Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve^® [2024]: Is There a Clear Winner?

In general, we recommend the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card over the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®. 

The Venture X card has a lower $395 annual fee compared to Sapphire Reserve’s $550 annual fee. It also provides benefits that could immediately offset its annual cost, including a $300 annual travel credit for Capital One Travel bookings, 10,000 anniversary miles, and airport lounge access.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card can offer more value if you have other Chase credit cards and plan to transfer points between your cards. You can use this strategy to unlock a 50% bonus when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel℠.

Key takeaways

• We think the Capital One Venture X is the better travel rewards credit card in many scenarios because of its lower $395 annual fee, simple earning rate, and excellent travel benefits.
• If you plan to combine rewards between multiple Chase cards, we like the redemption potential of the Chase Sapphire Reserve. You can receive 50% more value for travel redemptions made through the Chase Travel℠ portal.

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 plenty of high-quality perks and benefits, such as annual travel credits and airport lounge access.

	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.	Chase Sapphire Reserve® 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.
Card type	Travel	Travel
Credit card issuer	Capital One	Chase
Credit card network	Visa	Visa
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
Earning rate	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	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
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)
Annual credits	$300 travel credit 10,000 anniversary miles	$300 travel credit $5 DoorDash credit per month $15 Instacart credit per month
Travel perks	Up to $100 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit Airport lounge access (Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One Lounge) Hertz President’s Circle status1	Up to $100 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit Airport lounge access (Priority Pass) 50% bonus to travel redemptions National Emerald Club Executive elite status Avis Preferred Plus elite status
Other benefits	Visa Infinite benefits Capital One Entertainment Capital One Dining Cell phone protection	Visa Infinite benefits
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent	Excellent
	Learn more	Learn more

Our verdict

We recommend the Capital One Venture X in a head-to-head comparison because it’s straightforward, has a lower $395 annual fee, and doesn’t skimp on travel benefits. In particular, frequent travelers can easily take advantage of the $300 annual travel credit for Capital One Travel bookings, the 10,000 anniversary miles, and extensive airport lounge access to Capital One Lounge, Priority Pass Select lounges, and Plaza Premium lounges. 

Capital One Venture X benefits and drawbacks

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

The Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, but you can more than offset this cost through multiple perks and benefits:

• 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.
• Receive a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel. That includes flights, hotel stays, and rental cars.
• Receive a 10,000-mile bonus each card anniversary that’s worth at least $100 toward Capital One Travel bookings.
• Receive up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit once every four years.
• Access Capital One, Priority Pass, and Plaza Premium airport lounges.

Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits and drawbacks

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

The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee. You can help offset this cost by taking advantage of these perks and benefits:

• 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.
• Receive a $300 annual travel credit. This is a flexible travel credit that works for just about any travel purchase you make, including flights, hotel stays, car rentals, train tickets, and more.
• Get 50% more value when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• Receive up to $100 statement credit every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee reimbursement.
• Access Priority Pass and Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club airport lounges.

What both cards excel at

The Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cards excel in these areas:

• Welcome offers: The Venture X and Sapphire Reserve credit cards offer welcome bonuses that help you earn loads of rewards over a short period of time after account opening.
• 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.
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credits: Venture X and Sapphire Reserve offer up to $100 in statement credits for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fees. This benefit can be used once every four years.
• Transfer partners: Venture X and Sapphire Reserve allow transferring travel rewards to over a dozen different loyalty programs, including major airline and hotel partners. Capital One transfer partners include Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club, and Etihad Guest. Chase transfer partners include JetBlue TrueBlue, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt.
• No foreign transaction fees: Neither Venture X nor Sapphire Reserve charges foreign transaction fees when you use these cards while traveling abroad.
• Payment networks: The Venture X and Sapphire Reserve cards are typically accepted anywhere in the world where credit cards are accepted. This is because they’re part of the Visa payment network, which operates in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.

8 important differences between Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cards share several similarities as premium travel cards. But comparing these eight important differences will help you see which credit card is the best fit for you:

1. Annual fees

Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, while Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee. That’s a hefty $155 savings on fees for simply choosing the lower annual fee Venture X credit card over the Sapphire Reserve credit card.

Check out our Capital One Venture X review for more details.

Winner: Capital One Venture X because a $395 annual fee is simply better than a $550 annual fee.

2. Earning potential

Capital One Venture X offers 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.

Chase Sapphire Reserve offers 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.

These rewards rates are similar, but the Chase Sapphire Reserve card probably comes out on top. Sapphire Reserve earns 3X points on other travel and dining.

Spending $5,000 in these categories nets you 10,000 Capital One miles on the Venture X credit card — worth at least $100 (10,000 x $0.01 = $100) toward travel.

Spending the same amount in the same bonus categories on the Chase Sapphire Reserve earns you 15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards program points — worth at least $225 (15,000 x $0.015 = $225) toward travel.

Check out our Chase Sapphire Reserve review to learn more.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve since its earning categories align with common everyday expenses.

3. Annual credits

The Capital One Venture X credit card offers a $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles worth at least $100 toward travel. That’s basically $400 worth of travel credits or bonuses each year.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card offers $300 annual travel credit and up to $5 DoorDash credit per month (up to $60 per year). It also offers up to $15 Instacart credits per month (up to $180 per year).

This equates to $540 in value per year, which is higher than the $400 on the Venture X card. But the DoorDash and Instacart credits aren’t as useful for everyone, especially if you never use these services.

The Venture X credit card wins this round since its statement credit and bonus can be easier to use for most people. Note that the Venture X $300 travel credit is only applicable if you book travel through Capital One Travel, while the $300 travel credit on the Sapphire Reserve applies to all eligible travel purchases.

Winner: Capital One Venture X because its statement credit and annual bonuses are easier to use.

4. Travel redemption value

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 Capital One Travel portal and Chase travel portal are both easy to use (similar to using Expedia or other travel platforms), but the Sapphire Reserve card wins here because of its travel redemption bonus.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve because it offers a 50% bonus to travel redemptions.

5. Redemption options

The Capital One Venture X offers these redemption options:

The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers these redemption options:

Travel redemptions are often the best option for either card because they typically provide the most value.

With the Capital One Venture X credit card, you can make any type of travel purchase and then redeem Capital One miles toward that purchase. This opens up unique redemption options such as buying certain amusement park tickets that code as travel, so you still benefit from the higher travel redemption value.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers Pay-Yourself-Back categories that often benefit from the same 50% rewards bonus as travel redemptions. These categories change, but past categories included Airbnb, dining purchases, groceries, and more.

Winner: Tie since there’s no default winner in this category and it depends on how you prefer to redeem your rewards.

6. Elite status

The Capital One Venture X credit card offers Hertz President’s Circle elite status. This offers Hertz benefits such as:

• Ultimate Choice car selection
• Dedicated call center line
• Guaranteed car upgrades

The Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card provides Emerald Club Executive elite status with National, offering these benefits:

• Faster free rental days
• Executive Area access
• Guaranteed car upgrades

The Chase Sapphire Reserve also provides Avis Preferred Plus elite status, offering these benefits:

• Complimentary upgrades if available
• Avis Preferred Plus dedicated line
• Exclusive monthly email offers

While Sapphire Reserve offers benefits with more car rental agencies, it’s not the clear winner in this category because each person often prefers a car rental company they like to use.

Winner: Tie because it depends on your rental car company preferences.

7. Airport lounge access

The Capital One Venture X credit card offers access to these airport lounge networks:

• Priority Pass
• Plaza Premium
• Capital One Lounge

The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers access to Priority Pass lounges. The Sapphire Reserve also gives you benefits at restaurants within the Priority Pass network, often in the form of credit you can use for dining. 

This specific Priority Pass restaurant benefit isn't available with the Venture X. However, the Capital One Venture X wins since it offers more airport lounge access.

Note that enrollment is required to take advantage of the Priority Pass Select benefit on these cards.

Winner: Capital One Venture X because it offers more access to airport lounge networks.

8. Authorized users

Capital One allows Venture X cardholders to add up to four authorized users for free. Authorized users receive these benefits:

• Airport lounge access (Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One Lounge)
• Hertz President’s Circle elite status
• Purchase and travel protections

Chase allows Sapphire Reserve cardholders to add authorized users for a $75 annual fee per user. Authorized users receive these benefits:

• Priority Pass membership
• Purchase and travel protections

Winner: Capital One Venture X since you can add authorized users for free.

Which credit card should you choose

When you should choose the Capital One Venture X

• You already have a relationship with Capital One
• You want a lower annual fee ($395)
• You prefer a simple rewards rate
• You prefer Capital One transfer partners
• You want free authorized users

When you should choose the Chase Sapphire Reserve

• You already have a relationship with Chase
• You want to combine Chase Ultimate Rewards points between multiple Chase cards
• You prefer a rewards rate with multiple bonus categories
• You prefer Chase transfer partners
• You want a flexible travel credit

What factors to consider before choosing

Consider these factors as you compare credit cards:

• Credit requirements: Both the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve have similar eligibility requirements.
• Earning potential: The Capital One Venture X provides a simpler earning rate, while the Sapphire Reserve provides multiple bonus categories.
• Perks and benefits: Both cards provide airport lounge access, travel credits, and transfer partner redemptions. However, there are many differences between the available benefits on both cards.
• Fees: These cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees. The Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee.
• Card network: Both cards use the Visa network to process payments. Visa is accepted in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve FAQ

Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: bottom line

The Capital One Venture X credit card can be the better option over the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card in a side-by-side comparison. Venture X has a lower $395 annual fee and its benefits — including a $300 annual travel credit, 10,000 anniversary miles (worth at least $100), and airport lounge access — can offset this cost.

Sapphire Reserve may be a better option if you combine points from other Chase credit cards to take advantage of its 50% bonus to travel redemptions.

If these cards don’t seem like the right fit for you, check out our dedicated page to compare credit cards and find the best option for you.

Premium Travel Benefits

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

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠ (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually)
• Priority Pass airport lounge access
• $300 annual travel credit
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs

Drawbacks

• High annual fee
• Excellent credit required

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $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.
• 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