Capital One is one of the newer entrants to the transferable points world. This card, like the more premium Venture X is almost too good to be true with great perks and a great return on spending. This is the perfect card to use as a catch all for non bonused spend like shopping where you can earn 2x Capital One miles per dollar spent.

Apply here: Capital One Venture

Quick Facts

Signup Bonus: 75,000 Miles after spending $4,000 in 3 months.

Miles Earned: Capital One Miles which you can use for 1 cents each toward travel or better yet you can transfer them on a 1:1 basis to their 18 airline and hotel partners. I value Capital One miles at 1.7 cents per point.

Aeromexico
Air Canada
Avianca
British Airways
Cathay Pacific
Emirates
Etihad
EVA
Finnair
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
Qantas
Singapore
TAP Air Portugal
Turkish
Virgin Red (Parent company of Virgin Atlantic)
Accor Live Limitless
Choice Privileges
Wyndham

Earnings Structure:
5x miles on hotels and car rentals booked through the Capital One Travel Portal.
2x miles on everything else

Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Annual Fee: $95

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Fee Credit: $100

5x Miles on Hotels and Car Rentals Booked Through the Capital One Travel Portal

While this may sound enticing, there are some drawbacks to booking this way. There’s an opportunity cost to not booking directly and going through the portal. Not only is it much easier to deal directly with the company who is actually providing that travel but you also will earn points/miles with their loyalty program and have your elite status recognized. Additionally, you’ll generally find prices are better when booking directly. That is not the case when booking through Capital One’s or any other travel portal. If you have to change your plans or need to rebook, you must reach out to Capital One which can be a pain especially when you’re pressed for time. They’re acting as a liaison between you and the travel provider. It’s much easier to go straight to the source.

You will earn 2x miles on all other travel not booked through Capital One so this is still a great card for those purchases and what I would prefer.

Capital One Venture Lounge Access

In addition to your Priority Pass membership, you also get access twice a year to Capital One’s growing network of Capital One Lounges. Though this is due to end on December 31st, 2024. It may be extended another year. Currently they have lounges at Denver (DEN), Dallas (DFW), and Washington Dulles (IAD). These lounges are on much nicer than most Priority Pass lounges and are on par with American Express’ Centurion Lounges and Chase’s Sapphire Lounges.

TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Fee Credit

TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are easily what I value most when traveling. This credit is worth $85-125 depending on which route you go.

TSA PreCheck is a much less painful security check at airports where you don’t have to take your shoes and belt off, don’t have to remove your laptop, and you don’t have to go through the body scanner while holding your hands above your head.

Now, Global Entry is one of the unsung heroes of travel that a lot of people probably haven’t heard about. Not only does this allow you to skip the immigration line when returning home and just use a self service kiosk, it also comes with TSA PreCheck!

The Capital One Venture X offers a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit every 4 years which is a year less than how long each program is valid for. All you have to do is charge the fee to your card and it will get reimbursed.

Car Rental Insurance

This is another great benefit with the Venture X. Capital One offers rental car insurance when booking a rental car with your card. As long as you decline the CDW when you rent Capital One will cover any damage up to the value of the car. Certainly check the exclusions as I’ve seen it won’t cover a rental like a Tesla but it can still be incredibly useful especially if you rent cars regularly.

Capital One Venture vs. Venture X

The Capital One Venture X earns the same 2x miles on all purchases like the Capital One Venture. The main difference is the benefits as well as the annual fee. While the Venture X has a higher annual fee at $395, you also get a $300 travel credit each year. If you can utilize that, the annual fee is essentially the same. Additionally, the Venture X offers a 10,000 mile anniversary bonus which I value at $170. The last big difference is lounge access. The Venture X comes with a Priority Pass membership as well as unlimited access to the Capital One lounges.

For most people, the Venture X will be the better card but understandably, having to shell out an additional $300 a year for the card is a lot to swallow especially when you may have other premium credit cards with high annual fees.

Is it Worth It?

In my quest to always earn a minimum of 2 points (miles) per dollar, the Capital One Venture can get you there. The great 75,000 mile sign up bonus plus earning 2 miles per dollar makes this card a must have. There are certainly better cards out there to put other spending on but this is a great card to fill any gaps in your portfolio and ensure you earn a minimum of 2 miles per dollar on all purchases.

Capital One Venture

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Review: Capital One Venture Rewards