Premium travel credit cards offer luxury benefits with a price to match, and one option is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Cardholders can earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, plus more for travel booked through Capital One Travel. Learn more about the Capital One Venture X Card to find out if it’s worth the $395 annual fee. (See Rates & Fees)
[Read: Best Rewards Credit Cards.]
Valuable Benefits That Offset the Venture X Card’s Annual Fee
If you decide to take the plunge and apply for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, the benefits should be worth the annual fee. Here are some of the most valuable perks:
— 75,000-mile sign-up bonus. As a new cardholder, you’ll earn 75,000 miles as a sign-up bonus after spending $4,000 within the first three months with the card. This translates to $750 toward travel.
— $300 annual travel credit. Each year, you’ll get a travel credit of $300 when you book through Capital One Travel.
— 10,000-mile anniversary bonus. Every year, starting on your first anniversary, you’ll receive 10,000 bonus miles, worth $100 toward travel.
— Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit. Speed up your airport experience by applying for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Capital One reimburses up to $100 once every four years when you use your Venture X card to pay your application fee.
— Capital One airport lounge access. You and up to two guests per visit will receive unlimited complimentary entrance to Capital One’s numerous airport lounges across the U.S. Authorized users can also access this benefit. “Most premium cards charge for authorized users, but this card doesn’t. So it’s an easy way to get larger families or extra friends into the lounge for free,” says John Perri, a travel advisor and travel blogger at JohnTheWanderer.com.
— Partner lounge network. Cardholders also receive a Priority Pass membership and access to Plaza Premium Group lounges. With these benefits, the cardholder and up to two guests can access more than 1,300 lounges around the world.
— Up to 10 miles per dollar on travel. If you book travel on a regular basis, rewards on those purchases can add up quickly. You’ll earn an unlimited 10 miles per dollar on hotel and rental car reservations booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
[Read: Best Cash Back Credit Cards.]
What’s the Difference Between the Venture Rewards Credit Card and Venture X?
Capital One offers two levels of its flagship Venture travel rewards card — the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X. While these two travel credit cards offer similar earning power, benefits and features, there are significant differences, too.
— Annual fee. The Venture Rewards Card has a $95 annual fee (See Rates & Fees), which is substantially more affordable for budget-conscious consumers than the $395 annual fee for the Venture X.
— Lounge access. Venture X cardholders (and their authorized users) get unlimited lounge access at Capital One, Priority Pass and Plaza Premium Group lounges. This isn’t true for the Capital One Venture Card.
— Higher earning power with Capital One Travel. When booking travel with Capital One, you earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars with the Venture Rewards Card. However, the Venture X bumps up to 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars.
— Annual credits and bonus miles. The Venture Rewards Card does not offer annual incentives to its cardholders. While the Venture X Card has a $395 annual fee, its net cost is effectively zero after its $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles.
Is the Venture X Card Hard to Get?
The Venture X card may be hard to get for some applicants. Capital One not only looks at your credit score, but it also considers other factors when reviewing your application, including recent account openings. You are not eligible to open a new Capital One consumer card if you’ve opened another one in the last six months, so wait until this time limit has passed before opening another card.
What Credit Score Do You Need for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card?
For the best chances of approval, applicants should have excellent credit, or a FICO score between 740 and 850.
[Read: No-Annual-Fee Credit Cards.]
Is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Right for You?
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Card offers tremendous value for travelers. Its $395 annual fee is offset by a bevy of benefits, including an annual $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles each year. Miles earned by the card can be used to book travel, cover travel purchases or transfer to more than 15 airline and hotel partners. However, a downside is that travelers may not be familiar with many of the partner loyalty programs.
Bethany Walsh, founder of BougieMiles.com, says she loves the Venture X Card for both experienced and beginner travelers. “Advanced rewards travelers benefit from the card’s international airline transfer partners, while beginning travelers can easily use its miles to book travel or cover travel purchases.”
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Is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Worth its $395 Annual Fee? originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 09/09/24: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
