The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers great value to occasional travelers who want to maximize the miles they earn. This card has a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees) and earns 2 miles per dollar on all purchases.
Its sleek sibling, the $395-annual-fee Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees), offers an enhanced travel experience to compete with other premium products. Platinum Card® from American Express and Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
If you don’t have either card — Venture Rewards or Venture X — you may be wondering: Should you apply for the well-established, crowd-pleasing Venture Rewards or go premium with the luxe Venture X?
Let’s examine both cards to help you decide which Capital One card is your best option.
Capital One Venture Rewards Vs. Capital One Venture X Comparison
| card | Capital One Venture Ex | Capital One Venture Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $395 (see rates and fees) | $95 (see rates and fees) |
| Welcome offer | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. | Receive a $250 Capital One travel credit in the first cardholder year. Plus, earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. |
| earning rate |
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| Other benefits |
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| Foreign transaction fees | None (see rates and fees) | None (see rates and fees) |
Capital One Venture Rewards Vs. Capital One Venture X welcome offer
Venture Rewards currently offers $250 Capital One Travel Credit to new applicants in first cardholder year. Plus, earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Venture X offers new card members 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
When adding together the value of the bonus miles and Capital One travel credit, the Venture Rewards offer is valued at $1,638 based on TPG’s July 2024 valuation.
Meanwhile, the Venture X offer is worth $1,388 based on TPG’s valuation, so you’ll get incredible value from the bonus no matter which card you choose.
Winner: Adventure Rewards. The offer of travel credit for the same spending needs as the Venture X makes its welcome offer even more valuable.
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Related: How to redeem 75,000 Capital One miles for maximum value
Capital One Venture Rewards Vs. Capital One Venture X Benefits
With Venture Rewards, you’ll get up to a one-time credit of up to $100 toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, as well as rental car and travel accident insurance, extended warranty protection and access Capital One’s lifestyle collection of hotels and Capital One Entertainment.
In contrast, Venture X has a stronger list of benefits that justify its higher annual fee if you can maximize it.
As a cardholder, you’ll receive a $300 annual credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel and free access to Capital One and Plaza Premium Lounges for you and two guests. You’ll also get Priority Pass lounge membership at over 1,300 locations for you and unlimited guests (subject to capacity).
You’ll also get 10,000 bonus miles, valued at $185 per TPG valuation, on each cardholder’s anniversary, along with access to Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection and Luxury Premier Collection of hotels, travel protection, extended warranty protection and cellphone protection.
An added benefit of Venture X is that you can add a limited number of authorized users at no additional fee (see Rates and Fees). These authorized users enjoy the same airport lounge access as the main cardholder, including complimentary access for themselves and guests.
Winner: Venture X. As a more premium card offering, it has a stronger list of benefits than Venture Rewards.
Related: Is Venture X Worth Its Annual Fee?
Capital One Venture Rewards Vs. Earn miles on Capital One Venture X
Both Venture Rewards and Venture X earn bonus miles on travel booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Both cards also earn 5 miles per dollar spent on Capital One Entertainment purchases through December 31, 2025.
With Venture Rewards, you’ll earn 5 miles per dollar spent Hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. If you have Venture X, however, you’ll earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through the same portal.
Winner: Venture X. It earns twice as much as Venture Rewards on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Venture X Capital also earns bonus miles on flights booked through One Travel, while Venture Rewards does not.
RELATED: 6 Simple Strategies I Use to Earn Over 500,000 Points and Miles a Year
Capital One Venture Rewards Vs. Redeeming miles on Capital One Venture X
Both Venture Rewards and Venture X earn Capital One miles and give you the same redemption options.
You’ll get the most value by transferring your miles to one Capital One’s travel partners, but you can also redeem them for statement credits to cover travel purchases or gift cards at a flat rate of one cent per mile.
Both cards allow you to redeem your miles for cash back, but you’ll get a much lower rate of 0.5 cents per mile, so we recommend avoiding this option whenever possible.
Winner: tie up Both cards give you the same options for redeeming your miles.
Related: Should you redeem your miles directly for travel or transfer them to partners?
Capital One Venture Rewards Vs. Transferring miles with Capital One Venture X
One of the best things about both Venture Rewards and Venture X is that they allow you to Transfer your miles to any of Capital One’s 15-plus hotel and airline partners, including value options like Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club and Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles.
And if you can take advantage of transfer bonuses, you’ll get even more value from your miles. For example, TPG Points and Miles senior writer Ben Smithson gets good value from his miles by transferring them to Air Canada Aeroplan and Flying Blue.
Winner: tie up Both Venture Rewards and Venture X transfer to the same partners at the same rate.
Related: How to Redeem Capital One Miles for Maximum Value
Should I get Capital One Venture Rewards or Capital One Venture X?
If you’re focused on keeping the cost of your annual fee low, go with Venture Rewards. You’ll get a strong earning rate, the ability to take advantage of Capital One’s transfer partners, and some travel benefits for just a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees). However, if you want airport lounge access and can max out its $300 annual credit, the Venture X is a better choice.
Related: Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Get Venture X
How to upgrade from Capital One Venture Rewards to Capital One Venture X
If you already have Venture Rewards and would like to upgrade to Venture X, you can call the number on the back of your card and request a product change. You won’t be able to take advantage of your new card’s welcome offer by going this route, but it’s a great way to get more benefits without worrying about eligibility.
Related: How Venture X saved me over $6,000 on a summer trip to France
Bottom line
Venture Rewards and Venture X are both great travel rewards cards that earn bonus points on Capital One travel purchases and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases.
The Venture X is a great card for those who can take advantage of its airport lounge access and annual credit, while the Venture Rewards is better suited for anyone looking to keep their annual fee costs down. Regardless of the card you choose, you’ll get solid travel benefits and valuable transferable rewards.
To learn more, read our full reviews Venture Rewards and Venture Ex.
Learn more: Capital One Venture
Learn more: Capital One Venture Ex
Related: How to Choose the Right Travel Credit Card for You
For Capital One products listed on this page, some benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. For details of conditions and exclusions applicable, see the relevant guidelines for benefits.