Credit Cards

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Review

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a new premium travel rewards card with an annual fee of $395. Cardholders will enjoy earning two miles per dollar spent on all purchases, with the opportunity to earn up to 10x miles on select purchases.

Travel rewards credit cards help people turn their everyday spending into rewards that they can use to reduce the cost of their next vacation.

Capital One has added a new premium travel card to its lineup with the Capital One Venture X Card . The card offers lucrative rewards and some great perks at a price below most of the competition.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Features

These are some of the top features of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

Great Travel Rewards

One of the main reasons to get a travel rewards credit card is to make travel cheaper so you can easily afford your next vacation.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers 2X miles for every dollar that you spend with the card. So you would essentially earn the equivalent of 2% cashback on every purchase.

You can earn even higher rates of rewards on qualifying travel purchases. For example, you’ll get 10X miles for every dollar you spend on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles for each dollar you spend on flights when booking directly through Capital One Travel.

On top of the ongoing rewards, new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles, worth $750 in travel, when they spend $4,000 on the card within the first three months after account opening.

Annual Bonuses

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card also offers some nice perks that refresh annually. You’ll receive $300 in annual statement credits for travel booked through Capital One’s travel portal. You’ll also get a bonus of 10,000 miles on your account anniversary each year (starts on the first anniversary).

Cardholders also get up to $100 credit that they can use toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. This credit covers the entire cost of either program, which provides access to expedited security lines at airports and expedited customs when returning to the U.S. from abroad.

This credit refreshes every few years so you can always maintain your Global Entry or PreCheck status.

Travel Booking and Perks

Capital One has revamped its Capital One Travel service to help its cardholders book travel easily and at the lowest available price.

Through the portal, you can quickly view thousands of different flights, hotels, and rental cars to find the services you need to plan your next trip. The portal includes some innovative tools like predictive pricing models so you can get insight into the cheapest time to book your trip.

Capital One offers price drop protection in the event that prices fall after you book, the option to add price alerts for certain bookings, and the ability to freeze prices for up to two weeks while you decide whether you want to book a flight or hotel.

Once you book your vacation, you can travel in style with free access to Capital One’s network of airport lounges and the Priority Pass lounge network for yourself and up to two guests.

Access to Capital One CreditWise

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card requires excellent credit, but many online applicants qualify for instant approval. If you don’t get instant approval, it may take up to ten days to process your application.

Even with excellent credit, that doesn’t mean it isn’t necessary for you to keep an eye on your credit report and score.

Capital One provides access to its CreditWise tool to anyone, regardless of being a Capital One cardholder or not. CreditWise lets you view your credit history and the different factors that are influencing your score.

You’ll receive automatic alerts for major changes to your report, giving you an easy way to monitor your credit for fraud or errors.

The tool also includes a credit score simulator so you can see how different actions, like missing a payment or getting a new loan, will impact your credit score.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Fees

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium travel rewards card. Many travel rewards cards carry a hefty annual fee and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is no different, charging a fee of $395 each year.

However, this fee is offset by the $300 statement credit toward Capital One Travel purchases and the 10,000-mile bonus you receive annually. So long as you max out your travel credits, the credit, and mile bonus alone cover the cost of the card.

Even if you don’t max out your credits, $395 is less than the fees charged by similar, competing cards, making this a good option for price-conscious people who want a premium travel card.

Security

Capital One uses industry-standard techniques and tools to keep your personal and financial information safe. That includes using encryption to protect your data and connection to its website.

Additionally, Capital One has a zero liability fraud protection policy. If your card is ever lost or stolen, Capital One won’t hold you liable for repaying that debt. You also have the option to set up fraud alerts and instant purchase notifications if you want to help keep your card safe from unauthorized use.

Another useful tool for preventing unauthorized use of your card is the ability to lock your card through the Capital One app. If you ever lose or misplace your card you can quickly lock it from your phone. If anyone tries to use it for a purchase, it will get declined until you unlock the card again. This gives you time to report the loss to Capital One and request a new card.

Mobile Support

Capital One offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices. The apps include all of the tools that you need to manage your account on the go.

The app makes it easy to view your current balance and recent transactions as well as previous statements. You can also use the app to make payments or redeem your rewards.

The app also includes full access to Capital One’s CreditWise monitoring tool.

Customer Support

Capital Ones support is available seven days a week from 8 AM to 8 PM EST by calling 1-800-289-1992.

Outside of those hours, or if you simply prefer chat-based support, you can work with Capital One’s virtual assistant, Eno. Eno is a chatbot that can answer basic questions, and direct you to resources that may be able to assist or help you get in touch with a human if it can’t find a good way to assist you.

  • Earn at least 2X miles for every dollar spent — The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a minimum of 2X miles for every dollar you spend, with the opportunity to earn even more on some purchases. This is a great base rate for a rewards credit card.

  • Annual fee is offset by credits — Cardholders will get 10,000 bonus miles each year, equivalent to $100 cash back and up to $300 in statement credits toward travel when booked through Capital One’s travel portal.

  • Travel perks — Get access to the Capital One Travel Service, which allows you to set price alerts and freeze prices for up to two weeks. You also get up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.


  • Restriction on reward redemptions — The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers rewards in the form of miles that can be used towards travel purchases. This makes it less flexible than cash back cards, which gives you cash that can be used toward any purchase.

  • High annual fee, even if it can be offset — The card’s $395 annual fee is steep. Even though that fee can essentially be offset with it's numerous annual statement credits, if you forget to use a credit or go a year without traveling, that can be a big amount to pay out of your own pocket.

Honest Recommendation

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a great choice for people who are interested in premium travel cards but who are concerned about the high price tag. While the $395 annual fee can seem steep, you should be able to offset that fee with annual credits by traveling at least once each year.

The rewards are also easy to understand and use compared to other travel cards which can make it more complex to get the best value out of your points by making you transfer them between cards or to partners to get the best deal.

If you’re looking for your first premium travel card, it’s hard to go wrong with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

Alternatives

These are some of the top alternatives to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express has long been one of the top premium travel cards on the market. With a whopping $695 annual fee the card is expensive to keep in your wallet but makes up for it with a variety of perks.

Cardholders can receive:

  • $200 in hotel credits
  • $240 in digital entertainment credits
  • $100 Saks credit
  • $200 in airline fee credits
  • $200 in Uber cash
  • $300 credit on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox Club memberships
  • $179 in credits toward CLEAR memberships

On top of these credits, cardholders get access to Priority Pass lounges and American Express Centurion lounges at airports around the world.

If you want one of the most luxurious cards on the market, the Platinum Card® fits that bill.

See Rates & Fees.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card, is Chase’s premier travel card and one of the most popular on the market. It carries an annual fee of $550 but makes up for it with a variety of perks, including:

  • $300 in travel credits
  • 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
  • Point transfers to popular airline and hotel programs
  • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges
  • $100 toward TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry
  • Free trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental coverage, and lost luggage insurance

You’ll also earn 10x points for each dollar spent on hotels and cars through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 5x points per dollar on flights, and 3x points per dollar on travel and dining.

American Express® Gold Card

The American Express® Gold Card is a more entry-level travel card, offering a mix of travel and other perks.

In exchange for its $250 annual fee, cardholders get:

  • $120 in Uber cash
  • $120 in dining credits
  • Up to 12 months of Uber Eats Pass for free
  • Terms Apply

Cardholders will earn 3 points for every dollar spent on flights booked through American Express. You can also earn 4 points per dollar on dining and groceries.

Who Is It For?

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is great for people who have never had a premium travel card and who want to get their feet wet. The lower annual fee may be easier to stomach and the card still offers highly valuable perks.

Even those who already have more premium cards may consider switching to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card thanks to its lower fee and simpler perks.

Bottom Line

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the newest premium rewards credit cards. With a simple rewards structure, easy-to-understand perks, and an annual fee below the competition, this card will appeal to almost everyone in the market for a travel credit card.

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