Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X: Worth the extra $300?

The
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
is an excellent starter card for occasional travelers. This card features a $95 annual fee and earns at least 2 miles per dollar on all purchases.
Its flashier sibling, the $395-a-year
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
, offers an enhanced travel experience to compete with other premium products like
American Express Platinum Card®
and the
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
(see
rates and fees
).
If you don’t carry either Venture card, you might be comparing them to see how they stack up. Should you apply for the well-established, fan-favorite Venture Rewards or opt for the premium Venture X?
Let’s take a closer look at both cards to help you decide which
Capital One card
is your best option.
Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X comparison
Card
Capital One Venture Rewards
Capital One Venture X
Annual fee
$95
$395
Welcome offer
Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.
Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
Earning rates

• 5 miles per dollar spent on activities, hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5 miles per dollar spent on Capital One Entertainment purchases (through Dec. 31, 2025)
• 2 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases

• 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5 miles per dollar spent on activities, flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• 5 miles per dollar spent on Capital One Entertainment purchases (through Dec. 31, 2025)
• 2 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases

Other benefits

• Up to $120 statement credit every four years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• Access to Lifestyle Collection hotel bookings

• Up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• Access to Capital One Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection hotel bookings
•  $300 annual credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Access to Capital One lounges and a Priority Pass membership
• 10,000 bonus miles at each cardholder anniversary
• Free additional cardholders

Foreign transaction fees
None
None
Venture Rewards vs. Venture X welcome offer
TPG’s November 2025
valuations
place the value of the Venture Rewards welcome bonus at $1,388, while the Venture X bonus is worth $1,850.
The 75,000-mile welcome bonus is the standard welcome offer
we typically see
on the Venture Rewards. The 100,000-mile bonus on the Venture X, meanwhile, matches the best welcome offer
we’ve seen
on this card.
THE POINTS GUY
Winner:
Venture X. Its offer is worth more.
Related:
Highest offer in 4 years: Just how good is the Capital One Venture X’s 100,000‑mile bonus?
Venture Rewards vs. Venture X benefits
With the
Venture Rewards
, you’ll get up to a $120 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, as well as rental car and travel accident insurance, extended warranty protection and access to
Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection
of hotels and
Capital One Entertainment
.
The
Venture X
also offers an up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit but additionally features a stronger list of benefits that more than justify its higher annual fee if you can maximize them.
As a cardholder, you’ll get a $300
annual credit
for bookings made through
Capital One Travel
.
Currently, Venture X cardholders and their authorized users receive complimentary access to
Capital One lounges
and can bring up to two guests at no additional cost.
Starting
February 1, 2026
, you’ll need to spend $75,000 in a calendar year to maintain free guest access; otherwise, adults will incur a cost of $45 each, children aged 17 and under will be charged $25, and children under 2 will remain free.
EMILY THOMPSON/THE POINTS GUY
With the Venture X, you’ll also get a
Priority Pass
lounge membership to over 1,700 locations worldwide. Guests can again join at no additional cost until Jan. 31, 2026, after which you’ll have to pay $35 per guest.
An additional benefit of Venture X is that you can add a limited number of
authorized users
for no additional fee. However, starting Feb. 1, 2026, if you want your authorized user to have lounge access, you’ll have to pay $125 for the privilege.
You’ll also receive 10,000 bonus miles, worth $185 according to our November 2025 valuations, at each cardholder anniversary, along with access to Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection and the luxury Premier Collection of hotels, travel protections, extended warranty protection and cellphone protection.
Winner:
Venture X. As the more premium card offering, it has a much more robust list of benefits than the Venture Rewards.
Related:
Is the Capital One Venture X worth the $395 annual fee?
Earning miles on the Venture Rewards vs. the Venture X
Both the
Venture Rewards
and the
Venture X
earn bonus miles on travel booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases. Both cards also earn 5 miles per dollar spent on Capital One Entertainment purchases (through Dec. 31, 2025).
MARKO GEBER/GETTY IMAGES
With the Venture Rewards, you’ll earn 5 miles per dollar spent on activities,
hotels
, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
However, if you have the Venture X, you’ll earn 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar spent on activities, flights and vacation rentals booked through the same portal.
Winner:
Venture X. It earns double the miles as the Venture Rewards on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. The Venture X also earns bonus miles on flights and trip activities booked through Capital One Travel, while the Venture Rewards does not.
Related:
7 types of purchases you should make with your Capital One Venture Rewards card
Redeeming miles on the Venture Rewards vs. the Venture X
Both the
Venture Rewards
and the
Venture X
earn Capital One miles and give you the same redemption options.
You’ll get the most value by transferring your miles to one of Capital One’s 15-plus
transfer partners
. Alternatively, you can redeem them for a
statement credit to cover travel purchases
or gift cards at a flat rate of 1 cent per mile.
WESTEND61/GETTY IMAGES
Both cards allow you to redeem your miles for cash back, but you’ll get a much lower rate of 0.5 cents per mile, so we recommend avoiding this option whenever possible.
Winner:
Tie. Both cards give you the same options to redeem your miles.
Related:
Should you transfer Capital One miles to partners or redeem directly for travel?
Transferring miles with the Venture Rewards vs. the Venture X
One of the best things about both the Venture Rewards and the Venture X is that they allow you to
transfer your miles
to one of Capital One’s 15-plus hotel and
airline
partners, including valuable options like
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
,
British Airways Club
and
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
And if you can take advantage of a welcome bonus, you’ll get even more value from your miles. For instance, TPG senior points and miles writer
Ben Smithson
gets solid value from his miles by transferring them to
Air Canada Aeroplan
and Flying Blue.
Winner:
Tie. Both the Venture Rewards and Venture X transfer to the same partners at the same rates.
Related:
Cashing in Capital One miles? How to get the maximum value when redeeming miles
Should I get the the Venture Rewards or the Venture X?
If you’re focused on keeping your annual fee costs low, go with the
Venture Rewards
. You’ll get a strong earning rate, the ability to take advantage of Capital One’s transfer partners and some travel benefits for just a $95 annual fee. However, if you want airport lounge access and can maximize its $300 annual credit, the
Venture X
is the better choice.
Related:
Who should (and shouldn’t) get the Capital One Venture X card?
How to upgrade from the Venture Rewards to the Venture X
If you already have Venture Rewards and want to upgrade to Venture X, you can call the number on the back of your card and request a product change. You won’t be able to take advantage of your new card’s welcome offer, but it’s a good way to get more benefits without worrying about eligibility.
You can also downgrade from the Venture X to the Venture Rewards through the same method.
Related:
How I used my Venture X to get almost $800 in value from a Caribbean winter getaway
Bottom line
Both the
Venture Rewards
and the Venture X are excellent travel rewards cards that earn bonus miles on Capital One Travel purchases and at least 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases.
The
Venture X
is ideal for travelers who can take advantage of its airport lounge access and annual travel credit, while the Venture Rewards is best for those who want strong earning potential with a lower annual fee. Regardless of which card you choose, you’ll get solid travel benefits and earn valuable transferable rewards.
To learn more, read our full reviews of the
Venture Rewards
and
Venture X
.
Learn more:
Capital One Venture Rewards
Learn more:
Capital One Venture X
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.