Capital One VentureOne Review: Low-Cost Travel Card Falls Short

If you’re not a heavy spender, the annual fee for a top travel credit card could cost you more than the rewards you’d earn. With the Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card — the $0-annual-fee version of Capital One's popular travel card — you can earn rewards without worrying about a fee eating into their value.

And if you're a heavy Hotels.com user, you might find this card enticing thanks to the issuer's partnership with that site, through January 2020.

But several no-annual-fee travel cards can offer you higher ongoing rewards, not to mention more lucrative sign-up bonuses to get you on your way. You're better off exploring your options first.

» MORE: Best travel credit cards with no annual fee

Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card: Basics

• Card type: Travel.

• Annual fee: $0.

• Sign-up bonus: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $1,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.

• Rewards:

  • 1.25 miles per dollar spent on all purchases.

  • 10 miles per dollar spent on bookings through hotels.com/venture through January 2020 when you pay with the card.

• Interest rate: 0% on Purchases for 12 months, and then the ongoing APR of 14.24% - 24.24% Variable APR.

• Balance transfer fee: None.

• Foreign transaction fees: None.

• Other benefits:

  • Travel accidental insurance for no extra charge when you use the card to pay for your travel bookings. Terms apply.

  • Rental car coverage.

  • Extended warranty on eligible items.

» MORE: Is it worth paying an annual fee for a credit card?

Why you might want the Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card

SavINGS on fees and interest

If you’re not a frequent flyer and you pay with credit only occasionally, the $0 annual fee is a strong selling point. You'll earn rewards while paying nothing to carry the card, assuming you pay your balance in full each month to avoid interest. The Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card also travels well internationally; it charges no foreign transaction fees, and it's a Visa (and therefore widely accepted). And should you need some time to pay off a large purchase, the card offers an introductory 0% APR period for purchases, a relatively rare feature on a travel credit card.

Redemption flexibility

The redemption process on the Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card is as flexible as it gets for travel cards. Miles are worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed for travel. You can redeem three ways:

• Use your miles to book travel through Capital One's travel platform.

• Use your card to pay for travel, and then redeem your miles for statement credit against the expense.

• Transfer your miles to over 12 leading travel loyalty programs.

10 miles per dollar at Hotels.com

If you have the Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card or its big brother, the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card, you'll earn 10 miles per dollar spent through January 2020 when you use those cards to book through hotels.com/venture. That's an outstanding return if you're willing to do all your hotel booking through one site.

» MORE: Capital One credit cards mobile app review

Why you might want a different card

you can get better rewards

This card's 1.25% base rewards rate is underwhelming when you consider that 1.5% has pretty much become the standard for no-fee rewards cards. Compare it with these options:

• The $0-annual-fee Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card earns 1.5 points per dollar on all spending, with points worth 1 cent apiece. That card offers a richer sign-up bonus, too: 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.

• The Discover it® Miles  also has a $0 annual fee and earns 1.5 miles per dollar spent on everything. Miles are worth 1 cent apiece whether redeemed for travel or cash back. It has a cool bonus offer, too: Discover will match ALL the Miles you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. For example, if you earn 30,000 Miles, you get 60,000 Miles. That's $600 towards travel!

Not ideal for bigGER spenders

If you plan to put more than $12,750 a year on your card — about $1,060 a month — you'd get more value from the regular Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card, even taking into account that card's annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $95. That's because it gives you 2 miles per dollar spent (a 60% higher rate than the no-fee card). Plus, this card has a much bigger sign-up bonus: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $500 in travel. You'll also get a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck. Use our calculator to compare your estimated rewards with each card:

A cash-back card gives more flexibility

When it comes to travel credit cards, redemption is understandably geared toward travel. If you want to use your rewards for anything else, you typically get less value. Such is the case with the Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card, where miles are worth 1 cent apiece when you redeem them for travel, but about half that when you use them to get cash back. Consider the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer instead. It pays you 2% cash back on every purchase: 1% when you buy something and 1% when you pay it off. The annual fee is $0.

Visit NerdWallet's best credit cards roundup for more potential alternatives.

Should you get the Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card?

If you’re looking for a low-cost travel card, the Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card is a decent choice, especially if you're a Hotels.com user. But overall, other no-annual-fee cards can offer more upfront and ongoing value.

And if you're OK with paying an annual fee in exchange for greater benefits and perks, check out our best travel credit cards page for even more options.