The 3 Best Cards To Pair With the Capital One Venture Card [2024]

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most well-known travel rewards credit cards on the market. It offers an enticing welcome bonus, solid miles-earning rates on everyday purchases, earns valuable Capital One miles, and offers several redemption options.

Let’s look at where the Capital One Venture card shines, where it lacks, and some of the best cards to pair with it.

Capital One Venture Card Snapshot

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

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!

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

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.

75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

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 welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Limited elite benefits

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Card Highlights

• 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, vacation rentals 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 $120 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
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Benefits of the Capital One Venture Card

With the Capital One Venture card, you’ll earn an unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, making it an excellent all-around spending card. You’ll also earn 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Capital One Venture card miles earned will not expire for the life of the account, and there’s no limit to how many miles you can earn.

Although it’s not a premium travel rewards credit card, the Capital One Venture card provides up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every 4 years. It also provides benefits including purchase assurance, extended warranty coverage, travel insurance, and rental car insurance.

When it comes to using your Capital One miles, you have several redemption options. You can use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase (within 90 days) or you can redeem your miles by booking a trip through Capital One Travel. However, the best way to redeem your Capital One miles is by transferring them to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners.

The Capital One Venture card has a $95 annual fee (rates & fees), placing it in the mid-tier with other cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card which have similar annual fees. As with any good travel rewards card, the Capital One Venture card does not have any foreign transaction fees (rates & fees).

Overall, the Capital One Venture card offers a great earning structure and plenty of perks and benefits. It also provides a simple method of earning and redeeming rewards.

Where the Capital One Venture Card Is Weakest

Although the Capital One Venture card is an excellent card for non-bonus spending, the lack of bonus categories makes the card harder to justify on its own. The 2x miles on every purchase is a great starting point but pales in comparison to cards that earn more in certain categories.

Even though the Capital One Venture card is a travel rewards card, it doesn’t have any additional earnings on travel purchases outside of Capital One Travel. This is a huge drawback, as that is typically the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status with an airline or hotel chain.

This is especially important for those with hotel elite status. If you’re booking hotels through Capital One Travel, which is considered a third party, you generally won’t receive your hotel benefits or elite night credits.

The 3 Best Cards To Pair With the Capital One Venture Card

Now that we’ve seen the benefits and drawbacks of the Capital One Venture card, let’s look at some of the best cards you can pair with it to maximize your earnings.

The best credit card pairings are when you can earn extra rewards in different bonus categories. This allows you to maximize your earnings better than you would be able to with a single card.

1. Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

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.

The Capital One Savor card is a great no-annual fee card for those who regularly spend on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target).

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Savor card is a great no-annual fee card for those who regularly spend on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target).

Welcome Offer

For a limited time, earn a $250 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

$250

Annual Fee

$0

APR

19.74% - 29.74% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Savor card is a phenomenal option when it comes to no-annual-fee cash-back credit cards. With popular bonus categories like dining, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), entertainment, and popular streaming services, and the ability to earn 3% cash-back on these purchases, it is easy to see why those who use the card can earn some serious cash-back throughout the year.

The card also allows you to take your rewards and experiences even further by offering access to Capital One Travel, Capital One Dining, and Capital One Entertainment.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
• 5% cash-back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
• 3% cash-back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)

Cons

• Rewards are purely cash-back, so there is no option for miles transfers to transfer partners for redemptions

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• For a limited time, earn a $250 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart^® and Target^®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
• Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
• Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
• No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
• 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.74% - 29.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
• No foreign transaction fee
• No annual fee

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

When evaluating travel rewards credit cards, there are 2 options when it comes to earning strategy: cash-back and travel rewards.

The Capital One Savor card*×Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One. is a great all-around cash-back card that earns an unlimited 3% cash-back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), and 1% on all other purchases. It also earns 8% cash-back on Capital One Entertainment.

The Capital One Savor card has a $0 annual fee (rates & fees). If you frequently dine out at restaurants or order Uber Eats, the Capital One Savor card is worth carrying.

Why This Card Pairs Well With the Capital One Venture Card

The Capital One Savor card is great to pair with the Capital One Venture card for several reasons. First, both cards are issued by Capital One, so there’s a single overall rewards system.

Although the Capital One Savor card earns cash-back, cardholders can transfer rewards from Capital One cash-back cards to Capital One miles-earning cards, such as the Capital One Venture card, at a rate of 1 cent to 1 mile. This makes the cash-back worth significantly more as you can then transfer rewards to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners.

The optimal strategy would be to use the Capital One Savor card for all dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and eligible grocery store purchases. With these spending categories, you earn at least 3% (converted to 3x when transferred) compared to the 2x miles on the Capital One Venture card.

You could then use the Capital One Venture card to earn 2x miles for all purchases without a bonus category. This ensures you’re earning a minimum of 2x miles on every purchase and up to 3x miles on some everyday spending.

Bottom Line:

The Capital One Savor card has incredible earning potential. The card earns 3% cash-back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target). The cash-back earned can be transferred to Capital One miles.

2. American Express^® Gold Card

BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating 

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.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

The Amex Gold card may be the best hybrid card on the market today. The card balances itself as both a travel rewards card and an everyday spending card. The Amex Gold card earns highly valuable Membership Rewards points and offers bonus earnings on some of the most popular spending categories.

With the Amex Gold card, you’ll earn 4x points at restaurants (up to $50,000 per year) and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year). The Amex Gold card also earns 3x points on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com.

The Amex Gold card has a substantial $325 annual fee but the card provides some credits that help offset the fee (rates & fees). These include:

• Up to $120 in annual dining credits, which are received in monthly statement credits of up to $10 when you use your Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required (enrollment required).
• Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash, given as $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Amex Gold card to your Uber account and use it as your payment method
• A $100 experience credit at The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com for a 2-night minimum stay; the experience credit varies by property
• Up to $84 in annual Dunkin’ credits, given as $7 monthly distributions, for Dunkin’ purchases (enrollment required)
• Up to $100 in annual Resy credit, given as 2 $50 semi-annual credits, redeemable at any U.S. Resy restaurant and other Resy purchases (enrollment required)

Why This Card Pairs Well With the Capital One Venture Card

While the earning structure on each card is a bit different, both cards offer flexible reward currencies which allow for numerous redemption options. Although you would earn a different points currency, pairing the Capital One Venture card with the Amex Gold card is a solid option.

The Amex Gold card is widely considered to be the go-to card for those who dine out at restaurants and shop at U.S. supermarkets. Best of all, the Amex Gold card earns Membership Rewards points, which happen to be our favorite transferrable points currency.

The optimal strategy would be to use the Amex Gold card on all purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets to earn 4x Membership Rewards points up to the capped amount in spend. You could also use the Amex Gold card for airfare to earn 3x points on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com. With bonus categories like these, it’s easy to see how quickly your rewards could really add up.

You could then use the Capital One Venture card for nearly all other spending categories to earn 2x Capital One miles. With this strategy, you’d earn at least 2x miles on every purchase and then up to 4x points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets.

Hot Tip:

The Amex Gold card is an excellent card for earning American Express Membership Rewards points. Check out our guide on the best ways to redeem Amex Membership Rewards points. Many of Amex’s partners are shared with Capital One, taking your rewards even further.

3. Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express

U.P. Rating 

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.

This cash-back card offers a capped 3% at U.S. supermarkets, 3% at U.S. gas stations, and 3% on U.S. online retail purchases!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express

This cash-back card offers a capped 3% at U.S. supermarkets, 3% at U.S. gas stations, and 3% on U.S. online retail purchases!

Welcome Offer

Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

$200

Annual Fee

$0

APR

18.49%-29.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 15 months

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cash-back credit cards, there are dozens of options to choose from. So what sets the Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express apart from the rest?

This card is excellent at earning cash-back on your everyday purchases at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and on U.S. online retail purchases. So if you regularly spend money on everyday purchases, this could be the perfect card to add to your wallet.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3% back on purchases at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, then 1% back after.
• 3% back on purchases at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, then 1% back after.
• 3% back on purchases on online retail purchases on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, then 1% back after.

Cons

• Rewards are not flexible and can only be redeemed for cash-back. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
• No Annual Fee.
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 18.49% to 29.49% variable APR.
• 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
• 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
• 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
• Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
• Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Everyday^® Card. Enrollment required.
• Enjoy up to $15 back per month when you purchase a Home Chef meal kit subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday^® Card.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 18.49%-29.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 15 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

The last option we’ll look at is another fantastic cash-back card: the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card. The card is an excellent option for those who spend a lot on groceries, gas, and online shopping.

With the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card, you’ll earn 3% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year), on U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year), and at U.S. gas stations (up to $6,000 per year). This can lead to massive rewards in some of the most common spending categories.

The cash-back earned on the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. However, there’s a limit on how much 3% cash-back you can earn ($6,000 limit on each category).

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card also provides some credits that bring a lot more value to the card. The credits include:

• An $84 The Disney Bundle Credit: You can get a $7 monthly statement credit after using your Amex Blue Cash Everyday card to spend $9.99 or more each month on a subscription to The Disney Bundle (subject to auto-renewal).
• A $180 Home Chef Credit: You can get up to $15 in statement credits back per month after you use your Amex Blue Cash Everyday card to purchase a Home Chef subscription (subject to auto-renewal).

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card provides all this value with a $0 annual fee (rates & fees).

Why This Card Pairs Well With the Capital One Venture Card

The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is a solid choice for cash-back on numerous everyday categories.

The best way to pair these cards would be to use the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card for purchases at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. online retail purchases to earn 3% cash-back for up to $6,000 per year on each category.

You could then use the Capital One Venture card for nearly all non-bonus spending categories to earn 2x Capital One miles.

With these cards paired together, you would earn at least 2x miles on every purchase and then up to 3% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and on U.S. online retail purchases.

Detailed Comparisons of These 3 Best Cards

Bonus Category Earnings

Now that we’ve looked at some of the best cards to pair with the Capital One Venture card, let’s review the earning rates on some common spending categories and which card is best to use.

Welcome Offer and Annual Fee

Now that we know what cards to use for some everyday spending categories, let’s also take a look at the current welcome bonuses and annual fees for each of the credit cards discussed.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to credit cards, no single credit card has it all. Carrying multiple credit cards that complement each other is the best way to maximize your rewards. With a good credit card combination, you’ll be able to maximize your earning potential across a wider range of purchases than you would be able to with just one card.

The Capital One Venture card is a solid card for everyday spending. However, it doesn’t have any great bonus categories, aside from earning a bit more on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Pairing the Capital One Venture card with any of the cards mentioned here is a great way to speed up your rewards-earning potential. The best card for earning rewards ultimately depends on what your spending habits look like. Fortunately, all the cards discussed offer some of the highest earning rates across a broad range of categories.

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