Capital One Venture vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred 2025: Sapphire Shines a Bit Brighter

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card don’t provide the multitude of perks you’d find with ultra-premium travel cards, but they both offer quite a bit of value thanks to generous sign-up bonuses and comparatively modest annual fees.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card stands out for how simple it is to use, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes out slightly ahead because the points it earns can be worth more when you redeem them for travel through Chase. If you carry other cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, like the Chase Freedom Flex® or Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you can transfer points to your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to redeem for a potentially higher rate.

Here’s how to decide which is right for you.

» MORE: NerdWallet’s best travel credit cards

At a glance

Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is better for most people

More bonus categories and, potentially, higher point values

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card boasts higher point-earning opportunities in popular spending categories like dining and streaming, as well as eligible travel and online grocery purchases. With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, the best you'll do is 2X back on most purchases, unless you book travel via Capital One Travel.

This advantage also extends to redemption options. In general, Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are worth 1 cent each. And prior to sweeping changes Chase made to its redemption policy in 2025, if you redeemed them for travel through Chase you’d earn 1.25 cents per point. This still applies for customers who had the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or applied for it before June 23, 2025. Those cardholders can continue to redeem their points earned before Oct. 26, 2025, at the prior 1.25 cents per point, until Oct. 26, 2027.

However, for new cardholders who apply for the card on or after June 23, 2025, you can redeem points for up to 1.5 cents each for hotels and flights with select airlines, and up to 1.75 cents each for premium cabin tickets on select airlines booked through Chase. All other point redemptions for travel via Chase that are not eligible for Points Boost are worth 1 cent each. Note that the Points Boost system will take effect for all cardholders beginning Oct. 26, 2027.

Chase boasts some big-name transfer partners, too, including United, Southwest, JetBlue, Marriott and Hyatt, to which you can transfer points at a 1:1 ratio.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card also features multiple transfer partners, but as you'll notice in the list below, the card lacks many big-name domestic brands.

Travel protections

If you’ve ever experienced travel plans completely falling apart, you’ll appreciate the built-in travel protections that come with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card:

• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Get reimbursed for up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip if you must cancel or go home early due to a covered reason like illness or severe weather.

• Rental car coverage: Primary collision and theft insurance.

• Baggage delay insurance: Get up to $100 a day for five days to buy clothing and toiletries if your baggage is delayed.

• Trip delay reimbursement: If you’re delayed for more than 12 hours or must stay overnight, you’re covered for up to $500 per ticket on your reservation for meals and lodging.

• Emergency assistance: This is helpful if you experience an emergency while traveling. You will be responsible for the cost of any services you opt into.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers rental car coverage and travel accident insurance, which is helpful, but doesn’t go above and beyond.

» Learn more: Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card worth its annual fee?

» MORE: 11 benefits of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Why you might prefer the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Straightforward rewards

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a remarkably easy card to use. Not only do you earn 2 miles per $1 on purchases — meaning there’s no need to keep track of several different spending categories — but redeeming for travel is as simple as requesting a statement credit. Capital One considers purchases from the following merchants to count as travel: airlines, hotels, rail lines, car rental agencies, limousine services, bus lines, cruise lines, taxi cabs, travel agents and timeshares. Miles are worth one cent each when redeemed for travel.

As noted, you can also transfer miles to multiple airline and hotel loyalty programs.

In addition, you can transfer Capital One miles to other Capital One cards that earn miles, including the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card - Miles Boost and Capital One Spark Miles for Business, which is a definite advantage. You can also transfer cash rewards to the Capital One cards that earn miles.

» MORE: Capital One Miles: How the program works

Which card should you get?

Both cards have their upsides, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes out slightly ahead because of its potential for higher point values, its robust list of transfer partners, and its comprehensive travel protections.

If you’d simply prefer the flexibility to book however you want and pay with rewards later, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably more your speed.