The Bottom Line

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of NerdWallet's top cards. It offers unlimited 2x-5x rewards on all purchases, plus a rich bonus. 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.

Why NerdWallet Loves This Card

The $0-annual-fee Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a terrific option for thrifty travelers who shy away from annual-fee credit cards. The card offers a hearty welcome bonus and a simple rewards structure for ongoing spending, plus the miles you earn are easy to redeem. This means you don’t have to invest time learning about complicated award charts or face restrictions when you want to use your rewards to save on travel.

Ways You Can Maximize the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

• Earn a rewarding bonus: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card comes with an outstanding welcome offer. 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.

• Earn bonus miles on every purchase: You’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on purchases with no limit. Also, if you regularly use multiple credit cards to maximize the rewards you earn on each purchase, this card can come in handy when your alternate card only earns 1 mile per dollar on a purchase. In addition, you'll earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.

• Use miles for statement credit against travel purchases: Simply pay for travel with your card, then redeem miles for statement credit for some or all of the cost within 90 days from the date your travel purchase posts to your account. There’s no minimum redemption amount and miles are worth 1 cent each this way. That means 10,000 Venture miles can offset $100 of an eligible travel purchase.

• Book travel through Capital One Travel: Capital One Travel offers flights, hotels and rental cars booking options. You can pay upfront with your miles at a rate of 1 cent per mile. What’s more, if your travel transaction includes taxes, surcharges and fees, your points can cover those — you won’t need to pay out of pocket.

• Transfer to more than 15 partner airline and hotel programs: NerdWallet's analysis of Capital One miles determines that they are worth more – an average of 1.6 cents apiece – when transferred to partner programs and redeemed there.

Recommended Credit Score

While approval isn’t guaranteed, applicants with a FICO® Score of 690 or higher tend to have better odds. That said, Capital One reviews applications holistically, so even applicants with fair credit might qualify, depending on income and credit history.

A Smart Choice For:

• People looking to earn valuable and flexible travel rewards on all purchases.

• Those interested in finding a card with a leading welcome offer after qualifying purchases.

• A rewards-seeking consumer who values simplicity without tracking different bonus categories and coupon-style credits.