Having the right travel credit card can make a difference in the way you travel. Today, we’ll be featuring two popular options – the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and American Express® Green Card.
The Venture X is a premium travel rewards card offering a $300 travel credit, 10,000 points each account anniversary, airport lounge access, and 2x miles on everyday spending.
The Amex Green is a credit card that offers 3 points per dollar spent on travel, transit, and restaurants worldwide, an annual $189 CLEAR® Plus credit, and an annual $100 LoungeBuddy credit.
(All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Deals Points and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.)
This article will compare each card based on several factors to help you make an informed decision on which card is the best to add to your wallet.
Full Reviews: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and American Express® Green Card.
Overview of Each Card
- bonus_miles_full
- $300 Annual Credit for Bookings through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 Miles for Each Account Anniversary
- Hertz President’s Circle Elite Status
- Airport Lounge Access (Priority Pass, Capital One, & Plaza Premium)
- 10X Miles on Hotels and Rental Cars, and 5x Miles on Flights Booked with Capital One Travel
- 2X Miles on All Other purchases
- $395 Annual Fee
- Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 within the first 6 months.
- 3X Points at U.S. Restaurants, Transit, and Travel
- Annual Statement Credits for CLEAR® Plus and LoungeBuddy
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $150 Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
The Venture X currently offers the following welcome bonus:
bonus_miles_full
The Amex Green currently offers the following welcome bonus:
Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 within the first 6 months.
Earning Rewards
The Venture X earns miles that you can transfer to airline and hotel points partners, which you can earn at the following rates:
- 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel;
- 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel; and
- 2 miles per dollar on other purchases.
The Amex Green earns points at the following rates:
- 3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.;
- 3 points per dollar on travel, including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, vacation rentals, and travel purchases on third-party travel websites and amextravel.com;
- 3 points per dollar on transit, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways; and
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Winner: It depends on your spending habits.
The Venture X is best for travelers who have diverse expenses. Whether you’re using the card for business, groceries, travel, or shopping, you’ll earn a solid 2x miles on everything.
If you’re going to use the card solely for travel, dining, and commuting, having that 1 additional point of the Amex Green (3x versus 2x) can help you rack up a lot of rewards faster.
Card Benefits and Perks
The Venture X offers the following benefits:
- $300 back in credits annually for bookings made through Capital One Travel.
- 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary, starting on your first anniversary (worth at least $100 toward travel).
- Priority Pass airport lounge access.
- Complimentary access for cardholder and up to two guests at Capital One lounges.
- Hertz’s President Circle status.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
- Trip delay insurance.
- Cell phone protection.
- Primary rental car isnurance.
- Purchase protection.
- Extended warranty.
- Return protection.
You can also add up to four authorized users at no extra charge, which have access to access to all of the benefits above except the $300 travel credit, 10,000-anniversary miles, and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit.
The Amex Green offers the following benefits:
- $189 CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $189 per calendar year in statement credits for a CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal);
- $100 LoungeBuddy: Purchase lounge access through the LoungeBuddy app using the American Express® Green Card and receive up to $100 in statement credits annually;
- No foreign transaction fees;
- Trip delay insurance;*
- Secondary rental car insurance;*
- Baggage insurance plan;*
- Purchase protection;*
- Extended warranty;* and
- No present spending limit.
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Winner: Venture X. The Venture X card provides premium travel perks like a $300 annual travel credit, an anniversary 10,000-mile bonus, and a Priority Pass membership.
Value of the Annual Fees
The Venture X has an annual fee of $395, which sounds steep at first.
But when you factor in the $300 travel credit and 10,000 points (worth at least $100 towards travel), you actually make a $5 profit each year without factoring other benefits.
The Amex Green has an annual fee of $150 , which can be offset by the extra points at restaurants, travel, and transit, fee credits, and travel and purchase protections.
Winner: Venture X since you can easily offset the annual fee with the annual travel credit and anniversary points.
Redeeming Rewards
There are several ways to redeem Capital One miles. The easiest way is to redeem miles for one cent per mile towards the cost of a travel purchase or for gift cards.
But for the most value, you will want to convert Capital One miles to airline or hotel points at the partners listed below.
My favorite programs are:
- Turkish Miles & Smiles: Fly to Hawaii on United Airlines for just 7,500 miles one-way.
- British Airways: Book short-haul flight on American Airlines.
- Avianca LifeMiles: A quirky program with great options to fly to Europe in business class.
- Air France Flying Blue: You can score some great deals in their monthly promo rewards including very cheap economy flights to Europe.
AeroMexico
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Air Canada (Aeroplan)
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Air France (Flying Blue)
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Avianca (LifeMiles)
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British Airways
|
Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles)
|
Emirates
|
Etihad
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EVA
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Finnair
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Qantas
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Singapore (KrisFlyer)
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TAP Portugal
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Turkish Airlines
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Virgin Red
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Accor (2:1)
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Choice Hotels
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Wyndham Rewards
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American Express Membership Rewards is a popular rewards program that offers a variety of redemption options, including travel, merchandise, gift cards, and more.
However, to get the most value out of your rewards, it’s important to use them strategically.
One of the best ways to use Amex Membership Rewards is through transfer partners.
The program partners with over 20 airline and hotel partners, including ANA, Air Canada Aeroplan, Iberia Avios, and Avianca LifeMiles.
By transferring your points to these partners, you can often get more value per point and enjoy a wider range of redemption options.
Membership Rewards Transfer Partners [1 to 1]
|
|
|---|---|
Aer Lingus Avios
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AeroMexico [1 to 1.6]
|
|
Air Canada Aeroplan
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Air France/KLM Flying Blue
|
ANA
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Avianca LifeMiles
|
|
British Airways Avios
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Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
|
Delta SkyMiles
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El Al [1,000 to 20]
|
|
Emirates
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Etihad Guest
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Hawaiian Airlines
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Iberia Avios
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JetBlue [250 to 200]
|
Qantas
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Qatar Airways
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Singapore KrisFlyer
|
|
Virgin Atlantic
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Choice
|
Marriott Bonvoy
|
Hilton Honors [1 to 2]
|
Winner: It’s a tie. Both programs offer valuable redemptions.
The Verdict
Both the Venture X and Amex Green are solid travel cards.
However, the Venture X better because of its versatility. Whether you use it for travel, business, or daily purchases, you earn a solid 2x miles on everything. The card comes with a slightly expensive annual fee, but you also get premium perks worth thousands of dollars like its $300 travel credit, 10,000 annual points bonus, and Priority Pass membership.
On the other hand, the Amex Green is a decent mid-tier card for its points-earning capabilities, but not for its benefits.
Which card are you going to choose?
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- $300 Annual Credit for Bookings through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 Miles for Each Account Anniversary
- Hertz President’s Circle Elite Status
- Airport Lounge Access (Priority Pass, Capital One, & Plaza Premium)
- 10X Miles on Hotels and Rental Cars, and 5x Miles on Flights Booked with Capital One Travel
- 2X Miles on All Other purchases
- $395 Annual Fee
- Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 within the first 6 months.
- 3X Points at U.S. Restaurants, Transit, and Travel
- Annual Statement Credits for CLEAR® Plus and LoungeBuddy
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $150 Annual Fee
