Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review: A great beginner travel card

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card overview

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a valuable option to earn travel rewards and redeem them with ease. Miles earned on everyday purchases can be redeemed at a fixed value or maximized by transferring to one of Capital One’s many airline and hotel partners. Thanks to its simplicity, this card is a solid option for beginners and pros alike. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Whether you’re a frequent traveler or a beginner to transferable rewards, the Capital One Venture Rewards is a great choice for your wallet.

Cardholders don’t have to memorize any categories to get the most value out of their spending, earning at least 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases.

With versatile redemption options, including using miles for statement credits or leveraging transfer partners, Capital One miles can make it easier for you to travel wherever you want to go.

This card carries a modest $95 annual fee, and it packs plenty of value to help offset it.

You will need good to excellent credit for this card, so TPG recommends a credit score of 670 or higher.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Capital One Venture Rewards.

Related: Capital One miles: How to earn, redeem and transfer rewards

Capital One Venture Rewards pros and cons

Capital One Venture Rewards welcome offer

For a limited time, new Capital One Venture Rewards cardholders can earn a high welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, as well as a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use during their first cardholder year.

Based on TPG’s February 2025 valuations, Capital One miles are worth 1.85 cents each when transferred to the issuer’s loyalty program partners, which include Avianca LifeMiles and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, among others.

In other words, the 75,000-mile bonus is worth $1,388. However, if you utilize the current offer’s $250 Capital One Travel credit, you could get up to $1,638 in value.

We’ve previously seen a bonus offer of up to 100,000 miles (no longer available) on the Venture Rewards. However, the inclusion of a $250 credit means this bonus meets our criteria on when to apply, given that we recommend applying for this card any time the bonus is more than 75,000 miles.

Related: Redeeming Capital One miles for maximum value

Capital One Venture Rewards benefits

Capital One Venture Rewards cardholders receive some valuable travel perks, including:

• Access to hotel bookings with Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection
• No foreign transaction fees
• Rental car insurance
• Travel assistance services
• Up to $120 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years

These are solid perks for a card with a reasonable annual fee — though if you’re looking for more benefits, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card could better fit your wallet (more on that later).

Related: Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X

Earning miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards

Earning miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards card is straightforward, making the card useful to those who don’t want to spend a lot of mental energy swapping credit cards in and out for different merchants.

You’ll earn 2 miles for every dollar you spend with the card on every transaction. Based on TPG’s February 2025 valuations, you’ll get an effective 3.7% back on every purchase.

Plus, you’ll earn an even higher 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals and car rentals booked through the Capital One Travel portal.

It’s easy to zero in on high-powered and popular bonus categories for dining or travel, but you might spend a lot of money outside of these bonus categories. Adding a Venture Rewards card to your wallet can help you mop up all those extra miles and ensure you aren’t leaving anything on the table when paying for nonbonus purchases.

Related: The best stand-alone credit cards for your wallet

Redeeming miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards

You’ll likely get more value out of transferring your Capital One miles (explained in the next section) rather than redeeming them outright.

However, if you prefer a more straightforward approach, there are several options available at a fixed value:

• Book travel: Through Capital One Travel, you can directly book travel using your miles at a rate of 1 cent per mile. This allows you to avoid the complexities of loyalty programs.
• Pay off travel purchases: You can redeem your miles for any recent, travel-related purchase, such as vacation rentals, flights with any airline, hotels, rental cars and cruises.
• Redeem for gift cards: Another option is to exchange your miles for gift cards.

It is important to know that these fixed-value redemption options will result in a lower value compared to TPG’s February 2025 valuation of 1.85 cents per point.

Related: How to redeem Capital One miles at a fixed value

Transferring miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards

Transferring your Capital One Venture miles to airline and hotel partners is almost always how you’ll get the most value from your earnings. Under the right circumstances, you can get some phenomenal value from these rewards.

Capital One partners with 15-plus airline and hotel loyalty programs. Its airline transfer partners include some of our favorite programs, such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and British Airways Executive Club.

And, while Capital One’s list of partners doesn’t include any large U.S. airlines, all three major airline alliances are covered.

Plus, you’ll find high value using your Capital One miles for flights in business or first class, such as a seat in British Airways’ Club Suites or Air France’s swanky business class suites.

You can also transfer Capital One miles to one of its hotel partners, such as Choice Privileges and Wyndham Rewards.

Even programs that fly under the radar can be a great option — as TPG senior editorial director Nick Ewen found:

“I was searching for a hotel room in Park City for a ski trip over President’s Day Weekend, and prices were really high. But then, I stumbled across a Wyndham Rewards property close to downtown that had the option of booking a two-bedroom suite for just 30,000 points per night. I transferred 90,000 Capital One miles to my Wyndham account to book a three-night stay that would’ve set me back over $2,100.”

It’s worth noting that these redemptions aren’t for everyone, so be sure to check out our guide to help you decide whether to transfer Capital One miles. If you’re confused about the process, here’s a guide on how to do it.

Which cards compete with the Capital One Venture Rewards?

No card perfectly replicates the Capital One Venture Rewards, but there are a few that offer similar benefits:

• If you prefer Chase: Consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. For the same annual fee as the Venture Rewards, you’ll earn bonus points in multiple categories, such as travel and dining, and receive an annual hotel credit when you book through Chase Travel℠. To learn more, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
• If you want more perks: Look at the premium Capital One Venture X Rewards. You’ll get a higher return on spending on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel, plus an annual credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel. It does carry a higher annual fee, but the perks can easily cover that. To learn more, read our full review of the Capital One Venture X.
• If you prefer Citi: The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees) has the same annual fee as the Venture Rewards, but its earning potential sets it apart. It earns more points across popular bonus categories like airfare and groceries. To learn more, read our full review of the Citi Strata Premier.

For additional options, check out our full list of the best travel cards.

Related: Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X

Bottom line

The Capital One Venture Rewards packs a lot in for a $95 annual fee. It earns miles at a consistent rate and can facilitate simple, fixed-rate redemptions along with more complicated awards by transferring your miles to hotel and airline partners, making it a valuable card worth a spot in your wallet.

Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Related: Why I keep the Capital One Venture Rewards card in my wallet

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.