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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.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Great for: Unlimited travel rewards
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Rewards 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 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.
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
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.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
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.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
|
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
60,000 bonus points 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℠. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases 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. |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
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.
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.
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.
For rental cars and hotels booked through Capital One Travel, you'll earn an unlimited 5 miles per $1.
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.
For its benefits, the card has a reasonable annual fee of $95.
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.
Have no fear of using your card internationally, as this is a no foreign transaction fee credit card.
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
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
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.
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.
See more options: Best Capital One Credit Cards
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.
Though previously a Visa card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card became a Mastercard in April 2024.
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.
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