The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card provides great value to occasional travelers who want to maximize the miles they earn. This card features a $95 annual fee and earns at least 2 miles per dollar on all purchases.
Its flashier sibling, the $395-annual-fee Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, offers an enhanced travel experience to compete with other premium products like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees).
If you don’t carry either card — the Venture Rewards or the Venture X — you may wonder: Should you apply for the well-established, crowd-pleasing Venture Rewards or go premium with the luxe Venture X?
Let’s examine 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 of account opening. | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. |
| Earning rates |
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| Other benefits |
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| Foreign transaction fees | None | None |
Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X welcome offer
The Venture Rewards and Venture X have the same welcome offer: New cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Both offers are worth $1,388 based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations, so you’ll get solid value from the bonus no matter which card you choose.
Winner: Tie. Both cards provide the same welcome offer.
Related: How to redeem Capital One’s 75,000 bonus miles welcome offer for maximum value
Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One 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.
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Conversely, the Venture X has 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 get complimentary access to Capital One lounges and can bring two guests for free. Starting Feb. 1, 2026, you’ll need to spend $75,000 in a calendar year to keep free guest access; otherwise, adults will cost $45 each, children 17 and under $25, and children under 2 remain free.
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 TPG’s August 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 Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One 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).
With the Venture Rewards, you’ll earn 5 miles per dollar spent on 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 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 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 Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One 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, but you can also redeem them for a statement credit to cover travel purchases or gift cards at a flat rate of 1 cent per mile.
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 Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One 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.
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 Capital One Venture Rewards or Capital One 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 Capital One Venture Rewards to the Capital One 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 Venture X saved me over $6,000 on a summer trip to France
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 on all other purchases.
The Venture X is a great card for those who can take advantage of its airport lounge access and annual travel credit, while the Venture Rewards is a better fit for anyone looking to keep their annual fee costs low. 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.