8 Things to Know Before Getting the Capital One Venture Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers easy-to-use rewards, a consistent return on spending and benefits that can more than outweigh the card’s $95 annual fee. It’s well-suited to travelers who care more about simplicity than luxury, but to make sure the card is a good fit for you personally, here are eight things to consider before you apply.

1. Your credit score

When you apply for a credit card, your credit score is one of the first data points considered by prospective card issuers. While other factors like income, other debt and employment status also come into play, a higher credit score improves your chances of being approved.

We recommend anyone applying for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card have a credit score of 690 or above. That number isn’t decisive — a higher score doesn’t guarantee approval, and a lower score doesn’t necessarily mean your application will be denied — but if you’re interested in the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and your score is significantly below 690, look for ways to improve your credit score before applying.

2. Whether you’re eligible for the sign-up bonus

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has this offer for new cardholders: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. Those miles could be worth even more when you transfer them to airline and hotel partners, so the bonus adds a lot of value in your first year as a cardholder.

However, the terms and conditions specify that you’re not eligible for the bonus if you received a new cardmember bonus for the same card in the past 48 months. That restriction applies whether you still have the card or you’re a previous cardholder who has since closed your account. If you fall into one of those categories, confirm how long it has been since you earned a bonus for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card before applying.

3. Which benefits come with the card

Capital One offers perks like extended warranty and Price Drop Protection on a wide range of credit cards, but the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers several benefits you generally won’t get on cards with no annual fee.

TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application credit

You’ll receive a statement credit of up to $120 when you use your Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to pay the application fee for expedited security programs TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card holders can receive this credit once every four years.

Hertz Five Star status

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card holders who enroll in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards are eligible for an upgrade to Five Star status, which provides a complimentary one-car-class upgrade (subject to availability) and a 25% bonus on points earned for all Hertz rentals. Earning Five Star status normally requires completing 12 rentals or $2,400 in spending with Hertz during the year.

Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.

$50 Lifestyle Collection credit

The Lifestyle Collection by Capital One Travel is a selection of hotel and vacation rental properties where eligible cardholders can receive bonus rewards and other benefits. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card holders can get a $50 experience credit toward on-property charges like dining or spa visits that are billed to the room.

Transfers to airline and hotel partners

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card enables you to transfer miles to Capital One’s roster of airline and hotel partners. You can transfer miles earned on the Venture card itself, as well as cash back from other Capital One cards when you combine your rewards. Note that the ability to transfer miles is also a feature of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card - Miles Boost, which has a $0 annual fee.

4. Which popular benefits you won’t get

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card lacks several notable benefits found on other popular travel rewards credit cards. If you value these perks highly, a different card may be a better fit.

Airport lounge access

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card doesn’t provide complimentary lounge access, though cardholders and their guests can enter Capital One Lounges at a cost of $45 for adults or $25 for children ages 3-17 (kids age 2 or under get in free). If lounge access is a priority and a $395 annual fee is in your budget, consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which offers complimentary access to Capital One Lounges and over 1,700 Priority Pass lounges and experiences worldwide.

Primary auto rental coverage

As a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card holder, you may be covered against damage, theft and some other costs when you use your card to pay for an eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver offered by the rental company. However, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card provides secondary coverage, so it applies only after your personal auto insurance. That’s in contrast to primary rental insurance, which applies without having to involve your personal insurance.

Bonus spending categories

One selling point of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is that it earns 2 miles per dollar on purchases with no cap. The card also earns 5 miles per dollar on select travel booked through Capital One. The tradeoff is that it doesn’t offer a higher earning rate in other purchase categories like dining or gas, nor with individual retailers or travel providers.

Introductory 0% APR

A variety of rewards credit cards offer a 0% APR period after approval, but the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card isn’t one of them. If you want to earn Capital One miles while also avoiding interest charges, consider pairing the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card.

5. How to redeem Capital One miles

Capital One offers a variety of ways to use Venture miles:

• Transfer to airline and hotel partners.

• Book flights, hotels and rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal.

• Reimburse yourself for travel purchases made on your Venture card.

• Purchase retail and travel gift cards.

• Book events and experiences through Capital One Entertainment.

• Redeem for cash or as a statement credit for non-travel purchases.

Most options offer a flat redemption value of 1 cent per mile. However, you can get a better return by transferring Venture miles to airline and hotel partners and by taking advantage of sometimes favorable pricing for event tickets through Capital One Entertainment. Redeeming for cash or non-travel statement credits is the least valuable option, as it yields only 0.5 cent per mile.

6. Which airline and hotel transfer partners offer the most value

You can transfer Venture miles to more than 15 airline and hotel loyalty programs, but some transfer options are better than others due to varying transfer ratios and the unique features of individual programs.

Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles and British Airways Executive Club rank among the best Capital One transfer partners and are likely to be useful to travelers based in North America. However, getting acquainted with other programs on the list may reveal award opportunities that fit your travel tendencies.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

7. How to maximize the Venture card by pairing it with other Capital One cards

Since you can convert cash back from other Capital One cards into Venture miles, one workaround to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card's lack of bonus categories is to use it alongside another Capital One card that earns at a higher rate.

8. Which cards are good alternatives

If you like some aspects of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card but aren’t sure it’s the right card for you, these competing cards offer a variety of features that may better suit your needs.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a baseline earning rate of 1 point per dollar but earns bonus points for travel, dining and more. Cardholders get primary auto rental insurance, as well as a $50 annual statement credit toward hotel stays booked through Chase and complimentary DashPass membership through the end of 2027. Ultimate Rewards points transfer to about a dozen airline and hotel partners, including United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Hyatt and Marriott.

Citi Strata Premier® Card

The Citi Strata Premier® Card offers well-rounded bonus categories, earning 10 points per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Citi, and 3 points per dollar at restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets, as well as on air travel and other hotel purchases. Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners include American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Wyndham, plus a favorable 1:2 transfer ratio to Choice Hotels.

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card

Despite charging no annual fee, the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card offers primary auto rental coverage and access to a valuable roster of transfer partners, including Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton. Cardholders can also redeem Bilt Rewards points for 1.25 cents apiece when booking through the Bilt Travel Portal. The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card can be especially rewarding for renters since cardholders can pay rent with a credit card and earn points on rental payments with no additional fee.