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Side-by-side

Capital One Venture X vs Chase Sapphire Reserve

Both are travel travel cards. The Capital One Venture X comes from Capital One at $395/yr; the Chase Sapphire Reserve from Chase at $795/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,262 more in estimated value) than the Capital One Venture X's. Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve first; revisit the Capital One Venture X after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureCapital One Venture XChase Sapphire Reserve
Annual fee$395$795
Sign-up bonus75,000 miles125,000 points
Bonus value (est.)$1,238$2,500
Min spend to unlock bonus$4,000 in 3 mo$6,000 in 3 mo
IssuerCapital OneChase
Card categorytraveltravel
Best earning category (Hotels_capital_one)10x1x
Transfer partnerscapital-onechase-ur
Headline benefits
  • $300 annual travel credit
  • 10,000 anniversary miles
  • Capital One Lounges
  • 2x on all other purchases
  • $300 annual travel credit
  • 8x on Chase Travel
  • 4x on flights & hotels booked direct
  • $500 The Edit hotel credit
Read the full review
Capital One Venture X
$395/yr · 75,000 miles
Read the full review
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$795/yr · 125,000 points

Editorial take: Capital One Venture X

The best value premium travel card. $300 travel credit, Priority Pass, 10,000 anniversary miles, and a massive transfer partner list, all for $395. It's hard to beat.

Editorial take: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Recently revamped with over $3,000 in annual credits and perks. If you travel three or more times a year and live near an airport with a Sapphire lounge, this card is a smart choice.

The real-world take

TL;DR. Venture X ($395) is widely considered the best value premium card on the market: 2x on everything, 10x on Capital One Travel hotels, a $300 Capital One Travel credit, 10,000 anniversary miles (worth roughly $185), Priority Pass with unlimited guests, and access to Capital One Lounges. Reserve ($795) brings deeper transfer partners (Hyatt, United, Southwest), Sapphire Lounges, and 8x on Chase Travel, but at twice the fee. Venture X wins on dollar-for-dollar value. Reserve wins on raw redemption ceiling for sweet-spot bookings.

The three dimensions that actually decide it. First, fee math. Venture X's $300 travel credit plus 10k anniversary miles roughly cover the $395 fee outright. Reserve's credits only break even if you actively use them. Second, transfer partners. Chase has Hyatt and United, the two highest-leverage U.S. transfer partners. Capital One has neither. Third, guest privileges. Venture X lets you add authorized users for free and they all get Priority Pass plus Capital One Lounge access. Reserve charges $195 per authorized user.

Real customer scenario for each. If you are a family of three or four who values lounge access for everyone at no per-head cost and you book hotels on Capital One Travel, the Venture X is dramatically cheaper. If instead you redeem points for Park Hyatts, United Polaris, and Hyatt Privé bookings, Reserve's transfer partners are worth the extra $400 in fee. The points are not interchangeable, that is the whole game.

The trap to avoid. Choosing Venture X "because the math is better" without checking whether Capital One's transfer partners cover your trips. There is no Hyatt path with Capital One miles. If you wanted a Park Hyatt aspirational stay, Reserve was the right card all along.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Capital One Venture X or Chase Sapphire Reserve?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has the bigger bonus, 125,000 points, worth roughly $2,500, versus 75,000 miles (~$1,238) on the Capital One Venture X.
Is the Capital One Venture X's $395 annual fee worth it compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
At $395/yr, the Capital One Venture X is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Chase Sapphire Reserve's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
Can I have both the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve?
Yes, since they're from different issuers (Capital One and Chase) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
Should I get the Capital One Venture X or the Chase Sapphire Reserve first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Capital One Venture X: $4,000 spend in 3 months. Chase Sapphire Reserve: $6,000 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.