Is the Capital One Venture X Annual Fee Worth It?
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Written by
Jasmin Baron
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Edited by
Emily Gadd
As one of the best travel credit cards on the market, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card comes with upscale perks you’d expect from a premium credit card, plus a few you won’t find anywhere else.
However, while Capital One Venture X benefits are impressive, they come at a steep $395 annual fee. That’s lower than many of its competitors, but it’s still a hefty sum to pay upfront.
Is the Capital One Venture X annual fee worth it? Yes, if you’re a frequent traveler who can take advantage of the card’s many perks and rewards, you can get a value that more than outweighs the card’s yearly cost. That’s why the Venture X is at the top of my wallet.
The Capital Venture X Annual Fee Is Easy To Justify
I’ve held the Capital One Venture X for several years, and happily pay the annual fee every time it comes around. It’s probably the only pricey card I have that doesn’t give me pause when it comes time to renew. Why?
Simply put: I easily get more than $395 in value from the card every year. It doesn’t take a lot of legwork or keeping track of monthly statement credits or partner benefits. In fact, just two Venture X card perks wipe out the annual fee, and the rest of its benefits are essentially gravy.
Annual $300 Travel Credit
Capital One Venture X cardholders receive a $300 credit toward Capital One Travel purchases each year. While this credit isn’t as broad as, say, the up to $300 annual credit you’ll get for general travel purchases with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, it’s been as good as cash for me. For example, I’ve used it toward:
- Last-minute flights to Chicago for my daughter to attend a college scholarship interview
- A rental car in Miami to get around cheaply after a cruise
- A hotel room on an impromptu road trip to Pennsylvania Dutch Country with my family
- An urgently needed hotel on the same road trip, when our drive home became dangerous due to severe weather (hello, Allentown!)
- A stay at an out-of-the-way hotel in State College, Pennsylvania, for a high school volleyball tournament
These weren’t fancy travels, but if you have similar journeys, the Venture X’s annual Capital One Travel credit can effectively erase $300 of the $395 annual fee.
Bonus Miles Worth at Least $100 Each Year
This benefit isn’t quite as obvious, but it’s similarly valuable. Capital One Venture X cardholders receive a bonus of 10,000 Capital One miles each year, starting after their first card anniversary.
At minimum, those miles are worth $100 in travel. You can redeem Capital One miles at a rate of 1 cent apiece for a statement credit toward eligible travel purchases made with your card in the past 90 days. Or you can cash them in at the same rate to book hotels, vacation rentals, flights and car rentals through Capital One Travel.
You can get an even higher value from Capital One miles if you transfer them to airline and hotel partner loyalty programs such as Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club or Wyndham Rewards.
Everything Else Is a Bonus
The two perks mentioned above are worth $400 in travel, which is why I don’t balk at the Venture X’s $395 annual fee.
I don’t just stick the card in a sock drawer, though. The Capital One Venture X’s other benefits don’t slouch. I see them as extras that really make the card shine.
Generous, Straightforward Rewards
The Capital One Venture X comes with a hefty welcome bonus that can kick-start your travels in a big way: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
Even after you’ve spent that bonus, the card is still a keeper for its simple rewards approach. You’ll earn 2x Capital One miles on just about everything (except Capital One Travel purchases; hotel and car rentals earn 10x miles, and flights and vacation rentals earn 5x miles when you book through the platform).
This card is a good pick if you don’t want to keep track of bonus categories and prefer earning a high rewards rate on all spending. I use my Venture X as a catch-all card for spending that doesn’t fall into other categories like groceries or gas, so things like vet bills, insurance payments and wholesale club purchases all go on my card.
Flexible Redemption Options
Capital One makes it easy to use miles for travel, with several redemption options. The easiest way to redeem miles is to use them at a rate of 1 cent each to offset eligible travel purchases you’ve made with your card in the past 90 days.
Alternatively, you can use miles to book flights, hotels, rental cars and vacation rentals through the Capital One Travel portal at the same rate. This is an easy option if you want a one-stop shop for booking travel. But a better angle is to book your trip with the Venture X through Capital One Travel to take advantage of elevated earning rates on those purchases. Then, redeem your miles to “erase” the purchase from your statement when it posts.
Finally, if you’re willing to learn about award charts and travel loyalty programs, you could get even more value from your rewards by transferring them to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners.
Airport Lounge Access
With the Capital One Venture X, you’ll get airport lounge access that can make your travels a lot more civilized. Airport lounges offer complimentary food and drinks, fast Wi-Fi, comfortable seating and a quiet place to unwind before or between flights.
Venture X cardholders can enroll in a Priority Pass Select lounge membership, which allows access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. And if you’re lucky enough to travel through airports with the issuer’s own Capital One Lounges, you’ll enjoy an even better experience with made-to-order food, craft beverages and a more exclusive vibe.
A recent visit to the Capital One Landing at Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C., sold me on Capital One’s airport lounge offerings. It featured Spanish-inspired tapas and cocktails from Michelin-starred chef José Andrés, and the experience was beyond anything I’d ever had in an airport. I’ve honestly looked for flight routings that connect through DCA just to enjoy this lounge again!
Top-Notch Travel and Purchase Protections
The Capital One Venture X is a Visa Infinite card, and with that branding comes excellent coverage for your purchases, including travel insurance.
In most cases, you’ll need to use your card to pay for travel or purchases to receive:
- Primary car rental insurance
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Trip delay insurance
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Travel accident insurance
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
- Return protection
- Cell phone protection
- Travel and emergency assistance services
You can read the Venture X guide to benefits (PDF link) for more information about each perk, including coverage limits and restrictions.
TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Credit
Capital One Venture X cardholders receive up to $120 in credit every four years toward the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. These Trusted Traveler Programs can save you a ton of time at the airport by allowing you to bypass long security lines.
You’ll receive the statement credit after you use the card to pay the fee. It doesn’t have to be your own application, either — if you already have membership in one of these programs, you can pay the fee for a friend or family member and still get reimbursed.
Hertz President’s Circle® Status
Venture X cardholders can enroll to upgrade to Hertz President’s Circle® status*. This elite level in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® car rental loyalty program comes with benefits such as guaranteed rental availability, a guaranteed one-class upgrade on rentals, bonus rewards on paid rentals and other perks.
Normally, earning this level of status requires 20 rentals or spending $4,000 or more in a calendar year with Hertz. Getting it as a complimentary perk is a nice bonus, especially if you rent cars frequently.
Is the Capital One Venture X Annual Fee Worth the Benefits?
If you’re able to maximize rewards and benefits from your Capital One Venture X Card, then yes, the card’s $395 annual fee is well worth it.
While that’s still a significant investment, you can get that value back and more from the card’s perks. And it’s a relative bargain compared to other premium cards, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (an advertising partner) with a $695 annual fee, or the $795-annual-fee Chase Sapphire Reserve.
That said, if you don’t travel often or can’t justify spending a high fee for a credit card, there are other Capital One credit cards to consider. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, for example, has a $95 annual fee and comes with some of the same perks as the Venture X. Capital One Venture Card benefits include decent travel protections, a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit, strong rewards earning and the same redemption options as the Venture X.
Alternatively, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card doesn’t charge an annual fee at all, but it comes with even fewer perks. You’ll still have the ability to redeem Capital One miles in the same way as the other Venture cards, though, so this can be an affordable option for budget-minded travelers.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
The information related to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® was collected by CardCritics™ and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardCritics™ does not receive a commission for this product.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Capital One Venture X Annual Fee
What are the disadvantages of the Venture X Card?
The $395 annual fee is probably the Venture X’s biggest barrier to entry. Some travelers may find Capital One’s transfer partner list less attractive than those of Chase Ultimate Rewards® or American Express Membership Rewards®.
Is the Venture X worth it?
The Venture X Card is worth it if you take advantage of its benefits. In particular, the annual $300 Capital One Travel credit and $100 yearly anniversary bonus effectively cover the fee with $5 to spare. All of the other perks add even more value.
Does Capital One ever waive its annual fee?
It’s very unlikely Capital One would waive the annual fee on the Capital One Venture X Card. One exception may be for active duty military personnel and their families who open an account before beginning active duty under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).
Is the Venture X Card hard to get?
The Venture X is reserved only for the most qualified applicants, typically those with credit scores over 750 and ample income. Capital One requires excellent credit for approval, which is not unusual for its class of cards. Premium travel cards are known for having some of the highest qualification standards.
