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.
All credit cards
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 ($762 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.
| Feature | Capital One Venture X | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $395 | $795 |
| Sign-up bonus | 75,000 miles | 100,000 points |
| Bonus value (est.) | $1,238 | $2,000 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $4,000 in 3 mo | $6,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | Capital One | Chase |
| Card category | travel | travel |
| Best earning category (Hotels_capital_one) | 10x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | capital-one | chase-ur |
| Headline benefits |
|
|
Read the full review
Capital One Venture X
$395/yr · 75,000 miles
Read the full review
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$795/yr · 100,000 points
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 Chase's transfer partners (United and Southwest among them; Chase states no Hyatt rate for its Sapphire Reserve cards), 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 transfers to United, one of the highest-leverage U.S. transfer partners, which is not on RewardZ's list of Capital One's transfer partners. Chase also lists World of Hyatt, but it states no Hyatt rate for its Sapphire Reserve cards (it states 4:3 for Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred cardmembers). 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 United Polaris awards, Reserve's transfer partners are worth the extra $400 in fee. For Park Hyatt and Hyatt Privé stays, Chase states no Hyatt rate for its Sapphire Reserve cards, so check the rate in your Chase account before counting on one. 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. World of Hyatt is not on RewardZ's list of Capital One's transfer partners, and Chase states no Hyatt rate for its Sapphire Reserve cards, so for a Park Hyatt aspirational stay confirm the Hyatt rate your Chase card gets before choosing Reserve for it; Chase states 4:3 for Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred cardmembers.
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, 100,000 points, worth roughly $2,000, 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.