Best in Class
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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Review
Key Takeaways
The Venture Rewards card is good if the $95 annual fee feels more approachable than the Venture X’s $395. The Venture X is a better all around card with benefits that easily match the $395 annual fee. Our advice has changed with the Venture cards because of the Venture Family Rule. We suggest getting the Venture Rewards card first, as it delivers a solid 75,000 (current special 75,000)-mile sign-up bonus, 2x miles on all purchases, and useful features like the purchase eraser and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. If you get the Venture X first, you will be ineligible to receive the welcome offer on the Venture Rewards card.
Why This Card Could Be Right For You
The Venture Rewards card works well for beginners or as a companion card in a two-player game.
- 75,000 (current special 75,000)-mile sign-up bonus after meeting the minimum spend (sometimes up to 90k with targeted offers)
- 2x miles on all purchases
- 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($100)
- Access to 14 airline and 2 hotel transfer partners
- Capital One’s unique Purchase Eraser lets you wipe out nearly any travel-related charge — including Airbnb and VRBO — at 1:1 value
When The Usual Advice Doesn't Apply
This card may not be a great fit if:
- You’re flying solo in the hobby and can maximize the superior perks of the Venture X
- You’re comfortable with higher annual fees and want better long-term value
- You’re looking for premium card benefits like lounge access and anniversary bonuses
What to Know About Capital One Miles
Capital One is a flexible point system we use for travel items that other systems don't cover
- Partner transfers are niche airlines and hotel brands, making the points more difficult to maximize
- Using an award search tool such as PointsYeah makes finding flights with those airlines more realistic
- Simple redemptions for erasing travel can be useful for cruises & rental cars (at 1¢/point so value isn’t maximized)
- Capital One is particularly attractive to businesses with large spending
How The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Fits In The Capital One Miles Ecosystem
This card is best seen as a stepping stone or a role player in a larger strategy.
- Because of the high signup bonus relative to the annual fee, this card offers good first-year value
- Plan strategically to get this card first then get the Venture X, as getting the Venture X first will make you ineligible for the welcome offer on the Venture Rewards card per the Venture Family Rule
- After the first year, most will find the Venture X, Chase Sapphire cards, or Amex Gold/Platinum offer more value for a higher fee
- If you’re not getting significant use from this card after year one, consider downgrading to the VentureOne before the next annual fee hits
- We don't generally recommend the VentureOne card since the signup bonus is so low, but be aware that it is also part of the Venture Family Rule. You must get the cards in order of VentureOne, Venture Rewards, Venture X to earn the signup bonus on all three cards
My Experience, No Filter
We picked up the Venture early on when we weren’t yet ready for premium fees. It worked well that first year—we landed a 90k bonus and learned the value of flexible redemptions. Eventually, I upgraded to the Venture X, and now we use that as our long-term keeper. This card still comes in handy during brief pauses between bonuses, but it’s not one we’ll hold forever.
Card Information
Bonus Points
75,000
Minimum Spend
$4,000 / 3mo
Point Value
1.3 ¢
Annual Value
Annual Fee
$95
1st Year Value
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Differentiating Perks
Unlimited 2X Miles on All Purchases
Potential Boosts
$250 Travel Portal Credit
Card Extras
Extra
Worth/Fit
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Total Annual Value
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Card Benefits
No benefits are available for this card.
Historical Card Offers
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Average Frequency
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Estimated Next Offer
Start Date
Offer Length
Bonus
Minimum Spend
Spend Categories
6.5¢
Per Dollar
Spent
Spent
6.5¢
Per Dollar
Spent
Spent
6.5¢
Per Dollar
Spent
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2.6¢
Per Dollar
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Spent
Capital One Venture Rewards Application Rules
If you have received a signup bonus from a higher tiered card, you are ineligible to receive a bonus from a lower tiered card in that same card family.
Card approval not subject to 5-personal-cards-in-24-months rule
You won’t be approved for a second Capital One card if you’ve opened one in the past six months
Point Transfer Options
+6 Lower Value Transfers Show
Best for Series
Below is a snapshot of where this card performs best compared to the other cards in our database:
Ranking of Cards Offering Capital One Miles
Downgrade Options
Capital One Quicksilver
Cash in Cents
Capital One VentureOne
Capital One Miles
Capital One Venture X
Capital One Miles