Capital One Venture X Card Review: A High-End Travel Card With Big Benefits

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the card issuer's entry in the premium travel credit card category, and it doesn't disappoint. It includes a big sign-up bonus for new cardholders, hundreds of dollars in travel credits, and airport lounge access. With all the benefits, this card's $395 annual fee becomes a bargain for many. Find out more about it in our full Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review.

This credit card is a good fit for: Travelers who want a premium credit card that's easy to use and offers valuable perks.

Top perks

There's a lot to like about this credit card, because Capital One has packed it with useful benefits.

75,000-mile sign-up bonus

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 in the first three months. The miles are worth $0.01 each when redeemed for travel bookings, which would give the bonus a value of $750. It's also possible to transfer miles to Capital One's travel partners and potentially get a higher value for your rewards.

Considering how much it's worth, this offer ranks up there with the best sign-up bonuses. There are very few bonuses worth $750 or more.

Earn up to 10X miles per $1

This card offers a high rewards rate on purchases, and bonuses on certain types of travel purchases. It earns:

• 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5X miles per $1 on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases

Many of the best credit cards have bonus categories with higher rewards rates and then earn 1 point or mile per $1 on everything else. The fact that the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers 2X miles per $1 on regular spending is a big advantage. You'll earn much more on everyday purchases and be able to maximize your credit card rewards.

Read more: Best Rewards Credit Cards

$300 annual travel credit

An annual credit of up to $300 applies to bookings made on Capital One Travel. While the travel portals that credit card companies offer can be hit or miss, Capital One rolled out a new, upgraded travel portal in September 2021. Capital One Travel includes a best price guarantee and a price match if you find a better deal within 24 hours of booking.

If you travel regularly, you shouldn't have any trouble using the full $300 travel credit every year. That offsets most of the card's annual fee and brings it more in line with other Capital One credit cards.

10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary

Capital One rewards you with 10,000 bonus miles for every account anniversary. Since miles are worth at least $0.01 a piece towards travel, this yearly bonus is a $100 value at minimum.

Airport lounge access

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card includes unlimited access to Priority Pass airport lounges and Capital One Lounges.

Priority Pass is a program with over 1,300 airport lounges. It's also the most common type of airport lounge access that travel cards offer, as there are several that include a complimentary membership.

Learn more: Best Credit Cards With Airport Lounge Access

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit

A statement credit of up to $100 will cover your membership fee and subsequent renewal fees for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. To get the credit, you must pay the fee using your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

Global Entry and TSA PreCheck are both "Trusted Traveler Programs" that get you through airport security checks more quickly. TSA PreCheck is for TSA security lanes before domestic flights. Global Entry allows speedier re-entry to the United States after international travel, and membership to that program also includes a TSA PreCheck membership.

Multiple ways to redeem miles

There are two ways to redeem Capital One Venture miles for travel:

• Apply miles directly toward travel purchases at a value of $0.01 per mile. You can use them when booking through Capital One Travel, or you can redeem them as a statement credit toward previous travel purchases made on your card.
• Transfer miles to Capital One's travel partners. Capital One has a solid roster of travel partners, including over a dozen airlines and multiple hotel chains. After you transfer miles, you can use them through that partner's loyalty program for an award booking.

These options help make Venture miles some of the more useful travel rewards. You always have the straightforward option of getting $0.01 per mile toward travel, and if you find a good deal with one of Capital One's partners, you can transfer your miles and get even more value.

See more options: Best Airline Credit Cards

What could be improved

This Capital One travel card has only a couple of minor drawbacks.

$395 annual fee

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has a $395 annual fee, so it isn't cheap. But to be fair, it costs much less than some of its competitors with similar features, and the annual fee is absolutely worth it if you can use this card's benefits.

Remember that this card includes up to a $300 annual credit on Capital One Travel bookings. It also rewards you with 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary year, worth at least $100 towards travel. Those two benefits alone could be worth $400, which cancels out the annual fee and then some.

That doesn't even take into account all the card's other benefits, including airport lounge access and the miles earned on purchases. It's always worth reading different credit card reviews to see how card products compare, but this one is a definite winner from a value perspective.

Travel partners

Capital One has quite a few travel partners where you can transfer your miles. However, its lineup is a bit lacking compared to other card issuers'. Most notably, it doesn't have any major U.S. airlines among its transfer partners.

This isn't a big issue, especially since you can use miles to book flights and hotels through Capital One Travel. But it is a disadvantage, as there are credit card companies with arguably better lineups. The Chase Ultimate Rewards program is one popular example. American Express Membership Rewards also has a strong list of partnerships.

A FICO® Score of 700 or higher is recommended when applying for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Capital One has designed this credit card for consumers who have excellent credit.

Your credit score is one of many factors reviewed during a credit card application, so it's not the only thing that matters. It's possible to be approved for a card even when your score isn't in the recommended range or to be denied even though your credit score is high enough.

You travel multiple times per year and you're looking for a credit card that combines luxury benefits with ease of use.

Practically anyone who travels regularly and has an open space in their wallet can benefit from the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. It has the kind of premium perks, that only the best travel credit cards offer, including a massive sign-up bonus and airport lounge access. At the same time, it pays for itself every year just through the $300 travel credit and anniversary bonus.

If you're in the market for a travel credit card, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card should be one that you strongly consider.