Why I’d Choose the Capital One Venture Card Over the Venture X Right Now

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers premium benefits, and the card’s $300 annual Capital One Travel credit alone can make its $395 annual fee pretty easy to justify.

But if I were choosing between the Capital One Venture X card and the less expensive Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card today, I’d go with the latter.

The Capital One Venture card costs $95 per year, and there are several compelling reasons to choose it over its more premium sibling — starting with a better welcome offer.

Capital One Venture Card vs. Capital One Venture X Card

Before getting into why I’d choose the Capital One Venture card over the Capital One Venture X card right now, it’s worth looking at what you get with each.

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

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 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

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,650

Annual Fee

$95

APR

Purchases: 19.74% - 28.74% (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 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

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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

The Capital One Venture card is simpler. It charges a $95 annual fee and earns 2x Capital One miles on everyday purchases, with 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

You also get access to Capital One’s airline and hotel transfer partners, up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, and several other travel benefits.

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

Purchases: 19.74% - 28.74% (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 card application.

Excellent

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
• 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

Read Full Review

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 access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
• 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^®
• Top rated mobile app

Financial Snapshot

• APR: Purchases: 19.74% - 28.74% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

The Capital One Venture X card takes things up a notch. It has a $395 annual fee, but comes with a $300 annual Capital One Travel credit, 10,000 anniversary miles each year, airport lounge access, and higher earning rates on certain Capital One Travel bookings.

It earns 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 2x miles on all other purchases.

The Capital One Venture X card is the more premium card, but that doesn’t mean it’s a better choice for me right now.

The Capital One Venture Card Has the Better Welcome Offer Right Now

The welcome offer is probably the biggest reason I’d choose the Capital One Venture card today.

New cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus $300 to use on hotel and vacation rental bookings through Capital One Travel during their first cardholder year. We value Capital One miles at 1.8 cents each, meaning the welcome offer on the Capital One Venture card is worth approximately $1,650 in travel value.

The Capital One Venture X card is offering 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months. That’s roughly $1,350 in travel.

Both cards offer the same 75,000-mile bonus and spending requirement, but the Capital One Venture card throws in an additional $300 Capital One Travel credit during the first cardholder year.

That means the card with the $95 annual fee currently has the more compelling welcome offer than the card charging $395 per year.

For me, that’s a pretty convincing reason to start with the Capital One Venture card.

The Earning Rates Aren’t That Different for How I’d Use the Card

The Capital One Venture X card has an advantage if you frequently book travel through Capital One Travel. The card earns 10x miles on hotels and rental cars and 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel.

The Capital One Venture card isn’t as rewarding through the portal, earning 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

But here’s the important part for me: both cards earn 2x miles on all other purchases. That’s primarily how I’d use either card.

I don’t typically book enough travel through Capital One Travel for those higher Capital One Venture X card earning rates to move the needle significantly. I’d use the card mostly for purchases that don’t fall into bonus categories elsewhere.

Whether I have the $95 Capital One Venture card or the $395 Capital One Venture X card, I’m earning the same 2 miles per $1 on that spending.

I Don’t Value Lounge Access as Much as I Used To

There was a time when airport lounge access was one of the travel benefits I valued most. I’d look forward to arriving at the airport early just to spend time spotting planes and enjoying a meal before my flight. That’s changed.

Capital One Lounges are beautiful, and the network of lounges continues to grow. The Capital One Venture X card gives cardholders access to Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and more than 1,300 participating Priority Pass lounges worldwide after enrollment. This is a valuable benefit if you visit lounges often.

These days, I rarely have enough time at the airport to sit down and relax in a lounge. I’m much more likely to arrive with enough time to get through security and head toward my gate than spend an hour hanging out before my flight.

I live in South Florida, and my home airports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale don’t have Capital One Lounges yet, so I wouldn’t get much value from that benefit anyway.

More importantly, I already carry other credit cards that offer airport lounge access, so losing that benefit doesn’t affect me too much. I’m happy carrying the Capital One Venture card without lounge access when I can get it elsewhere.

Both Cards Offer the Same Capital One Miles and Redemption Options

Another big reason I wouldn’t feel like I’m giving up much by choosing the Capital One Venture card: Both the Capital One Venture card and the Capital One Venture X card earn the same Capital One miles and have the same redemption options.

With either the Capital One Venture card or Capital One Venture X card, you can:

• Redeem miles toward travel through Capital One Travel.
• Transfer miles to Capital One airline or hotel partners to book award flights or hotel stays.
• Redeem miles at 1 cent each toward eligible recent travel purchases.

The redemption value is especially important for me because transferring Capital One miles to airline partners is generally how I can get the most value from them.

Whether those miles came from the Capital One Venture card or the Capital One Venture X card doesn’t matter. Once they’re in my Capital One account, I have access to the same transfer partners and redemption options.

Final Thoughts

The Capital One Venture X card is a great premium travel card, and its $300 annual Capital One Travel credit makes the $395 annual fee easy to justify. But if I were applying today, I’d choose the Capital One Venture card over the more premium Capital One Venture X card.

With a better welcome offer, the same 2x miles on everyday purchases, and the same redemption options, the Capital One Venture card suits me better. Plus, I don’t value lounge access as much as I used to, especially since there’s no Capital One Lounge at my home airports and my other cards already provide lounge access.

For my lifestyle, I’d rather pay $95 a year instead of $395 and go with the Capital One Venture card right now.