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When Capital One announced a new selection of airline transfer partners for its travel credit cards in 2018, we knew it wouldn’t be long until the brand rolled out a travel portal, too. This finally happened in late 2021 — the same year Capital One introduced the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, the bank’s first premium travel credit card.
These days, Capital One is a big player in the travel rewards space with several travel credit cards and transfer partners that span 15 airlines and three hotel brands. Capital One Travel has also improved since the portal was first announced — and in more ways than one.
Not only will you find more travel options to book through the portal with Capital One miles, cash or a combination of the two but the brand also began offering the Capital One Premier Collection — a selection of luxury hotels and resorts that include extra perks with every booking.
If you’re a Capital One credit card holder — or if you want to become one in the future — read on to learn what cards can access Capital One Travel, how the portal works and its included benefits.
Which credit cards get you access to Capital One Travel?
All Capital One credit cards (not just travel credit cards) give you access to the Capital One Travel portal. Credit cards from this issuer also offer bonus cash back or more miles for paid travel booked through the portal.
For example, the Capital One Venture X earns 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, along with five miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through the portal. Meanwhile, other Capital One credit cards offer either five miles per dollar or 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars, as well as vacation rentals, booked through Capital One.
The following credit cards get you access to Capital One Travel:
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
- Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.
- Capital One Spark Miles for Business.
- Capital One Spark Miles Select.
- Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card.
- Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card.
- Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Rewards Credit Card.
- Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card.
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card.
- Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card.
- Capital One Spark Cash Plus.
- Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit.
- Capital One Spark Classic.
Booking travel through the Capital One Travel portal
When it comes to booking travel through Capital One, you should know that the brand’s portal works like almost any other booking engine. To book travel through the portal with either cash or miles, you start by heading to Capital One Travel and signing into your Capital One account.
Once you’re logged in, you’ll be prompted to share information like your desired travel dates and preference when it comes to booking car rentals, flights or hotels.
Once you find the travel you want to book, Capital One Travel lets you book with rewards, your credit card or a combination of the two. You can filter and sort options based on your preferences, and you can always do multiple searches to compare your options.
For example, let’s say you search for a hotel in Berlin, Germany. As you can see in the screen shot below, a quick search for hotels gives you access to a map that shows the cash prices for a variety of options in and around Berlin’s city center. You also have the option to sort results based on which ones are recommended from Capital One, star rating (high to low) or pricing (low to high).
You can even filter results based on hotel cancellation policies or amenities available at each property, making it easier to find a property that best fits your travel needs.
Similarly, searching for flights through Capital One Travel will yield a variety of results. You have the option to search for one-way flights, round-trip flights or even multicity itineraries. Like with any other travel-booking portal, Capital One gives you the option to select your airline and fare class.
Also, note that Capital One Travel makes redemptions easy and predictable. All travel booked through Capital One comes with a standard redemption value of 1 cent per mile. This means 75,000 Capital One miles are worth $750 in travel whether you use them to book airfare, hotels or rental cars via Capital One Travel.
The process for actually redeeming miles is straightforward. After selecting the hotel, flight or rental car you’d like to book, you’ll be brought through the booking process. Toward the end, you can choose to pay with your Capital One card, your miles or a combination of the two.
Remember, Venture, VentureOne, Venture X and Spark Miles card members can redeem miles to cover any travel purchase at a rate of 1 cent per mile, regardless of where they book. Because of this, consider charging Capital One Travel bookings to your card and then redeeming miles after the charge posts to your account. This way, you still earn miles on the purchase, giving you a rebate on your redemption.
Benefits of booking through Capital One Travel
Why should you use Capital One Travel over other options when you’re planning a new trip? The first reason is to use your miles to cover travel purchases directly or to pay for your booking with a combination of miles and money.
Other benefits of booking through Capital One include the following:
- Lowest hotel prices guaranteed: Capital One says it frequently adjusts hotel prices to “guarantee they match or beat Expedia and other travel sites.” This means your hotel bookings can be a good deal or at least on par with what you’ll find elsewhere online, although you should always do a quick price comparison so you know for sure.
- Price-drop protection for flights: When you book a flight through Capital One, the price of that flight is automatically monitored for 10 days. If the price drops during that time, you’ll automatically get up to $50 in travel credit applied to your account.
- Price-freeze options: For some bookings of airfare, you’ll be offered the chance to freeze prices for an additional cost in cash or miles. Capital One says that when you choose this option, you can come back and pay in full within a specified timeline at the original price you locked in.
- Price protection: With Capital One’s price protection, you can get a travel credit for the difference in cost when travel booked through the portal drops in price within 24 hours. You do have to initiate the price protection benefit, however, meaning the fare difference won’t be refunded to you unless you formally request it.
- Price prediction: Capital One also offers a price-prediction tool that lets you know when you should lock in travel and when you should wait. This tool can be immensely helpful if your aim is booking travel at the best possible price.
Notable Capital One Travel features
Capital One Travel also has built-in features and tools you can use for free or purchase at an added cost.
Premier Collection
Capital One’s Premier Collection is a selection of hotels and resorts that are bookable by eligible Capital One card members. These properties range from beachfront luxury resorts to unique boutique hotels in incredible destinations around the world, and card holders who book using miles or their credit cards get some added benefits for doing so.
Premier Collection is similar to American Express’ longstanding Fine Hotels + Resorts program that offers additional perks to select card holders, though benefits and participating hotels varies between the two programs.
Premier Collection hotel bookings are only available to card holders with a US-issued, eligible Capital One Venture X and/or a Capital One Venture X Business credit card. Benefits that come standard with these bookings include:
- Earn 10 miles per dollar spent with the Premier Collection.
- Experience credit worth up to $100 for dining, spa and other activities for each stay.
- Daily breakfast for two.
- Free Wi-Fi access.
- Additional benefits such as early check-in, late checkout, room upgrades and more.
“Cancel for any reason” coverage
Capital One also offers “cancel for any reason” travel insurance on eligible airfare bookings. This coverage comes at an additional cost, but it does let you cancel your trip and get (most of) your money or miles back without a fee.
Capital One plants trees for travel bookings
If you’re hoping to help offset the environmental impact of your travel, especially airfare, Capital One Travel bookings can help you do that. The card issuer says that, for every flight, hotel or rental car booked through Capital One Travel, the company plants two trees.
Capital One airport lounges
This benefit is somewhat separate from Capital One Travel, but it’s still worth mentioning. Capital One rolled out its own airport lounge at the Dallas-Ft. Worth airport (DFW), and there are two Capital One airport lounges on the way in Denver (DEN) and Washington-Dulles (IAD).
Card holders with the Capital One Venture X get automatic access to Capital One airport lounges, plus a Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership. Members can also access 100+ Plaza Premium airport lounges through Capital One’s partner lounge network. Meanwhile, card holders with a Capital One Venture or Spark Miles card get two complimentary visits to Capital One or Plaza Premium airport lounges.
Interestingly, the travel brand lets anyone enter Capital One’s airport lounges for a per-visit fee of $65 whether they have a Capital One credit card or not. Venture X card holders get two complimentary guests into lounges, as well as a lower guest fee of $45 per visit for additional guests. Venture and Spark Miles card holders can also pay a $45 per visit fee for additional visits for themselves or guests after using their two included visits.
Bottom line
Capital One Travel lets card holders browse and book travel using their miles, their credit card or a combination of the two. The portal also offers perks like price matching and price-drop protection for flights, which can help make sure you don’t overpay for travel if you don’t have to.
At the end of the day, this portal has made Capital One more competitive with Amex and Chase, since they both have their own travel portals that let consumers book airfare, hotels, rental cars and other travel with their rewards or money.
If you haven’t used Capital One Travel yet but you have a credit card with the issuer, you can dip your toe into using the portal by logging in to compare prices the next time you book a trip.
Looking for a new travel credit card? Check out CNN Underscored’s list of the best credit cards currently available.