One clear factor separates United℠ Explorer Card from the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: flexibility.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a general travel rewards card that allows you to earn double miles on most purchases and then redeem those miles across a multitude of airlines. While United℠ Explorer Card earns 2X miles per dollar on a few spending categories, its earnings power pales in comparison to the 2X you'll earn on every single purchase with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Of course, there are other factors at play, too. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a big sign-up bonus but also a larger spending requirement. Both cards have annual fees, and while United℠ Explorer Card’s fee is a bit higher, it's notably waived the first year. Each card has an array of different perks, as well. Most significantly, United℠ Explorer Card offers a free checked bag for you and a companion, plus two one-time-use passes to qualifying airport lounges each year — perks that the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card can't match.
If you primarily fly United, then United℠ Explorer Card may be the right one for you. If you fly on many different airlines, then the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably the better fit. But there's nothing that says you can't have both.
At a glance
United℠ Explorer Card offers 3 miles per dollar spent on United purchases, 2 miles per dollar spent on restaurant purchases and hotel accommodations purchased directly from the hotel, and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases. By comparison, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers double miles on all purchases, which makes it a more general and flexible card.
Likewise, United miles are most valuable when you redeem them for flights and upgrades. Miles earned with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, on the other hand, can be used to book travel on any airline or hotel through Capital One. You can also redeem them for a statement credit to cover the cost of a recent travel purchase.
How the cards compare
Annual fee
United℠ Explorer Card
$0 intro for the first year, then $150.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
$95.
Sign-up bonus
United℠ Explorer Card
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 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.
Rewards
United℠ Explorer Card
- 5 miles per dollar spent on hotel stays purchased through United Hotels.
- 3 miles per dollar spent on purchases from United. Plus, 3 additional miles per dollar spent on United flights (excluding taxes and fees).
- 2 miles per dollar spent on restaurant purchases and hotel accommodations purchased directly with the hotel.
- 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on everything else.
Extras
United℠ Explorer Card
- First bag for you and a companion on the same reservation are checked free.
- Two United Club one-time passes each year.
- Priority boarding.
- 25% back on in-flight purchases with United.
- At least a 10% discount on flights when booked with rewards.
- 10,000-mile discount on award flights after spending $20,000 in a year.
- $100 United travel credit after spending $10,000 in a year.
- $100 in credits on United Hotels purchases each year.
- $60 in credits each year (doled out monthly) toward ridesharing services.
- $50 in United travel credits each year on Avis or Budget car rental bookings.
- $100 in credits each year for JSX bookings.
- $120 in Instacart credits per year (doled out monthly), complimentary three-month Instacart+ membership.
- Global Entry or PreCheck application fee credit.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Multiple travel transfer partners.
- Global Entry or PreCheck application fee credit.
Foreign transaction fees
United℠ Explorer Card
None.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
None.
Still not sure?
Why the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is better for most people
Flexibility
Flexibility carries a lot of value for those who tend to fly multiple airlines, which is why the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card edges out United℠ Explorer Card for most people. Cardholders aren’t restricted when it comes to earning double miles or redeeming their miles for travel.
Miles earned from the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card have become even more flexible in recent years, because they can now also be transferred directly to a host of travel partners. If you're a maximizer looking to juice more value out of your miles, you can often find outsized value for your miles by taking advantage of a partner transfer. However, United is not one of them.
Full list of Capital One transfer partners
Airlines
- Aeromexico (1:1 ratio).
- Air Canada (1:1 ratio).
- Air France-KLM (1:1 ratio).
- Avianca (1:1 ratio).
- British Airways (1:1 ratio).
- Cathay Pacific (1:1 ratio).
- Emirates (1:1 ratio).
- Etihad (1:1 ratio).
- EVA (2:1.5 ratio).
- Finnair (1:1 ratio).
- Japan Airlines (2:1.5 ratio).
- JetBlue (5:3 ratio).
- Qantas (1:1 ratio).
- Qatar Airways (1:1 ratio).
- Singapore Airlines (1:1 ratio).
- TAP Air Portugal (1:1 ratio).
- Turkish Airlines (1:1 ratio).
- Virgin Red (1:1 ratio).
Hotels
- Accor (2:1 ratio).
- Choice Privileges Hotels (1:1 ratio).
- I Prefer Hotel Rewards (1:2 ratio).
- Wyndham Rewards (1:1 ratio).
High rewards rate
Earning double miles for all purchases puts the card near the top of its class; it also negates the need to juggle different spending categories or opt into rotating categories quarterly.
Large sign-up bonus
Cardholders have a good chance of earning a sizable reward. Earn 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.
Who might prefer United℠ Explorer Card
United℠ Explorer Card comes with some benefits that the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card doesn’t have, and those are especially valuable to travelers who frequently fly United. Those perks include the free checked bag for you and a companion on your reservation, plus 25% back on in-flight purchases.
Other benefits include:
- A 10,000-mile discount on award flights after you spend $20,000 in a year.
- A $100 United travel credit after spending $10,000 in a year.
- At least a 10% discount on flights when booked with rewards.
- Up to $100 in credits on United Hotels purchases each year (in the form of two $50 statement credits).
- Up to $60 in credits each year toward ridesharing services (in the form of $5 monthly statement credits).
- Up to $50 in United travel credits each year on Avis or Budget car rental bookings (in the form of two $25 credits).
- Up to $100 in credits each year for charter flight bookings through JSX.
- Up to $120 in Instacart credits per year (in the form of $10 monthly credits), plus a complimentary three-month Instacart+ membership.
The bottom line
If you fly United most of the time, then United℠ Explorer Card will benefit you the most in terms of rewards, redemption options and extra perks. If you fly different airlines, then the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the right pick for you because of its flexibility and high rewards rate.
Of course, if you fly a lot — both on United and other airlines — then you might want to carry both cards.
