Capital One Venture X Review: A Top Choice for Travel Lovers in 2024

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In a sea of credit card choices, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card emerges as a strong contender in the premium travel credit card sector. Tailored for travel aficionados, this card unlocks access to enhanced travel experiences and rewards. With flexible redemption options, enticing travel benefits, and a reasonable annual fee, it’s easy to see why the Venture X has become a favored option among travelers.

Whether you want to book travel using cash or points, the Venture X simplifies the often complex landscape of travel rewards. Be it a seasoned traveler after luxurious experiences or someone new to travel points and airline miles, the Venture X serves as an excellent resource to achieve your travel aspirations. Below is a summary of the card’s offerings along with an in-depth look to help you determine if it aligns with your needs:

• Exceptional rewards on every purchase: Earn 10X miles on hotel and rental car bookings via Capital One Travel, 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X miles on all other spending, offering plentiful chances to rack up rewards.

• Annual travel credit: Enjoy $300 in travel credits each year when booked through Capital One Travel.

• Yearly bonus miles: Receive 10,000 bonus miles each year on your card anniversary.

• Lounge access: Benefit from Priority Pass Select membership and unlimited access to Capital One lounges.

• Flexible redemption options: Use your miles for a variety of travel expenses at a rate of one cent each or transfer them to over 15 airline and hotel partners for enhanced value.

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A comprehensive overview of the Capital One Venture X Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium option crafted for travelers who desire enhanced benefits and substantial rewards. With this card, you earn 10 miles per dollar on hotel and rental car bookings via Capital One Travel, 5X miles on flights through the same platform, and 2X miles on all other expenditures. Although the card offers impressive perks, it also has its downsides. Here’s a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Capital One Venture X credit card:

Advantages

• Attractive welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months of opening your account.

• High ongoing rewards: Enjoy unlimited 10X miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel, 5X miles on flights booked via Capital One Travel, and 2X miles on all other purchases.

• Recurring travel perks: Get a $300 annual credit for travel expenses and 10,000 anniversary miles (equivalent to $100). Cardholders also benefit from access to Capital One and Priority Pass lounges and incur no international fees on overseas purchases.

• Transfer options: Cardholders can transfer points to over 15 airline and hotel partners.

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Disadvantages

• Significant annual fee: The card features a $395 annual fee (refer to rates and fees), which may not be worthwhile for individuals who don’t take full advantage of the ongoing benefits to offset this cost.

• Limited bonus categories: Although the card provides impressive rewards for Capital One Travel bookings, its bonus categories are more restricted compared to other travel cards, especially in areas like dining and entertainment.

• Specific $300 travel credit: The annual $300 travel credit is only applicable for reservations made through Capital One Travel.

• Narrow travel insurance: The travel insurance coverage offered by the Capital One Venture X Card is not as extensive as that found with some other premium travel cards.

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Benefits of the Venture X Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X is an excellent choice for those seeking premium travel advantages with a reasonable annual fee. Packed with valuable features, the card includes a generous welcome bonus, access to lounges, recurring statement credits, and bonus miles. If utilized effectively, these benefits can easily justify the $395 annual fee. Let’s delve deeper into the advantages of the Venture X card:

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Welcome Bonus

The Capital One Venture X provides a generous welcome bonus that can significantly contribute to your travel aspirations. New cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. This bonus is valued at $750 for travel expenses, but you can unlock even greater value by transferring miles to one of over 15 travel partners (more details to come).

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Earning Miles

A high welcome bonus is an appealing feature when choosing a credit card, but it’s the ongoing rewards that truly make the annual fee worthwhile. The Venture X allows you to earn substantial rewards on daily expenditures, enabling you to make the most of every dollar. Cardholders receive 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 2 miles on all other purchases.

The 10X bonus on Capital One Travel can be particularly rewarding if you choose to book a Premier or Lifestyle Collection property. Capital One provides exclusive perks at these hotels, such as experience credits, complimentary room upgrades, and even daily breakfast for two at Premier Collection locations. These benefits can enhance your stay and save you money at the same time.

These rewards are perfect for those looking to earn accelerated points on travel-related expenses and everyday purchases. If you prefer to earn rewards effortlessly without juggling multiple credit cards to optimize spending, then the Venture X is an excellent option.

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Annual Credits

The Venture X offers an annual travel credit of $300, which can help mitigate the $395 annual fee. This credit applies exclusively to bookings made through Capital One Travel, making it slightly less flexible compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s travel credit that can be used for any travel-related purchase.

Additionally, cardholders receive 10,000 bonus miles each year on their card anniversary, translating to $100 in travel credits. By utilizing both the annual travel credit and the bonus miles, you can easily offset the $395 fee of the Venture X.

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Travel Benefits

As a premium travel credit card, the Venture X provides a range of travel benefits designed to save you money and enhance convenience. Cardholders enjoy no foreign transaction fees on overseas purchases, yielding a 3% savings. Additionally, the card includes a credit of up to $120 for the TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee every four years. Since obtaining Global Entry automatically includes TSA PreCheck, using your credit for this application is a smart move.

One of the standout ongoing benefits is the lounge access feature. Venture X cardholders can access Capital One lounges unlimitedly, along with up to two guests. While the network is still growing, Capital One lounges are praised for their comfortable environments and premium food and drink selections.

Cardholders also receive Priority Pass Select membership, granting access for themselves and two additional guests at over 1,300 lounges around the globe. With such extensive lounge access, you'll likely find a comfortable spot wherever your travels take you.

Additional valuable benefits include Hertz President’s Circle status for car rental upgrades and auto rental collision coverage, which reimburses for damage and theft if you pay for your rental car with the Venture X. The card also offers up to $800 in annual cell phone protection, which, while not strictly a travel benefit, can still be quite useful on your journeys.

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Complimentary Subscriptions

The Capital One Venture X card features several limited-time complimentary subscription services. One such offering is PRIOR, which normally costs $149 annually and provides access to exclusive travel itineraries and guides. More immediately useful is the 6-month complimentary membership to The Cultivist, which grants free museum admission for the primary cardholder and a guest. Participating museums include The Met in New York City, Musée Picasso in Paris, and Doge’s Palace in Venice.

Venture X cardholders can also take advantage of a $300 credit towards an annual Gravity Haus membership. Gravity Haus is an adventure travel social club that offers discounts at participating hotels, fitness studios, and gear rentals.

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How to utilize Capital One miles

Capital One miles offer exceptional value due to their flexibility. You can use miles to cover travel expenses or transfer them to over 15 airline and hotel partners. Additionally, miles can be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards, cash back, or merchandise. While transferring yields the best value, these alternatives can also effectively help reduce costs on travel or other purchases.

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Transfer options to Capital One travel partners

Capital One launched transfer partners two years ago, and the list has expanded to include 15 airlines and three hotel loyalty programs. These partnerships enhance the value of Capital One miles significantly beyond the standard 1 cent per mile available for travel redemptions. Although primarily partnering with international airlines, these programs often provide cheaper award flights compared to most domestic carriers.

For instance, Turkish Airlines, a partner of United Airlines, offers more affordable award flights than United. You can secure a round-trip economy class ticket to anywhere in the U.S. for just 15,000 miles—a great deal, considering United typically charges the same number of miles for a one-way flight.

If you’ve attempted to use Delta SkyMiles for flights to Europe, you might have encountered exorbitant prices in the six-figure range for economy class. In contrast, Air France and KLM’s joint Flying Blue program offers round-trip flights to Europe starting at only 30,000 miles. You can even save up to 50% on these fares by booking a Promo Reward.

As illustrated, Capital One’s transfer partnerships offer an excellent opportunity to maximize the value of your miles. Here’s the complete list of Capital One transfer partners, with most transfers occurring at a 1:1 ratio unless specified otherwise:

• Aeromexico Club Premier

• Air Canada Aeroplan

• Air France-KLM Flying Blue

• Accor Live Limitless (2:1)

• Avianca LifeMiles

• British Airways Executive Club

• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

• Choice Privileges

• Emirates Skywards

• Etihad Guest

• EVA Air Infinity MileageLands (4:3)

• Finnair Plus

• Qantas Frequent Flyer

• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

• TAP Miles&Go

• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles

• Virgin Red

• Wyndham Rewards

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Redeeming miles for travel expenses

If you prefer to avoid the complexities of award charts and blackout dates, you can redeem Capital One miles for travel purchases at a rate of 1 cent each. Just use your Venture X card to pay for travel expenses and then redeem miles for those costs. While transferring Venture miles to airline partners can yield higher value than one cent per mile, it may not be the simplest option.

If you’re looking for a straightforward and hassle-free way to use your miles, redeeming them for travel purchases is the best option. This method isn’t restricted to just flights or hotel stays—any purchase categorized as travel can be eligible. By booking through Capital One Travel, you ensure that your transactions are recognized as travel, plus you’ll earn 10 miles for every dollar spent, translating to a 10% return. It’s a great deal all around.

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Redeeming miles for cash, gift cards, and merchandise

Although you can use Capital One miles for cash, gift cards, and merchandise, these options are generally not advisable. The value of your miles ranges from 0.5 to 1.1 cents each:

• Gift cards = About 1.1 cents per mile

• Apple products = 1 cent per mile

• Merchandise = 0.8 cents per mile

• Experiences = 0.8 cents per mile

• PayPal or Amazon checkout = 0.8 cents per mile

• Cashback (check or account credit) = 0.5 cents per mile

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Comparison with other cards

While the Capital One Venture X is a fantastic option for those looking to leverage points and miles for travel savings, it’s not the only choice available. There are various cards with different annual fees that provide broader rewards. The best choice will depend on your specific travel preferences and financial situation. If you’re seeking a premium travel rewards card, it’s worth considering the alternatives. Here’s a comparison of the Capital One Venture X card with other options:

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Capital One Venture X versus Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Capital One Venture X are both top-tier credit cards tailored for frequent travelers and those looking to enhance their rewards. While they have some common features, they also present unique distinctions. Both cards provide annual statement credits, Priority Pass Select membership, and bonus points on travel expenditures, but the differences lie in the specifics and welcome bonuses.

The Sapphire Reserve offers a more flexible $300 annual travel credit compared to the Venture X, applicable to any travel purchase rather than just those booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal. Additionally, the Priority Pass Select membership with the Sapphire Reserve is more advantageous, as it includes access to Priority Pass restaurants, which can be particularly useful during busy airport times.

The Sapphire Reserve comes with a significantly higher annual fee of $550, plus $75 for each authorized user. Although its welcome bonus is lower than that of the Venture X, its value can increase based on your usage. Sapphire Reserve holders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. This can equate to $900 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠, or you can transfer points 1:1 to 14 airline and hotel partners. Chase and Capital One share six transfer partners:

• Air Canada Aeroplan

• Air France-KLM Flying Blue

• British Airways Executive Club

• Emirates Skywards

• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

• Virgin Red

The Sapphire Reserve is particularly advantageous if you value Hyatt or Avianca Lifemiles as transfer partners; otherwise, the Venture X card might be the better option for you.

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Capital One Venture X vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express

With an annual fee of $695, The Platinum Card® from American Express* (see rates and fees) nearly doubles the cost of the Venture X card. It offers a welcome bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $8,000 within the first six months of membership. Additionally, the Amex Platinum Card provides a broader lounge access benefit, including Priority Pass Select membership and entry to Amex’s extensive Global Lounge Collection.

Amex Membership Rewards features 12 transfer partners shared with Capital One, such as Flying Blue, Avianca Lifemiles, and Virgin Atlantic, among others. A notable advantage of Membership Rewards is its 1:1 transfer partnership with All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club, which offers some of the most affordable award tickets to Europe, with business class tickets available for just 88,000 miles round-trip.

The Platinum Card provides up to $1,500 in credits for airlines, hotels, and entertainment. Additionally, it includes complimentary Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status. The travel protections offered are also significantly more comprehensive than those of the Capital One Venture X.

However, The Platinum Card is less competitive when it comes to earning points on purchases, offering 5X points on flights booked directly or through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 annually) and 5X on prepaid hotels through Amex Travel. All other transactions earn only 1 point per dollar spent, which greatly diminishes your earning potential compared to the Venture X.

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Capital One Venture X vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Venture X both feature comparable welcome bonuses and offer 2X miles on non-bonus purchases. However, the Capital One Venture is an appealing choice for those seeking a lower annual fee with fewer features. For a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees), cardholders receive the same Global Entry/TSA Precheck fee credit, access to LifeStyle Collection benefits, and Hertz Five Star status.

Cardholders also enjoy two complimentary visits to Plaza Premium or Capital One lounges each year, a rarity for a card in this price range. Additionally, Capital One Venture cardholders earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel. Overall, this card is an excellent option for earning valuable rewards at a lower annual fee compared to the Venture X.

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Is the Capital One Venture X worth it?

Determining whether the Capital One Venture X is a good fit hinges on your travel aspirations and budget. This premium card offers a wealth of travel perks, making it a fantastic option for frequent travelers. The $300 annual credit, bonus points, and generous rewards rate can greatly reduce the overall cost of the annual fee.

That said, it's crucial to weigh the annual fee against your ability to leverage the card's rewards and benefits effectively. If you travel infrequently or prioritize high rewards in everyday categories like dining, groceries, and gas, you might find other credit cards with lower fees or tailored features more aligned with your needs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to get approved for the Capital One Venture X?

Approval for the Capital One Venture X card can be challenging, as it necessitates excellent credit.

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What are the drawbacks of the Capital One Venture X?

One downside of the Capital One Venture X card is its steep annual fee. Additionally, it doesn't provide the most extensive travel insurance coverage.

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What is the value of 75,000 Venture miles?

You can exchange 75,000 Venture miles for $750 in travel credits. However, their value increases significantly when transferred to one of the 15+ airline and hotel partners for premium travel rewards.

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Do Capital One miles have an expiration date?

Capital One miles remain valid indefinitely as long as your account stays active. If you close your account before using your miles, they will be lost.

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Are Capital One miles usable for any airline?

Absolutely, you can use Capital One miles with any airline. By charging your airline tickets to your Venture X card, you can redeem miles at a rate of 1 cent each, as long as the purchase is classified as travel. Additionally, you have the option to transfer miles to 15 partner airlines for potentially greater value.

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*Terms and conditions apply to benefits and offers from American Express. Enrollment might be necessary for certain benefits. Visit americanexpress.com for further details.

Editorial note: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by any of these organizations.