Forget the Amex Platinum: This Is My Favorite Travel Card Now

I used to think the American Express Platinum Card® was the holy grail of travel cards. And to be fair, it still is an amazing card, if you can actually use all the perks.

But here's an overlooked rival I've come to appreciate much more.

These days, my go-to travel card recommendation is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees). It's still a "premium" card with great travel perks, but costs $500 less per year. And for someone like me who wants rewards without a laundry list of rules, it's the clear winner.

The Platinum Card® is a perk machine -- but it's also a project

There's no denying the Platinum Card® is loaded. You get credits for flights, hotels, Uber, Saks, Walmart+, Resy dining, CLEAR, Global Entry -- and that's just scratching the surface.

But that's also the problem.

The Platinum Card® feels like a fancy coupon book. Most of the perks are tied to specific merchants, spending categories, or timelines. You gotta use them in just the right way to squeeze out the value. It's like playing credit card bingo every month.

Some perks reset quarterly, others semi-annually. You need to stay at certain hotels, shop at certain stores, and book everything through Amex's travel portal.

Here's a quick look at just a few Platinum Card® perks and how they're structured:

• $600 hotel credit: This is broken into two, $300 semi-annual credits. It's only for prepaid bookings through Amex Travel, and only on Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection with a two-night minimum.
• $400 Resy dining credit: This is actually four, $100 credits doled out quarterly.
• $300 Lululemon credit: Also quarterly, you get up to $75 credit times four.
• $15 Uber Cash each month ($20 in December).
• Terms apply; enrollment may be required

Don't get me wrong -- that's real value. But it also comes with homework and an $895 annual fee (rates and fees). For planners and optimizer-types, this card can be a goldmine. Read more about all the American Express Platinum Card® benefits here.

But for most non-credit-card nerds, it's kind of exhausting -- and easy to lose track of where to use what, and when.

Why I made the switch to the Capital One Venture X Card

When I first opened the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees), I honestly wasn't expecting to love it. But it's grown on me fast.

What I like most is that the rewards and benefits just… work. And the annual fee is way easier to justify, for even sporadic travelers.

1. The annual fee is super easy to offset

The annual fee for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is $395 (see rates and fees). But it can be offset with just two perks that anyone can use.

First, if you book travel through Capital One's portal, you automatically get a $300 credit each year. That credit would knock down your effective cost to $95.

On top of that, you get 10,000 anniversary miles every year, worth $100 toward travel.

So those two perks alone outweigh the annual fee -- and we haven't even talked about the limited-time offer or daily earning potential yet.

2. You'll earn more on everyday spending

A lot of premium cards only give you 1X on most purchases. Not the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

Here's what you get:

• 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• 2X miles on all other purchases

That 2X flat rate is a big deal. It means you're constantly racking up travel rewards on every single thing you buy in regular life.

3. Lucrative welcome bonus

Right now, new eligible cardholders can earn 100,000 Miles when you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening. That's worth $1,000 toward travel, giving this card's first-year value a huge boost.

4. Premium travel perks

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card comes with all the big benefits I actually care about:

• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges (including Capital One lounges and Priority Pass™, after enrollment)
• TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry credit every 4 years

That's plenty for me. And more than what entry level travel cards offer.

I don't need 5-star restaurants or Saks credits to enjoy my trip. I just want my travel experience to be smooth and my rewards to add up. This card gives me both.

Should you get the Capital One Venture X Card?

If you already spend big on luxury hotels, fancy gyms, boutique shopping, and curated dining experiences, the Platinum Card® might be a perfect fit. For cardholders who naturally tap into those perks, it's possible to justify that mammoth $895 fee (see rates and fees).

But if you're not living that high-maintenance lifestyle and just want the main big travel perks, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a much simpler way to win.

You'll still get premium travel perks, solid earning rates, and statement credits -- just without the chore chart. And unlike most travel cards, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card doesn't make you work hard to break even.

Just a heads-up: You'll likely need excellent credit to get approved. Most successful applicants have strong credit histories and high scores.

Click here to see all our top-rated travel credit cards and find the one that fits you best.