Why we like this card: Frequent travelers who don’t want to pay the $500+ annual fee that comes with competitors’ luxury travel cards will appreciate the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card for its generous rewards structure and valuable perks.
Pros
- One of the highest rewards rates on the market
- Miles are transferable
- No foreign transaction fee
Cons
- $395 Annual Fee
- No intro APR
Capital One Venture X: Overview
APR
- Intro: N/A
- Purchase: 21.99%–28.99% Variable
- Cash advance: 28.99%, plus a fee of either $3 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
Annual fee: $395
Foreign transaction fee: None
Late payment: up to $40
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium travel rewards credit card that offers a suite of benefits tailored for frequent travelers. It rewards cardholders with a high miles-per-dollar rate on every purchase, with an additional boost on travel and dining expenses. Plus, new cardholders can earn a generous 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Miles can be used to book travel through the Capital One travel portal or transferred to a variety of airline and hotel partners.
In addition to earning miles, the card offers an array of travel-centric benefits. These include an annual travel credit for eligible travel purchases made on the card, which can offset the annual fee, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, complimentary access to airport lounges, travel protection services, and no foreign transaction fees.
Capital One Venture X: Rewards
The Capital One Venture X offers some of the highest miles-earning rates you’ll find on the market today, particularly for travel booked through its online portal:
- 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- 2x miles on everyday purchases
New cardholders also have the opportunity to earn an early spend bonus of 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
How to redeem Capital One Venture X miles
Book a trip
One of the best ways to get the most value out of your miles is by booking through the Capital One Travel portal. Miles can be redeemed for flights, hotels, rental cars, and more.
Cover your travel purchases
Venture miles can be redeemed to cover the cost of travel purchases within 90 days of booking. This essentially lets you wipe out charges on your statement via a credit. Miles are redeemed at a 1:1 value this way.
Transfer miles to partners
Capital One also allows you to transfer your miles more than 15 travel loyalty programs. In general, miles transfer at a 1:1 rate, though you may be able to boost the value of your rewards with certain partners or deals.
Share rewards
If you have a friend or family member who also has a Venture card, you can transfer your miles to them. You choose how many of your miles you want to send them.
Redeem for gift cards
If you aren’t planning to travel, you can redeem your miles for gift cards instead. Capital One offers gift cards from merchants such as iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, and more.
Get cash
It’s also possible to redeem your Venture miles in the form of a statement credit or a check. Statement credits show up on your account as soon as two to three business days, while checks are mailed within three business days and should arrive two to three weeks later.
Redeem for entertainment
Capital One Entertainment provides eligible cardholders exclusive access to events and experiences. Venture miles can be redeemed for more than 500,000 events, such as sporting events, concerts, VIP packages, and more.
Additional benefits
In addition to the ability to earn miles back on spending, the Capital One Venture X card also offers the following perks and benefits:
- Anniversary bonus: Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 when redeemed for travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
- Annual travel credit: Get up to $300 back as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit: Receive up to $100 in the form of a statement credit to cover Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees.
- Capital One lounge access: Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests per visit.
- Partner lounge network: Unlimited access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges worldwide.
- Price drop protection: If you book a flight when Capital One recommends and the price drops within 10 days, you’ll get up to $50 in travel credit for the difference.
- Price matching: If you find a better price and let Capital One know within 24 hours after booking, you’ll receive a travel credit for the difference.
- Cell phone protection: If your cell phone is stolen or damaged, you’ll get reimbursed up to $800 as long as you pay the bill with your Venture X card.
- Premier collection: Get a $100 experience credit, daily breakfast for two, and other premium benefits.
- Hertz President’s Circle status: Complimentary upgrade that allows you to skip the rental counter and enjoy the widest selection of cars.
Is Capital One Venture X right for you?
With an annual fee of $395, the Venture X isn’t the right card for everyone. However, when compared with similar high end travel cards, it’s more affordable than many competitors. Given that it also offers a few hundred dollars in annual statement credits, cardholders who use the Venture X strategically can make up for most of that annual fee and enjoy luxury travel perks.
Credit cards similar to Capital One Venture X
While the Venture X is a standout card among travel rewards credit cards, there are a couple of cards from other issuers that offer similar benefits.
Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Capital One Venture X
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the few cards that matches the Venture X’s 10X earning rate on hotels and rental cars, plus 5X on flights booked through the issuer’s travel portal immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. However, it also offers 3X back on dining, which the Venture X does not. And though the Sapphire Reserve has a higher annual fee of $550, it also provides a number of statement credits and perks that more than make up for it, including 50% higher redemption value for points redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards, complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership, up to $300 annual travel credit, and more.
The Platinum Card from American Express vs. Capital One Venture X
With one of the highest annual fees on the market at $695, some travel rewards enthusiasts may shy away from the The Platinum Card® from American Express. However, this card offers highly competitive rewards and ultra-premium perks. Cardholders earn 5X membership points on flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel, plus 2X points on other travel purchases booked through Amex and 1X on everything else. They also enjoy up to $200 annual credit for airline fees, up to $200 annual credit for The Hotel Collection bookings, up to $200 in Uber credits, fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA Precheck, and much more (Terms Apply and Enrollment Required).
To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Capital One Venture and Venture X?
The Capital One Venture card is essentially a scaled down version of the Venture X. It’s annual fee is just $95, and the rewards top out a 5X miles for certain travel spending.
What score is needed for Capital One Venture X?
According to Capital One, card applicants need excellent credit to be approved. That generally translates to a FICO credit score of 740 or higher.
How much is 75,000 Venture X points worth?
When redeemed for travel bookings, the 75,000 bonus is worth $750 (one cent per point). However, you may be able to boost the value of these points by transferring them to certain travel partner loyalty programs.
Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE: The advice, opinions, or rankings contained in this article are solely those of the Fortune Recommends™ editorial team. This content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of our affiliate partners or other third parties.