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We’ve long hailed the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card as perhaps the perfect first-time travel rewards card. The card earns valuable transferrable rewards, offers flexible redemption options, and has a long list of travel insurance benefits. Plus, with all its attributes, the card still manages to charge just a modest annual fee.
But today, we welcome the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card as a worthy adversary. We found a lot of similarities between the 2 cards and decided that a closer look was warranted to see if the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is still our favorite.
As with any rewards card selection, the better card for you may not be the better card for the next person.
With that in mind, we’ll look closely at the best each card has to offer in all the key card categories, and then you can make your own decision based on your particular circumstances.
While similar in structure, the Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card are very different cards offering different levels of benefits.
Let’s take all the information we’ll cover in detail and stack it up side-by-side to look closer at the overall value of each card:
 
Capital One Venture X Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Welcome Bonus
Earning
Redemption Options
Travel Benefits and Protections
Additional Travel Benefits and Protections
Shopping Benefits and Protections
Purchase security and purchase protection, extended warranty
Additional Benefits and Protections
Annual Fees and Authorized Users

$95 annual fee, no charge to add authorized users
Welcome bonus offers allow you to jumpstart your rewards with a one-time offer to earn a large number of rewards in the first few months after card approval. The Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card each offer a valuable welcome offer you can earn after meeting minimum spending requirements.
The amount of the welcome bonus offered and the valuation will change. For these reasons, you’ll want to check the current offers for our featured cards before applying:
The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.
Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.
Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.
 
Capital One Miles
 
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.
Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Bottom Line: Both the Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card offer generous welcome bonuses that can be earned by meeting minimum spending requirements within the specified period immediately following card approval. The actual value of your welcome bonus will vary depending on how you redeem the rewards. But you may for example be able to get a 80k-100k welcome bonus offer for the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
While the Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card earn different rewards currencies, both rewards programs are similar in how rewards are earned and subsequently, in the options you’ll have at redemption time.
Earning and redeeming rewards can be 2 significant factors in selecting the right travel rewards card for your situation.
Let’s look at how our featured cards compare in each of these key categories.
You’ll earn rewards when you make a purchase with your card, but all purchases do not earn the same number of rewards. The Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card are travel rewards cards and as such, earn elevated bonus rewards on travel purchases.
Since you’ll want a card that earns rewards on every purchase you make, let’s look at how these 2 cards compare in earning potential and which spending categories help you earn rewards at a faster pace.
Earning Category
Capital One Venture X Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Travel
Additional Bonus Categories/Earnings
All Other Purchases
The Capital One Venture X card earns well on travel purchases via Capital One Travel. However, additional purchases, including travel purchased outside of the portal, earn 2x miles. If your additional spending is significant in categories other than travel, you’ll still have strong earning potential with the card.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also earns well on travel purchases via Chase Travel but offers a 3x earning option for dining, streaming services, and online grocery stores.
If you spend a lot in these categories, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card may be a better choice from an earning perspective. However, the 1x point per dollar spent on all other purchases may be a key factor in whether the card offers better bottom-line value compared to the 2x miles per dollar on all other purchases Capital One Venture X card, if most of your spending falls in this category.
Bottom Line: The Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card earn well on travel purchases via the associated travel portals. Both cards also earn 2x rewards on travel purchased outside of the portals. But outside of the 3x bonus earnings on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery stores, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns just 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases versus the Capital One Venture X card’s 2x earnings. 
Earning rewards is quite satisfying, but redeeming rewards can be thrilling, especially if you’re redeeming rewards for travel. Fortunately, the Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card were designed with travelers in mind, so you’ll find flexible redemption options and good value.
Here are your options when you’re ready for the excitement of redeeming your hard-earned rewards:
Redemption Option
Capital One Venture X Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Travel
General Statement Credit
Redeem miles for 0.5 cents each for a general statement credit
Additional Redemption Options
Gift cards, Shop with Amazon, PayPal
Gift cards, Chase Experiences, Amazon, Apple, cash
Before applying for either of our featured cards, you may want to review the list of airline and hotel partners available on the Capital One Venture X card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, as the list differs depending on the card.
Bottom Line: Both the Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card have similar travel redemption options. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has an edge when redeeming points via the Chase travel portal, as points are worth 25% more. The card also allows you to receive 1 cent in value when redeeming points for a general statement credit, while the Capital One Venture X card offers just 0.5 cents per mile in value for this redemption option. 
Both the Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card come with several useful travel benefits and protections.
Here is a list of those benefits and protections that you’ll find on both cards:
In addition to the common benefits found on the cards, you’ll find that each card offers its own set of travel benefits and protections.
Bottom Line: While the Capital One Venture X card clearly offers more travel benefits and protections, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a respectable list of core travel insurance benefits and comes with a lower annual fee. 
Shopping benefits can save you money or help you earn elevated rewards on your purchases. Shopping protections can be there to provide coverage if you should experience a covered loss to an eligible purchase you make with your card.
Here are the shopping benefits and protections that come complimentary with the Capital One Venture X card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card:
In addition to the benefits mentioned above and protections, each card offers its unique collection:
Bottom Line: In addition to purchase security and purchase protection and extended warranty coverage offered by both cards, the Capital One Venture X card offers cell phone protection and return protection. 
The cost of card ownership is an important factor to consider when selecting a travel rewards card. Annual fees can add up, and if you need to add authorized users, fees to do so can also increase the annual cost of having the card.
Here’s how the Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card compare in these categories:
The Capital One Venture X card charges an annual fee of $395 (rates & fees), while the Chase Sapphire Preferred card charges $95.
You can add additional cardholders for no fee (rates & fees) to your Capital One Venture X card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card does not charge for authorized users and has no set limit.
Bottom Line: While the Capital One Venture X card has a higher annual fee, it can be worth it if you can utilize the additional benefits. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card with a modest $95 annual fee offers excellent value considering its long list of benefits and extra value at redemption time. Neither card charges a fee to add authorized users (Capital One Venture X card rates & fees).
The Capital One Venture X card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card are both excellent choices for a travel rewards card. However, if you’re applying for your first travel rewards card, you may want to consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
According to MyFico Forums, My BankTracker, and cardholder data points, Capital One normally does a hard pull with all 3 credit bureaus when you apply for a card. If this is an issue for you, especially if you’re a first-time cardholder, you may prefer to start with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
We like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card for its ability to earn valuable and flexible Ultimate Rewards points, the added 25% value at redemption time, and its long list of travel insurance benefits. Plus, we like the lower annual fee.
However, if you can afford the $395 annual fee (rates & fees), the Capital One Venture X card can be a great way to not only accrue valuable rewards, but also improve the quality of your travels.
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.
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.
The better card for you will be the one that matches your spending habits and allows you to redeem rewards for your preferred travel goals. It’ll also be the one where you are able to use many of the specific benefits offered by the card.
You’ll need to decide if you’re comfortable paying an annual fee of $395 (rates & fees) or $95. Either card may work for you, but you’ll need to realize enough value to justify paying the fee.
We like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card as a first-time travel rewards card, but the premium Capital One Venture X card offers a lot of potential benefits for the frequent traveler.
No, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card does not reimburse Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application or renewal fees.
The best Capital One credit card is the one for which you can get approved, has an annual fee you’re comfortable paying, and has benefits that you find valuable.
If you’re a frequent traveler and have excellent credit, the Capital One Venture X card is worth considering.
If you do not travel frequently but want to earn on every purchase, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card may be a better fit.
If your credit is less than perfect, you’ll need to select one of Capital One’s cards designed for building or rebuilding credit.
Check out our guide to the best Capital One card options.
At each card account anniversary, you will have access to a $50 statement credit benefit when booking a hotel via Chase Travel.
Log in to your Chase card account online and look under Benefits to ensure you have the credit available. Select that you want to redeem your points for travel and you will be taken to the Ultimate Rewards portal where you can book a hotel. The credit will automatically apply as a statement credit but may not appear until after you have completed your hotel stay.
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Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services offices. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
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