Need a solid travel rewards credit card? Earn a whopping bonus with the Venture Card from Capital One.

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Why we like this card: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a straightforward, competitive rewards structure and a significant sign-up bonus. Plus, it offers several travel-related perks, including 0% foreign transaction fees, the ability to transfer miles to multiple travel partners, and up to $100 in credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, making it a top contender for frequent travelers.

Pros

  • Simple rewards structure
  • 0% foreign transaction fee
  • Flexible reward redemption options

Cons

  • Annual fee ($95)
  • No introductory APR
  • Steep spending requirement to earn bonus

Capital One Venture Rewards: Overview

APR:

  • Intro: N/A
  • Purchase: 20.99%–28.99% Variable, based on creditworthiness
  • Balance transfer: 20.99%–28.99% Variable
  • Cash advance: 28.99%, plus a fee of $3 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater

Annual fee: $95

Foreign transaction fee: 0%

Late payment: Up to $40

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a straightforward rewards system for cardholders without the hassle of tracking rotating categories. It offers a solid base rewards rate with an unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, plus 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. New cardholders also enjoy a hefty 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening. 

The card comes with a moderate annual fee compared to the industry standard. However, the Venture card offers plenty of perks to make this fee worth it for those who take full advantage, including the $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Other benefits include no foreign transaction fees, which can lead to significant savings on international trips, 24-hour travel assistance services, a collision damage waiver on car rentals, and travel accident insurance.

Overall, the Capital One Venture Rewards card is a great choice for frequent travelers seeking a hassle-free yet rewarding credit card experience.

Capital One Venture: Rewards

The Venture card from Capital One offers a simple rewards structure:

  • 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 2x miles on every purchase

New cardholders can earn an impressive 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening.

How to redeem Capital One Venture rewards

If you want to boost the value of your miles, your best bet is to book your trip through the Capital One Travel portal. You can redeem miles for flights, hotels, car rentals, and more. But that’s not the only way you can redeem Venture miles. 

Reimburse yourself for travel purchases

You can use the Purchase Eraser tool to reimburse yourself for travel purchases made in the past 90 days using miles. With this method, you redeem miles at a 1 mile-to-$1 value.

Transfer miles to partners

You can also transfer your miles to one of Capital One’s travel partners. There are 15 different loyalty programs available, including Aeromexico Club Premier, Avianca LifeMiles, Emirates Skywards, Virgin Red, and Wyndham Rewards. In general, miles transfer at a 1:1 rate, though certain partners and deals may increase the value of your rewards.

Share miles with friends and family

If someone you know also has a Venture or Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and is planning a trip, you can transfer miles to them. You get to choose how many miles you want to send.

Redeem for gift cards

You can also redeem your Venture miles for gift cards from a wide variety of merchants, including restaurants, retailers, hotels, airlines, grocery stores and more. Sign into your Capital One account to see what’s currently available.

Get cash back

You can also transform your miles into cash. Miles can be redeemed for a statement credit to offset your bill or for a physical check. Statement credits appear on your account in as little as two to three business days, while checks take about two to three weeks to get to your mailbox.

Enjoy some entertainment

Venture cardholders get exclusive access to special events through Capital One Entertainment. You can redeem your miles for tickets to more than 500,000 events and experiences, including sporting events, concerts, VIP packages, and more.

Additional benefits

Aside from valuable rewards on spending, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card also comes with the following perks:

  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® credit: Cardholders can get up to $100 in a statement credit to cover their Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee. You must use your Venture card to pay the application fee to receive this credit. One statement credit is available per account every four years.
  • Travel accident insurance: As long as you purchase your travel fare using your Venture card, you receive automatic insurance for a covered loss at no extra charge.
  • 24-hour travel assistance services: If you run into problems while traveling, help is just a phone call away with the Venture card. For instance, if your card is lost or stolen, you can get an emergency replacement card and a cash advance.
  • Extended warranty: Eligible items that you purchase with your card receive additional warranty protection at no charge. Get double the original manufacturer’s written U.S. repair warranty, up to one full year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
  • Auto rental collision damage waiver: When you use your card to pay for the entire cost of an eligible rental vehicle and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver, you will be covered for damage due to collision or theft.
  • Capital One lounge access: Venture cardholders get two complimentary visits to a Capital One airport lounge each year (all other travelers can pay $65 to enter). Lounges are currently located in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Washington Dulles (IAD) airports, with another coming soon to Denver (DEN).
  • Partner lounge network access: Venture cardholders also get two complimentary visits per year to any of Capital One’s 100+ partner lounges around the world. Complimentary visits can also be used for guests.

Is the Venture card right for you?

If you’re looking for a rewards card that offers the highest value for travel-related purchases and a few extra perks beyond what you’ll find with free cards, the Capital One Venture card may be a good option.

Credit cards similar to Capital One Venture

The Venture card from Capital One isn’t your only option if you’re in the market for a travel rewards card. Here are a couple of other similar cards to consider.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is comparable to the Capital One Venture in that it offers decent rewards, a few extra perks, and a modest annual fee. Plus, they both offer a generous sign-up bonus. 

However, the Sapphire Preferred stands out by offering more bang for your buck on spending. While the base rewards rate is just 1 point per dollar, cardholders can earn 5 points per dollar on certain travel purchases through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, 2 points per dollar on other travel purchases, and 3 points per dollar on streaming services, dining, and online grocery orders.

Capital One VentureOne vs. Capital One Venture

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a more affordable version of the Venture. Though it doesn’t charge an annual fee, the base rewards rate is lower at 1.25 miles per dollar spent vs. the Venture’s 2 miles per dollar. The VentureOne also lacks some of Venture’s perks, like the credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Overall, the Venture card is a better option for those who don’t mind spending a bit upfront to get more value from their card.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Capital One Venture card worth getting?

The Capital One Venture card is a good option for those who are looking for a basic travel card with solid rewards and an overall decent value based on its annual fee. 

What is the Capital One Venture card good for?

The Venture card from Capital One is good for earning reward miles that can be redeemed in a number of ways. If you don’t want to worry about tracking spending categories to get the most value out of your card, the Venture card may be a good fit.

What are the cons of the Capital One Venture card?

Despite several benefits, there are a few drawbacks to the Venture card. Its annual fee may not appeal to cardholders who prefer a free rewards card. There is also a fairly steep spending requirement in order to earn the sign-up bonus.


Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date but are subject to change at any time at the issuer’s discretion. Before applying, please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits.