Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Review [2024]: Why This Card Pays for Itself

Card basics

Who should get the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card?

Frequent travelers who appreciate luxury perks will benefit most from the Venture X card. While earning miles is a key feature, it's the elevated travel experiences that truly make this card stand out.

Venture X cardholders can enjoy perks like unlimited access to Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass lounges worldwide, complimentary Hertz President's Circle status¹, and a $300 annual credits for bookings made through Capital One Travel. These benefits have made my trips much more enjoyable and stress-free.

One of my favorite perks of the Venture X is the unlimited lounge access. As someone who often has long layovers or early morning flights, being able to relax in a quiet lounge with complimentary food and drinks is a nice perk. The Capital One Lounges, in particular, offer a premium experience with delicious food, specialty cocktails, and even shower suites in some locations.

To maximize the card's value, I always book my travel through Capital One Travel. Not only do I earn a whopping 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel, but I also get $300 in annual travel credits.

I've found that the prices on Capital One Travel are competitive with other booking sites, and the added benefit of earning bonus miles and getting the annual credit makes it my go-to for travel reservations. For example, last December, I booked a long-haul flight to India through Capital One Travel for $1,200. Not only did I earn 6,000 miles on that booking (worth at least $60 when redeemed for travel), but I also used my $300 travel credit, effectively reducing the cost of my flight to $900.

Who should skip?

While the Venture X offers excellent value for frequent travelers, it may not be the best fit for those who only take a few trips per year. The $395 annual fee can be hard to justify if you're not taking full advantage of the lounge access, travel credits, and other perks.

Additionally, some of the card's benefits, like the 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, require booking through the Capital One Travel portal. If you prefer to book directly with airlines and hotels or use other travel sites, you may not be able to maximize these bonus earnings.

What should you know before applying?

One of the most important things to consider before applying for the Venture X is whether you can make use of the $300 annual travel credit. This credit applies to any bookings made through Capital One Travel, including flights, hotels, and rental cars.

If you know you'll spend at least $300 on travel each year and don't mind booking through Capital One's portal, this credit effectively takes away the largest portion of your annual fee. That's a fantastic deal for a premium travel card with lounge access and other high-end perks.

In my case, I easily use up the $300 credit each year on flights and hotels for my frequent trips. Even if I didn't use any of the card's other benefits, the travel credit alone would make the annual fee worthwhile for my travel habits.

On top of that, you also receive 10,000 anniversary miles, worth at least $100 when redeemed for travel. Adding this value to the $300 annual travel credit completely offsets the Venture X’s $395 annual fee.

Here's a closer look at this card's top benefits

Impressive welcome offer

The Venture X pulled me in right away with its generous welcome offer. You can earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening – that's worth $750 when redeemed for travel through Capital One.

I was able to meet the spending requirement fairly easily by putting all my regular bills and expenses on the card for a few months. Having that big chunk of miles right off the bat gave me a nice head start on saving up for my dream vacation to Japan.

Flexible and easy-to-earn rewards

One thing I love about the Venture X is its straightforward rewards structure. You earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, which means I don't have to think about bonus categories or spending caps. Whether I'm buying groceries, filling up my gas tank, or splurging on a new gadget, I'm always earning 2 miles per dollar.

On top of that, the Venture X offers an incredible 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel. This has really accelerated my rewards earnings, especially since I made sure to book recent travel through the portal anyway to take advantage of the $300 annual credit.

In the past six months alone, I've racked up over 30,000 miles just from my everyday spending and Capital One Travel bookings.

$300 annual travel credit

The $300 annual travel credit is easily one of the most valuable perks of the Venture X. As long as you book your travel through Capital One's portal, you can redeem up to $300 in travel credits each year.

I was a bit hesitant about booking through a specific portal at first, but I've found that Capital One Travel offers competitive prices and a wide selection of options. It also offers some cool features like the ability to freeze a flight price or receive a refund of up to $50 if the price of the flight drops soon after I book it.

Unlimited access to Priority Pass and Capital One lounges

Another great benefit of the Venture X is the unlimited complimentary access to Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One Lounges. With over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide and a growing network of Capital One Lounges in major U.S. cities like Dallas, Denver, and D.C., I can always find a comfortable place to relax before my flights.

The lounges offer a range of amenities like comfortable seating, complimentary food and drinks, high-speed Wi-Fi, and even shower suites in some locations. I especially appreciate the Capital One Lounges, which have a more upscale feel with locally-inspired design and dining options.

As someone who flies regularly, having lounge access has significantly improved my travel experience. It's a relief to escape the busy terminal and enjoy a quiet space to work, grab a bite, or just unwind before my flight.

10,000 anniversary miles

One of the perks I look forward to with this card each year is the 10,000 bonus miles I receive on my account anniversary. These miles are worth at least $100 when redeemed for travel through the Capital One Travel portal.

These annual bonus miles are a part of why I intend to keep this card year after year. Combined with the $300 annual travel credit, they completely offset the Venture X’s cost. This means that I essentially get all the other perks and benefits without an added out-of-pocket cost.

TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry credit

The Venture X offers up to $100 in statement credits for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry application fees every four years. I used this credit to apply for Global Entry, which includes TSA PreCheck®. Now, I move quickly through airport security and customs, saving valuable time on every trip. Just last month, I made it through TSA in less than 5 minutes, while the regular line was over 30 minutes long.

Hertz President's Circle status

As a Venture X cardholder, I enjoy complimentary Hertz President's Circle status¹. This perk has proven surprisingly valuable during my travels. While car rental companies often provide minor upgrades like a bump from a sub-compact to a compact, my experience with President's Circle status provided better upgrades.

Last month, I rented a car for a weekend getaway, anticipating a basic compact. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to be upgraded to a spacious SUV at no extra cost. This improved my trip, making it much more comfortable, especially when navigating some rough country roads. The expedited service for President's Circle members also saved me time at the rental counter.

Valuable travel protections

The Venture X comes with a suite of travel protections that give me peace of mind on the road. This includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, and auto rental collision damage waiver.²

These benefits could really save the day in unexpected situations. For instance, if I booked a non-refundable vacation package and had to cancel due to a covered reason like illness, the trip cancellation insurance could reimburse me. Or if my luggage got lost on a trip, I could be covered for replacing my belongings. Knowing I have these protections lets me travel with more confidence and less worry about potential mishaps.

Drawbacks: Why you may want a different card

$395 annual fee

While the Venture X offers substantial value, its $395 annual fee is no small commitment. I had to think carefully before applying, considering whether I'd travel enough to justify the cost.

For those who only take a few trips a year, this fee might be hard to offset. I've found that I need to use the card's benefits consistently throughout the year to make it worthwhile. If you're looking for a lower annual fee option, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card(Rates and fees) might be a better fit with its $95 annual fee.

Travel credits require booking through Capital One Travel

The up to $300 annual travel credit is a great perk, but it comes with a catch – you must book through Capital One Travel to use it. While I've generally found good prices on the portal, there have been times when I simply wanted to book directly with an airline or hotel.

This lack of flexibility can be frustrating at times. For more flexible travel credits, you might want to consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, which offers a $300 travel credit that applies to a wider range of travel purchases.

No elite hotel status

Unlike some premium travel cards that offer complimentary elite status with hotel chains, the Venture X falls short in this area. You don’t get elite status perks like room upgrades, late check-out, or free breakfast that come with cards like The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

How to earn & redeem miles with Capital One Venture X

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look how your miles can add up with the Capital One Venture X Rewards. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of 1 cent per point.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $1,526

Year two earnings: $876

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model which takes a look at points earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee. To calculate how many miles you could earn from spending, we used the base rate of 2 miles per dollar even though you can earn more on certain purchases. So depending on your spending habits, our estimate might be on the low end.

Best ways to earn

Capital One has made it easy to earn rewards with the Capital One Venture X Rewards card. It offers a still-excellent rewards rate for its non-bonus categories. Overall you can earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 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, and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25.

If you compare credit cards, earning a 2X rate or higher on every purchase is quite good. If you use the Venture X as your everyday spending card, you could quickly rack up valuable miles to use on future trips. The bonus categories, on the other hand, are a bit lackluster, but they could be useful if you don’t mind booking travel through Capital One Travel.

Maximizing your redemptions

Venture miles often offer the most value when you redeem them for travel. This includes bookings made through Capital One Travel for flights, hotel stays, or rental cars. You could also redeem miles through transfers to Capital One travel partners. Your Capital One miles are worth one cent per mile through the travel portal, but could be worth much more for specific redemptions made with transfer partners.

The Venture X also gives you the option to redeem your miles for cash back, to make Amazon.com or PayPal purchases, or for gift cards. But these options are typically less valuable than using your miles for travel.

Capital One transfer partners

As one of your redemption options with the Capital One Venture X Rewards card, you can transfer your miles to one of over 15 airline and hotel loyalty programs. This could potentially increase the value of your rewards to more than the standard one cent per mile, depending on how you use the transferred miles.

Apart from the ALL - Accor Live Limitless and EVA Infinity MileageLands programs, all miles transfer at a 1-to-1 ratio. Here are Capital One’s airline and hotel partners:

FAQ

Alternatives that might be better for you

While the Venture X offers great value, some travelers might prefer cards with more flexible travel credits and broader bonus categories like the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, or lower annual fees like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is another premium travel card that could be a better fit for some travelers. With a $550 annual fee, it's slightly more expensive than the Venture X, but it offers some unique benefits that might justify the extra cost.

One of the unique features of the Sapphire Reserve is its flexible $300 annual travel credit. Unlike the Venture X's credit, which is limited to Capital One Travel bookings, the Sapphire Reserve's credit applies to a wide range of travel purchases. This flexibility can be quite handy. For instance, you can use it for train and ferry tickets, rideshare trips, and other expenses that wouldn't have been covered by the Venture X's travel credit.

The Sapphire Reserve also offers elevated rewards on a broader range of travel purchases, not just those booked through Chase. This means you're not tied to a specific booking platform to earn bonus points.

Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Reserve^® review.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

If you like the idea of the Venture X but aren't sure about committing to a premium card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card(Rates and fees) could be an excellent alternative. With a much lower $95 annual fee, it's more accessible for casual travelers or those new to travel rewards cards.

The Venture card shares some key features with its premium sibling. For example, it offers up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, just like the Venture X.

Where it differs significantly is in the premium travel perks. The Venture doesn't offer lounge access or travel credits, which are major selling points of the Venture X. But if these aren't features you'd use frequently, the lower annual fee of the Venture could make it a more cost-effective choice.

Learn more in our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review.

Premium Travel Rewards & Perks

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

4.9

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

4.9

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

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Why We Like It

Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Rates and fees

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See how these cards compare:

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Up to $300 in annual travel credits
• Great rewards on travel purchases and dining
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
• Comprehensive travel protections, including trip delay and cancellation insurance
• 50% point redemption bonus when booking through Chase Travel

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

• Has a generous welcome offer
• Offers up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® statement credit
• Has an easy rewards program and highly flexible travel redemptions
• Doesn't charge foreign transaction fees
• Offers valuable travel protections
• Rates and fees