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3. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review: A strong pick for simple travel rewards

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73

reviews

4.3

Rating: 4.3 out of 5.

Editors’ Take: This travel card is a standout choice for earning miles for everyday purchases and simple redemption options.

Great for high flat-rate travel rewards

Annual Fee: $95

This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit limit range

The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $15,504, with $5,000 being the most common.

Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit score range

The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 712, with 810 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.

Member stats

Updated daily

26.1%

Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.

41 years

Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.

$105,689

Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.

Pros and cons

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Big sign-up bonus can help you cover the cost of your next trip

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Straightforward rewards program is easy to use
Earn miles on every purchase

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Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

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Annual fee could eat into rewards for cardholders who don’t spend much

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Airline transfer partners leave a lot to be desired

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Other travel rewards programs offer more bang for your buck

Is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Credit Card worth it?

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a good fit for people who want to earn simple travel rewards for everyday purchases without shelling out for a massive annual fee.

You won’t receive some of the noteworthy benefits that more expensive premium rewards cards might offer, such as lounge access, but you’ll have the opportunity to earn lots of ongoing value.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card at a glance

• Sign-up bonus: 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases during the first 3 months from account opening
• Editors’ estimated welcome bonus value: $915
• Standout benefit: Get up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• Standout rewards rate: 2 miles per $1 spent on every purchase
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card best perks and features

Rewards could help pay for your next trip

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a solid sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases during your first 3 months after opening the account. Plus, you’ll get $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year.

That’s enough miles to cover $750 worth of airfare or hotels when you redeem through the Capital One portal.

You’ll also be able to earn miles for future purchases:

• 5 miles for every $1 spent on hotels and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• 5 miles for every $1 spent on rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2 miles for every $1 spent on all other purchases

Straightforward rewards program is easy to use

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers one of the most effortless rewards programs around.

If you prefer simplicity, you’ll appreciate that you don’t have to spend time planning out your purchases to maximize your rewards — just pay with your card to earn a high flat rate on everyday purchases.

Redeeming your miles is just as simple. You can book your trip through Capital One’s website or make your travel purchases first and then go back and ask to be reimbursed with a statement credit within 90 days of your purchase.

Travel perks could make a more pleasant trip

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers perks that could make for a smoother travel experience.

For example, you’ll receive a statement credit up to $120 when you apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

You’ll also receive a $50 experience credit every time you book a stay with Lifestyle Collection vacation rentals.

What are the drawbacks of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card?

The perks don’t clearly cover the fee

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card doesn’t have as many perks as some other travel cards with similar fees. That means there’s no clear way to get value for the $95 annual fee without spending.

That’s fine, but you need to know that going in and accept that the value comes from spending.

Limited range of transfer partners

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a number of transfer partners — but unfortunately, there are no U.S. airlines to choose from. Unlike some programs with transfer partners, you’ll only be able to transfer your points to international-based airlines.

Still, compared to redeeming through Capital One, you might be able to get much better value by transferring your miles to a partner to travel internationally. But depending on your travel experience, it might require you to go outside of your comfort zone.

How to redeem miles for Capital One Venture rewards

Capital One Venture rewards miles are best used toward travel.

We calculated that your miles are worth 1 cent each when redeemed through Capital One.

But you might get a better value if you redeem through a Capital One transfer partner. Depending on how you redeem, we estimate points to be worth 1.22 cents each for typical cardholders, based on Credit Karma’s standard point valuations.

Other cards to consider

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: This card is good for travelers who want more benefits and rewards for using their card to book flights.
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: This card is a nice complimentary one for people who also want to earn rewards at restaurants and grocery stores.
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: This card may be a good option for frequent flyers who don’t want to be locked into one particular airline.

FAQs about the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card