Is the Venture X Business Card Worth the $395 Annual Fee?

The Capital One Venture X Business made a significant impact upon its 2023 debut, featuring an impressive welcome offer along with many of the perks we love from its personal version, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

One notable similarity is the $395 annual fee, which is quite reasonable compared to other premium business credit cards, such as The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, which has a $695 fee (see rates and fees).

However, this fee is still higher than the American Express® Business Gold Card's $375 annual fee (see rates and fees) and the $95 annual fee for Chase's Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.

So, does the Venture X Business provide sufficient benefits and earning potential to justify its premium fee? Here’s what you should consider if you’re undecided.

Welcome Bonus

Currently, new cardholders can earn 150,000 bonus miles by spending $30,000 within the first three months of account opening.

According to TPG's August 2024 valuations, Capital One miles are valued at 1.85 cents each, making this bonus worth an impressive $2,775. If you can meet the high spending threshold, the full bonus alone is enough to justify the card's $395 annual fee.

Earning Potential

In addition to the Venture X Business welcome bonus, you can earn 10 miles for every dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases.

You can easily redeem your miles by using them for a statement credit to offset travel expenses, providing a value of 1 cent per mile.

For greater value from your miles, you can also transfer them to any of Capital One's 15+ hotel and airline partners, including valuable programs like Air Canada Aeroplan, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and Wyndham Rewards.

By utilizing these transfer options, you can typically achieve a value of at least 1.85 cents per mile, based on our August 2024 valuations.

Earning a minimum of 2 miles per dollar translates to an effective 3.7% return on all your purchases, according to TPG's valuations, making the Venture X Business particularly appealing for high-spending business owners who prefer not to navigate bonus categories.

With this card, you can rest assured that you are earning valuable rewards regardless of what you buy.

Annual Travel Credit

Venture X Business cardholders enjoy $300 in statement credits each year for travel booked via Capital One Travel. This credit is automatic, making it straightforward to use.

It's important to keep in mind that since the credit is restricted to travel booked through Capital One Travel, you may miss out on any elite status benefits for hotels or rental cars. The limitations of booking through a portal can diminish the overall value of this annual credit.

Nevertheless, if you maximize this benefit, your effective annual fee could be reduced to just $95.

Anniversary Bonus Miles

The travel credit isn’t the only annual benefit you’ll receive as a Venture X Business cardholder. Each year, on your account anniversary, you’ll also earn 10,000 bonus miles valued at $185, based on TPG's August 2024 valuations.

Even if you use these anniversary miles for travel at a rate of 1 cent each, this annual bonus equates to $100. When combined with the travel credit, these benefits more than compensate for the card's $395 annual fee each year.

Lounge Access

As a Venture X Business cardholder, you enjoy unlimited access to Capital One Lounges, which are currently available at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Denver International Airport (DEN), along with Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges.

Keep in mind that, unlike the personal Venture X, lounge access is not available to authorized users.

Without the credit card, you would need to pay $90 for a day pass to a Capital One Lounge. Just five visits would total $450, so you'll quickly recoup the cost of the annual fee if you utilize your Capital One Lounge access.

Additional Perks

In addition to these highly valuable benefits, the Venture X Business card offers extra travel advantages and protections:

• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit: Receive up to $120 in statement credits
• Hotel benefits: Enjoy access to luxury hotel bookings and elite-like perks through Capital One's Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection

While these benefits may be harder to measure, they contribute to a more enjoyable and stress-free travel experience.

Final Thoughts

If you can fully leverage the advantages of the Venture X Business card, you'll easily justify the annual fee each year. The value of the benefits is so high that utilizing just a few can offset the card's cost. However, if you find it challenging to maximize the annual travel credit or lounge access, you might consider another one of our top business credit cards.

For more details, check out our comprehensive review of the Venture X Business.

Discover more: Capital One Venture X Business

For the Capital One products mentioned on this page, some benefits may be offered by Visa® or Mastercard® and can differ by product. Please refer to the corresponding Guide to Benefits for more information, as terms and exclusions apply.