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Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Capital One Venture Card: Which Is Better for First-Time Cardholders in 2026?

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Jarrod West
Updated: 
Edited by: Michael Y. Park
& Jestan Mendame
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Capital One Venture Card: Which Is Better for First-Time Cardholders in 2026?
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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are among the best travel rewards credit cards, especially for first-time cardholders who are new to the world of travel rewards.

This post will help you decide which card is the better fit for you based on each card’s welcome offer, benefits, and what you are looking for out of your new card.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Capital One Venture Card Welcome Offers

Currently, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a welcome offer of: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

On the other hand, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a higher-than-usual welcome offer of: Earn more than $1000 in Travel Bonuses with a limited-time $300 Capital One Travel stays credit, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Which Welcome Offer is Better?

We value Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents per point and Capital One Miles at 1.8 cents per point, making the welcome offer bonus of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card worth $1,500, while the welcome offer bonus of the Capital One Venture card is worth $1,650.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture Upgraded Points
Which card is best for you? Image Credit: Upgraded Points

Both cards allow you to earn 75,000 points, but the Capital One Venture card puts it over the edge thanks to the inclusion of the $300 Capital One Travel stays credit.

Hot Tip:

Not only is the welcome offer on the Capital One Venture card worth slightly more, it is also a limited-time increased offer, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is not, making it more worthwhile to apply for at the moment.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Capital One Venture Card Comparison

Here is a quick look at how each card compares across all of the most important factors.

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Card Feature

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Capital One Venture Card

Welcome offer

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.Earn more than $1000 in Travel Bonuses with a limited-time $300 Capital One Travel stays credit, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Earning rates

 1x-5x pointsChase Sapphire Preferred® Card
  • Earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel
  • Earn 3x points on dining
  • Earn 3x points on select streaming services and online groceries
  • Earn 3x points on gas and EV charging
  • Earn 3x points on vacation home rentals, such as Airbnb and Vrbo
  • Earn 2x points on all other travel purchases
  • Earn 1x points on all other purchases
 		2x-5x milesCapital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
  • 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
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day

Statement credits

  • $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
  • Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Other perks

  • Complimentary Apple TV subscription for 1 year when activated by December 31, 2026
  • Complimentary DashPass membership
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Hertz Five Star status
  • No foreign transaction fees

Card protections

  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
  • Car rental coverage (primary)
  • Baggage delay insurance
  • Trip delay reimbursement
  • Purchase protection
  • Extended warranty protection
  • MasterRental Insurance
  • Travel assistance service
  • Extended warranty

Annual fee

$95$95

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Better for Bonus Categories and Travel Protections

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card features several bonus categories that help you earn more points, including:

  • 5x points on all travel booked via Chase Travel
  • 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands (such as Airbnb and Vrbo), and some streaming services
  • 2x points on all other travel worldwide
BEST FIRST TRAVEL CARD
Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
75,000 points
$1,500
$95
19.49 - 27.74% Variable
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 card application.
Good to Excellent
Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands, and streaming services.

It offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and strong travel insurance coverage, including primary car rental insurance. If you travel a few times a year and spend on dining, the card is likely to be a good choice, but it’s hard to justify if you don’t dine out or travel often.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 5x points on all travel booked via Chase Travel
  • 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands (such as Airbnb and Vrbo), and select streaming services
  • 2x points on all other travel worldwide
Cons
  • $95 annual fee
  • Subject to Chase’s 5/24 application restrictions
Read Full Review
Card Highlights
  • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes at top brands, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.
  • Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation, and more.
  • Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 - a value of $180.
  • Complimentary DashPass membership, a $120 value for 12 months. Enjoy $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders, plus exclusive Chase savings on grocery, everyday essentials, and more. Activate by 12/31/29.
  • Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
  • Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
  • Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 19.49 - 27.74% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

This makes it a great fit for travelers who have frequent purchases that fall within multiple of these categories, especially the everyday categories of online grocery, gas, and streaming services.

Additionally, the card offers several benefits that easily offset the annual fee, including the $100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit and the complimentary 1-year Apple TV subscription.

The other main area where the Chase Sapphire Preferred card outperforms the Capital One Venture card is in travel protections, as it offers significantly more, including primary rental car insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay insurance, and more.

Capital One Venture Card: Better for Simple Rewards and More Transfer Partners

With the Capital One Venture card, how you earn rewards is far more straightforward, with 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, identical to what you’d earn using the Chase Sapphire Preferred card for these purchases.

However, instead of earning extra miles in a handful of different bonus categories, you earn an uncapped 2x miles on all purchases besides the Capital One Travel payments. Depending on what items you tend to spend the most on, an uncapped 2x miles on all purchases could result in you earning significantly more rewards.

LIMITED-TIME OFFER
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

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

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!
Earn more than $1000 in Travel Bonuses with a limited-time $300 Capital One Travel stays credit, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening—that's more than $1,000 in travel value. 
$300 Travel Credit + 75k miles
$1,650
$95
Purchases: 19.74% - 28.74% (Variable)
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 card application.
Good to Excellent Credit
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
  • Limited elite benefits
Read Full Review
Card Highlights
  • LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $300 to use on hotel and vacation rental bookings through Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening – that’s more than $1,000 in travel value
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 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
  • Top rated mobile app
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: Purchases: 19.74% - 28.74% (Variable)
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

In some cases, this might result in you earning fewer miles than you would with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s 3x categories. It could also help you earn far more miles outside of those bonus categories where you’d earn just 1x points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card (compared to the 2x miles with the Capital One Venture card).

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Lastly, the Capital One Miles program offers 23 transfer partners, compared to just 14 Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners. This includes partners such as Accor, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Japan Airlines, and Turkish Airlines.

Which Card Is Better for First-Time Cardholders?

Without question, both cards are great for first-time cardholders, especially those who are new to the world of credit card points and miles.

Deciding which card is best for you comes down to what types of purchases you tend to spend the most on and which rewards program you feel you would get the most value out of.

All else being equal, we would give a slight edge to the Capital One Venture card, thanks to its simple 2x rewards on all purchases and the fact that it currently has a slightly better limited-time welcome offer that requires a smaller minimum spending requirement than the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Final Thoughts

These 2 cards are very popular travel rewards cards for good reason, and both make strong starting points for someone who wants to start earning travel rewards to put toward their future travel experiences.

Neither is a bad choice, and it might even make sense for you to hold both cards in your wallet.

Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Jarrod West's image

About Jarrod West

Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 8 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year, and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.

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