Who Should (And Who Shouldn’t) Get the Capital One Venture Card?

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a fan-favorite among the best travel rewards cards, both among those just getting started and seasoned pros alike.

The Capital One Venture card is a compelling choice thanks to its sizeable welcome bonus offer: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

That said, while the Capital One Venture card is a great card with a wide range of benefits, it might not be the best fit for everyone. In this guide, we will outline who should (and shouldn’t) consider applying for the Capital One Venture card.

Capital One Venture Card Overview

LIMITED TIME OFFER

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 ins and outs 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!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

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

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

75,000 miles + $250 travel credit

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,600

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.24% (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 $250 to use on 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 equal to $1,000 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% - 29.24% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Eligible applicants of the Capital One Venture card can earn the following welcome bonus offer: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel. Even after accounting for its $95 annual fee (rates & fees), the card offers solid benefits that make it worthwhile to keep in the long run:

• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit: Up to $120 in statement credits when applying for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• MasterRental Insurance: Use your card to rent an eligible vehicle, and you may be covered for physical damage and theft of the rental vehicle.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees (rates & fees): Continue to earn miles during your travels internationally without paying additional fees.
• Access to Capital One Offers: Earn bonus miles or statement credits with hundreds of online retailers.

Who Should Apply for the Capital One Venture Card?

If you’re considering adding the Capital One Venture card to your wallet, here is some insight into why the card is a good fit you.

1. You’re New to the World of Points and Miles

If you’re just beginning to explore the world of travel credit cards, the Capital One Venture card is a great first card thanks to its low $95 annual fee (rates & fees), uncomplicated bonus categories, and flexible redemption options.

You’ll earn Capital One Miles, which is valuable points currency worth 1.8 cents apiece, according to our latest valuations. The card also offers a great welcome bonus offer and useful perks like a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, rental car elite status and insurance, no foreign transaction fees (rates & fees), and more.

2. You Want a Card With Simple Bonus Categories

Those looking for a card with a simple earning structure will also find the Capital One Venture card to be a good fit for them. While the card earns 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, all other purchases will earn an uncapped 2x miles per $1 spent.

This means that you’ll never need to fixate on whether you’re using the right card for your purchases. You can take comfort in the fact that you’re always earning at least 2x miles on everything. (Most other cards earn just 1x miles per $1 spent on non-bonus category purchases.)

3. You Want To Earn Transferable Rewards

In our view, travel credit cards that earn transferable rewards are far more useful than the points earned from a hotel or airline credit card. With a card like the Capital One Venture card, you can transfer your Capital One Miles to 15+ Capital One partners.

Not only does this open up significantly more redemption options, but it also offers you far more flexibility with both where you travel and what carrier you fly with. Perhaps most importantly, transferable rewards are easier to get significant value out of — especially if you want to use your miles to travel in business or first class.

Who Shouldn’t Get the Capital One Venture Card?

The Capital One Venture card is a great travel rewards option, but it may not be the best choice for everyone. Here are a few reasons why you might want to explore other cards.

1. You Want a Card With Premium Perks

For those who want a premium credit card loaded with luxury benefits like airport lounge access, hotel and rental car elite status, and travel credits, the Capital One Venture card is definitely not the best choice out there.

Within the same family, there’s also the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Although it charges a much higher $395 (rates & fees), it’s loaded with travel benefits worth thousands of dollars in value.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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 Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

19.99% - 29.24% (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.

Excellent (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

2. You Want To Earn Even More Bonus Miles

If a significant portion of your monthly expenses goes toward 1 (or 2) specific categories, you could be missing out on valuable rewards by not using a card that offers 3x, 4x, or even 5x miles per $1 spent. You could be earning even more with the best credit cards for dining, the best credit cards for groceries, and the best credit cards for gas, just to name a few.

3. You Don’t Travel Frequently (Or Don’t Want To Pay an Annual Fee)

If you don’t travel often, then applying for a credit card focused on travel won’t make a lot of sense. Similarly, if you don’t want a credit card that charges an annual fee, the Capital One Venture card would not be a good fit for you.

Instead, you should opt for one of the best cash-back credit cards, or one of the best no-annual-fee credit cards.

Final Thoughts

While the Capital One Venture card isn’t the perfect fit for everyone, it is an excellent option for those new to the world of travel rewards cards or anyone looking for a well-rounded travel card with solid perks and rewards.

From a modest annual fee, a robust selection of Capital One transfer partners, at least 2x miles on every purchase, and an excellent welcome bonus offer, there is tons to love about the Capital One Venture card.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above 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.