Capital One Venture Rewards
The welcome offer, what it earns, the benefits and their catch, the insurance, and whether the $95 fee pays for itself.
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Everyday travel · Capital One
Welcome offer
75,000 miles + $300 credit
Annual fee
$95
75,000 bonus miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months, plus a one-time $300 Capital One Travel credit for hotels and vacation rentals, valid for one year. Not available to anyone who received a Venture or Venture X bonus in the past 48 months.
Foreign transaction fees: NoneRewards: Capital One MilesNetwork: Visa Signature
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The Atelier Take
Simple and fair; compare it with Venture X before choosing, since the larger card often costs less in practice.
Who it suits
People who want simple, transferable travel miles on every purchase without a premium fee.
Who should skip it
Anyone who would book one trip a year through Capital One Travel: the Venture X’s $300 credit and 10,000 anniversary miles cover its $395 fee, with lounges included.
Credits and the catch
There are no recurring credits on this card. The benefits below are a first-year credit, a Global Entry credit and perks on hotels booked through Capital One Travel.
Capital One Travel Stays credit
$300, first year only
Hotels and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel only, and it expires one year after the account opens. The credited amount earns no miles.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
Up to $120 every 4 years
One credit per account.
Lifestyle Collection experience credit
$50 per stay
Only Lifestyle Collection hotels and rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
What it earns
Rewards: Capital One miles, which transfer to more than 15 airline and hotel programs or cover travel purchases at 1¢ each.
5x
Hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
5x
Tickets bought on Capital One Entertainment
2x
Everything else
No caps and no categories to track
TPG values Capital One miles at 1.85¢ each when transferred to partners, so 2x returns about 3.7¢ per dollar. Used to cover travel purchases, a mile is worth 1¢, so 2x becomes 2%.
Other benefits
Hertz Five Star status
Skip the counter and choose from a wider selection of cars.
Lifestyle Collection hotels
On bookings through Capital One Travel: a $50 experience credit, Wi-Fi, and an upgrade, early check-in and late checkout when available.
Capital One Entertainment
Pre-sales and access to concerts, dining and sporting events.
Will the $95 fee pay off?
Enter what would go on this card. The result values points at TPG’s valuation, adds the credits that would actually be used and, in year one, the welcome offer, then sets the total against a no-fee card that pays 2% back on everything.
1 · Spending on this card
Example figures are filled in; replace them with real ones.
Hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars through Capital One Travel
5x
Capital One Entertainment tickets
5x
Flights
2x
Hotels booked elsewhere
2x
Dining
2x
Groceries
2x
Gas
2x
Everything else
2x
2 · Assumptions
The result
Not counted: Hertz Five Star status, Lifestyle Collection benefits and the insurance. There are no annual credits on this card, so the case for the $95 fee rests on the miles, and on transferring them rather than using them at 1¢.
Insurance and protections
Visa Signature benefits, from Capital One’s Visa Signature Guide to Benefits. There is no trip delay or trip cancellation cover on this card.
Auto rental collision damage
Covers theft and collision damage to a rental car when the rental company’s cover is declined and the rental is paid with the card.
Lost luggage
Up to $3,000 per trip, above what the airline pays.
Travel accident insurance
Up to $250,000 when the fare is paid with the card.
Purchase security
Theft or damage within 90 days of purchase: up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder.
Extended warranty
Extends eligible manufacturer warranties: up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder.
Roadside Dispatch
A pay-per-use towing and roadside service; a standard call currently costs $79.95.
Pros and cons
Pros
- 2x on everything for $95
- Miles transfer to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners
- A generous first-year offer, with a $300 hotel credit on top of the miles
Cons
- No bonus categories
- No lounge access or trip delay insurance
- Venture X costs $300 more but returns about that much in credits and miles for portal users
Card terms change often and some offers are personalized; the issuer’s page is the final word.