by Emily Thompson, Newsletter & Partnerships Editor
If you’re looking for a simple way to get a good return on all your spending — without having to keep up with bonus categories — we regularly recommend the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Both cards earn at least 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases and give you a wide range of options for using your miles to book travel.
But in spite of their similar names and earning rates, these two cards have some important differences. If you want to take your earnings up a notch, here’s how to decide between the two.
If you want the most perks, the Venture X is your winner. Most notably, it comes with access to Capital One lounges and over 1,300 lounges in its partner network for you and up to two guests. You’ll also get a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, 10,000 bonus miles each year on your account anniversary, and a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. If you can maximize these benefits, you’ll get plenty of value and easily justify the $395 annual fee.
But if you’re aiming to keep your annual fee costs low, the Venture Rewards is the way to go. It has a much lower $95 annual fee and still offers the great flat earning rate of 2 miles per dollar and the option to maximize your miles by transferring them to Capital One’s 15-plus hotel and airline partners. It also comes with a $50 experience credit on every Lifestyle Collection hotel stay and a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
If you still can’t decide, the cards’ welcome bonuses might be your tiebreaker. The Venture X currently has its standard offer, allowing new applicants to earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. This bonus is worth $1,388, according to TPG’s March 2025 valuations.
The Venture Rewards, on the other hand, has an elevated limited-time welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening, plus a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in the first year. When you add the credit to our valuation of the bonus miles, this bonus is worth a much higher $1,638.
Regardless of which card you choose, you’ll get a great return on all your purchases and enjoy a wide range of options to use your miles to cover travel expenses.
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