Capital One Venture vs. Venture X: What travel credit card is right for your wallet?

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card are popular travel credit cards that offer many perks in the form of a welcome bonus and recurring rewards. The Venture X is the more premium version of the standard Venture card, carrying a much higher $395 annual fee (as opposed to $95).

In exchange for that higher fee, Venture X card holders get an annual $300 travel credit and 10,000 bonus miles (worth at least $100 toward travel). But don’t count out the Venture just yet – it’s also packed with high-value benefits ideal for budget-conscious consumers who want practical travel perks at a reasonable price.

Both cards offer the same welcome bonus and a similar earning structure. So which of these cards should you add to your wallet? The answer depends on what you’re looking for. To help you make a decision, here’s an in-depth comparison of the Capital One Venture and Venture X credit cards:

Capital One Venture vs. Capital One Venture X

Both cards offer the same welcome bonus, no foreign transaction fees, and access to exclusive travel benefits. As a premium credit card with a higher annual fee, the Capital One Venture X offers higher rewards on travel and more generous recurring benefits. Frequent travelers will love this card with its travel credits and hotel perks. With an annual mileage bonus worth at least $100, it’s easy to justify the card’s $395 annual fee. However, if you don’t want to be restricted to booking through the Capital One Travel portal for the $300 credit, then you might want to stick to the Venture Card.

You won’t get an annual mileage bonus or travel credit, but you will receive a $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck credit every four years. Plus, the card includes two free annual Capital One Lounge visits, worth around $100. So if you’re an infrequent traveler who would otherwise pay for one-off lounge visits, this card could save you money and make the $95 annual fee worthwhile.

Let’s take a look at all the key details of these two cards side-by-side:

Sign-up bonuses

The Capital One Venture and Capital One Venture X offer the same generous sign-up bonus for new cardholders: 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 within three months of account opening. This bonus is worth $750 in travel statement credits on both cards. However, it can be worth more if you transfer miles to one of Capital One’s 18 travel partners.

If you only care about the welcome bonus, then you should opt for the Capital One Venture since the annual fee is lower. However, Venture X might be a better fit if you want perks beyond the welcome bonus. It also earns more miles when booking travel through Capital One Travel and offers travel credits to offset its $395 annual fee. More on that later.

Redemption rates

You can redeem Capital One miles for various rewards, including travel, cash back, gift cards, Amazon purchases and more. The simplest option is to redeem miles towards travel purchases at one cent per mile. You can charge any travel purchase to your Venture or Venture X card, then redeem miles towards the charge once it posts.

For example, a $200 hotel booking will require 20,000 Capital One miles. This option is ideal for those who don’t want to deal with complicated loyalty program rules, award availability or blackout dates.

You can also redeem miles for cash back, though the rate is not favorable at 0.5 cents per mile. For example, you can redeem the $750 welcome bonus for $375 in cash back — half of what a travel redemption would be worth.

Lastly, Capital One partners with 15 airlines and three hotel loyalty programs to which you can transfer miles. This is often your best bet for squeezing the most value out of your miles.

Capital One transfer partners

The best way to redeem Capital One miles for maximum value is by transferring them to one of Capital One’s 18 transfer partners. Here, both cards are on an even footing, with equal access to Capital One’s 18 travel partners. Below is the complete list of Capital One transfer partners:

View this interactive content on CNN.com

While most of Capital One’s airline partners are foreign carriers, they can provide exceptional value. With 75,000 miles from the Venture or Venture X welcome bonus, you can book lots of travel through these partners.

For example, through the Turkish Miles & Smiles program, you could book up to five round-trip economy flights to Hawaii (15,000 miles each) on United Airlines. Meanwhile, United charges well over 50,000 miles for those same flights during peak summer travel season. Alternatively, you can transfer your miles to British Airways to book domestic Alaska Airlines and American Airlines flights for as few as 7,500 miles one-way.

The Flying Blue loyalty program is another excellent transfer partner. One-way economy tickets to the Caribbean cost just 15,000 miles and you can even fly to Europe for that price, and even less if there’s a promotion.

Bottom line: That 75,000-mile bonus from the Venture and Venture X cards can help you save a lot of money (and miles) on travel.

Airport lounge access and hotel perks

The Capital One Venture and Venture X card both offer airport lounge access. The Venture Card provides two free annual visits to Capital One and Plaza Premium lounges. Capital One currently has just one lounge open in Dallas, though there are over 100 Plaza Premium lounges worldwide and more Capital One Lounges in the pipeline. As a result, the Capital One Venture is ideal for infrequent travelers and quite unusual for a card with a $95 annual fee. Lounge access is typically offered by premium credit cards with higher annual fees.

If you’re a more frequent traveler or want to bring more than one guest into the lounge (while having access to a larger lounge network), the Venture X offers superior lounge benefits. Venture X cardholders get unlimited lounge access to over 1,300 lounges worldwide through Priority Pass Select, which includes complimentary admission for up to two guests. The card also gets you and up to two companions access to Plaza Premium and Capital One Lounges.

Travel and purchase protections

Whether you’re spending money on travel or the occasional shopping trip, you want to protect purchases against damage, loss or theft. While many people buy coverage for their travels and big-ticket purchases, plenty of credit cards provide travel insurance just for swiping your card.

The Capital One Venture and the Venture X have similar travel and purchase protections, though the Venture X offers higher and more comprehensive coverage. The Venture X provides cell phone protection, which you can use twice a year (with a $50 deductible) to replace a phone (up to $800) in case of damage, theft or loss. You’re eligible for the benefit when you pay your monthly credit card bill with the Venture X.

While the Venture’s purchase and travel protections are largely adequate, the Venture X’s are more comprehensive. Here’s a run-down of how the two cards compare on purchase and travel protections:

Annual fees and credits

The annual fees on the Capital One Venture and Venture X cards are vastly different. The Capital One Venture card has a $95 annual fee, while the Venture X card has a $395 annual fee.

While $395 sounds step, it’s actually reasonable for a premium credit card. The card’s $300 annual travel credit can take the sting out of the high annual fee, along with the 10,000-mile anniversary bonus (worth $100). Just note that the $300 travel credit is only valid on travel booked via Capital One Travel.

Should you get the Capital One Venture or Venture X?

Both cards offer the same welcome bonuses and similar earn rates, so it comes down to personal preference. The Capital One Venture and Venture X cards are great options for earning miles on everyday purchases. The main difference between the two is that the Venture X has a higher annual fee and, in turn, offers more premium travel perks and higher rewards for travel spending through Capital One Travel.

If you can utilize the Venture X card’s $300 annual travel credit and at least one other benefit, it’s well worth the $395 annual fee. Cardholders enjoy access to a vast network of airport lounges and subscriptions to make travel more comfortable. With a $100 experience credit and other freebies, the card’s Premier Collection access can help you save substantially on hotel bookings. Some of these perks can be worth the annual fee, even for occasional travelers.

However, if you don’t see yourself visiting an airport lounge more than a couple of times a year and don’t want to book through Capital One Travel for the $300 credit, then you may be better off with a Capital One Venture Card. You’ll still earn above-average rewards on all purchases and enjoy practical perks like Hertz Five Star status, two annual lounge visits and Global Entry/TSA Precheck application fee credits every four years. These perks easily offset the card’s $95 annual fee but even if they don’t, the annual fee is much more reasonable compared to the Venture X.

Learn more and apply for the Capital One Venture Card.
Learn more and apply for the Capital One Venture X.

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