Capital One Venture X credit card review: Is this the best value premium travel card?

Key facts

• A travel card that’s best for big travel spenders: Big travel spenders that can appreciate the travel benefits and industry-leading travel rewards might see this card and fall in love.
• Notable intro offer/signup bonus: With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, get 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
• Strong rewards: 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 5 miles per dollar on flights when booked via Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases.
• Has a high annual fee: $395.
• Venture X benefits, Visa Infinite® protection and perks: Free additional cardholders, no foreign transaction fees, 24/7 Concierge, and Cell Phone Protection.

Pros & cons

Pros

• Welcome bonus — 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
• Industry-leading travel rewards — No other card currently offers 10 miles per dollar back on hotels and rental cars. 5 miles per dollar on flights and 2 miles per dollar on everything else is nothing to scoff at, either.
• A buffet of travel perks and credits — With 14-day price freezing, $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, this card eases every step of travel.
• No foreign transaction fee — There are no foreign transaction fees with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card when making purchases outside the United States.
• Capital One Travel is pretty slick — Capital One Travel features price drop protection, price matching, and even 14-day price freezing.

Cons

• Rewards are in miles, not cash back — This card’s rewards come as Miles to be redeemed on Capital One Travel – the exchange rate plummets when redeemed for cash.
• Steep annual fee — With a very high annual fee, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card only makes the most sense for cardholders who take advantage of all of its perks and bonuses annually.

Detailed review: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has an array of perks and features, so let’s get into the details.

Straightforward travel rewards

With Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card:

• Earn 2 miles per dollar on all purchases.
• Earn 5 miles per dollar on flights when booked through Capital One Travel.
• Earn 10 miles per a dollar on hotels and rental cars when booked through Capital One Travel.

You’ll earn rewards quickly even if you’re not frequently spending on travel with this card. There’s a caveat, though: the miles you earn are favorably exchanged for free travel, but don’t convert 1:1 to cash. If you’re most interested in withdrawing your rewards as cash, look at a cash back credit card instead.

Bonuses

Your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card will include up to $300 back as annual statement credits on travel booked through Capital One Travel, another $100 towards travel (in the way of 10,000 points) each account anniversary, and up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Global Entry and TSA PreCheck® can help speed up airport security and customs screening by avoiding long lines so you can make your way through the airport sooner.

There’s also the welcome bonus: 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. If you can meet it, and you’d like to redeem for travel, the welcome bonus helps cover the annual fee and more over.

Rates and fees

Like most travel rewards cards, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the credit cards available for those with high credit (700+) and offers no APR incentives. The ongoing APR, for one, is not something you want to experience consistently.

The annual fee for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card comes in at $395, meaning this card will call for a pinch more financial mindfulness than a no-fee card. It’s aligned with what you can expect with similar mid-tier and luxury travel cards. Aside from the annual fee, there aren’t really any “gotcha” fees hiding in this card’s terms and conditions.

Remember that your credit card should fit your lifestyle and never the other way around, especially when looking at the relevant rates and fees. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card only makes sense if you’re already spending heavily within its reimbursement and rewards categories. And, as we mentioned, you’ll spend rewards points on more travel.

Other unique benefits

In terms of benefits, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a seriously impressive toolkit for making travel faster, cheaper, and less stressful.

Capital One Travel is no mere Kayak.com clone, offering the ability to “freeze” the price of a flight, hotel, or rental car for up to 14 days with a small fee, free price drop protection, and more. 

Visa Infinite® protection and perks

We’ve covered the card in-depth but there are also notable Visa Infinite® protection and perks that are included that stand out, like:

• Visa Infinite Concierge: A 24/7 concierge will help make a reservation and more, like line up live stage shows, music or sporting event tickets.
• Cell Phone Protection: Pay your bill with your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and your cell phone is protected If it’s stolen or damaged. Reimbursement is up to $800 with certain terms, conditions and exclusions that apply.
• Travel Accident Insurance: Purchase your travel fare with your card and get automatic insurance for a covered loss up to a max included for no extra charge.
• See the Visa Infinite Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

The 24/7 concierge service with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card especially stands out to us. This is different than Capital One Travel as that serves as platform to book flights, hotels, and car rentals. The concierge assists you with a number of different requests, including last-minute gifts (like those flowers you forgot), travel planning, and restaurant reservations.

The competition

Here’s how the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card compares.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card vs Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card in comparison offers a “lite” experience of its big brother, with the welcome bonus, unlimited 2 miles per a dollar back on all purchases, up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, and more. For most people, we think it’s the best overall travel rewards card.

Drawbacks are the same; points come as miles (which redeem at a low rate for cash) and there’s no APR incentive to speak of. Even still, if you’re a frequent (but not super frequent) traveler, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card’s lower $95 annual fee might be worth it.

Here’s a quick summary of how they stack up:

If you already hold a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you can consider stepping up to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

Should you get the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card?

It depends. Even though the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is objectively the most rewarding travel card out there, it’s definitely not for everyone.

If you’re already spending $5,000+ annually on flights, hotels, and rental cars, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is practically a no-brainer. With the earning power on the rewards miles rates, lavish perks, and generous travel credits, you’ll pay off your annual fee right away.

On the flip side, if you travel frugally, or infrequently, or would prefer a travel card that provides cash back over miles, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may not fit your lifestyle. You can check out our list of our favorite travel rewards credit cards if you’re looking for something less-premium.

How do you apply for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card?

You can apply via our link for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. We do suggest you re-familiarize yourself with the fun stuff (rewards, perks, and bonuses) but also the granular terms and conditions so you’re sure on your selection.

Once you’re confident this is the right card, you can fill out the application that starts with your personal details. Once you’re done with the paperwork, you should have your card within seven to ten days.

Oh, and don’t forget to ensure you put your big purchases on your new card. You don’t want to miss out on that welcome bonus!

Summary

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may sound like a traveler’s dream, but that may not be for all travelers. If you’re an infrequent or frugal traveler, proceed with caution as you likely won’t spend enough to justify the card’s $395 annual fee.

However, if you already spend $5,000 or more annually on flights, hotels, and rental cars, and don’t mind receiving rewards as miles instead of cash, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may indeed be the ideal travel companion given the earn rates it offers.