Capital One Venture X
The welcome offer, every credit and its catch, what it earns, the lounge rules, the insurance, and whether the $395 fee pays for itself.
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Premium travel · Capital One
Welcome offer
75,000 miles
Annual fee
$395
75,000 bonus miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Not available to anyone who received a bonus on this card in the past 48 months.
Authorized users: Free; $125 a year each to add lounge accessForeign transaction fees: NoneRewards: Capital One Miles
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The Atelier Take
The premium card with the least homework, provided at least one trip a year goes through Capital One Travel.
Who it suits
People who want one premium card with lounge access at a fee well below Amex and Chase, who book at least one trip a year through Capital One Travel, and who would rather not track bonus categories.
Who should skip it
Anyone who travels with a partner and wants them in the lounge for free: guests now pay unless the account spends $75,000 a year. Also anyone who never books through a bank travel portal.
Every credit, and the catch
Two benefits do most of the work: the $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles. Together they exceed the $395 fee for anyone who books one trip a year through Capital One Travel.
Capital One Travel credit
Up to $300 a year
Only bookings through Capital One Travel count. Each year’s credit expires at the next anniversary, and the credited amount earns no miles.
Anniversary bonus
10,000 miles a year
Capital One values these at $100 toward travel; transferred to partners they can be worth more.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
Up to $120 every 4 years
One credit per account, for whichever program is charged first.
Premier Collection experience credit
$100 per stay
Only Premier Collection hotels and rentals booked through Capital One Travel; the Lifestyle Collection gives $50 per stay instead.
What it earns
Rewards: Capital One miles, which transfer to more than 15 airline and hotel programs or cover travel purchases at 1¢ each.
10x
Hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
5x
Flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
5x
Tickets bought on Capital One Entertainment
Pre-sales and arena box offices excluded
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¢. Purchases paid for with the travel credit earn no miles.
Lounges and other benefits
Capital One Lounges and Landings
Free for the primary cardholder. Guests pay $45 each (18 and older) or $25 (17 and under); children under two are free. After $75,000 of spending in a calendar year, up to 2 guests are free at Capital One Lounges and 1 at Landings.
Priority Pass
1,300+ lounges for the primary cardholder, once enrolled. Guests pay $35 each per visit.
Lounges for additional cardholders
Not included. Lounge access costs $125 a year for each additional cardholder; adding cardholders without lounge access is free.
Premier Collection hotels
On bookings through Capital One Travel: a $100 experience credit, daily breakfast for two, Wi-Fi, and a room upgrade, early check-in and late checkout when available.
Hertz President’s Circle
Complimentary upgrade to Hertz’s top status, once enrolled.
The Cultivist
50% off an Enthusiast membership for up to 2 years, giving entry to more than 80 museums.
Visa Infinite Concierge
24/7 help with travel, dining reservations and event tickets.
Will the $395 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 and rental cars through Capital One Travel
10x
Flights and vacation rentals through Capital One Travel
5x
Capital One Entertainment tickets
5x
Flights booked elsewhere
2x
Hotels booked elsewhere
2x
Dining
2x
Groceries
2x
Gas
2x
Everything else
2x
2 · Credits that would be used
Tick only what would be used anyway, at full value.
When the travel credit is ticked, the first $300 booked through Capital One Travel is treated as covered by it and earns no miles, as Capital One’s terms say.
3 · Assumptions
The result
Not counted: lounge access for the cardholder (guests now pay), Premier and Lifestyle Collection benefits, Hertz President’s Circle status and the insurance.
Insurance and protections
These are Visa Infinite benefits, described in Capital One’s Visa Infinite Guide to Benefits. The car rental cover is primary. Pay for the trip, rental or purchase with the card to be covered.
Auto rental collision damage
Primary cover for theft and damage when the rental company’s cover is declined, for vehicles worth up to $75,000 new.
Trip cancellation and interruption
Up to $2,000 per person for non-refundable fares when a covered reason cancels or cuts short a trip.
Trip delay
Up to $500 per ticket for reasonable expenses when a trip is delayed more than 6 hours or needs an overnight stay.
Lost luggage
Up to $3,000 per trip, above what the airline pays.
Travel accident insurance
Up to $1,000,000 when the fare is paid with the card.
Cell phone protection
Up to $800 per claim after a $50 deductible, up to 2 claims and $1,600 per 12 months. Pay the monthly phone bill with the card.
Purchase security
Theft or damage within 90 days of purchase: up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder.
Extended warranty
Adds one year to warranties of three years or less.
Return protection
Up to $300 per item and $1,000 a year when a store won’t take an item back.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The travel credit and anniversary miles cover the fee for anyone who books one trip a year through Capital One Travel
- 2x on every purchase, with nothing to track
- Miles transfer to more than 15 airline and hotel programs
- Primary car rental cover and cell phone protection
Cons
- Guests now pay $45 at Capital One Lounges and $35 at Priority Pass, unless the account spends $75,000 a year
- Lounge access for authorized users costs $125 each a year
- The best earn rates and the travel credit require booking through Capital One Travel
- No bonus categories for dining or groceries
Card terms change often and some offers are personalized; the issuer’s page is the final word.