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When comparing top travel rewards cards, the Citi Premier® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card score close to the top of the list for many points and miles fans.
Both cards currently feature great signup offers, earn a ton of rewards points, charge affordable annual fees under $100, and provide cardholders with high-value options to redeem points for travel.
These cards tick a lot of boxes, but which one offers more value to cardholders? Let's dig into the details and determine which card fits your wallet best.
Citi Premier vs. Capital One Venture at a Glance
| Card Details | Citi Premier® Card | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Signup Bonus | Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points | Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 Miles |
| Bonus Categories | • 3X points on airfare, hotels, and at gas stations • 3X points on dining at restaurants, including cafes, bars, and lounges • 3X at supermarkets • 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases | • 2X Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day • 5X Miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| Value of Points | • 1¢ per point for airfare through Citi Travel Center • Transfer points to 14 airline partners | • 1¢ per point for almost any travel purchase redeemed as a statement credit • Transfer points to 18 airline and hotel partners |
| Key Benefits | • Hotel credit - $100 annual credit eligible on hotel reservations of $500 or more made through ThankYou.com. • World Elite Mastercard benefits • Free FICO score | • Up to $100 TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credit every 4 years • Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver (secondary for rentals in the U.S., primary coverage for rentals outside the U.S.) • Two complimentary visits to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges each year |
| Eligibility | Won't be approved if you: • Have opened or closed a Citi Premier® Card in the previous 48 months | Won't be approved if you: • Currently hold 2 Capital One branded personal cards • Have been approved for a Capital One credit card in the previous 6 months |
| Annual Fee | $95 | $95 |
60,000 ThankYou Points vs. 75,000 Venture Miles
Citi recently lowered the bonus on the Citi Premier credit card from an all-time high of 80,000 points to 60,000 points for new account holders, who can earn these points by meeting the $4K minimum spend. This is still considered a strong bonus as these are flexible rewards points; however, the latest bonus on the Citi Premier doesn't provide as much value as the bonus on the Capital One Venture.
- 60,000 point signup bonus worth $800 towards airfare through the ThankYou Travel Center, or potentially much more when transferred to airline partners
- 3X points per $1 on airfare and hotels and at gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets
- Annual Hotel Benefit: Save $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when you book through ThankYou.com
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- 3X points per $1 spent on airfare, hotels, and at gas stations
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining at restaurants, including cafes, bars and lounges
- 3X points per $1 spent at supermarkets
- 1X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
Capital One has also upped the ante on the Capital One Venture, publishing an excellent offer of 75,000 points once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. You can get at least $750 value from this bonus if redeemed at a fixed value for travel purchases, or potentially much more if you transfer miles to Capital One transfer partners.
- Earn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening; worth $750 in travel if redeemed for a fixed-value, or potentially much more when transferred to airline partners
- 2 Miles on every purchase
- Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔® (up to $100)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
Bonus Categories and Earning Potential
One area where these cards are miles apart is how you earn rewards. The Citi Premier is an excellent option if you are willing to build a multi-card portfolio to maximize your returns. As a standalone card, you earn 3X points per $1 on airfare and hotels and at gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets. When combined with the Citi Double Cash, and potentially a Citi Custom Cash or Citi Rewards+, these cards form one of the most formidable rewards earning combos available right now.
If you prefer simplicity, the Capital One Venture is the ultimate set and forget rewards card. Earning a flat 2X points on purchases, you can swipe the Capital One Venture without needing to plan which card you pull out at each vendor, and points are easy to redeem at a fixed value for almost any travel purchase.
Key Benefits and Highlights
Given that these cards are both mid-tier rewards cards with sub-$100 annual fees, neither card features the big-ticket perks and benefits we see on ultra-premium travel cards. It's also worth noting that Citi pulled almost all travel and purchase protection benefits from its cards back in 2019. There are, however, a couple of perks worth noting for both issuers.
The Capital One Venture receives two complimentary visits to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges each year, a TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credit every four years worth up to $100, and auto rental insurance which is secondary for rentals in the U.S. and primary for rentals outside the U.S.
Citi Premier cardholders get a $100 annual hotel credit, eligible on hotel reservations of $500 or more made through ThankYou.com, plus some essential perks like free access to your FICO score and a stack of valuable World Elite Mastercard benefits.
Who is Eligible for the Welcome Bonuses?
To qualify for the Citi Premier 60,000-point bonus, you can't have opened or closed a ThankYou Points earning card in the previous 24 months.
Bonus ThankYou® Points are not available if you received a new cardmember bonus for Citi Rewards+℠, Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi ThankYou® Premier/Citi Premier® or Citi Prestige®, or if you have closed any of these accounts, in the past 24 months.
Capital One only allows you to hold two Capital One branded credit cards, plus you can only get one Capital One card every six months. This includes personal and small business cards. Provided you meet those conditions, you should be eligible to apply for the Capital One Venture bonus. Outside of these issuer restrictions, the T&Cs state that you may also be denied a bonus if you've had this card in the past.
You will earn 75,000 bonus miles if you spend at least $4,000 within 3 months of your rewards membership enrollment date. Once you qualify for this bonus, we will apply it to your rewards balance within two billing cycles. Existing or previous Accountholders may not be eligible for this one-time bonus.
Final Thoughts
When you factor in the 60,000-point signup bonus, we think the Citi Premier should be on the radar of anyone that qualifies for the bonus. The card is a staple for ThankYou Rewards fans and one of the best rewards card packages available today.
- 60,000 point signup bonus worth $800 towards airfare through the ThankYou Travel Center, or potentially much more when transferred to airline partners
- 3X points per $1 on airfare and hotels and at gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets
- Annual Hotel Benefit: Save $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when you book through ThankYou.com
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- 3X points per $1 spent on airfare, hotels, and at gas stations
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining at restaurants, including cafes, bars and lounges
- 3X points per $1 spent at supermarkets
- 1X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
If you are chasing the most straightforward rewards strategy, from both an earning and redeeming perspective, it's hard to go past the Capital One Venture. You still have the option of transferring to high-value transfer partners, but the ability to redeem points at a fixed value on almost any travel purchase makes this card a bulletproof alternative for anyone chasing a simplified rewards strategy.
- Earn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening; worth $750 in travel if redeemed for a fixed-value, or potentially much more when transferred to airline partners
- 2 Miles on every purchase
- Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔® (up to $100)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
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I already have Citi Double Cash. If I sign up for Citi Premier and get my Thank You points will they stay active on my Double Cash if I close my Premier card after 11 months?
That depends. You’ll need to link the ThankYou points for your two cards. Otherwise your points are earned and held in two different accounts – and the Premier points will be lost when you close that account.
A strong selling point of the venture card is the purchase eraser that comes in handy for the non traditional traveler when you have travel expenses that one cannot use points for. When I had the cap one venture I used it for cheap hostel stays and used the purchase eraser to cover the cost