Having competitive travel credit cards in your wallet can help you stay financially savvy while on the go. Although there are many options available on the market, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card come highly rated by frequent travelers.
If you’re debating between the Capital One Venture Rewards vs. the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you’ll need to know how each card stacks against the other and where the biggest differences fall.
Capital One Venture vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred
These two cards have very similar attributes as far as premium travel rewards cards go. Here’s the breakdown:
Annual fee | $95 | $95 |
Welcome bonus | Earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening of account opening | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening of account opening |
Earning rate | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel | 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and eligible online grocery purchases; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points per $1 on all other eligible purchases |
Redemption rate | One mile is generally worth one cent | One point is generally worth one to 1.25 cents |
Travel perks |
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Other perks |
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Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
Authorized user fee | None | None |
Learn More | Learn more |
4 key differences between the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture
There are a few differences between the Capital One Venture vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred cards that you should know.
1. Welcome offer
Bonus offers typically vary between different credit cards and an offer for an individual card could change over time. This means the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture could have similar or completely different welcome offers at any given moment.
It's important to compare the current offers between both cards to see if one might provide more value than the other.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a generous 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of opening a new account. When used for travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, the bonus is valued at $750.
Capital One Venture’s early spend bonus offers a 75,000-mile bonus when you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of opening a new account. The welcome offer is currently valued at $750 when redeemed for travel through the Capital One travel portal.
2. Earning rates
In terms of earning rewards, Chase Sapphire Preferred offers cardholders 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and eligible online grocery purchases; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
But Capital One Venture offers a higher rate on everyday purchases and there are no bonus categories to keep track of. Users can earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
3. Redemption options
The Capital One Venture credit card allows you to redeem miles through the Capital One travel portal. You can use the portal to make a booking, transfer your rewards to a travel partner, or simply choose the "cover your travel purchases" option to get reimbursed for a recent travel purchase. You can also redeem miles for cash (sent as a check), a statement credit, gift cards, merchandise, and more through the Rewards Center.
Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders can also redeem points for travel through Ultimate Rewards. Points redeemed this way are worth 25% more. You also have the option of redeeming points for cash back, gift cards, products and services offered through the program, and using your points to pay on Amazon.
Transferring rewards
Both cards allow you to transfer rewards to their respective loyalty program partners, which provides great flexibility when redeeming rewards for travel. The two rewards programs, however, have different travel partners.
Chase Sapphire Preferred partners | Capital One Venture partners |
Airline partners | Airline partners |
Aer Lingus, AerClub |
Aeromexico Club Premier |
Air Canada Aeroplan
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Air Canada Aeroplan |
British Airways Executive Club | Flying Blue Air France-KLM |
Emirates Skywards |
Avianca LifeMiles |
Flying Blue Air France-KLM |
British Airways |
Iberia Plus |
Cathay Pacific |
JetBlue TrueBlue |
Emirates Skywards |
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer |
Etihad Airways Etihad Guest |
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards |
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands |
United MileagePlus |
Finnair Plus |
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club |
Qantas Frequent Flyer |
Hotel partners |
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer |
IHG Rewards Club |
TAP Air Portugal |
Marriott Bonvoy | Turkish Airlines |
World of Hyatt | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (through Virgin Red) |
Hotel Partners | |
Accor Live Limitless | |
Choice Privileges |
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Wyndham Rewards |
Aside from a few airline programs, Capital One and Chase have completely different airline partners.
When transferring rewards to a partner program, Chase Sapphire Preferred points transfer at a 1:1 value. For the Capital One Venture, the value of your transferred miles varies depending on the loyalty program you’re sending your rewards to. Before you finalize the transfer, the Rewards Center confirmation screen will show you exactly what the conversion is worth for the receiving program.
4. Travel perks
One of the most notable differences between the two cards is their travel benefits. The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a longer list of travel protection for the unexpected, like trip and baggage delays as well as travel cancellation/interruption insurance. Depending on where you're traveling, you may also count this card's DoorDash DashPass benefits as a travel perk as well. Normally $9.99 per month, DashPass gets you free delivery and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12. And don't forget about the $50 annual hotel credit.
The Capital One Venture, however, provides a golden ticket through TSA PreCheck lanes. This card is also particularly useful if you need to make travel purchases outside of its rewards portal. Thanks to its handy portal, you can redeem miles for any travel purchases you made on your card in the past 90 days. Simply log into your Capital One account to select the travel purchase for reimbursement, and you can redeem your miles for credit toward the travel purchase.
In order to access a TSA PreCheck credit through a Chase card, you’d need to opt for its highest-tier Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which comes with a hefty annual fee of $550 .
The auto rental collision damage waiver protection between each card also varies. The Chase Sapphire Preferred pays for rental car theft or damage through primary car rental insurance coverage, which means you don’t have to go through your personal auto insurance company.
The Capital One Venture, however, provides secondary auto rental insurance benefits. With secondary auto rental insurance, you’ll need to file a claim with your auto insurance company first, and then Capital One will cover the remaining costs from theft or damage.
FAQs
Which is better, the Capital One Venture or the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
Which is the better card between the Capital One Venture and the Chase Sapphire Preferred depends on what you’re looking for. For instance, if you are loyal to a certain issuer's transfer partners, you'll want to consider that before you apply for a card. Also, if you already have a preference for either Venture miles or Chase Ultimate Rewards points, it likely makes sense to choose the card that earns points in that program.
The Capital One Venture could have higher earning potential with its unlimited rate of 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. It also offers up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees. Yet the Chase Sapphire Preferred provides 25% more value on your points redemptions for travel booked through the Chase portal, which can be especially helpful if you also use other Chase credit cards. In addition, it has a wide range of bonus categories.
Is the Capital One Venture worth it?
The Capital One Venture is worth it if you’ll get value from its rewards and benefits. This is one of the best travel credit cards because of its high earning potential, low $95 annual fee, and useful benefits. This includes up to a $100 fee reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, points transfer options to over 10 travel loyalty programs, and different types of travel insurance.
Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred give you airport lounge access?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred doesn’t include complimentary airport lounge access as one of its offered benefits. If you want access to airport lounges while traveling, consider cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or The Platinum Card® from American Express. The Sapphire Reserve offers free Priority Pass lounge access while the Amex Platinum offers both Priority Pass and Amex Centurion Lounge access. Select benefits require enrollment.
What credit score do you need for the Capital One Venture card?
You likely need a good or excellent credit score to qualify for the Capital One Venture Credit Card. Good credit scores typically start above 660 while excellent credit scores are often above 780. However, credit scores can vary based on the scoring model, and Capital One may also take into account other factors affecting your creditworthiness when considering your application.
What credit score do you need for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card?
You typically need a good or excellent credit score to qualify for the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Good credit scores generally start at 660, and excellent credit scores are typically 780 or above. However, credit scores can vary based on the scoring model. Keep in mind that Chase may also consider credit factors other than your credit score when reviewing your credit card application.
Which card is best for you?
Identifying which is the best travel credit card for your travel needs really depends on, well, your preferences.
- Consider the kind of traveler you are: Do you prefer the peace of mind of knowing you’re covered during worst-case travel “what ifs,” or do you prefer on-the-spot travel convenience of TSA PreCheck for future trips?
- Loyalty program preferences: If you’re already an avid member of another loyalty program or would like to start by transferring earned welcome bonus rewards, note which of the two cards partners with your preferred program.
- How you like to use your card: Aside from the immediate perks of opening a new rewards card account, ask yourself which card makes sense for your day-to-day spending habits. Are you looking for a no-fuss card that makes earning points straightforward with a flat earnings rate? Or are you OK with having a few cards in your rotation, depending on your purchase type?
Take an honest assessment of the travel perks each credit card offers along with your earning and redemption preferences to make a decision that’s right for you. Either way, both credit cards come with features that are highly rated overall.