The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the more compelling general travel credit cards available today. Card members earn 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase (not just airline or travel purchases) and a generous sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
| Annual Fee | Intro APR, Purchases | Intro APR, Balance Transfers | Regular APR | Credit Needed |
| $95 | N/A | N/A | 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) |
|
Overview
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the best travel rewards credit cards on the market right now. As we mentioned, it earns an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase and has a notable sign-up bonus. The high welcome bonus, simple rewards, and generous travel perks is why we have come to rank it among our list of top credit cards.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a $95 annual fee (See Rates & Fees.), which is competitive with other premium travel rewards cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. While the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card typically features a slightly richer signup bonus and perks like an international concierge service, if you want the the most ongoing rewards from your travel card, in our opinion the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card may be a better bet.
Key facts
Generous sign-up bonus for new cardholders: Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
High rewards rate: Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cards booked through Capital One Travel with an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every other purchase.
Available for applicants with good/excellent credit: It’s included in on our list of the top credit cards for those with excellent credit. If you don’t hold that credit level, then the best credit cards for average credit may provide options for your needs.
No foreign transaction fees: You won’t have to pay a transaction fee on purchases made outside the United States with this credit card. See Rates & Fees.)
There’s a number of benefits included: Security Alerts, Card Lock, $0 Fraud Liability, and 24-Hour Travel Assistance Services fees are notable benefits. You also get access to Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Great sign-up bonus — Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
- Strong rewards for all purchases — Includes earn two miles per dollar spent on all purchases, with no limits.
- Easy rewards to redeem — Miles can be redeemed for travel statement credits or transferred to airline miles.
Cons
- Has an annual fee — There’s a $95 annual fee to be aware of. See Rates & Fees.)
- Less flexible in rewards — Travel statement credits can be flexible but they aren’t as flexible as cash back.
Detailed review
We’ve covered the basics, so let’s review the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to break down how we settled on believing it’s one of the best miles rewards credit cards on the market.
Welcome offer
New applicants who apply for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card will earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. This is a nice potential jump-start for new cardholders.
Rewards
Many users say Capital One’s miles rewards programs have been living up to the card company’s “no hassles” tagline. For example, you earn rewards at a easy-to-understand rates.
Cardholders of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card will earn strong, easy rewards, including an unlimited 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. These can be redeemed for statement credit against travel purchases, transferred to partner hotel and airlines programs, and redeemed for gift cards.
APR
There’s an going 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) interest rate with this credit card. See Rates & Fees.)
Other fees and interest rates
We’ve noted the annual fee ($95), but here are some other fees you may want to be aware of (See Rates & Fees.).
- Cash advance APR: 29.99% (Variable).
- Cash advance fee: 5% of the amount of the cash advance, but not less than $5.
- Late payment fee: Up to $40.
There are no foreign transaction fees as Capital One are among cards that do not charge foreign currency transaction fees. Their lack of foreign currency transaction fees is why you’ll frequently see Capital One credit cards among our best credit cards for international travel.
Travel-related perks
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is appealing for consumers looking for a straightforward travel rewards card that can be easily used both at home and overseas without incurring foreign transaction fees. There’s a number of travel-related perks, including some that help protect your trip:
$100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: When you use your Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to pay the application fee with one statement credit per account every four years.
Premium travel benefits: Qualifying charges A $50 Lifestyle Collection experience credit applied to qualifying charges, complimentary Wi-Fi and room upgrades (when available), and more when you book through Capital One Travel.
24-Hour Travel Assistance Services: You’re provided an emergency replacement card and a cash advance if your credit card is lost or stolen.
Travel Accident Insurance: Automatic insurance for a covered loss when you use your card to purchase your fare for no extra charge.
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Coverage against damage due to collision or theft when you rent an eligible vehicle with your credit card.
No foreign transaction fees: As we mentioned, you won’t pay a transaction fee when you’re traveling outside the United States (See Rates & Fees.).
There’s not as many perks as say the more higher-end Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, but that comes with a $395 annual fee. See Rates & Fees.
Other benefits
The other benefits with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card include a number of security features:
$0 Fraud Liability: No responsibility for authorized charges with this fraud coverage if your card is lost or stolen.
Extended Warranty: Additional warranty protection on eligible items for no extra charge when you purchase them with your credit cards. Cars, for example, as you’d expect are not eligible.
Virtual Card Numbers from Eno: Virtual card numbers for online purchases so you’re not sharing your actual card numbers.
Security Alerts: Text, email, and phone notifications if Capital One notices potentially suspicious transactions on your account.
You also get access to memorable experiences and can’t miss events from Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment. There’s 24/7 customer support from helpful Capital One reps. And whether you hold a Capital One product, or not, there’s also:
CreditWise: Monitors your credit health for free without hurting your credit score.
Capital One Shopping: Browser extension and app applies coupon codes at checkout to help you save money. With it, you can also earn shopping credits that are redeemable for a variety of gift cards.
The competition
Capital One’s travel rewards credit card has two versions—one with an annual fee, one without. Among the best Capital One credit cards, you may be wondering if this is the right card or it’s no-annual fee sibling, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card—is right for you.
In our opinion, if you will spend less than $10,000 a year on your next travel rewards credit card, you may want to opt for the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card version that has no annual fee (See Rates & Fees.).
- The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card annual fee is $95. It earns 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 2 miles per dollar on every dollar spent. (See Rates & Fees.)
- The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card has no annual fee and earns 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; earn 1.25 miles per dollar spent on every purchase. (See Rates & Fees.)
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card vs Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 0% intro on purchases for 15 months and 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months. Then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) | 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) |
| Welcome bonus | 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening | 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening |
| Cashback rewards | Unlimited 1.25 miles for every dollar spent on all purchases | Unlimited 2 miles for every dollar spent on all purchases |
| Annual fee | $0 | $95 |
Who should apply for the Capital One Venture Card?
If you’re looking for one of the best travel rewards credit cards you won’t find many better than the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
It has a generous sign-up bonus and ongoing strong travel rewards with flexible redemption options, so if you hold a credit level that ranges up to excellent, then this may be the right card for you.
How do you apply for the Capital One Venture Card?
If you’re ready to apply for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card you’ll want to our head to our link to provide the necessary information. The initial step of the application are the expected basics: name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and U.S. citizenship status.
Then, you’ll need to provide contact information, including your home address, phone number, and email address. Finally, the application will ask for your financial picture, including your employment status and monthly income.
Once you press submit, Capital One will analyze the data provided to approve or deny you.
Summary
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is among the best for a hassle free travel rewards credit cards with top ongoing rewards rates and a sign-up bonus that stands out.
Despite it’s $95 annual fee (which is typical to be fair), the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the travel perks that come along with it is a better deal if you’ll spend around $10,000 a year or more on the card. See Rates & Fees.
» MORE: See card details/apply
FAQs related to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
What credit score do you need for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card?
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is for applicants with a credit score ranging up to excellent.
In most cases this means using credit for between three and five years, a FICO score of 700 or higher, and not having too much other credit card debt. Check here to get your free credit score if you’re not sure. Other factors also determine credit worthiness. Per Capital One on excellent credit, this includes never declaring bankruptcy or defaulting on a local, not being more than 60 days late on any credit card, medical bill, or loan in the last year, and having a loan or credit card for 4 years or more with a credit limit above $5,000.
How do Capital One miles work?
Miles earned with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card can be automatically redeemed as a statement credit for any travel related expense, such as airline, hotel, cruise line and rental car transactions. Alternately, cardholders can redeem miles by booking on any airline at any time, with no blackout dates, no advance booking required. Miles don’t expire for the life of the account.
When earning miles, there are no limits on when, where or how you earn 2 miles per dollar spent, no retailer specifications or spending categories, no separate rewards enrollment or re-enrollment requirements, and no limit on the number of miles cardholders can accumulate.
Compared to some travel credit cards—particularly airline cards that earn miles good for travel on just one airline, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is attractive for its simplicity. If you have available miles, you can simply check boxes on your credit card statement next to travel transactions you want to pay for.
If there’s a downside to Capital One miles, it’s that you can’t stretch their value.
How much are Capital One miles worth?
The Capital One miles earned with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are worth a penny a piece when you book travel through Capital One or redeem miles for statement credits against travel purchases. 100 miles equals one dollar’s reward.
That’s exactly average as far as rewards miles go—no better, no worse. For example, if you’re earning 2 miles per dollar with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, $15,000 in spending earns you 30,000 miles which can buy a $300 airline ticket. That’s better than some miles rewards cards that only give you one mile for every dollar spent.
Miles for gift cards carry a redemption value between 1-1.25 miles per cent and transferring miles to partner airline and hotel programs depends on the transfer partner.