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Introduction to Capital One’s Venture card lineup

Two of the most popular travel rewards credit cards right now are the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. They’ve got similar names and earn identical rewards — but that’s where their similarities end.

This comparison guide will help you decide which is a better option for you.

Annual fees

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a $95 annual fee (rates and fees). The Capital One Venture X charges a considerably larger $395 annual fee (rates and fees).

When comparing the costs of holding each card, factor in the value of its benefits (as well as the likelihood of you using them) instead of looking strictly at annual fees. 

These two cards have wildly different ongoing benefits. From airport lounge access to travel insurance to a giant anniversary bonus, the Capital One Venture X has several hundred dollars in benefits that the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card doesn’t offer.

And here’s the kicker — for even a casual traveler, these cards have effectively the same annual fee for one simple reason: The Capital One Venture X comes with a $300 annual credit toward travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal.

Reward structure

For most purchases, these cards offer equal earning rates. But the Venture X earns 5 more miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 3 more miles per dollar on airfare booked through Capital One Travel.

Earning rates on travel and everyday purchases

Both the Capital One Venture X and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earn 2 miles per dollar on all non-travel purchases

Bonus categories

The Capital One Venture X earns 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel. 

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 

Sign-up bonuses

Initial offers for new cardholders

The Capital One Venture X comes with 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The miles from this bonus are worth $1,275 when redeemed for travel, based on Business Insider’s points and miles valuations.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year. This bonus is also worth $750 when redeemed to offset paid travel — or potentially $1,275 when transferring to airline and hotel partners, based on Business Insider’s points and miles valuations.

Travel benefits and perks 

The premium Capital One Venture X understandably comes out ahead on most of these benefits. But the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card packs a solid punch for a card with a sub-$100 annual fee (rates and fees). 

Airport lounge access

The Capital One Venture X comes with unlimited access to three airport lounge networks.

First, you’ll get Priority Pass Select membership. There are more than 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide, with many offering free food and alcohol, free internet connection, plenty of outlets, and sometimes even showers and beds. The membership offered by this card also comes with two guests.

Even the highest-tier Priority Pass membership you can purchase (costing $429 per year) doesn’t include this many perks. If you’re a frequent traveler, this benefit is likely worth hundreds to you.

You’ll also get free entry into Capital One Lounges and cardholders also get complimentary access to over 100 Plaza Premium Lounges worldwide (as well as two guests).

Travel credits and anniversary bonus

The Capital One Venture X will deposit 10,000 Capital One miles into your account each year after you renew your card and pay the annual fee. If you were to use these miles for $100 in free travel, you’d completely negate your annual fee each year between the $300 annual travel credit and the anniversary miles bonus (rates and fees).

Or, you could transfer those miles to valuable travel partners. Business Insider estimates that these 10,000 miles are worth $170, on average, when transferring to airlines and hotels.

The Capital One Venture X also comes with a $300 annual credit toward Capital One Travel portal bookings.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card does not offer any anniversary bonus, nor does it come with a built-in travel credit. 

Travel insurance and hotel and rental car benefits

The Capital One Venture X is a Visa Infinite card, with some of the most generous trip delay insurance benefits available.

When your flight is delayed by six hours or more — or if you must stay overnight due to a delay or missed connection, you and your immediate family will be reimbursed for reasonable expenses up to $500 per person. This includes things like meals, hotel rooms, toiletries, and even clothing. You’re covered as long as you pay with your Capital One Venture X.

This card also comes with primary rental car insurance when you use your card to pay for your rental. It can save you $15+ per day over purchasing the rental agency’s in-house insurance plan. If your rental experiences damage or theft, you’re covered (with most vehicles) — and your personal insurance company doesn’t even have to know about it.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card does not offer trip delay insurance, and only comes with secondary car rental insurance, making the Venture X the superior choice for booking airfare and rental cars.

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit 

There’s really only one eye-catching benefit shared by the Capital One Venture X and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Both cards offer up to a $100 credit to offset the application fee of either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Global Entry expedites re-entry into the U.S. after traveling abroad. TSA PreCheck allows you to keep your shoes, jacket, and belt on when going through TSA security checkpoints. You can even keep your laptop in your bag.

Both memberships last five years. And Global Entry comes with TSA PreCheck, so it’s the better option to purchase.

Transfer partners and redemption flexibility

Both cards share the same transfer partners and redemption flexibility through the Capital One travel portal:

• Aeromexico Club Premier (1:1 ratio)
• Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1 ratio) 
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue (1:1 ratio) 
• ALL – Accor Live Limitless (2:1 ratio)
• Avianca LifeMiles (1:1 ratio)
• British Airways Executive Club (1:1 ratio) 
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1 ratio) 
• Choice Privileges (1:1 ratio)
• Emirates Skywards (1:1 ratio) 
• Etihad Guest (1:1 ratio)
• EVA Infinity MileageLands (2:1.5 ratio)
• Finnair Plus (1:1 ratio)
• Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1 ratio)
• Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1 ratio) 
• TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go (1:1 ratio)
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (1:1 ratio)
• Virgin Red (1:1 ratio)
• Wyndham Rewards (1:1 ratio)

Capital One miles can be used like flexible points from Amex, Chase, Citi, and Bilt. You can also use them directly on travel you’ve already purchased: After making an eligible travel purchase, you can redeem miles at a rate of 1 cent each  to “erase” the charge on your credit card statement within 90 days of the purchase date.

Who should choose which card?

When picking a credit card, remember that the best fit is based on your travel frequency and spending habits, and the vast difference in value between each card’s welcome bonus.

Both cards come with effectively the same annual fee after accounting for the Venture X $300 annual travel credit, so you can enjoy perks like airport lounge access, improved travel insurance, an anniversary bonus worth at least $100 in travel, and higher earning rates by choosing the Venture X.

If you decide to open the Capital One Venture X and find that it doesn’t match your lifestyle, you can downgrade it a year or two later to a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

And if you’ve already got a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and are trying to decide if you should upgrade, the Capital One Venture X has a definite edge for anyone who spends $300+ annually between airfare, hotels, and rental cars.