Most flyers dabbling in travel credit cards wind up facing a choice: Should you pay up for a premium travel card to unlock benefits like airport lounge access and money-saving travel credits? Or stick with something cheaper without all the extra perks?
The *capital one venture x* splits the difference. Three years after launching to great fanfare, Capital One's premium travel card remains one of our favorite travel cards on the market for frequent flyers – if not the top option, period.
It starts with a solid and easy-to-earn welcome offer bonus of 75,000 Capital One miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months – miles you can easily use to cover the cost of cheap flights (and countless other travel expenses) or send on to an excellent array of Capital One transfer partners to get even more value. But then Capital One ups the ante with top-notch travel perks like lounge access, a $300 annual travel credit available through the Capital One travel portal, annual bonus miles, unbeatable travel insurance coverage, and more.
Other premier travel cards with these perks have annual fees that clock in at $550 or more. But the Capital One Venture X credit card costs travelers just $395 a year, with an easier path to recoup that cost (and then some) than you'll find on any other top-dollar credit card. Along with all the other premium benefits, we think that makes the Venture X a strong contender for many flyers who are looking to level up their travels in 2025 and beyond.
Read More: Only Want 1 Travel Credit Card? You Can't Top the Capital One Venture X
Learn more about the *capital one venture x*
Read on for our review of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and a full breakdown of the card and its benefits.
Full Card Benefits Overview
Venture X Card Welcome Offer Bonus
Capital One Miles are among the most valuable in the world of points and miles. No other credit card points give you more flexibility and versatility to redeem miles toward travel.
The current welcome offer bonus on the Venture X is a hefty chunk of miles with a palatable spending requirement. You'll earn 75,000 Capital One miles after spending just $4,000 in the first three months.
Considering you earn at least 2x miles on every buck you spend, you'll actually get at least 83,000 miles once you complete the required amount of spending. And since Capital One miles are worth at least 1 cent apiece toward travel – and potentially much more when using transfer partners – that bonus alone is worth at least $830 towards travel expenses.
Need some ideas? Read our list of the best ways to use your Capital One miles.
An Annual $300 Travel Credit
Each year of card membership, Venture X cardholders get up to a $300 travel credit to use for Capital One Travel bookings. Just use your card to book flights, hotels, or rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal, and you'll automatically get up to $300 in credit toward your purchase.
Think of it this way: Do you plan to spend $300 or more on travel each year? Then this card's annual fee isn't $395 – it's more like $95. That automatically makes this card a brilliant alternative to the popular *capital one venture*.
Not to mention, you'll also earn 10x Capital One miles on hotels and rental cars and 5x miles on flights booked via Capital One Travel … but only once you've exhausted that $300 credit. Capital One made that slight downgrade back in 2023.
Read more: Everything You Need to Know About Capital One Venture X $300 Travel Credit
Capital One Lounge & Priority Pass Lounge Access
This is a big one.
Capital One Venture X cardholders get complimentary access to the new Capital One Lounges, the first of which officially opened its doors in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) back in 2021. It took a few years, but you can now visit Capital One lounges in Denver (DEN) and Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD), too. A few more lounges are on the way in Las Vegas (LAS) and New York City (JFK).
Plus, Capital One also offers cardholders access to its hybrid airport lounge-restaurant concept called Capital One Landings. The one in Washington, D.C.-Reagan (DCA) is already open, with another at New York City-LaGuardia (LGA) on the way.
The Venture X is the only credit card that provides complimentary access to the Capital One lounges.
You'll also get a full Priority Pass membership, which will get you into 1,400-plus airport lounges around the globe. While most of these lounges may not be as nice as the Capital One lounges, they have such a massive footprint that makes it much easier to get into a lounge no matter where you're flying. Membership through the Venture X no longer includes Priority Pass restaurants, though.
However, per the terms and conditions of Capital One's Venture X Priority Pass lounge access, cardholders have the ability to bring in an unlimited amount of guests. Priority Pass memberships from other premium travel cards cap guest access at two guests per cardholder.
Read more on how to add Capital One Venture X authorized users – and why you should!
The Premier & Lifestyle Collection of Hotels
In early 2023, Capital One launched its own portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts, bookable with exclusive benefits for Venture X cardholders, called The Premier Collection.
Just log into your account and head for the Capital One travel portal, where you'll see the option to search for Premier Collection properties in addition to flights, hotels, and rental cars.
It's not just glamorous hotels and resorts that Capital One hopes will draw travelers in, either. Every Premier Collection booking unlocks a handful of additional perks that match (or exceed) the top levels of hotel status, including:
- Free breakfast for two every morning
- A $100 credit for dining, the spa, or other experiences on the property
- Free Wi-Fi during your stay
- Room upgrades, early check-in, and late check-out when available
- Earn 10x miles per dollar on every booking
- You can use your Venture X Card's $300 annual travel credit for these hotel bookings
It's a near carbon copy of American Express's Fine Hotels + Resorts Program, giving travelers with *amex platinum card* elite-like perks on hotel bookings.
Additionally, Capital One has introduced the Lifestyle Hotel Collection, including brand names like Virgin, The Standard Design, and The LINE, as well as a number of boutique hotels around the world. While the Premier Collection is available exclusively to Venture X cardholders, the Lifestyle Collection will be available to other Capital One cardholders – including those with a *capital one venture*.
Cardholders will get perks usually reserved for those with hotel status or who hold a premium travel rewards credit card, such as earning more miles on stays, room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout, and a $50 experience credit to use at bars, hotel restaurants, room service, or other activities.
Venture X $120 Credit for Global Entry or PreCheck
Add the Capital One Venture X to the growing list of credit cards offering up to a $120 credit for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Membership in either program is good for five years, and Venture X cardholders will get this credit every four years.
If you plan for any sort of international travel, spring for Global Entry, as it includes a TSA PreCheck membership. At just $120, the statement credit provided by the Venture X credit card will completely cover your membership cost for as long as you keep the card open.
Taking advantage of this credit is simple. Just use the card when you pay for your application, and voilà: Your credit will kick in to cover the entire cost.
Read more: Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck: Which is Better for You?
10,000 Bonus Miles Each Year
Each and every year on your account anniversary, you'll receive 10,000 bonus miles after paying your card's annual fee.
These miles are worth a minimum of $100 towards travel – and potentially much more by utilizing Capital One's list of transfer partners. You won't get this right when you open the card: This benefit starts in your second year and each year after that.
In our experience, Capital One deposits this 10,000-mile bonus about a month or two after paying your annual fee on the card, starting in your second year.
Read More: Wondering Whether to Renew Your Venture X Card? Make Sure You Read This
Earn 2x Miles on Every Purchase You Make with Venture X
Like the regular Capital One Venture Card, Capital One Venture X cardholders will earn 2x miles on every dollar spent on the card.
That's incredibly lucrative and could easily make the Venture X card a go-to option in your wallet for many expenses.
Complimentary Hertz President's Circle Status
Venture X cardholders get complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status.
As the highest level of elite status in their Gold Plus Rewards program, President's Circle elite members who book an intermediate car or higher get guaranteed upgrades to the next available car class or the ability to choose a car from the President's Circle Ultimate Choice aisle.
Members can also skip the counter when renting a car, have access to a dedicated Hertz Rewards customer service line, and have the ability to add an additional driver at no cost.
This benefit is available for both primary cardholders and authorized users.
Read our full story on why we love Hertz President's Circle status!
Travel Insurance & Rental Car Coverage
Premium travel credit cards typically come with some excellent travel protection policies, and the Venture X is no different.
This Capital One card is technically a Visa Infinite card, which is a distinction that doesn't matter much … until it comes to these benefits. Charge your rental car, flights, or any trip to your Venture X card and you'll get added protections.
Venture X Primary Rental Car Coverage
Some of the strongest rental car insurance you can get, nearly identical to what's available through the Chase Sapphire cards. Decline the rental car agency's policy and you'll have a strong insurance policy that will cover most damages or even the theft of the vehicle. It applies to rentals in the U.S. for as long as 15 days and in most foreign countries for up to 31 days.
Check out the fine print of this policy.
Venture X Lost Luggage Reimbursement
Did an airline lose your luggage – or worse yet, did it get stolen? If you paid with your Venture X Card, you can get up to $3,000 to replace the bag and its contents (or $2,000 per bag for New York residents). The main cardholder and all immediate family members are covered.
Venture X Trip Delay Coverage
Get reimbursed for up to $500 in additional expenses like overnight hotel stays or new plane tickets if your travel is delayed by six or more hours – or forces an overnight stay.
Venture X Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage
If something goes seriously wrong on your trip like an accident, illness, or death that forces you to cancel or cut it short, you're covered for up to $2,000 per person in expenses – and you, a spouse, and any dependent children are eligible.
That's on par with some of the best travel insurance policies from credit cards that we've ever seen. Just pay for your trip with your Venture X Card and you're set.
Venture X Cardholders Get Free Authorized Users
Want to add an additional user to your card? The Venture X card allows you to add up to four authorized users at no additional cost. That's practically unheard of in the world of premium travel credit cards. Typically, you'll pay an additional $75 to $195 each year on other premium cards to add an additional user.
Not only can you add up to four authorized users to the Venture X at no additional cost, but each additional user gets their own lounge membership with the ability to bring their own guests.
It's one of the most underrated benefits of the Venture X card and a big reason why we think it's the best card for traveling families.
Venture X Annual Fee
The Venture X card has an annual fee of $395 each year. Compared to other premium travel credit cards, that's a bargain – and also one of the reasons we think an eventual fee-hike is inevitable.
Are you the kind of person who plans to spend $400 a year or more on travel? If so, do the math, and you'll see that between the annual Capital One Travel credit and anniversary bonus, it's almost like you're getting paid to have this card.
If you're not the kind of person spending $400-plus a year on travel, a premium travel credit card like this one probably isn't the right move.
Read more: Why The Capital One Venture X Annual Fee Shouldn't Scare You Off
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Because it's a Visa Infinite card, you won't pay foreign transaction fees when using your Capital One Venture X abroad.
Read more: Everything You Need to Know About Avoiding Foreign Transaction Fees
Bottom Line
Three years since it launched, the Capital One Venture X Credit Card remains one of our absolute favorite cards for travelers.
You can currently earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months with the Venture X. Since you earn 2x miles on every dollar you spend, you'll end up with 83,000 miles worth a minimum of $830 towards travel.
Learn more about the *capital one venture x*