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

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 travel card, this Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review covers if it's the right fit for you.

This credit card is a good fit for: Travelers who want an easy-to-use rewards card with the potential to earn lots of miles.

Top perks

75,000 bonus miles

You'll earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. That's equal to $750 in travel.

Unlimited 2 miles per $1

You won't find a travel rewards card earning more than this on purchases. There's no need to pay attention to bonus categories, as you'll earn a high rewards rate whenever 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 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. Just so you know, 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

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.

Learn more: Best Cash Back Credit Cards

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.

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 TSA Pre✓® 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.

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 in the first year. With a big sign-up bonus and the Global Entry/TSA TSA Pre✓® credit worth up to $100, you'll come out well ahead after the annual fee, plus the miles you earn through your regular spending.

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 with an annual fee 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 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.

See more options: Best Capital One Credit Cards