Last Call to Earn 100K Miles: Why I Finally Applied for the Capital One Venture X
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I've been eyeing the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) for months. I don't apply for premium travel cards lightly, and until now, I just really wasn't able to justify the value.
But when Capital One recently boosted the Capital One Venture X Card welcome offer, I didn't hesitate. Same $395 annual fee (see rates and fees), significantly bigger upside. I'm already planning how to use that bonus value toward trips next fall.
This offer is ending Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, and once it's gone, it's gone. Here's why you shouldn't miss it.
The bonus that made this card a no-brainer
Right now, eligible new Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card holders can earn 100,000 Miles when you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening. Those miles are worth a whopping $1,000 toward travel.
That window of 6 months to spend and earn is a big deal. It gives you time to earn the bonus naturally, without rushing purchases or blowing up your budget. For me, it lined up perfectly with trips and expenses I already had planned.
Instead of waiting and risking a smaller bonus for the same annual fee, I locked it in while the value was still there.
On Capital One's Secure Website.
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Earn 100,000 miles (worth $1,000 in travel) when you spend $10K in the first 6 months
Excellent (740-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
19.74% - 28.74% (Variable)
Rewards Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.
2X-10X miles
Annual Fee
$395
Welcome Offer 100,000 Miles when you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening
100,000 Miles (worth $1,000 in travel)
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If you want premium travel perks that easily justify their cost, this card delivers. You’ll get a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, plus 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary (worth $100 toward travel) — perks that can offset the $395 annual fee.
Earn a 100,000-mile welcome bonus (worth $1,000 toward travel), unlimited 2X miles on everyday purchases, airport lounge access, and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck® credits, and you’ve got one of the strongest premium travel cards available today.
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- Big travel rewards bonus
- High rewards rate
- Travel credits
- Easy-to-use miles
- Annual fee
- Other card issuers have more valuable travel rewards
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- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn 100,000 bonus miles once you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening - equal to $1,000 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Top rated mobile app
Why I finally applied
I'm traveling a lot next year, especially in the fall. And I've learned the hard way that the best time to get a travel card isn't right before a trip. It's months earlier.
Getting the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card now, while the boosted bonus is still live, means:
- Plenty of time to earn the full bonus
- Miles ready when flight prices dip
- $1,000 in travel value available for fall bookings
This isn't a perk you use "eventually." It's something you plan around. Waiting would've meant missing that window.
The perks that offset the annual fee
At $395 (see rates and fees), the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card already has one of the lower annual fees among premium travel cards, which makes the math easier from the start.
Each year, you get:
- $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 bonus miles every year starting on your first anniversary (equal to $100 towards travel)
That's $400 towards travel each year guaranteed (more than the annual fee!), before you even factor in things like the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® credit and airport lounge access.
When you layer that on top of the $1,000 welcome bonus (earned as 100,000 Miles when you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening), the value is hard to ignore.
Don't wait: Offer ends Jan. 5, 2026
After that, you're likely looking at fewer miles for the same annual fee.
If you're planning travel in 2026 and want a premium card with perks you'll actually use, this is one of those moments where the timing really matters.
If it fits your plans, this is the window. Read our full Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review to see if it's right for you and apply while this limited-time welcome bonus is still available.
Our Research Expert
Brooklyn Sprunger is a full-time Content Manager and Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, where she oversees product reviews and ratings while also writing about credit cards, bank accounts, investing, auto insurance, and other personal finance topics. She has worked in financial content since 2018, including more than four years at The Motley Fool. When she’s not writing or editing, Brooklyn is likely hiking and watching the Tennessee Vols.