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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, deta...
With years of experience in corporate marketing and as the Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar, Keri is now Editor-in-Chief at UP, overseeing daily content operations and r...
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Are you looking for a travel rewards card but are not sure about paying the high annual fees that come with premium travel rewards cards? You might want to consider a mid-range card that has a lower annual fee, yet still provides good earning potential, flexible travel redemptions, and travel/shopping benefits and protections.
Today we’ve selected 2 very popular cards that each fit that description perfectly. The Citi Premier® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card both offer plenty of earning potential, flexible redemption options, and additional travel/shopping benefits.
And, while the cards are very similar, you’ll find that one may be a better fit for you due to a combination of your spending mix, redemption preferences, and the card benefits you find valuable.
Look closely at each of these mid-tier rewards cards to compare all the key features and benefits.
Citi Premier Card vs. Capital One Venture Card — Summary
We’ll expand on the features and benefits of the Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card shortly but first, let’s look at a high-level overview of the 2 cards side-by-side.
Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024.
Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Earning
3x points on air travel, hotels, supermarkets, gas stations, and restaurants
1x points on all other purchases
5x miles on car rentals and hotels booked via Capital One Travel
2x miles on every other purchase
Redemption Options
Redeem points for travel at 1 cent each via Citi Travel Center
Transfer miles to airline and hotel partners
Gift cards, statement credits, shopping at select retailers, PayPal
Redeem miles for travel at 1 cent each via Capital One Travel or for travel purchases from the last 90 days
Transfer miles to airline and hotel partners
Gift cards, statement credits, shopping at select retailers, PayPal
Top Travel Protections and Benefits
No foreign transaction fees
Annual hotel savings benefit ($100 off $500+ booking through Citi Travel)
No foreign transaction fees
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Fee Reimbursement
Airport lounge passes (2 annually)
Car rental insurance, baggage insurance, roadside dispatch
Top Shopping Protections and Benefits
Purchase protection, extended warranty
Additional Shopping Benefits
Citi Merchant Offers
Capital One Offers
Annual Fees and Authorized Users
$95
Authorized Users: $0
$95
Authorized Users: $0
The Value of a Welcome Offer
Welcome offers allow you the opportunity to accumulate a large number of rewards in a short period of time. Both the Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card have generous welcome bonuses you can earn by meeting minimum spending requirements within the first 3 months after card approval.
Regardless of which card you select, you can earn a welcome offer that can exceed $1,000 in value. Here’s a snapshot of the cards’ current offers.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
Frequent flyers will enjoy 3x ThankYou Points at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, air travel, and hotels.
Frequent flyers will enjoy 3x ThankYou Points at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, air travel, and hotels.
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
The Citi Premier® Card is an excellent option for anyone looking for an all-around travel rewards credit card. The card helps you earn points fast with great 3x bonus categories such as restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotels. Plus, it offers access to airline and hotel transfer partners, doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, and has a reasonable annual fee!
Pros
3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotel purchases
Access to Citi transfer partners
Annual hotel credit
No foreign transaction fees
Cons
$95 annual fee
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
60,000 ThankYou® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
Get 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 Cardis 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.
Pros
5x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
2 complimentary visits to a Capital One Lounge or Plaza Premium Lounges each year
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Capital One transfer partners
Cons
$95 annual fee
Limited elite benefits
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®
Enjoy two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges through the Partner Lounge Network
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 our 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
We value Citi ThankYou Points at 1.6 cents each and Capital One miles at 1.8 cents each, which results in current welcome offers having similar values. Welcome offers change, though, so be sure to compare the most current offers before applying for either card.
Bottom Line: Both the Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card have generous welcome offers, worth hundreds of dollars, that can be earned after meeting spending requirements in the first 3 months after card approval.
Citi ThankYou Points vs. Capital One Miles
The best potential value for your rewards is to redeem for travel. Image Credit: Asad Photo Maldives via Pexels
Citi ThankYou Points and Capital One miles are very similar. One reason is that Capital One miles are not really miles, as in frequent flyer miles, but actually function just like Citi ThankYou Points when it comes to either earning or redeeming.
Here’s how the 2 cards compare when we look at how points/miles are earned on each card and the options at redemption time.
Earning Potential
Travelers will like earning rewards on their travel purchases, but also enjoy accumulating rewards quickly via everyday purchases.
Earning Category
Citi Premier Card
Capital One Venture Card
Travel
3x points per dollar spent on flights and hotels
1x points all other travel
5x miles per dollar spent on car rentals and hotels via Capital One Travel
Supermarkets, Gas Stations, Restaurants
3x points
2x miles
All Other Purchases
1x points
2x miles
To illustrate how points/miles are earned on our 2 featured cards, let’s look at a modest and simple annual spending mix sample to see how spending translates into rewards for each card:
$3,000 on flights
$2,000 on hotels
$6,000 at the supermarket, on gas, and at restaurants
$10,000 for all other spending
The points/miles earnings on each card would be as follows:
Citi Premier card — 9,000 ($3,000 x 3x), 6,000 ($2,000 x 3x), 18,000 ($6,000 x 3x), and 10,000 ($10,000 x 1x), for a total of 43,000 points
Capital One Venture card — 6,000 ($3,000 x 2x), 10,000 ($2,000 x 5x miles via Capital One Travel), 12,000 ($6,000 x 2x), and 20,000 ($10,000 x 2x) for a total of 48,000 miles
With an estimated value of 1.6 cents per point, the Citi Premier card would generate $688 in estimated value, while the Capital One Venture card at 1.8 cents per point, would generate an estimated $864 in value.
Of course, the actual value you receive will depend on how you redeem your rewards. If you redeemed points/miles via the card’s associated travel portal for 1 cent each, for example, you’d realize $433 in value with the Citi Premier card and $480 with the Capital One Venture card.
Your actual results will also differ depending on your spending mix. It can be helpful to do the math on a sample scenario using your own estimated spending numbers before you select a card.
Bottom Line: The Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card are similar when it comes to earning rewards on travel and on everyday spending. The better earning card for you will depend on your spending mix and how you prefer to redeem your rewards.
Redemption Options
You’ve accumulated a lot of points and now it’s time to reap the benefits and redeem your rewards for something special.
Fortunately, both the Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card earn valuable flexible rewards that offer several options at redemption time.
Let’s look at how the cards compare when you’re ready to redeem your points.
Statement credits, gift cards, shopping at select online retailers
Donate to charity
Transfer to Sears Shop Your Way
Statement credits, gift cards, PayPal checkout
Redeeming rewards for travel purchases via your card’s associated travel portal results in a value of 1 cent per point but you’ll have the potential for greater value when you transfer points to hotel or airline partners.
The number of transfer partners differs by card, but the cards have several in common. If transfer partners are a key redemption priority, you’ll want to review these before selecting a card.
Other redemption options may result in a value of less than 1 cent per point and therefore not a good deal.
Bottom Line: Both the Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card earn flexible rewards that offer several redemption options including an opportunity for a value greater than 1 cent per point in value by transferring rewards to hotel and airline partners.
Travel Protections and Benefits
Travel protections can provide peace of mind during your journey. Image credit: Rachel Claire via Pexels
The Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card both come with several travel protections and benefits.
Let’s start with the protections and benefits that are offered on both of our featured cards:
No Foreign Transaction Fees — Neither of our featured cards charges foreign transaction fees.
Car Rental Benefits — Citi Premier cardholders receive Mastercard special benefits of up to 25% in discounts with Avis, National, and SIXT. Capital One Venture cardholders receive complimentary Hertz Five Star elite status.
Travel and Emergency Assistance — Receive 24/7 assistance with just one phone call should you need English-speaking medical or legal referrals, assistance with emergency transport, help to replace a lost passport, and more. There is no charge for referral/assistance services, however, cardholders are responsible for actual services received from the vendors.
Concierge — Receive assistance with travel, dining, shopping, entertainment, events, and everyday needs.
Citi Premier Card
$100 Annual Hotel Savings Benefit — Book your stay via the Citi Travel Center and spend $500 or more (not including taxes/fees) to receive a statement credit of $100.
Mastercard Luxury Hotels and Resorts Benefits — Receive complimentary daily breakfast, a $100 onsite amenity, a room upgrade when available, and early check-in/late checkout.
Capital One Venture Card
Here are the additional travel protections and benefits that can be found on the Capital One Venture card:
Car Rental Insurance — Pay for your entire rental with your card, decline the rental agency’s CDW/LDW insurance, and receive secondary coverage for damage or theft of the rental car. Secondary coverage means you must first file a claim with any other applicable insurance before the card coverage kicks in.
Baggage Insurance — Pay for your ticket with your card and receive up to $3,000 if your checked or carry-on baggage is lost or stolen.
Roadside Dispatch — Pay just 1 low rate (currently $59) for a service call that could include standard winching, limited towing, emergency fuel, tire changing with inflated spare, jumpstart service, and lockout service. Additional services received will be charged to your card.
Gravity Haus Benefit — Cardholders can receive a discount of $300 toward membership. Gravity Haus caters to outdoor enthusiasts and offers discounted hotels, dining, and access to special events. Members also have access to onsite gear/equipment usage, fitness centers, and co-working spaces.
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Fee Reimbursement — Pay your application or renewal fee with your card and receive up to a $100 statement credit as reimbursement.
Bottom Line: While both the Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card come with a collection of travel protections and benefits, the Capital One Venture card offers additional benefits such as car rental insurance, baggage insurance, roadside dispatch, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement, and more.
Shopping Protections and Benefits
Both of our featured cards come with several shopping benefits and protections. Image Credit: ShopRunner
Purchase Protection — Purchase an eligible item with your Citi Premier card and/or ThankYou Points and you could receive up to $10,000 per covered incident, up to $50,000 per year, per account if the item is damaged or stolen within the first 90 days after purchase or delivery. The Capital One Venture card’s Purchase Security offers coverage for up to $500 per claim for 90 days from the purchase date.
Extended Warranty — Coverage on the Citi Premier card extends manufacturer’s warranties for 24 additional months on eligible items purchased with the card, with a maximum total warranty, including the original warranty, of up to 7 years. With the Capital One Venture card, eligible items with manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less will receive 1 additional year.
ShopRunner Membership — Receive free 2-day shipping, free returns, and special offers/discounts at dozens of retailers with your complimentary ShopRunner membership.
Now, let’s look at the additional shopping benefits that come with each card.
Citi Premier Card
Citi Merchant Offers — Log in to your online Citi Premier card account, select the Citi Merchant Offers you’re interested in, make your purchase, and receive rebates in the form of a statement credit. You’ll find offers on travel, dining, retail shopping, and more.
Capital One Venture Card
Capital One Offers — Operating more like a shopping portal, cardholders log into their account, select their desired offer, and earn a fixed amount or percentage of their online shopping trip back as a statement credit.
Please note that all travel/shopping protections and benefits are not listed, only key ones were selected for comparison purposes. We’ve also abbreviated the descriptions and not included complete terms and conditions that may apply.
Bottom Line: Both the Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card offer similar shopping benefits and protections such as purchase protection, extended warranty, ShopRunner membership, and shopping offers.
Annual Fees and Authorized Users
Premium travel rewards cards come with premium travel benefits — and high annual fees. The Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card keep costs down with a lower annual fee and the ability to add authorized users without spending a lot to do so.
Annual Fee — The Citi Premier card’s annual fee of $95 and Capital One Venture card’s annual fee of $95 make it an easy comparison.
Authorized Users — Neither card charges a fee to add authorized users.
Similarly, an excellent credit score gives you the best chance of being approved for the Capital One Venture card. Additionally, Capital One states that a successful applicant “must never have declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan, or medical bill, and has had a loan or credit card for $5,000 or more in the last 3 years.”
You can find out risk-free if you have Citi credit card offers available to you by using the CardMatch Tool, as Citi is one of the participating issuers. You’ll need to provide minimal information and no credit pull is done so there is no effect on your credit.
Capital One has its own pre-approval tool, but you’ll have to provide more information than the CardMatch Tool. However, it’s also risk-free and no credit pull is performed.
It’s a tough call to determine which of our featured cards is a better card, as either card could be an excellent pick for the right consumer.
If you’re spending a lot on flights, at the grocery store, on gas, and dining, those are sweet earning spots for earning on the Citi Premier card. If you have heavy spending in non-bonus categories such as a major home remodel, for example, you may be better off with the Capital One Venture card as it earns 2x miles on every purchase versus the Citi Premier card at 1x on all other purchases.
All in all, selecting the card that best matches your spending, redemption preferences, and useable benefits, will make the most sense.
The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a lot of similarities between the Citi Premier card and Capital One Venture card in both earning and redemption categories.
The Capital One Venture card has more travel protections and benefits, but if these are not a priority, the card that best fits your spending mix would make the most sense.
Also, transfer partners vary by card, with Capital One having more partners than Citi, so this is another factor to consider.
Overall, both cards can offer good value for the right consumers.
We value Citi ThankYou Points at 1.6 each and Capital One miles at 1.8 cents each in potential value when transferred to travel partners.
However, if you redeem rewards earned on either card for travel via the associated travel portal, you will receive 1 cent in value per reward point or mile.
All other redemption option values will vary and may result in less than 1 cent per point or mile.
The Citi Premier card does not offer car rental insurance.
The Capital One Venture card is a Visa Signature card.
The Citi Premier card is a World Elite Mastercard.
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.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
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This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.
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