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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.
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| FinanceBuzz star ratings |
4.9
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5.0
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| FinanceBuzz value calculation1 <p class="">These values are based on the <a href="https://financebuzz.com/financebuzz-credit-card-valuation">FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model</a>, which takes a look at rewards earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee. We used a valuation of 1 cent/point unless otherwise stated above. These are estimated values - your actual earnings will depend on how much you spend and in what categories.<br></p> | Year 1: $1,671
Year 2: $1,021 |
Year 1: $1,873
Year 2: $973 |
| 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 $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
— valued at $900 toward travel |
| Redemption methods |
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| Statement credits |
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| Travel perks |
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| 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 $120 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 Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network. 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 $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This has a $900 value when used on travel booked through Chase Travel.
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 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 Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (which is what I do!) or the Sapphire Reserve with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. You can limit the overlap between the benefits, reduce your annual fees, and still access unique transfer partners and other partner benefits.
FAQs
Can you get the Capital One Venture X bonus twice?
No, you cannot earn the welcome offer for the Capital One Venture X more than once.
What is the Chase 5/24 rule?
The Chase 5/24 rule is an unofficial rule used by Chase that typically prevents people from being approved for a new personal Chase credit card if they've opened five or more personal cards from any card issuer in the past 24 months.
Can I have Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Venture X?
Yes, you can have the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Venture X at the same time. There isn't an official limit to how many Capital One cards you can hold at one time, but there are cardholder reports that say the maximum number you can have is five.
Can I upgrade from Chase Sapphire Preferred to Reserve?
You can upgrade or request a product change from Chase Sapphire Preferred to Reserve. Note that qualifying for product changes may not be eligible for a welcome offer.
How do you get TSA PreCheck for free?
One of the easiest ways to access TSA PreCheck is by having a credit card that offers a TSA PreCheck statement credit. There are several credit cards with TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement, including:
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.
Premium Travel Benefits
Current Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 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
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