Capital One Venture Card Review: Is The $95 Fee Worth It For 2x Miles?

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a popular travel rewards card, and it’s arguably one of the most rewarding and straightforward to use. The card has a big welcome bonus, offers a minimum of 2x miles on everyday spending with no foreign transaction fees, and has a reasonable annual fee. The card also offers some additional perks that can help offset the annual fee. This post is my in-depth Capital One Venture Card review. Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about the card, and also discuss how it compares to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (learn more) and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (learn more). Link: Learn more about the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Capital One Venture Card summary & key detailsCapital One Venture Card bonus, eligibility, & feesVenture Card limited time welcome bonusVenture Card eligibility rules & application restrictionsVenture Card $95 annual fee & $0 authorized user feeCapital One Venture Card rewards structureVenture Card 5x miles with Capital One TravelVenture Card 2x miles on everyday spendingVenture Card no foreign transaction fees on spendingCapital One Venture Card benefits & creditsVenture Card Global Entry or TSA PreCheck creditVenture Card Hertz Five Star statusVenture Card $50 Lifestyle Collection creditVenture Card rental car coverageVenture Card purchase & travel protectionVenture Card Capital One Dining & Entertainment perksHow to redeem Capital One miles for best valueRedeem Capital One miles toward travel costsConvert Capital One miles into airline or hotel pointsIs the Capital One Venture Card worth it?Capital One Venture Vs. VentureOne comparisonCapital One Venture Vs. Venture X comparisonCapital One Venture alternatives to considerCapital One Venture Card FAQsBottom line Capital One Venture Card summary & key details Before I get into my Capital One Venture Card review, let me briefly summarize the key details of the card: Capital One Venture Card annual fee: $95 Capital One Venture Card welcome offer: 75K miles plus a $300 Capital One Travel credit to use toward hotels and vacation rentals after spending $4,000 within the first three months (limited time) Capital One Venture Card rewards: 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars, booked through Capital One Travel, and 2x miles on all other eligible purchases Capital One Venture Card foreign transaction fees: None Capital One Venture Card perks & benefits: Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit once every four years, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star status, rental car coverage, and more Beyond that, here are what I consider to be some of the major pros and cons of the Capital One Venture Card: Capital One Venture Card pros include the big welcome offer, the straightforward and lucrative rewards on everyday spending, and the reasonable annual fee Capital One Venture Card cons include the lack of bonus categories on spending, as well as the card not offering any airport lounge access, or meaningful credits to offset the fee The Capital One Venture offers valuable travel rewards Capital One Venture Card bonus, eligibility, & fees A couple of the key selling points of the Capital One Venture Card include the reasonable annual fee and the big welcome bonus. After all, those are factors that are important to consumers, so let’s start by taking a closer look at those things, including who is eligible for the card. Venture Card limited time welcome bonus The Capital One Venture Card currently has a limited time welcome bonus where you can earn 75,000 bonus miles plus a $300 Capital One Travel credit (to use toward hotels or vacation rentals in the first cardmember year) after spending $4,000 within the first three months. This is a much better offer than you’ll usually find on the Capital One Venture Card, and it’s among the best we’ve seen. Based on my latest valuation of points currencies, I value Capital One miles at 1.7 cents each. That means to me, the miles are worth $1,275, and that doesn’t factor in the value of the $300 Capital One Travel credit. So in total, this offer is worth up to $1,575. How does the current Capital One Venture Card limited time bonus compare to past offers? We’ve never seen a publicly available welcome offer of over 75,000 miles (in terms of the mileage component), though in 2024 there was a targeted offer of 100,000 miles We have seen a $250 Capital One Travel credit offered along with the miles a couple of times in the past, and this time we’re seeing a $300 Capital One Travel credit, so on the surface, it’s the biggest credit we’ve seen on the card to date The limitation is that this time around, the $300 credit is unfortunately limited to accommodations, while the previous $250 credits could also be applied to things like flights Redeem Capital One miles for a flight in Emirates first class Venture Card eligibility rules & application restrictions When you look at the bonus terms on the Capital One Venture Card, you’ll find the following language: You are not eligible for this product if you have received a new cardmember bonus for the Capital One Venture card or the Capital One Venture X card in the past 48 months. As you can see, the card follows a 48-month rule, so you’re not eligible for the welcome bonus on this card if you’ve received a new cardmember bonus on this exact card or on the Capital One Venture X Card (learn more) in the past 48 months. Beyond that, Capital One has very few consistent restrictions regarding being approved for credit cards. The Capital One Venture Card has a $95 annual fee. That applies the first year, and all subsequent years. There is no cost to add authorized users to the card. We’ve seen a lot of credit card annual fee inflation over the years, so this is among the most reasonable annual fees you’ll find on a card that’s this lucrative. Capital One Venture Card rewards structure A lot of credit card nowadays have a poor rewards structure for everyday spending, but have a couple of bonus categories to lure in members. The Capital One Venture Card is the opposite — it offers an excellent return on everyday spending, but lacks special bonus categories. Let’s go over those details. Venture Card 5x miles with Capital One Travel The Capital One Venture Card offers 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars, booked through the Capital One Travel portal. As you may have guessed based on the name, this is Capital One’s portal that allows you to make travel arrangements. Perhaps in some situations there could be merit to booking this way, but often this kind of spending comes at an opportunity cost. After all, if you book hotels through a travel portal, you typically don’t receive elite perks or earn points with another loyalty program on those purchases. So I wouldn’t view this as being any reason you should get this card. One thing I really do like about Capital One Travel is that it offers price drop protection when booking flights through the portal. However, unfortunately flights don’t earn 5x miles, so that’s not really compatible with this bonus category. It also offers a price match guarantee perk on select flight, hotel, and rental car bookings. The idea is that if you find a better price for the same experience within 24 hours of booking on another platform, you can submit a price match claim, and then get a travel credit for the difference. Earn 5x miles on hotels with the Capital One Venture Venture Card 2x miles on everyday spending The Capital One Venture Card offers unlimited 2x miles on everyday spending globally, with no caps. Based on my valuation of Capital One miles, that’s like a 3.4% return on everyday spending, which is phenomenal. While it’s great to maximize specific spending bonus categories, there’s also something to be said for just getting a card that offers a great return on spending across the board, since it makes things so much easier. Furthermore, it’s an ideal card for someone who doesn’t want to juggle having multiple cards, keeping track of different bonus categories, etc. For example, it could make a lot of sense to pay your taxes by credit card with the Capital One Venture Card, if eligible. The fee is under 2%, so it’s the equivalent of generating Capital One miles for under a cent each, which is quite the value! Venture Card no foreign transaction fees on spending It’s worth emphasizing that the Capital One Venture Card has no foreign transaction fees, so it’s an ideal card to use abroad. When you combine earning 2x miles with no fees, it really is a one-size-fits-all card for global purchases. The Capital One Venture has no foreign transaction fees Capital One Venture Card benefits & credits I don’t want to bury the lede — the main reason you should get the Capital One Venture Card is for the great return on spending it offers, instead of the perks. That being said, the card does offer one credit, and also offers some purchase and travel protection that cardmembers value. Venture Card Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit The Capital One Venture Card offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit once every four years, worth up to $120. Just charge the membership fee to your card, and it will automatically be reimbursed. It doesn’t matter who the fee is paid for, as long as you charge it to your eligible card. So if you already have a membership, you can always use this for someone else. In general, the best strategy is to sign-up for Global Entry, since that automatically comes with TSA PreCheck, so it gives you the best of both worlds. Get a TSA PreCheck credit with the Capital One Venture Venture Card Hertz Five Star status The Capital One Venture Card offers Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star status. This is available just for enrolling. Hertz Five Star offers perks like improved points earning, a wider selection of cars, free additional drivers, and more. If you rent with Hertz with any frequency, there’s definitely value to be had here. Venture Card $50 Lifestyle Collection credit Capital One has a collection of hotels where you can receive extra perks when booking through Capital One Travel, and having the Capital One Venture Card gives you access to one of these portfolios. Specifically, you can book hotels through the Lifestyle Collection, offering extra perks, including a $50 property credit per stay. Ultimately this is worth being aware of, but don’t get too excited, as there are lots of hotel programs nowadays that offer these kinds of perks, and they don’t require having a credit card. Venture Card rental car coverage The Capital One Venture Card offers rental car coverage when renting a car and paying with the card. You’ll want to check the full cardmember agreement for details. Get car rental coverage with the Capital One Venture Venture Card purchase & travel protection In addition to rental car coverage, the Capital One Venture Card offers purchase security and extended protection (coverage on items lost or stolen within 90 days), travel and emergency assistance services, and more. You’ll want to consult the cardmember agreement for full details. Venture Card Capital One Dining & Entertainment perks The Capital One Venture Card gives cardmembers access to Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment. This is a lifestyle perk that some people may value, as Capital One Dining may be able to get you access to some reservations that are otherwise tough to secure, while Capital One Entertainment can get you difficult to secure tickets to concerts, games, and shows. How to redeem Capital One miles for best value The Capital One Venture Card earns 2x miles per dollar spent, but how can they be redeemed? There are two main ways to redeem Capital One miles: They can be redeemed for one cent each toward the cost of a travel purchase They can be transferred to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners, typically at a 1:1 ratio Redeem Capital One miles toward travel costs One way to redeem Capital One miles is at the rate of one cent per mile toward the cost of a travel purchase. This means you’re earning two cents per dollar spent toward travel, since the card offers unlimited 2x miles. If you want to redeem your miles toward the cost of a travel purchase, the best way to do so is using the statement credits feature. With this, you can simply make an eligible travel purchase using your card, and then you can go online after the fact and use your miles to pay for the purchase within 90 days of the date of purchase. Your credit will then be applied within two to three days. Eligible travel purchases using your miles include purchases made from airlines, hotels, rail lines, car rental agencies, limousine services, bus lines, cruise lines, taxi cabs, travel agents, and timeshares. It’s so nice to have the flexibility to make your travel purchase however you’d like, and then have the purchase reimbursed after the fact. Alternatively, you can book through the Capital One Travel Portal, and pay for your purchase directly with miles. Redeem Capital One miles toward all kinds of travel costs Convert Capital One miles into airline or hotel points As an alternative (and this is my preferred way to redeem points), you can transfer Capital One miles to airline miles and hotel points. Currently, Capital One has roughly 20 airline and hotel partners. Airline PartnersHotel PartnersAeromexico Club PremierAccor Live Limitless (ALL)Air Canada AeroplanChoice PrivilegesAir France-KLM Flying BlueWyndham RewardsAvianca LifeMilesBritish Airways Executive ClubCathay Pacific Asia MilesEmirates SkywardsEtihad GuestEVA Air Infinity MileageLandsFinnair PlusJapan Airlines Mileage BankJetBlue TrueBlueQantas Frequent FlyerSingapore Airlines KrisFlyerTAP Air Portugal Miles&GoTurkish Airlines Miles&SmilesVirgin Red (parent of Virgin Atlantic)Capital One transfer partners Capital One miles transfer to a majority of those partners at a 1:1 ratio. In addition to the normal transfer ratios, we sometimes see Capital One offer transfer bonuses, which can get you even more value for your miles. Generally speaking, you’ll find this to be most valuable if you’re looking to fly international first or business class, since those will be the flights that are likely to be priced most reasonably with airline miles, while they could be prohibitively expensive using cash. For example, I frequently redeem 60,000 Flying Blue miles to fly Air France business class across the Atlantic, and that’s just an incredible use of miles, since those Capital One miles could otherwise only be redeemed for $600 back. Obviously a one-way transatlantic business class ticket is worth a lot more than that. Redeem Capital One miles for first & business class flights There are a lot of great travel credit cards out there, so how can you decide if the Capital One Venture Card is right for you? If you’re looking to earn airline miles or hotel points and you spend a lot in non-bonused categories (both within the United States and abroad), then the Capital One Venture is an excellent option. Earning the equivalent of 2x airline miles on everyday spending is as good of a rewards structure as you’ll find on any credit card, and the lack of foreign transaction fees helps as well. On top of that, the card has an excellent welcome offer at the moment, making it the ideal time to apply. It’s at least worth giving the card a try if you’re eligible, in my opinion. To continue the analysis, let’s compare the Capital One Venture Card to the other cards in the Venture “lineup,” including the no annual fee option and premium option. Let’s also look at some other comparable cards. Capital One Venture Vs. VentureOne comparison In addition to the $95 annual fee Capital One Venture Card, there’s also the no annual fee Capital One VentureOne Card (learn more). What’s the difference between Venture and Venture One? The Venture has a bigger welcome offer than the VentureOne, so I think there’s merit to picking up the Venture, and if you decide it doesn’t work for you, you can always downgrade it after 12 months The Venture offers 2x miles on everyday spending, while the VentureOne offers 1.25x miles on everyday spending, so the rewards structure is materially different The Venture offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit once every four months, and also has better travel protections If you ask me, it should be a no-brainer to apply for the Venture over the VentureOne, given the much better welcome bonus and the better return on spending. After a year, you can always decide to downgrade to the VentureOne if the Venture isn’t working for you. Rack up rewards faster on the Venture Card Capital One Venture Vs. Venture X comparison The Capital One Venture X Card (learn more) has a $395 annual fee, and is the more premium version of the Capital One Venture Card? The card obviously has a higher annual fee, but also offers some really strong perks that more than offset it, in my opinion: The Venture X offers a $300 annual travel credit plus 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, which to me more than justifies the $395 annual fee The Venture X offers a Priority Pass™ membership, plus unlimited access to Capital One Lounges and Capital One Landings The Venture X offers great travel benefits, including primary rental car coverage and cell phone protection The Venture X also offers 2x miles on everyday spending, but potentially offers a better return on Capital One Travel spending, as you earn 10x miles on hotels and rental cars, and 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals If you ask me, the Venture X is a no-brainer over the Venture. The $300 annual Capital One Travel credit and 10,000 anniversary bonus miles basically cover the entire annual fee. Then you get perks like airport lounge access, while it costs you very little out of pocket. Access Capital One Lounges with the Venture X Capital One Venture alternatives to consider If the Capital One Venture Card doesn’t sound right up your alley, what other cards should you consider? If you’re looking for another card that’s great for everyday spending, consider the following alternatives in place of the Capital One Venture: The Citi Double Cash® Card (learn more) has no annual fee and is extremely compelling, as it offers up to 2% cash back or 2x ThankYou points after making a purchase and then paying for it; the major catch is that the card has foreign transaction fees, and to really maximize value of points, you need this in conjunction with another card, like the Citi Strata Premier® Card (learn more) The Bilt Palladium Card (learn more) has a $495 annual fee (Rates & Fees) and is my favorite card for everyday spending, as it offers 2x Bilt points plus 4% back in the form of Bilt Cash; the major catch is the high annual fee The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (learn more) has no annual fee, and offers 2x points on the first $50,000 spent every calendar year, and 1x points thereafter; the catch is that this is a business card, you’re capped at 2x points on the first $50,000 spent annually, and the card also has foreign transaction fees (Rates & Fees) I think the other direction to go is to pick up a card that offers great bonus categories and travel rewards, rather than focusing on a card with a great return on everyday spending. In particular, three cards come to mind: The American Express® Gold Card (learn more) has a higher annual fee, but is tough to beat for those who spend a lot on dining, and also offers credits that can help offset the fee The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (learn more) has a reasonable annual fee, and is well-rounded for offering bonus categories, plus excellent travel and rental car coverage The Citi Strata Premier® Card (learn more) has a reasonable annual fee, and lucrative 3x points categories Capital One Venture Card FAQs What is the Capital One Venture Card? The Capital One Venture Card is a travel rewards credit card that earns Capital One miles on everyday purchases. It is designed around a simple rewards structure, with unlimited 2x miles per dollar on purchases and additional rewards on certain bookings made through Capital One Travel. What is the Capital One Venture Card annual fee? The Capital One Venture Card has a $95 annual fee. The card’s rewards and travel benefits can help offset the annual fee for cardholders who regularly earn and redeem Capital One miles. What is the Capital One Venture Card welcome bonus? The Capital One Venture Card currently offers 75,000 Capital One miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months, along with a $300 credit toward hotel and vacation rental bookings through Capital One Travel during the first cardholder year. How many miles does the Capital One Venture Card earn? The Capital One Venture Card earns 2x miles per dollar on purchases, with no stated annual limit on those rewards. The card also earns 5x miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Does the Capital One Venture Card have foreign transaction fees? No, the Capital One Venture Card has no foreign transaction fees. This can make the card useful for purchases when traveling outside the United States. How do you redeem Capital One Venture miles? Capital One miles can be redeemed in several ways. One straightforward option is using miles to offset eligible travel purchases, at the rate of one cent per mile. Miles can also be transferred to participating Capital One airline and hotel transfer partners. This can provide another way to use miles for flights and hotel stays, and it potentially offers the most outsized value. Can Capital One Venture miles be transferred to airlines? Yes, Capital One miles can be transferred to participating airline loyalty programs, generally at a 1:1 ratio for many partners. Transfer partners include programs such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca Lifemiles, British Airways Club, Emirates Skywards, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, and Virgin Red. Does the Capital One Venture Card offer Global Entry or TSA PreCheck? Yes, the Capital One Venture Card offers a credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee once every four years when the eligible application fee is charged to the card. Who is eligible for the Capital One Venture Card bonus? The Capital One Venture Card bonus is open to those who have not received a new cardmember bonus for the Capital One Venture Card or Capital One Venture X Card within the past 48 months. Otherwise eligibility is unrelated to all other Capital One cards. What credit score do I need for the Capital One Venture Card? Capital One does not publish a single minimum credit score that guarantees approval for the Venture Card. Credit card approval decisions can depend on multiple credit factors. Personally I’d hope to have a credit score of at least 700 when applying. However, I’ve heard of people with lower credit scores being approved, and people with higher credit scores being denied. Bottom line The Capital One Venture Card is an excellent travel rewards card. This is a well-rounded card that offers the equivalent of up to two cents toward travel, or up to two airline miles or hotel points for every dollar spent. Now is an especially good time to apply, given the bonus that’s currently available. If you want a straightforward rewards card that offers a consistent and industry-leading return for all purchases and a lot of flexibility, then the Capital One Venture Card is a great option. Earning two airline miles per dollar spent is pretty unbeatable. I’d say the main consideration is that the $395 annual fee Capital One Venture X Card is also an option, as the card offers incredible perks that should more than justify the annual fee for most. Furthermore, if you’re someone who spends a lot in specific categories, then something like the Amex Gold Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, or Citi Strata Premier Card, might be a good option. If you want to learn more about the Venture Card, follow this link. The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees).