The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card are two of the most popular travel credit cards in the points and miles world.
The Sapphire Preferred is one of the most popular travel rewards cards because it offers nice welcome bonus and extra points on travel and dining, which can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel℠. The Sapphire Preferred also offers great travel and purchase protections for a card with a $95 annual fee.
The Venture X delivers both everyday value with unlimited 2x miles on purchases and premium comfort through comprehensive airport lounge access for you upon enrollment. You’ll also receive $300 in annual travel credits plus 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, creating substantial ongoing value.
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: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
Overview: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Venture X
Welcome Bonuses
Chase Sapphire Preferred:
Let’s begin with one of the most attractive aspects of the Chase Sapphire Preferred: the welcome bonus. Currently, new cardholders can earn the following welcome bonus:
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Capital One Venture X:
The Capital One Venture X currently offers the following welcome bonus:
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Earning Rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns Ultimate Rewards points and offers bonus points on spending in several categories:
- 5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Travel;
- 5 points per dollar on Lyft purchases (through March 2025);
- 5 points per dollar on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $250 or more (through March 2025, with a limit of 25,000 bonus points);
- 3 points per dollar on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out;
- 3 points per dollar on online grocery store purchases (excludes Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs);
- 3 points per dollar on select streaming services;
- 2 points per dollar on all travel not booked through Chase Travel; and
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible spending.
Capital One Venture X:
The Capital One 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 and vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel.
- 2 miles per dollar on other purchases.
Winner:
It all depends on your spending habits. The Capital One Venture X is ideal for those with diverse expenses. However, if your expenses revolve around dining, streaming, and travel, you can maximize your rewards earnings with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Card Benefits and Perks
Chase Sapphire Preferred:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers nice benefits, including:
10% Points Bonus: You will earn bonus points equivalent to 10% of your total spending in points earned with your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card during the past account anniversary year. For example, if you spent $10,000 during your cardmember year, you would receive an additional 1,000 points ($10,000 * 10% = 1,000 points).
$50 Hotel Credit: The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers up to $50 in statement credits every account anniversary year if you book your hotel stays through Chase Travel.
DashPass Membership: This card offers a one-year DashPass membership for free, which includes DoorDash and Caviar, offering unlimited deliveries with free delivery fees and reduced service fees for eligible purchases. The offer must be activated by December 31, 2027. Once the free membership is over, you will be automatically enrolled in DashPass at the prevailing monthly rate.
Instacart Membership: Have your groceries delivered to your doorstep with a complimentary 6-month Instacart+ membership plus a $15 credit once every quarter. Enrollment is required by July 31, 2024.
No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.
Travel Benefits
Primary Rental Car Insurance: When you rent a car and pay with this card, you’ll receive comprehensive coverage including damage and theft protection. Simply decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver and charge the entire rental to your card to activate coverage. This insurance covers damage, theft, and valid loss-of-use charges worldwide.
Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance: This protection reimburses you for non-refundable, prepaid travel expenses if you need to cancel before departure or cut your trip short due to covered situations like severe illness or weather events. Coverage activates when you pay for your trip with the card, but it’s important to note that reimbursement only applies for specific covered reasons rather than any cancellation.
Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Your checked luggage gets extra protection against loss, theft, or damage beyond the basic compensation offered by carriers when you pay for travel with this card.
Baggage Delay Insurance: Missing luggage doesn’t have to derail your trip – this coverage steps in to reimburse you for essential purchases when your checked bags are delayed by airlines, trains, or other carriers. You can grab the necessities you need, from a fresh outfit to personal care items, while waiting for your bags to arrive.
Purchase Benefits
120-Day Purchase Protection: Get 120 days of protection against damage, theft, and even loss of your purchases – one of the longest windows available. This premium coverage automatically applies when you pay with your card.
Extended Warranty Protection: Your purchases gain an extra year of warranty protection when bought with this card, extending manufacturer warranties of three years or less without the inflated prices of store warranty plans.
Capital One Venture X:
The Capital One Venture X offers the following benefits: Annual Travel Credit: You’ll get $300 in travel credits each year to spend through the Capital One Travel portal. Use this credit for flights, hotels, and car rentals – and unlike other premium cards, there’s no complicated redemption process. Simply book your travel through the portal and watch the credit automatically apply to your statement. Anniversary Miles Bonus: Every year on your account anniversary, Capital One deposits 10,000 bonus miles into your account – no spending requirements needed. These miles provide incredible flexibility – transfer them to airline partners for premium cabin redemptions or use them to cover $100 worth of travel purchases. This annual gift helps offset the card’s cost and rewards your loyalty year after year. Priority Pass: Enjoy complimentary Priority Pass™ membership, granting you unlimited access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide upon enrollment. Escape the hustle and bustle of the terminal and relax in a comfortable lounge with amenities like free Wi-Fi, food, and drinks. Capital One Lounge Network: Enjoy unlimited access to Capital One’s growing collection of premium airport lounges. These spaces offer locally-inspired food options, premium beverages, and relaxation areas that elevate your pre-flight experience. Hertz Status: Receive Hertz President’s Circle elite status, which offers benefits such the ability to choose your car at Hertz Ultimate Choice locations when you book an intermediate car or higher, complimentary upgrades, a 50% points bonus, and a free additional driver. Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Credit: This card offers a credit for TSA PreCheck (expedited airport security) or Global Entry (expedited airport security and customs). Primary Rental Car Insurance: When you rent a car and pay with this card, you’ll receive comprehensive coverage including damage and theft protection. Simply decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver and charge the entire rental to your card to activate coverage. This insurance covers damage, theft, and valid loss-of-use charges worldwide. Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first. Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance: This protection reimburses you for non-refundable, prepaid travel expenses if you need to cancel before departure or cut your trip short due to covered situations like severe illness or weather events. Coverage activates when you pay for your trip with the card, but it’s important to note that reimbursement only applies for specific covered reasons rather than any cancellation. Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Your checked luggage gets extra protection against loss, theft, or damage beyond the basic compensation offered by carriers when you pay for travel with this card. Travel Accident Insurance offers coverage for accidental death or dismemberment while traveling on a common carrier when the trip is purchased using the eligible credit card. Travel and Emergency Assistance Services: You’ll get 24/7 access to emergency support worldwide, including medical referrals, legal help, and lost luggage assistance. While the service itself is included, you’re responsible for any actual costs incurred. No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose. Cell Phone Protection: When you use your card to pay your monthly phone bill, you’ll receive valuable coverage against damage or theft of your device. 90-Day Purchase Protection: Your new purchases are covered against damage and theft for 90 days when you use your card. This protection helps safeguard your eligible items right from the moment you buy them. Extended Warranty Protection: Your purchases gain an extra year of warranty protection when bought with this card, extending manufacturer warranties of three years or less without the inflated prices of store warranty plans. Return Protection allows cardholders to receive a refund for purchased items within a certain timeframe for items that merchants may not accept for return. Visa Infinite Benefits: In addition to great travel and purchase protections, Visa Infinite offers other perks such as the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection, rental car discounts, and special memberships Visa Infinite Concierge can help you with travel planning, buying tickets, booking reservations, and other tasks. This card offers special perks for being a Capital One cardholder:
Travel Benefits
Purchase Benefits
Capital One Special Perks
Winner:
The Capital One Venture X wins since it offers more premium travel perks such as lounge access, a 10,000-mile annual bonus, and a $300 annual travel credit.
Value of the Annual Fees
Chase Sapphire Preferred:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, which may give some people pause. However, as a frequent traveler, I’ve found that the card’s benefits and rewards can easily offset this cost.
Think about it this way: if you take advantage of the welcome bonus and redeem those points for travel, you’ve already recouped the annual fee many times over. Plus, the ongoing rewards and perks like travel insurance, hotel credit, and no foreign transaction fees can save you money and provide peace of mind during your trips.
Capital One Venture X:
The Capital One Venture X charges a $395 annual fee, which positions it lower than competing premium travel cards.
You can offset much of this cost through valuable perks like a $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel and 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) on your account anniversary.
Winner:
Capital One Venture X. While both cards can offset their annual fees, the Venture X effectively covers its annual fee through its $300 annual travel credit, 10,000 annual bonus miles, and free lounge access.
Redeeming Rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers exceptional flexibility when it comes to points redemption, allowing you to create the travel experiences you’ve been dreaming of.
One popular redemption option is booking travel through the Chase Travel portal. Here, your points are worth 1.25 cents apiece, meaning that a substantial amount of points can be redeemed for a significant value towards travel. I’ve used this option to book flights, hotels, and rental cars, and I appreciate the simplicity of the process. Plus, when you book through the portal, you can still earn airline miles and hotel points on your reservations.
If you’re looking to stretch your points even further, transfer to Chase’s airline and hotel partners. Some notable transfer partners include United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, British Airways, Air France/KLM, Hyatt, and Marriott. By strategically transferring points, you can unlock incredible redemption opportunities like first-class flights or luxurious resort stays.
In my experience, transferring points to Hyatt has yielded some of the most valuable redemptions. By leveraging my Ultimate Rewards points, I’ve booked top-tier properties like the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme and the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort for a fraction of the cash price.
Of course, if you’re not in the mood for travel, you can always redeem your points for statement credits or gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point. While this may not provide the most bang for your buck, it’s a decent option to have for those times when you need a little extra cash in your pocket.
Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners [1 to 1]
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Aer Lingus
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Air Canada Aeroplan
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Air France/KLM
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British Airways
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Emirates
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Hyatt Hotels
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Iberia
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IHG Hotels
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JetBlue
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Marriott
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Singapore
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Southwest
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United
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Virgin Atlantic
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Capital One Venture X:
When it comes to redeeming Capital One miles, you’ve got fantastic flexibility that sets this program apart from competitors. You essentially have two main paths: fixed-value redemptions or transfers to travel partners—with the latter typically delivering superior value.
The fixed-value route is straightforward. You’ll get 1 cent per mile when redeeming for travel purchases made in the last 90 days, booking new travel through Capital One, or selecting gift cards. This simplicity is perfect for travelers who spot a great cash fare or need to cover miscellaneous travel expenses that points programs typically don’t handle well.
For maximum value though, transferring to Capital One’s impressive partner lineup is your best bet. Most airline transfers occur at a favorable 1:1 ratio, effectively making your everyday spending worth double miles on cards earning 2x. The program features 15+ airline partners across all major alliances:
- Air Canada Aeroplan and Turkish Airlines for Star Alliance flights
- British Airways and Cathay Pacific for oneworld access
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue for SkyTeam travel
- Several non-alliance options like Emirates and Etihad
Hotel transfers include Wyndham Rewards and Choice Privileges at 1:1, plus Accor at a 2:1 ratio.
Some particularly valuable redemptions include Air Canada’s transcontinental business class awards from 25,000 points, Air France-KLM’s business class to Europe from 60,000 miles, and Finnair’s domestic Alaska Airlines flights for just 11,000 miles.
The real power of Capital One miles lies in their versatility—you can mix redemption styles based on what delivers better value for each trip. For inexpensive domestic flights, fixed-value redemptions often make more sense, while international premium cabins typically deliver exceptional value through transfers.
| Capital One Transfer Partners | |
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
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Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles)
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Emirates
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Etihad
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EVA (2 to 1.5)
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Finnair
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Japan Airlines (2 to 1.5)
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JetBlue (5 to 3)
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Qantas
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Qatar Airways
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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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| I Prefer Hotels (1 to 2) |
Wyndham
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Winner:
It’s a tie. Both Chase and Capital One offer flexible redemptions.
The Verdict
If you love traveling, you definitely need to have the Sapphire Preferred and Venture X cards in your wallet.
But if you only need to choose one, go for the Capital One Venture X. The card offers premium travel benefits that can be worth thousands of dollars in value like Priority Pass and Capital One lounge access, a $300 annual travel credit, and an annual bonus of 10,000 miles. Plus, the card earns flat-rate rewards so it’s not just a travel card, but it’s also for daily use.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is also a reliable travel card with solid rewards and decent travel perks, but it’s a better fit for people new to the world of rewards.
Which card are you going to choose?
