Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve^® [2024]: Why Not Both?

Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cards are premium travel credit cards. They have numerous high-quality perks and benefits, such as annual travel credits and airport lounge access. Here’s how they stack up.

	Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card	Chase Sapphire Reserve®
FinanceBuzz star ratings	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.	5.0 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.
FinanceBuzz value calculation1	Year 1: $1,521 Year 2: $871	Year 1: $2,023 Year 2: $1,123
Annual fee	$395	$550
Welcome bonus	Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening — valued at $750 toward travel	Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening — valued at $900 toward travel
Redemption methods	Travel Transfer partners Cover travel purchases Experiences Gift cards PayPal Amazon Cash back (statement credits and mailed checks)	Travel Transfer partners Pay Yourself Back Experiences Gift cards Online shopping Dining Cash back (statement credits and deposits into a bank account)
Statement credits	$300 travel credit Up to $120 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit	$300 travel credit DoorDash DashPass membership and up to $25 DoorDash savings per month Up to $100 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit
Travel perks	10,000 bonus anniversary miles Airport lounge access (Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One Lounge) Hertz President’s Circle status2 Complimentary PRIOR subscription and a six-month membership to The Cultivist	Airport lounge access (Priority Pass and Sapphire Lounges) 2-year complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership 50% bonus to travel redemptions through Chase Travel National Emerald Club Executive elite status Avis Preferred Plus elite status
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent	Excellent
	Learn more	Learn more

Primary benefits of both cards

• Annual credits: Both cards give cardholders a $300 annual travel credit, but the Venture X requires the credit to be used through the Capital One Travel Portal, while the Sapphire Reserve is much more flexible.
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credits: Venture X offers up to $120 and the Sapphire Reserve offers up to $100 in statement credits for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fees. This benefit can be used once every four years.
• Lounge access: The Capital One Venture X credit card offers access to the Priority Pass Network (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and Capital One Lounges. The Chase Sapphire Reserve gives access to Priority Pass lounges and Sapphire Lounges by The Club.
• Car rental elite status: The Venture X gives cardholders Hertz President’s Circle status, while the Sapphire Reserve offers VIP amenities, complimentary status upgrades, and discounts with Avis, Hertz, National, and Audi On Demand.
• Visa Infinite benefits: Venture X and Sapphire Reserve are Visa Infinite cards with benefits such as purchase protection, extended warranty coverage, and return protection. You also get travel insurance with trip cancellation and interruption coverage, trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, and auto rental collision damage waiver.
• Ability to transfer rewards to hotel and airline partners: You can transfer rewards from both Chase and Capital One at a 1:1 ratio to the following partners:
• Air Canada ‒ Aeroplan®
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• Flying Blue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Virgin Red

When to go with the Capital One Venture X

• You want a lower annual fee ($395)
• You prefer a simple rewards rate
• You prefer Capital One transfer partners
• You want free authorized users
• You want 10,000 bonus miles each year

Annual fees

Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, while Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee. If you’re deciding on a new card based on annual fees alone, the Venture X is the clear winner over the Sapphire Reserve.

Authorized users

In addition to the lower annual fee for the primary cardholder, Capital One allows Venture X cardholders to add up to four authorized users for free. Authorized users receive most of the main benefits, like airport lounge access, Hertz President’s Circle status, and purchase and travel protections.

If you want to add an authorized user to your Sapphire Reserve account, you’ll pay $75 per user. Neither card extends the annual travel credit to authorized users. If you have a spouse or child you want to add to your account, the Venture X makes the most sense.

International transfer partners

Capital One has several hotel and airline partners that are inaccessible to Sapphire Reserve cardholders. Many of these partners are for international airlines, so they make more sense for frequent international travelers like myself. I find Capital One transfer partners much more useful than Chase’s options.

• Aeromexico Club Premier
• Cathay Pacific ‒ Asia Miles
• Avianca LifeMiles
• Choice Privileges®
• Etihad Guest
• Finnair Plus
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• TAP Miles&Go
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
• Wyndham Rewards
• EVA Air Infinity MileageLands (1.5:1)
• ALL (Accor Live Limitless) (2:1)

When to go with the Chase Sapphire Reserve

• You prefer a rewards rate with multiple bonus categories
• You prefer Chase transfer partners
• You want a flexible travel credit
• You can utilize the DoorDash credit

Earning potential

Capital One Venture X cardholders 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 and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders earn 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases.

To make the comparison a little clearer, you will earn the same amount on flights, hotels, and car rentals booked through each card's travel portal. You’ll earn an additional point per dollar when you use the Sapphire Reserve for dining purchases or travel booked outside the travel portal. However, you’ll earn an additional point per dollar when using your Venture X on non-bonus category spending.

If you’re a heavy spender in the travel and dining categories, you might prefer the Sapphire Reserve. However, earning an additional point per dollar on all other purchases with the Venture X is also enticing, so you might be interested in having both cards in your wallet.

Portal redemption bonus

The Capital One Venture X credit card doesn’t offer increased redemption value when you use miles in the Capital One Travel platform, but the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a 50% redemption bonus if you redeem points through Chase Travel℠. The Sapphire Reserve definitely comes out on top in this regard.

Domestic transfer partners

Just like Capital One, Chase has several transfer partners that are inaccessible to Venture X cardholders. Most of these are domestic airlines and hotels, which is more helpful to folks traveling within the U.S. frequently.

• AerClub, loyalty program of Aer Lingus
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®
• United MileagePlus®
• IHG® Rewards Club
• Marriott Bonvoy™
• World of Hyatt®

A closer look at the welcome bonuses

On paper, the Venture X might seem like the better welcome offer. New cardholders can earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. When redeemed for travel through the Capital One Travel portal, that comes out to $750.

The Sapphire Reserve allows cardholders to earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This has a $900 value, but once you factor in the 50% bonus on travel booked through Chase Travel, it’s worth more than the Venture X.

How to use these cards together

It might not make sense for every traveler, but I do believe there is a consumer out there who could benefit from having both of these cards in their wallet. Yes, combined annual fees of $945 is a lot of money. However, you’re also getting a combined $600 annual travel credit, bringing the effective annual fee down to just $345.

If you can utilize the additional statement credits, like the DoorDash and Lyft benefits with the Sapphire Reserve and the Cultivist and PRIOR subscriptions from the Venture X, you’re not spending much out of pocket.

When using these cards together, you can use your Sapphire Reserve for restaurant purchases and any travel booked outside of a travel portal, like an Airbnb or tour, and use your Venture X on everyday purchases outside of a bonus category.

This way, you can take advantage of the unique transfer partners offered by both cards, maximize your earnings, and enjoy cardmember exclusive lounges from both issuers. You’d be overlapping some benefits, like the statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry enrollment, but you can always pay for a friend or family member to enroll, so you aren’t leaving money on the table.

If the combined annual fee scares you, consider pairing the Venture X with the Sapphire Preferred (which is what I do!) or the Sapphire Reserve with the Venture Rewards. You can limit the overlap between the benefits, reduce your annual fees, and still access unique transfer partners and other partner benefits.

FAQs

Bottom line

There isn’t a definitive better option between the Venture X and the Sapphire Reserve. They both offer supreme benefits compared to their annual fees. When deciding which makes the most sense, consider transfer partners, how you wish to use the annual travel credit, other partner benefits, spending habits, and general financial goals. If you can’t decide between them, you might want to get both.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

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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.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

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Current Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$550

Rewards Rate

5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• 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

Drawbacks

• $550 annual fee
• High spending requirement for the welcome offer
• $75 annual fee for each authorized user

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC