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Capital One Venture Card Review: Among the Top Travel Cards You'll Find

Review Updated
Elizabeth Aldrich
Steven Porrello
By: Elizabeth Aldrich and Steven Porrello

Our Credit Cards Experts

Nathan Alderman
Check IconFact Checked Nathan Alderman
Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) has it all -- a big welcome offer, a high rewards rate, a low annual fee, and travel perks you can actually use. To top it off, Venture® miles are flexible and can be redeemed for a variety of travel purchases, from rental cars to flights. If you've been searching for a travel card, this Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review will help you decide if it's the right fit for you.

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5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

2X-5X miles

Annual Fee

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

75,000 Miles

  • This is one of our top travel credit cards overall, because of its highly lucrative, yet dead simple rewards program. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase and use them to get reimbursed for any travel purchase — or to book a trip through Capital One Travel. TSA Pre✓® credit and the opportunity to earn a massive 75,000 Miles sign-up bonus (worth $750 in travel) make this credit card one of the best travel companions.

    • Excellent sign-up bonus
    • Unlimited miles on purchases
    • Travel credit
    • Multiple ways to use miles
    • No foreign transaction fee
    • Annual fee
    • No 0% intro APR offer
    • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
    • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
    • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
    • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
    • Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
    • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
    • Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
    • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Full Capital One Venture Card review

This credit card is a good fit for: Travelers who want an easy-to-use, no-frills rewards card with the potential to earn lots of miles and multiple ways to redeem them.

Top perks

75,000 Miles

You'll earn 75,000 Miles when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening and Venture® miles are worth $0.01 per mile when you redeem them for travel purchases.

Unlimited 2 miles per $1

You won't find a travel rewards card with a base rate that earns more than this. There's no need to pay attention to bonus categories, as you'll earn 2x miles on everyday purchases.

Bonus 5 miles per $1

For rental cars and hotels booked through Capital One Travel, you'll earn an unlimited 5 miles per $1.

Fixed-rate redemptions

Venture® miles are always worth $0.01 per mile when you redeem them as a statement credit against travel expenses. The redemption process is a breeze, and Capital One classifies many types of transactions as travel, giving you ample opportunity to use your rewards.

$95 annual fee

For its benefits, the card has a reasonable annual fee of $95.

Up to $100 Global Entry/TSA Pre✓® credit

When you pay $100 for a Global Entry membership or $85 for a TSA Pre✓® membership, Capital One automatically credits you back. You can use this credit once every four years. A Global Entry membership also gets you a TSA Pre✓® membership, making it the easy choice.

No foreign transaction fee

Have no fear of using your card internationally, as this is a no foreign transaction fee credit card.

What could be improved

Cash back redemption value

If you want to cover non-travel purchases with your Capital One miles, their redemption value will be $0.005 per mile -- half of what they could have been if redeemed for travel. That's to be expected, because this is a travel rewards card. But if you want a card that gives you better cash back options, you might want to look for another card.

Learn more: Best Cash Back Credit Cards

Find the best credit card for your needs

Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.

Suggested credit score

Aim to have a FICO® Score of 670 or higher when you apply for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Our recommended range is 700 to 750.

If your credit score isn't quite there yet, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is an excellent alternative that's intended for applicants with lower scores.

Is the annual fee worth it?

Like other annual fee credit cards, the card is a good deal if the extra rewards you get from it more than cover the annual fee. That said, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a bit different in that it has a no-annual-fee counterpart, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, which means we have to factor in an opportunity cost (read: do some math).

Let's start with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. To earn enough to pay for the fee, you need to spend at least $4,750 per year on your card, or about $395.83 per month.

Since the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 2 miles per $1 spent, $4,750 in spending will earn you 9,500 miles. At a value of $0.01 per mile, 9,500 miles is worth $95, the same amount as the annual fee.

But now let's factor in your opportunity cost, that is, getting the no-annual-fee Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card instead. The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card earns 1.25 miles per $1 spent and has no annual fee. If you spent $4,750 on the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, you'd earn $59. With no annual fee (see rates and fees), that $59 goes straight into pocket. If you only spent $4,750 annually, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card could be the better deal.

At what point does the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card become more profitable than its no-annual-fee counterpart? The answer -- roughly $12,667. At $12,667, you'll earn 25,333 miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which is about $253 or $158 after we subtract out the $95 annual fee. On the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, $12,667 would also earn you about $158. Any spending above $12,667 per year would make the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card the better travel card.

That might sound like a lot. But when you're putting most of your expenses on your credit card, the rewards you earn with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card could more than outweigh its annual fee. If you're the type of person who doesn't use their credit card frequently, however, you might want to get a travel card with no annual fee instead.

Remember that the card also has an excellent value in the first year. With a big sign-up bonus and the Global Entry/TSA TSA Pre✓® credit worth up to $100, you could easily come out well ahead after the annual fee, plus the miles you earn through your regular spending.

The Capital One Venture Card is right for you if:

  • You want a travel card you can use for all your spending while earning rewards you'll redeem for travel purchases.
  • You want to use your Venture® miles to cover travel expenses you can't book with your other travel rewards, such as vacation rentals, train tickets, or rental cars.
  • You prefer the simplicity of fixed-rate redemptions with a set value for your miles.
  • You want a card that has an annual fee of less than $100 per year.

See more options: Best Capital One Credit Cards

Alternatives to consider

  • If you want to earn more flexible travel points: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is another popular travel credit card at this price point. It may have a slightly lower earn rate on some purchases, but its points are more valuable for some and it comes with a big sign-up bonus. The Ultimate Rewards® points you'll earn with this card are each worth $0.0125 redeemed through Chase, and you can potentially get even more value if you transfer them to a long list of airline and hotel partners.
  • If you want a premium travel credit card: If you travel often, it's also worth considering the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. While the annual fee is steep, frequent travelers can easily recoup it, given the card's long list of luxury perks and extensive benefits. Aside from premium travel and dining rewards, you'll also get complimentary airport lounge access, generous annual travel credits, travel insurance, and more.

Read more: Best Rewards Credit Cards

As of Nov. 27, 2023
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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

75,000 Miles

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

60,000 bonus points

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

60,000 bonus points

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

2X-5X miles

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠.

Intro APR:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Intro APR:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR:

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Regular APR:

21.49%-28.49% Variable

Regular APR:

22.49%-29.49% Variable

Annual Fee:

$95

Annual Fee: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$95

Annual Fee: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$550

Highlights:

  • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Highlights:

  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
  • Member FDIC

Highlights:

  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
  • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
  • Member FDIC
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®

On Chase's Secure Website.

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Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • Yes, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a Visa. Specifically, it is a Visa Signature card, which is the middle of Visa's three card tiers.

  • The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card includes limited travel accident insurance and rental car coverage when you pay for your travel expenses with your card. It does not provide travel interruption or cancellation coverage, baggage insurance, or trip delay coverage.

Our Credit Cards Experts