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- Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card Review
Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card Review: Among the Top Cards You'll Find
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The Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card is a rare pick among travel rewards credit cards that has it all -- a big sign-up bonus, a high rewards rate, a low annual fee, and travel perks you can actually use. To top it off, redeeming Venture® miles is as simple as it gets. If you've been searching for a new travel card, this Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card review covers why many consider it to be among the best credit cards.
Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5 stars
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.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.
Rewards
Unlimited 2x miles on all purchases
Annual Fee
$95, annually
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Ongoing APR
17.24% - 24.49%, variable
Bonus
50,000 miles after spending $3,000 within 3 months, another 50,000 miles after spending a total of $20,000 within 12 months
Highlights
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $500 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®
- Fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime; no blackout dates. Plus transfer your miles to over 15+ leading travel loyalty programs
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
Top perks
100,000 bonus miles: You'll earn 50,000 miles when spending $3,000 within 3 months, another 50,000 miles when spending a total of $20,000 within 12 months.
Unlimited 2 miles per $1: You won't find a travel rewards card earning more than this on all purchases. There's no need to pay attention to bonus categories, as you'll earn a high rewards rate every time you use it.
Fixed-rate redemptions: Venture® miles are always worth $0.01 per mile toward travel expenses, so you can simply redeem your miles without worrying about what kind of value you're getting. The redemption process itself is a breeze, and the best option is applying your miles as a statement credit toward previous travel purchases. By the way, 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 PreCheck credit: When you pay $100 for a Global Entry membership or $85 for a TSA PreCheck membership, Capital One automatically credits you back. You can use this credit once every four years. Just so you know, a Global Entry membership also gets you a TSA PreCheck membership, making it the easy choice.
No foreign transaction fee: Have no fear of using your card internationally, as there's no foreign transaction fee.
What could be improved
Cash-back redemption value: For cash back, this isn't the card to choose, because you'll get a low value for your miles ($0.005 per mile, although Capital One has reserved the right to change that at any time). That's to be expected, because this is a travel rewards card. But it's still important to know about.
Suggested credit score
Aim to have a FICO® Score of 700 or higher when you apply for the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card. Our recommended range is 700 to 750, and the higher your score, the better your odds of a successful application.
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?
If you spend at least $4,750 per year, which is about $395.83 per month, the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card is worth the annual fee.
At 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. Don't forget that your card will also pay your Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee every four to five years (memberships last five years, but you can renew after four).
Those are exact numbers, but let's also look at two more general scenarios to demonstrate when this card would and wouldn't be worth the annual fee.
| Credit Card Use | Typical Spending | Miles Earned Per Year | Miles Value Minus Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent | $2,000 per month, $24,000 per year | 48,000, $480 value | $385 |
| Occasional | $250 per month, $3,000 per year | 6,000, $60 value | -$35 |
Source: Author's calculations
When you're putting most of your usual expenses on your credit card, the rewards you earn with the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card will be much greater than the annual fee. But if you're the type of person who uses your credit card only every now and then, you should get a travel card with no annual fee instead.
Remember that the card also has an excellent value int eh first year. With a sign-up bonus worth $500, the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit worth up to $100, you'll come out $505 ahead after the annual fee, plus the miles you earn through your regular spending.
I'll even take it a step further -- the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card may be the best travel rewards card with an annual fee under $100.
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, but its points are more valuable for some and it comes with a bigger 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 3x points for travel and dining, you'll also get complimentary airport lounge access, generous annual travel credits, travel insurance, and more.
As of Sep. 01, 2020
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| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve® |
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0 stars
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.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. |
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5 stars
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.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. |
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Apply Now
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Apply Now
On Chase's Secure Website. |
| Read Full Review | Read Full Review |
| Bonus: 80,000 points after spending $4,000 within 3 months | Bonus: 50,000 points after spending $4,000 within 3 months |
| Rewards Program: 2x points on travel and dining, 1x points on all other purchases. 25% more points for travel booked through Chase's portal. | Rewards Program: 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants & 1 point on all other purchases. |
| Intro APR: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A | Intro APR: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
| Regular APR: 15.99% - 22.99% Variable | Regular APR: 16.99%-23.99% Variable |
| Annual Fee: $95 | Annual Fee: $550 |
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Highlights:
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Highlights:
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Apply Now
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Apply Now
On Chase's Secure Website. |
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This credit card is right for you if:
As long as there's an open space in your wallet, you can probably benefit from the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card . It's an especially good match if any of the following are true:
- You want a card you can use for all your spending while earning a high rewards rate.
- You prefer the simplicity of fixed-rate redemptions with a set value for your miles.
- You want a card that costs less than $100 per year.
Another positive about this card is that it works just as well as a companion card that you use in conjunction with other credit cards. Here's how this can enhance your travel rewards:
- You can use cards with higher bonus rewards rates in specific spending categories, and then use the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card for 2 miles per $1 on all your other expenses.
- You can use your Venture® miles to cover travel expenses that you can't book with your other travel rewards, such as vacation rentals, train tickets, or rental cars.
About the Author
Elizabeth is a personal finance writer specializing in credit cards, debt repayment, and small business. Her work has appeared on The Motley Fool, MSN Money, Yahoo! Finance, and Business Insider. She’s an avid credit card points collector and perpetual traveler currently living in Costa Rica.
