Johnny Jet has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Johnny Jet and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
When considering the best travel credit cards, both the Capital One Venture X and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card stand out. While they offer some overlapping benefits, it’s essential to weigh them against your unique travel needs to ascertain the more suitable option for you.
For a quick recommendation, I would suggest the Capital One Venture because yes its annual fee is higher, but it will cover it with a $300 travel credit, a 10,000 miles bonus, up to $100 TSA Precheck or Global Entry fee credit.
75,000 bonus miles: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Sapphire Preferred is for you if you want the most valuable miles and don’t travel frequently for additional benefits.
60,000 bonus points: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card Review
Both cards are travel rewards credit cards with flexible mile/point redemption options and purchase rewards categories. You can book travel through the respective card provider’s travel portal or transfer to an airline or hotel loyalty account. Which credit card is best for traveling abroad?
Additionally, both options are metal credit cards.
Here are some of the tiny differences between both cards:
- Premium travel rewards: The Venture X is a premium credit card. It offers more travel benefits, including airport lounge access and rental car privileges. But it also has a higher annual fee ($395 vs. $95)
- Credit card network: Visa issues both cards. However, the Venture X is a Visa Infinite product (the highest tier) while the Sapphire Preferred is the second tier Visa Signature.
- Credit score required: The Chase Sapphire Preferred is easier to qualify for as you can have good or excellent credit while the Capital One Venture X Rewards needs excellent credit.
You can learn more about each option with our in-depth credit card reviews:
Let’s look at some of the other ways these cards are some of the best for travel.
Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture X Signup Bonus
Both cards offer a comparable introductory signup bonus worth $750 in award travel. The better option depends on how you want to redeem your spending bonus.
Capital One Venture X Rewards
You will earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Your miles are redeemable for travel statement credits, upcoming travels, and 1: mile transfers.
This bonus is available to new applicants but can only be earned once in a lifetime.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
You can also make 1:1 point transfers with a variable redemption value.
This bonus is available to new and returning applicants. You’re eligible if you currently don’t have a Chase Sapphire card and haven’t earned a Sapphire signup bonus in the past 48 months.
Earning Points/Miles: Capital One Venture X vs Chase Sapphire Preferred
Travel purchases earn the most miles/points with either card, but there are different ways to earn bonus miles/points.
Capital One Venture X Rewards
The Venture X earns at least 2 miles per $1 on all card purchases:
- 10x on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- 5x on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- 2x on all remaining purchases
Chase Sapphire Preferred
You will only be able to earn up to 5x Ultimate Rewards per $1 on purchases, but you have more ways to earn bonus points:
- 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (excluding the annual $50 hotel statement credit)
- 3x on dining (including takeout and delivery)
- 3x on online grocery purchases (excludes Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs)
- Select streaming services also earn 3x points
- 2x on all remaining travel purchases
- 1x on all remaining purchases
Redeeming Rewards: Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture X
Each mile/point is most valuable for award travel bookings, but the better option depends on your preferred redemption option.
Capital One Venture X Rewards
In many situations, Venture miles are worth 1 cent for travel redemptions.
Many cardholders like the travel statement credit feature that lets you pay for travel with cash to earn miles and request a redemption within 90 days of the purchase date. You can also book upcoming trips through Capital One Travel with a similar redemption value.
It’s also possible to transfer Capital One miles to airlines and hotels, usually at a 1:1 ratio. These mile transfers are usually a better option for booking international flights as there are no domestic carriers.
Miles are worth 0.8 cents or less for cash, gift card, and shopping redemptions.
Related: How To Redeem Capital One Venture Miles For Maximum Value
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Generally speaking, Chase Ultimate Rewards are worth more than Capital One miles.
Each point is worth 1.25 cents when booking upcoming award travel through Chase. Cash, gift card, and cash-back redemptions are worth 1 cent.
This credit card also has a better set of 1:1 airline and hotel transfer partners that make it easier to book domestic and international trips. Some of the best partners include United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Air Canada Aeroplan, World of Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Related: Jaw-Dropping Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Review
Additional Travel Benefits
Both cards earn their keep by offering add-on travel benefits that can provide more value than the annual fee.
Capital One Venture X Rewards
- $300 in annual statement credits through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 miles anniversary bonus
- Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- Complimentary airport lounge access for cardholders and two guests (Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium)
- Hertz President’s Circle status
- No foreign transaction fee
Additional Visa Infinite benefits include primary car rental insurance (up to $75,000) and cell phone protection (up to $800 per claim).
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Sapphire Preferred doesn’t offer as many air travel perks or Visa-provided perks, but there are several ways to save on travel and get in-depth travel protection benefits.
- $50 in annual statement credits for hotel bookings through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Bonus points on your account anniversary, equal to 10% of your total earnings in the last 12 months
- Primary rental car insurance (up to the vehicle’s cash value)
- Trip cancellation and interruption coverage (up to $10,000 per person/$20,000 per trip)
- Trip delay reimbursement (up to $500 per ticket)
- No foreign transaction fee
Fees
The most glaring cost difference between each card is the upfront annual fee:
- $395 for the Capital One Venture X Rewards (and up to 4 free authorized users)
- $95 for the Chase Sapphire Preferred (and free authorized users)
Neither card charges a foreign transaction fee.
When to Choose the Capital One Venture X Rewards
Consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card for these reasons:
- Want to earn Capital One mile
- Desire airport lounge access
- Prefer travel statement credits
- Earn up to 10x miles on travel purchases
- Can afford the $395 annual fee
- Have excellent credit
When to Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the better option in these situations:
- Prefer earning Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Want travel and non-travel bonus categories
- Want the 25% travel redemption bonus instead of travel statement credits
- More diversified 1:1 transfer partners
- Desire a lower annual fee ($95)
- Have good credit or excellent credit
Final Thoughts: Capital One Venture X vs Chase Sapphire Preferred
In many cases, the Capital One Venture X Rewards is a top choice for premium travel credit cards and the Chase Sapphire Preferred is an excellent option with an affordable annual fee. The better card depends on how you plan on redeeming your credit card miles/points and which additional travel benefits are easier for you to use.
Related Articles:
- The Best Cash Back Credit Card Offers (Up to 6% Back)
- How To Choose The Best Travel Credit Cards That Work For You
- The Best Credit Cards for Purchasing Flight Tickets
Johnny Jet has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Johnny Jet and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
