Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Benefits & Review (Is it Worth it in 2024?)
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The Capital One Venture X is the bank’s first premium travel credit card. It offers a wide array of travel benefits with a reasonable $395 annual fee. While frequent flyers can enjoy the most benefits, this card can also be a good fit for hotel bookings and car rentals.
Let’s take a closer look at how the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card can improve your travel experience.
Benefits at a Glance |
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Annual Fee: $395 Current Early Spend Bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening 10x miles per dollar spent on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel 5x per dollar spent miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel 2x per dollar spent miles on all remaining purchases Airline and Hotel Mile Transfers (15+ travel loyalty programs) $300 Annual Travel Credit for bookings through Capital One Travel 10,000 Bonus Miles each card anniversary Complimentary Airport Lounge Access to Priority Pass, Capital One Lounges, & Plaza Premium Lounges Up to $100 in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credits Hertz President’s Circle loyalty status Up to $800 in Cell Phone Protection Benefits Travel and Purchase Protection Benefits |
Table of Contents
Who is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card For?
You should consider this card if you want a premium credit card with a flexible rewards program making it easy to earn and redeem miles while enjoying valuable additional travel benefits.
More importantly, this card has an appealing annual fee while offering many of the core benefits of its pricier competitors.
The Venture X Rewards annual fee is only $395 per year for the primary card. While this fee is higher than your run-of-the-mill travel rewards card, it is more affordable than the Chase Sapphire Reserve® ($550) and The Platinum Card® from American Express ($695). It also offers more benefits than the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ($95).
Featured Capital One Venture X Rewards Benefits
These are some of the best reasons to carry the Venture X Rewards in your wallet.
75,000 Miles Early Spend Bonus
New cardholders have the advantage of earning a one-time early spend bonus of 75,000 miles worth $750 in travel statement credits or Capital One Travel award bookings.
You earn the bonus by spending $4,000 in the first three months.
This is down from the previous intro offer of 100,000 miles after spending $6,000 in the first six months.
10,000 Miles Anniversary Bonus
You will receive 10,000 bonus miles on each card anniversary. This bonus is worth $100 in travel rewards and helps offset the annual fee.
$300 Annual Travel Credit
Your first $300 in yearly bookings through Capital One Travel are reimbursed with credits. Flights, hotels, and car rentals are eligible for this reimbursement. Using the full $300 in credits each year essentially makes the net annual fee only $95! Cardholders need to take full advantage of this credit every single year they hold the card to maximize the value.
Earn Up To 10x Miles Per Dollar Spent on Purchases
This card earns up to 10 miles per $1 on travel-related purchases:
- 10x on hotels and car rentals through Capital One Travel
- 5x on flights through Capital One Travel
- 2x on all remaining purchases
This tiered rewards structure can help you earn the most travel miles when you use Capital One’s booking portal. This portal partners with Hopper to predict upcoming prices and also offers a price match guarantee.
While you won’t earn bonus miles when booking directly through the carrier, earning double miles is still competitive. In addition, you get the peace of mind that can come with booking a pricey travel reservation directly from the airline, hotel, or car rental agency.
Earning 2x miles instead of the standard 1x rate on non-bonus purchases also lets you quickly maximize your non-travel spending. For non-bonus purchases, that rate is better than competitor cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum, which both earn 1x point per dollar spent.
Other Venture X Rewards Credit Card Features
These additional benefits can provide additional value and may not be available without having a premium travel credit card.
Airport Lounge Access
You receive complimentary access to three airport lounge networks:
- Priority Pass
- Capital One Lounge
- Plaza Premium Lounges
Priority Pass Select membership is a common premium card benefit and the Venture X Rewards lets you get access at a lower annual fee than most travel credit cards. You can access the network’s lounges and restaurants.
The Capital One Lounge network opened its first location at Dallas-Ft.Worth International Airport (DFW) in November 2021. Lounges at Dulles (IAD) and Denver (DIA) will open in 2023 as the bank expands its luxury travel offerings.
The Plaza Premium Lounge network features over 100 locations worldwide.
The primary or authorized cardholder and two guests can enter for free for either network. This benefit can be worth thousands of dollars per year depending on how often you visit airport lounges.
Further Reading: best credit cards for airport lounge access.
Airline and Hotel Transfer Partners
You can transfer your miles to over 15 airline or hotel transfer partners, usually at a 1:1 transfer ratio. Since you can also redeem your miles as a statement credit for recent travel purchases, you have several ways to get the maximum redemption value.
Further Reading: best airline credit cards and best hotel credit cards.
Free Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
You will receive up to a $100 statement credit every four years for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
This benefit is becoming increasingly common for travel credit cards and helps minimize your airport security wait times.
Further Reading: best credit cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck.
Hertz President’s Circle Status
You can receive instant Hertz President’s Circle loyalty status through December 31, 2024. The minimum requirements for this status usually are 15 rentals or $3,000 in annual spending.
Some of the best President’s Circle benefits include:
- Guaranteed upgrades
- Widest vehicle selection
- Free additional driver
- Earn 1.5 Hertz Gold points per $1
This perk extends to the primary and authorized users. Combining this benefit with the best site for car rentals can help you save money and maximize your loyalty benefits.
Further Reading: best credit cards for car rentals and best credit cards offering rental car insurance.
No Foreign Transaction Fee
You won’t incur foreign transaction fees on purchases outside the United States.
Cell Phone Protection
You’re eligible for up to $800 in cell phone protection theft and damage benefits when you pay your monthly wireless bill with this card. A $50 deductible applies and you can file up to two claims per year.
Travel Protection Benefits
The Venture X Rewards offers several travel insurance coverages through Visa Infinite:
- Lost luggage reimbursement: Up to $3,000 per person for checked baggage and carry-ons. The limit is only $2,000 for New York residents.
- Primary rental car insurance: Up to $75,000 in collision and theft damage coverage.
- Trip cancellation and interruption: Up to $2,000 per person for qualifying delays and cancellations like illness or severe weather.
- Trip delay reimbursement: Up to $500 per person for essential expenses when travel delays exceed six hours.
These benefits can be sufficient for many trips so that you won’t have to purchase a standalone policy for similar coverage.
In addition to the trip protection benefits, the Visa Infinite team also offers a concierge service for travel, entertainment, legal, and medical assistance. You can also request roadside assistance when your car breaks down. Both services are free but third-party service fees apply.
Further Reading: best credit cards for travel insurance.
Shopping Benefits
It’s also possible to protect your purchases from theft, damage, and malfunctions:
- Purchase protection: Up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year
- Extended warranty: Qualifying purchases are eligible for a one-year warranty extension.
- Return protection: Receive up to $300 per item and $1,000 per year when the merchant won’t issue a refund.
- Virtual card numbers: Pay online with unique card numbers at participating merchants to prevent credit card theft.
- Capital One Shopping: Compare prices online from multiple merchants to find the lowest price on your desired items.
Redeeming Venture X Rewards
Award travel redemptions are the most valuable way to use your Venture miles but non-travel awards are available too. Here is a closer look at the flexible ways to use your miles for future or recent trips.
Travel Statement Credits
Your miles are worth 1 cent as a travel statement credit for travel purchases you make in the past 90 days. There isn’t a redemption minimum which makes this award option the easiest way to use your Venture miles.
Whether you use Capital One Travel or book directly from an airline or hotel, most travel purchases are eligible.
Upcoming Trips through Capital One Travel
Your miles can also be worth 1 cent for upcoming flights, hotels, and car rentals through Capital One Travel. This is an effective way to use your miles if you don’t want to pay cash for your trip.
However, a more practical travel hack is paying cash to earn the 10x or 5x bonus miles first. As a result, you have more miles to redeem as a travel statement credit as the redemption value is identical.
1:1 Mile Transfers
You might be able to find a better deal for international flights by transferring your miles to one of the Capital One travel partners.
Here are the current airline and hotel transfer partners:
Loyalty Program | Transfer Ratio |
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Aeromexico Club Premier | 1:1 |
Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 |
Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 1:1 |
Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 |
British Airways Executive Club | 1:1 |
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1:1 |
Emirates Skywards | 1:1 |
Etihad Guest | 1:1 |
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | 2:1.5 |
Finnair Plus | 1:1 |
Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 |
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 |
TAP Air Portugal Miles2Go | 1:1 |
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 1:1 |
Virgin Red | 1:1 |
Accor Live Limitless | 2:1 |
Choice Privileges | 1:1 |
Wyndham Rewards | 1:1 |
You may also be able to scoop up some exciting domestic partner flights on United Airlines through Avianca, Aeroplan, and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.
But, for domestic travel, the Choice Privileges and Wyndham Rewards hotel loyalty programs are your best options as you can transfer directly and book quickly.
Gift Cards
Your miles are worth between 0.8 and 1 cent for gift cards to restaurants and stores. This is your most valuable non-travel redemption.
Online Shopping Credits
You can also pay directly with miles for Amazon and PayPal purchases but the redemption value is only worth 0.8 cents.
Instead, consider paying with your Venture X Rewards to earn double miles and using those miles for an upcoming trip.
Cash Statement Credits
Cash back is convenient but the least valuable redemption option as your miles are worth a measly 0.5 cents. Travel statement credits are similar to a cash statement credit and easy to redeem if you travel regularly.
The Vacationer Tip
Tip: Consider the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card to earn 1.5% back on all purchases. However, you cannot transfer your purchase rewards between these two products.
Fees
As this is a premium travel credit card with a high annual fee, it’s essential to know this card’s fee structure.
- Annual Fee: $395
- Foreign Transaction Fee: None
Capital One Venture X Rewards Compared to Similar Cards
The Venture X Rewards is an awesome premium travel credit card but these alternatives can offer better travel perks.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Consider The Platinum Card® from American Express if you want one of the most luxurious travel credit cards. This card has a diverse combination of travel and leisure benefits.
Some of the most valuable card benefits include:
- Earn up to 5x Membership Rewards on flights booked direct and via Amex Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year) and hotels booked via Amex Travel
- Annual Up to $200 airline fee statement credits for incidentals per calendar year at one selected airline (enrollment required)
- Annual up to $200 hotel credit at Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection booked via Amex Travel (a minimum two-night stay is required)
- Up to $200 in Uber Cash for use on rides or eats orders in the US annually (enrollment required)
- Airport lounge access to several networks, including the Centurion Lounge
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck ($100 statement credit every four years for Global Entry application fees or an $85 statement credit every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck application fees) and CLEAR® Plus application fee credits (up to $189 per year)
- Up to $300 in annual Equinox statement credits. Enrollment required.
- Current Welcome Bonus Offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Featured transfer partners include Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Aeroplan, and Hilton Honors.
The annual fee is $595 for the basic card and you pay $195 for each additional card.
See our complete Capital One Venture X vs. Amex Platinum Card comparison article for more details.
Further Reading: American Express Platinum Card Benefits
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has many overlapping benefits. The card’s distinctive features are its valuable rewards points and access to several 1:1 domestic airline transfer partners.
Some of the best benefits include:
- Earn up to 10x Ultimate Rewards points on travel booked through Chase (after the first $300 spent)
- 3x points per dollar spent for all other travel purchases (after the first $300 spent on travel per year)
- Award travel redemptions are worth 50% more (1.5 cents each)
- 1:1 airline and hotel point transfers
- $300 annual travel credit applies to any travel purchase (then earn up to 10x)
- Priority Pass Select lounge membership
- Travel insurance benefits
- Up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Current Bonus: 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 Ultimate Rewards®
Several of the best 1:1 transfer partners include United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, World of Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy.
The annual fee is $550 and $75 per authorized user.
See our complete Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Capital One Venture X Rewards Card comparison article for more details.
Further Reading: Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
If you’re not ready for a premium card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is an exciting runner-up. You can enjoy a smaller buffet of rewards but have the same redemption options and travel transfer partners.
Travel benefits include:
- 5x miles on hotels and car rentals on Capital One Travel
- 2x on all remaining purchases
- Two free Capital One Lounge visits per year
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- Hertz Five Star loyalty status
- 1:1 mile transfers
- Current Early Spend Bonus: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
The annual fee is $95 and additional cards are free. See our complete Capital One Venture X Card vs. Capital One Venture Card comparison article.
Further Reading: Capital One Venture Rewards Card Benefits
U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve is another bargain-priced premium credit card. The card offers different ways to earn bonus points and offers a redemption bonus when booking award travel.
- Earn 5x on hotel and car rental bookings through the Altitude Rewards Center
- 3x on travel and mobile wallet purchases
- Up to $325 in annual credits for travel and dining purchases
- Points are worth 1.5 cents for award travel redemptions
- Priority Pass Select lounge membership
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Unfortunately, this card doesn’t offer point transfers but the 50% travel redemption bonus is a nice substitute.
The annual fee is $400 and you must be a U.S. Bank customer to apply.
The information for the U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card has been collected independently by The Vacationer. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
FAQ
The annual fee is $395 for the primary card.
Hotel and car rentals earn 10x through Capital One Travel and flight bookings on the portal earn 5x. All remaining purchases earn 2x.
Your miles are worth 1 cent for travel statement credits on purchases in the last 90 days, upcoming travel through Capital One Travel, and select gift cards.
Each mile can be worth more than 1 cent when transferring to the 15+ airline and hotel transfer partners. International flights are the best reason to transfer miles and then domestic flights with alliance partners like United Airlines or American Airlines.
Most travel purchases from the last 90 days that you book through Capital One Travel or directly from the provider are eligible.
Some of the qualifying purchases include flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, bus tickets, camping, taxi cabs, limousine services, and travel agents.
Venture X cardholders receive credits for the first $300 in flight, hotel, and car rental bookings on the Capital One Travel booking portal.
Travel purchases made through different third-party booking sites are ineligible.
No, the $200 vacation vacation credit is no longer available to new applicants.
Starting on your first card anniversary, you receive 10,000 bonus miles ($100 value).
Primary and authorized users have complimentary access to the Priority Pass, Capital One Lounge networks, and Plaza Premium Lounges. Capital One Venture X cardholders and up to two guests can enter for free and each additional guest incurs a one-time fee.
The Venture X Rewards is a premium travel credit card and a Visa Infinite product.
You will need an excellent credit score which is usually 740 (FICO) or higher.
Capital One defines excellent credit as never declaring bankruptcy or defaulting on a loan, not more than 60 days late on a bill, and having a loan or a credit card with a minimum $5,000 credit limit for at least three years.
New cardmembers can receive 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months. This signup bonus is worth $750 in award travel. This bonus is down from the initial offer of 100,000 miles after spending $6,000 in the first six months.
The Vacationer’s Final Thoughts
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is an impressive premium travel credit card that’s best for frequent flyers. Travelers willing to book their flights, hotels, and car rentals through Capital One Travel can also be an excellent fit.
Redeeming your miles for a travel statement credit gives you the flexibility of earning at least 2x miles on every purchase and still getting the maximum redemption value.
Its low annual fee also makes this card an attractive alternative to the more popular Chase Sapphire Reserve and American Express Platinum Card which have raised their fees in recent years.
Further Reading:
- Best Starter Travel Rewards Credit Cards for Beginners
- Capital One Venture X vs. Amex Platinum Card
- Capital One Venture X vs. Capital One Venture Card
- Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply
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