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The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most approachable travel rewards cards on the market. With a rewarding 2X miles on everyday purchases, a strong welcome bonus, and flexible redemption options, it’s an excellent fit for travelers who want solid rewards without needing to maximize bonus categories.
What really sets the Capital One Venture apart is its versatility. You can redeem miles at a predictable value to erase travel purchases, or transfer them to airline and hotel partners when you’re ready to extract outsized value. That makes the card appealing both to beginners who want simplicity and to experienced travelers who like having options.
In this review, we’ll break down the Capital One Venture’s earning structure, benefits, redemption paths, and ideal use cases — so you can decide whether this straightforward travel card deserves a spot in your wallet.
- Earn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year
- 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles on all other purchase
- Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔® (up to $120)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
Capital One Venture Pros
- Earns Capital One miles through a straightforward rewards-earning structure.
- Flexible options for rewards redemption: Offset travel purchases or transfer to airline and hotel programs.
- Solid travel perks in exchange for a $95 annual fee.
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry statement credit (up to $120).
Capital One Venture Cons
- Miles are only worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed to offset travel purchases.
- Does not offer airport lounge access.
- Capital One airline transfer partners don't include any U.S. programs (although you can still book U.S. airline awards using Capital One miles)
Capital One Venture Welcome Bonus
New Capital One Venture cardmembers can earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year. That's a top-tier bonus with a manageable spending requirement, putting this card easily within reach for many.
Based on the average value of AwardWallet user redemptions, 75,000 bonus miles are worth over $1,500 if you transfer them to airlines and redeem for high-value flights. And the travel credit is just the icing on the cake!
Capital One Venture Benefits
Considering that the Capital One Venture is a mid-tier card with a $95 annual fee, it provides a surprising number of useful benefits for travelers. They are:
Lifestyle benefits at select hotels and vacation rentals
Lifestyle Collection hotels, resorts, or vacation rentals booked through the Capital One Travel portal receive an up to $50 experience credit.
For hotel bookings, the credit will be applied at checkout by the hotel to eligible purchases charged to your room. For vacation rentals, the host provider will apply a credit at the time of booking to qualifying experience charges, or they may provide the credit in the form of a gift card. It is recommended to contact the hotel or host provider in advance to confirm qualifying experiences.
Capital One Entertainment access
Eligible cardholders may also find exclusive or early access opportunities that aren’t always available to the general public, through Capital One’s Entertainment portal. Capital One Entertainment gives access to unique events and experiences, ranging from Major League Baseball games and concerts to food-and-wine tastings and other special experiences.
Complimentary Hertz Five Star status
Thanks to a partnership with Hertz, Capital One Venture cardholders can enroll to receive complimentary Hertz Five Star status. As the second-highest membership tier, this status level allows for a wider selection of rental vehicles and upgrades to the next car class (if available).
Plus, as a member of Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, you can skip the rental counter at pickup and drop-off at select locations, you'll earn Hertz points redeemable for free rental days and car-class upgrades, and you can add your spouse or domestic partner as a driver at no extra cost.
The partnership page explains how to claim your status.
No foreign transaction fees
The Capital One Venture doesn't charge any foreign transaction fees, which makes it a great card to use on trips abroad.
$120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
The Capital One Venture is also one of the many cards that features a statement credit of up to $120 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
Since Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck, you're better off applying for Global Entry if you might take an international trip in the next few years. In either case, the credit will cover the full value of the application fee once every four years if you pay with your card.
Travel and shopping protections
- Travel accident insurance: Receive up to $250,000 in coverage for common carrier accidental death or dismemberment at no extra cost when you charge your entire travel fare to your Capital One Venture card.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: Use your card to pay for your rental and decline the insurance at the counter to receive reimbursement for damages caused by theft or collision — up to the actual cash value of most rental cars. Note that this coverage isn't applicable in Israel, Jamaica, Ireland, or Northern Ireland, and certain types of vehicles aren't covered.
- Lost luggage reimbursement: Receive up to $3,000 reimbursement for your lost or stolen checked luggage or carry-on baggage, including the contents. You must pay either a portion or the entire cost of the trip with your Capital One Venture card to be eligible for coverage.
- Extended warranty: Extends your manufacturer's warranty up to one additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less, up to a maximum of $10,000 per claim, and $50,000 per cardholder.
Capital One Venture Earning Rates
The Capital One Venture card offers 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. And there is no limit to the miles you can earn, and Capital One miles don't expire as long as your account is open. This earning rate makes the card one of the best options for everyday spending.
Hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal earn 5X miles per $1 spent. Entertainment purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment portal also earn 5X miles per dollar spent.
If you truly want to maximize your earnings, other cards earn rewards in more than 2X on select categories. But it can take some organization to come out ahead with a portfolio of cards. If you like the simplicity of earning 2X miles on everything — without having to think about which card to use — the Capital One Venture is a perfect choice.
Redeeming Miles With the Capital One Venture
Capital One miles are perhaps the most flexible rewards out there. There are several ways to redeem the miles that you earn with the Capital One Venture, though some of them bring a lot more value than others.
Transfer miles
The best way to redeem your miles is by taking advantage of Capital One's transfer partners. To date, Capital One has 22 different travel partners. There are 18 airline partners, including British Airways Club, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, and Air Canada Aeroplan.
Capital One also has four hotel partners, including Accor Live Limitless, Choice Privileges, and Wyndham Rewards.
Redeeming your miles in this way can take more work and knowledge, but it also provides the key to unlocking the most value. Here are all of Capital One's transfer partners and data points on average transfer times:
Capital One Travel portal
The Capital One Travel portal lets you redeem your miles at 1 cent each. Miles can be used for anything you book, including rental cars, hotels, and flights.
However, we don't recommend using miles to book travel through Capital One Travel — especially for hotels or rental cars. You're much better off paying for those bookings with your card to earn 5X, and then redeeming miles as a statement credit. You'll come out with more miles through this approach.
Gift cards
Capital One lets you redeem miles for gift cards, though the value tends to be lower than with other options.
Statement credit
Another option is to redeem your miles for statement credits against recent travel purchases. You'll get a value of 1 cent per mile when doing so, but this can be helpful if you have fixed travel requirements and can't find other reward redemptions. It's also a great option for booking travel to a hotel that's not part of a rewards program or a vacation home rental.
Eligibility to redeem for travel purchases is based on the merchant category code assigned by the merchant but generally includes purchases made from airlines, hotels, rail lines, car rental agencies, limousine services, bus lines, cruise lines, taxi cabs, travel agents, and timeshares.
It's also possible to redeem miles for cash or a check (unrelated to recent travel purchases). These redemptions are worth half a cent per mile — poor value compared to your other options.
Application Restrictions and Strategy
Capital One is also known to be one of the most stringent banks when it comes to new card approvals. The credit card issuer does not publish strict application rules, but it is known to be highly sensitive to credit activity.
Applying for multiple Capital One cards in a short period (e.g., 30 days), receiving a new cardmember bonus for the same product within 48 months, or even holding a maximum of two personal Capital One branded cards at any one time often leads to automatic denials.
Recent inquiries on your credit report are also a major factor. Even people with otherwise stellar credit history have been denied for a Capital One card because of the number of new accounts. We recommend holding off on applying for other cards for a few months before applying for a Capital One card.
Other considerations: Capital One pulls your credit report from all three credit bureaus, and Capital One cards will count toward your Chase 5/24 status.
Cards That Compete With the Capital One Venture
Want to make a more informed opinion before you apply? Here are three cards that compare to the Capital One Venture:
- If you want to earn Capital One miles and get more premium travel perks, take a look at the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. It earns the same transferable miles as the Capital One Venture, but also has numerous perks in exchange for a $395 annual fee, including a $300 annual credit for bookings on Capital One Travel, 10,000 bonus miles each anniversary year, Hertz President's Circle elite status, and complimentary access to Capital One, Priority Pass, and Plaza Premium lounges. Learn more about the Capital One Venture X in our full review.
- If you're under 5/24, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees) is an excellent travel card that charges a $95 annual fee. Cardholders earn up to 5X Ultimate Rewards on travel purchases, as well as 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries (excluding wholesale clubs, Target, and Walmart). It also has an annual $50 statement credit for hotel bookings through the Chase Travel℠ portal. Learn more about the Sapphire Preferred in our full review.
- If you're over 5/24, then consider the Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), which charges a $95 annual fee. It earns 10X points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com; 3X points per $1 spent on air travel and other hotel purchases; and 3X points at gas stations, EV charging stations, restaurants, and supermarkets. It also gives you $100 off a $500 hotel stay each year when booking on Citi's travel portal and has some fantastic earning rates. Learn more about the Citi Strata Premier in our full review.
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Related: Best Credit Cards for Everyday Spending
Bottom Line
The Capital One Venture has been on our list of favorite cards for a long time. If you like simple, this card gets top marks for easy bonus rewards and its straightforward 2X earning structure.
If you're willing to put in the effort to keep track of which card to use for each type of purchase, you can earn more points and miles with a combo of cards that might earn 3X or even 5X in the right category. But for an easy, hassle-free path to solid rewards, the Capital One Venture is hard to beat.
- Earn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year
- 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles on all other purchase
- Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔® (up to $120)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), and Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees)
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