOne Venture X card.
Redemption Options
Since you’re earning Capital One miles on both the CapOne Venture X card and CapOne VentureOne card, you’ll have the same flexible redemption options.
Let’s take a look at the best options for redeeming your miles.
| Redemption Options | CapOne Venture X Card | CapOne VentureOne Card |
| Travel | |
| General Statement Credits | - Redeem miles for 0.5 cents each for a general statement credit
|
| Additional Redemption Options | - Gift cards, shop with Amazon, PayPal
|
Bottom Line: The best option for redeeming miles earned on either of our featured cards can be to transfer your miles to airline frequent flyer programs and redeem for award flights. Additional travel redemption options include redeeming for travel via Capital One Travel at the rate of 1 cent per mile or redeeming for a statement credit for previous travel purchases (within 90 days), also at the rate of 1 cent per mile.
Travel Benefits and Protections
Both of our featured cards come with complimentary access to Capital One Lounges. Image Credit: Capital OneTravel benefits and protections add value to a card in the form of saving you money or providing needed protection should something go wrong during your travels. Here are some of the perks you’ll find on the CapOne Venture X card and the CapOne VentureOne card:
- Capital One Lounges and Plaza Premium Lounges — Enjoy complimentary access to current and future Capital One Lounges, as well as 110+ Plaza Premium Lounges. The CapOne Venture X card comes with unlimited visits for you and 2 guests while the CapOne VentureOne card comes with 2 free visits each year calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees — Neither card charges a fee for foreign transactions.
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, each card offers its own additional travel benefits and protections.
CapOne Venture X Card
- Priority Pass Select Membership — Receive worldwide access to over 1,300 airport lounges, food and beverage credits at participating restaurants, and free access to Minute Suites locations.
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck — Pay for your application or renewal fee with your card and receive reimbursement, up to $100 as a statement credit.
- $300 Travel Statement Credit — Receive a statement credit each year for travel purchased via Capital One Travel.
- Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Elite Status — Receive complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status as long as you have the card.
- Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption — Receive up to $2,000 per trip if your trip is canceled or interrupted due to a covered reason.
- Trip Delay — Use your card to pay for at least a portion of your trip and if your trip is delayed for a covered reason for more than 6 hours, you could receive up to $500.
- Roadside Assistance — For 1 flat fee, receive towing (up to 5 miles), lockout service, tire changing, emergency fuel delivery (cost of fuel not included), standard winching, or jump-starting.
CapOne VentureOne Card
- Roadside Dispatch — If you’re stranded on the side of the road, you can receive 24/7 assistance with just 1 call to send help on its way. The cardholder is responsible for services received.
Bottom Line: The CapOne Venture X card comes with several benefits, including worldwide lounge access, a $300 Capital One Travel credit, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement, and a 10,000-mile bonus at card renewal. If you travel, these benefits could provide true economic value and help offset the annual fee.
Shopping Benefits and Protections
Save money and have added protection for eligible items with Capital One shopping benefits and protections. Image Credit: Capital OneShopping benefits and protections are not a reason alone to select a specific rewards card, but both can come in handy for saving money on your purchase or providing protection should something go wrong after the purchase.
Here are the shopping benefits and protections you can expect on both the CapOne Venture X card and the CapOne VentureOne card:
- Purchase Security — Receive up to $500 per item if that eligible item, purchased with your card, is damaged or stolen within 90 days (CapOne VentureOne card) or 120 days (CapOne Venture X card) from the date of purchase.
- Extended Warranty — On eligible items with manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less, receive up to an additional 1 year of warranty coverage.
- Capital One Shopping — Sign in to your online card account and select offers that can earn statement credits for select purchases.
In addition to these benefits and protections, our featured cards have additional perks:
CapOne Venture X Card
- Cell Phone Protection — Pay for your monthly cell phone bill with your card and receive up to $800 if your phone is stolen or damaged. There is a limit of 2 claims per 12-month period and a $50 deductible per claim.
- Return Protection — If you purchase an eligible item with your card and the merchant will not accept it as a return within 90 days of the purchase date, you could receive up to $300 per item, $1,000 maximum per account.
CapOne VentureOne Card
- Introductory 0% APR — Make an eligible purchase(s) with your card and enjoy up to 15 months from card approval to repay the balance without interest charges. After that, normal interest rates apply (as specified in the card table at the beginning of this article). The introductory 0% APR offer also applies to balance transfers. Terms and conditions apply.
Note that we have abbreviated the cards’ benefit and protection descriptions and only listed key benefits for comparison purposes. You’ll want to access each card’s guide to benefits for full descriptions and the terms and conditions.
Annual Fees and Authorized Users
The bottom line value you receive from a card may depend on whether the value of the benefits you actually use exceed the annual fee you’ll be paying. Any charges you may incur to add authorized users will also come into play.
Here’s how the CapOne Venture X card and CapOne VentureOne card compare regarding annual fees and adding authorized card users:
- Annual Fees — The CapOne Venture X card charges an annual fee of $395 while the CapOne VentureOne card does not charge an annual fee.
- Authorized Users — You can add up to 4 authorized users to the CapOne Venture X card for no additional fees. The CapOne VentureOne card does not charge for adding authorized users.
Hot Tip: Authorized users on the CapOne Venture X card enjoy the unique privilege of having complimentary Priority Pass Select membership and access to Capital One Lounges and Plaza Premium Lounges. Plus, authorized users may bring 2 additional guests. There is no fee for adding up to 4 authorized users to the card.
CapOne Venture X Card vs. CapOne VentureOne Card — Summary
| Benefit | CapOne Venture X Card | CapOne VentureOne Card |
| Earning | - 10x miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars via Capital One Travel
- 5x miles for flights booked via Capital One Travel
- 2x miles for all other purchases
| - 5x miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars via Capital One Travel
- 1.25 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
|
| Redemption Options | - Transfer miles to airline or hotel partners
- Redeem miles for 1 cent each for travel via Capital One Travel
- Redeem miles for 1 cent each for a statement credit for previous travel purchases (within 90 days)
- Gift cards, shop with Amazon, PayPal
|
| Travel Benefits and Protections | - Capital One Lounge and Plaza Premium Lounge access (varies by card)
- No foreign transaction fees
- Baggage insurance
|
| Additional Travel Benefits and Protections | - Priority Pass Select membership
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement
- $300 travel statement credit for Capital One Travel purchases
- Hertz President’s Circle status
- Primary car rental insurance
- Trip cancellation/trip interruption/trip delay
- Roadside assistance
| - Secondary car rental insurance
- Roadside dispatch
|
| Shopping Benefits and Protections | - Purchase security
- Extended warranty
- Capital One Shopping
|
| Additional Shopping Benefits and Protections | - Cell phone protection
- Return protection
| - Introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
| Annual Fees and Authorized Users | - $395 annual fee, no charge to add up to 4 authorized users
| - $0 annual fee, no charge to add authorized users
|
Hot Tip: Use the no-risk CardMatch tool to find out if you have card offers waiting for you. Using the tool does not create a hard inquiry on your credit report so there is no risk to seeing if you have existing card offers available. Capital One is a participating card issuer available via the CardMatch tool.
Value Comparison
If you’re considering the CapOne VentureOne card because it doesn’t have an annual fee (while the CapOne Venture X card charges $395), don’t let that annual fee deter you from considering the latter. Here’s why.
If you book travel via Capital One Travel, the $300 travel statement credit on the CapOne Venture X card goes a long way to negating the annual fee.
Priority Pass Select membership costs $429 a year and doesn’t include guest access. If you value this benefit, you’ll receive more value than the cost of the annual fee on the CapOne Venture X card.
You’ll be earning 2x miles per dollar spent on non-bonus category purchases with the CapOne Venture X card versus 1.25 miles per dollar spent on the CapOne VentureOne card. $20,000 in spending equates to 40,000 miles on the CapOne Venture X card and 25,000 miles on the CapOne VentureOne card.
Cell phone protection is another benefit that if it’s a coverage you need, you’ll find that additional value with the CapOne Venture X card.
The 10,000 bonus Capital One miles earned at card renewal can be worth as much as $180 when redeemed for travel.
Bottom Line: Don’t let the annual fee deter you from considering the CapOne Venture X card. With a $300 travel statement credit, Priority Pass Select membership, 2x earnings on every purchase, cell phone protection, and more, the benefits you receive could more than offset the annual fee.
Final Thoughts
If your spending level is low and you’re not a frequent traveler, you may find the CapOne VentureOne card more than adequate for your needs. You’ll still earn rewards on every purchase and elevated earnings on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel. You’ll also have the same flexible options at redemption time as the CapOne Venture X card.
If you’re a frequent traveler, and spending levels are higher, you’ll fare better with the CapOne Venture X card for many of the above-mentioned reasons.
If you’re looking for additional cards with no annual fees, we’ve put together a nice collection of options. If you’re a frequent traveler, you might consider a travel rewards card. Here’s a list of some of the best travel rewards cards available.
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