Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X: Worth the extra $300 in annual fees?

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card provides great value to occasional travelers who want to maximize the miles they earn. This card features a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees) and earns 2 miles per dollar on all purchases.

Its flashier 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 like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

If you don’t carry either card — the Venture Rewards or the Venture X — you may wonder: 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 X	Capital One Venture Rewards
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.	Earn 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 rates	10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases (through Dec. 31, 2025) 2 miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases	5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases (through Dec. 31, 2025) 2 miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Other benefits	Up to a $300 annual credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel Complimentary access to Capital One, Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges for you and up to two guests Access to Capital One Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection hotel bookings 10,000 bonus miles at each cardholder anniversary Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Free additional cardholders (see rates and fees)	Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Access to Lifestyle Collection hotel bookings Up to $50 experience credit on every Lifestyle Collection stay
Foreign transaction fees	None (see rates and fees)	None (see rates and fees)

Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X welcome offer

The Venture Rewards currently offers a $250 Capital One Travel credit to new applicants 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.

The Venture X offers new cardmembers 75,000 bonus miles after they spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.

The Venture Rewards offer is valued at $1,638, based on TPG’s July 2024 valuations, when adding together the value of the bonus miles and the Capital One Travel credit.

Meanwhile, the Venture X offer is worth $1,388 based on TPG’s valuations, so you’ll get incredible value from the bonus no matter which card you choose.

Winner: Venture Rewards. The offer of a travel credit for the same spending requirement as the Venture X makes its welcome offer more valuable.

Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X benefits

With the Venture Rewards, you’ll get up to a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry once, as well as rental car and travel accident insurance, extended warranty protection and access to Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection of hotels and Capital One Entertainment.

Conversely, the Venture X has a stronger list of benefits that more than justify its higher annual fee if you can maximize them.

As a cardholder, you’ll get a $300 annual credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel and complimentary access to Capital One and Plaza Premium lounges for you and up to two guests. You’ll also get a Priority Pass lounge membership to over 1,300 locations for you and unlimited guests (subject to capacity).

You’ll also receive 10,000 bonus miles, worth $185 according to TPG valuations, at each cardholder anniversary, along with access to Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection and the luxury Premier Collection of hotels, travel protections, extended warranty protection and cellphone protection.

An additional benefit of the Venture X is that you can add a limited number of authorized users for 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 the more premium card offering, it has a much more robust list of benefits than the Venture Rewards.

Earning miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X

Both the Venture Rewards and the 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 on Capital One Entertainment purchases through Dec. 31, 2025.

Capital One Travel portal screenshot — CAPITAL ONE

With the Venture Rewards, you’ll earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. If you have the 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 the miles as the Venture Rewards on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. The Venture X also earns bonus miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, while the Venture Rewards does not.

Redeeming miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X

Both the Venture Rewards and the 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 of Capital One’s travel partners, but you can also redeem them for a statement credit 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. Both cards give you the same options to redeem your miles.

Transferring miles with the Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X

One of the best things about both the Venture Rewards and the Venture X is that they allow you to transfer your miles to any of Capital One’s 15-plus hotel and airline partners, including valuable options like Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.

And if you can take advantage of a transfer bonus, you’ll get even more value from your miles. For instance, 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. Both the Venture Rewards and Venture X transfer to the same partners at the same rates.

Should I get the Capital One Venture Rewards or Capital One Venture X?

If you’re focused on keeping your annual fee costs low, go with the 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 maximize its $300 annual credit, the Venture X is the better choice.

How to upgrade from the Capital One Venture Rewards to the Capital One Venture X

If you already have the Venture Rewards and want to upgrade to the 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 good way to get more benefits without worrying about eligibility.

Bottom line

Both the Venture Rewards and the Venture X are excellent 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 a better fit for anyone looking to keep their annual fee costs low. Regardless of which card you choose, you’ll get solid travel benefits and earn valuable transferable rewards.

To learn more, read our full reviews of the Venture Rewards and Venture X.

Learn more: Capital One Venture

Learn more: Capital One Venture X

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.