Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Review: A Simple Yet Powerful Card

If you’ve been staring at 15 different credit card reviews trying to figure out which one is actually worth it—you’re not alone. I remember feeling totally overwhelmed when I first started looking into travel rewards cards. Which one gives you the most miles? Which perks matter? How do you even use the points? The decision fatigue was real.

Let me make it simple: the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the one I recommend to almost everyone starting out (and they currently have a limited time offer so I extra recommend it right now!)

It’s straightforward, powerful, and doesn’t require any complicated category tracking. I used this card for a couple of years and earned enough miles to fly business class multiple times just by using it for my everyday expenses and taking advantage of the sign up bonus. And even though I’ve now upgraded to its premium version, the Venture X, this is still the one I send people to, especially those looking for a card with a low annual fee. 

Right now, Capital One is offering a sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles + and a limited time offer for a $250 travel credit when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months. That bonus alone can be worth a couple of thousand in travel and then you add in the limited time offer of the $250 credit and it makes this card a steal for a $95 annual fee. 

I personally would 100% jump on this because it’s one of the highest-value, lowest-effort bonuses on the market and the $250 travel credit is a nice cherry on top.

Want 75,000 bonus miles + $250 Travel Credit?
👉 Limited Time Offer

In this post, I’ll show you:

• What you can use Capital One Miles on and how attainable flying in business class actually is
• What perks make this card ideal for people who want simple but powerful rewards
• Where this card shines—and where it doesn’t—so you can decide if it’s right for you

If I had to start from scratch today and I was feeling overwhelmed by all the options out there, this is one of the first cards I’d open.

Quick Overview: Why I Recommend the Venture Card

• Huge value up front: 75,000 bonus miles after meeting the spending requirement + $250 Capital One Travel credit 
• Low annual fee: Just $95 and the bonus alone can get you $950+ in travel value 
• Effortless earning: 2x miles on every dollar you spend 
• Beginner-friendly: Simple to use, easy to redeem, and no foreign transaction fees
• Surprising perks: Like Global Entry credit and Hertz Five Star status which is rare for a card at this price point

Earn 2x miles on every purchase and get a travel bonus worth over $950.
👉 Learn more about the Venture Card

What’s the Current Sign-Up Bonus?

Sign-up bonus might just be my favorite phrase in the English language.

It’s like taking candy from a baby… if that baby was a giant financial institution handing it to you. (Okay, terrible analogy but hopefully you get the point.)

Here’s the deal:

When you open the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, you’ll earn:

• 75,000 bonus miles
  
• $250 credit to use on Capital One Travel
  (limited-time offer)
  

That’s over $950 in travel value for just a $95 annual fee. Honestly, if you transfer your points to travel partners that’s closer to at least a couple of thousand in value but more on that in the next section.

Um… that’s ridiculously good. (Does the whole taking candy from a baby make sense now??)

This is a one-time bonus, so it’s very important that you meet the spending requirement. Luckily, it’s totally doable — you just need to spend about $1,333 per month for three months.

If you hit that spend earlier? Even better. You’ll get your points earlier, too.

The reason I LOVE this sign up bonus so much is because it’s low effort, high reward. Most of us are already spending at least that much a month (if not more), so hitting the bonus doesn’t require any extra effort or spending.

💳 Limited-Time Bonus Offer
Get 75,000 bonus miles + $250 travel credit when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months.
👉 Learn More

What Can You Actually Do with 75,000 Miles?

I’m glad you asked! Capital One Miles are some of my favorites out there because there are so many great airlines that you can transfer your miles to.

Some of my personal favorites are Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, Qatar Airways, Flying Blue, and Virgin Atlantic. 

Also, keep in mind you will actually have more than 75,000 miles because once you hit the minimum spend on the Venture Rewards card you’ll also earn 2x miles on each dollar of the spending requirement ($4,000*2=8,000 additional miles) so by the time you get your sign up bonus it’ll actually be 83,000 miles.

I have used Capital One Miles for countless trips:

• Lufthansa business class from Frankfurt to Boston for only 63,000 miles by transferring my points to Avianca LifeMiles
• KLM Business Class from JFK to Amsterdam for only 60,000 points by transferring to Flying Blue
• British Airways First Class from London to Chicago for 68,000 miles by transferring to Qatar Airways 

There are so many great deals you can get with Capital One Miles. In fact, I saw one the other day from Seattle to Taiwan for just 62,500 miles in business class. Yes, I’m over here going hmmm can I squeeze in a trip to Taiwan!?

Not interested in business class? Here are some routes in economy:

• Los Angeles to Tokyo for 25,750 miles by transferring to Qatar 
• New York to Morocco for 20,750 miles by transferring to Qatar
• Boston to Amsterdam for 12,000 points by transferring to Virgin
• Atlanta to Rome for 12,000 points by transferring to Virgin 

Are you seeing just how powerful 83,000 miles can be?

From business class flights to multiple economy tickets, Capital One Miles stretch surprisingly far when transferred to partners.

83,000 Miles = Endless Possibilities
👉 Explore Travel Options with Venture Rewards

How To Keep Earning Points

The card has an incredibly simple earning structure which means you get 2x miles per dollar spent. That’s it. No need to think about it.

So let’s do the math.

Let’s say you spend $2,000 in expenses every month. You’ll hit your sign up bonus in just two months. You’ll earn 83,000 miles: 75,000 bonus miles + 8,000 additional miles because of the 2x earning rate on the $4,000 spend.

So after two months, 83,000 miles and then for the rest of the 10 months you’ll get 4,000 miles a month aka 40,000 at the end of the year.

40,000 miles + 83,000 miles = 123,000 miles in your first year of owning this card. 

That’s enough for a RT ticket in business class or multiple economy tickets and the best part?

You’re literally not doing anything extra to get these miles. This is money you were already spending. You’re just working smarter not harder by putting it on a card that earns you 2x miles per dollar spent.

If you want to earn even more miles, you can also get 5x miles on hotel, vacation rental, and rental car booking if you book them in the Capital One Travel portal. 

Once I figured out how many miles travel rewards credit cards like the Venture Rewards could get me, it literally changed my life. 

It’s why I’m so passionate about sharing this because not having to pay for flights has opened up so many more opportunities to travel. And flying business class means the trip feels elevated before I even arrive.

With 2x miles on everything, you can earn miles for your next flight with no extra effort
👉 See How Venture Rewards Add Up

What Other Benefits Come with the Venture Card?

One of my favorite things about the Venture card is that it includes some really useful perks you wouldn’t expect from a card with just a $95 annual fee. 

$120 credit for Global Entry of TSA Pre Check.

Listen, if you don’t have Global Entry yet, this is such a valuable perk. I am obsessed with it. You breeze through the lines when entering the United States AND you get TSA Pre check included so you also can join the expedited line for security. 

The combination of the two has made travel days so much easier for me. I think back to poor me as a kid waiting for HOURS in the lines to get back into the USA after visiting family in India and I’m so glad those days are over.

The way to get this perk is simple. Use your Venture Rewards card for the Global Entry application fee and you’ll get a statement credit fully reimbursing you. 

Hertz® Five Star status

If you’ve ever had to stand in line at a rental counter while running on no sleep and close to tears, this is a gift. With Venture, you’re automatically bumped to Hertz Five Star status, which means:

• You can skip the rental counter at many locations
  
• You get access to better cars and upgrades (based on availability)

I used this during a last-minute trip to Denver, and not only did I avoid the counter line, but I got a nice upgrade without asking.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

This one’s simple but essential. If you travel abroad this saves you from those annoying surprise fees. 

I’ve used this card all over the world without paying a cent in foreign fees. And unlike American Express, Capital One is widely accepted internationally.

Global Entry credit, elite car rental status, and no foreign fees make this card a no brainer
👉 Discover Venture Card Perks

Downsides of the Capital One Venture Card

Honestly, for a card with a $95 annual fee, the Venture Rewards offers a ton of value but it’s not perfect.

No Lounge Access

If you’re only planning to open one travel credit card and lounge access is high on your wishlist, this isn’t the card for you.

That said, you won’t find a card with lounge access at this price point. If you want airport lounge access, I recommend opening the Capital One Venture X instead. It comes with:

• Access to Capital One Lounges + Priority Pass
  
• A $300 travel credit
  
• 10,000 bonus miles every year on your anniversary

Those perks more than make up the difference in annual fee and if you fly a few times a year, they’re worth it.

No Bonus Categories

Another tradeoff? The Venture card earns a flat 2x miles on everything, but it doesn’t have extra bonuses for things like dining or travel.

If you’re someone who spends a lot on restaurants or streaming services, the Chase Sapphire Preferred might be a better fit it offers:

• 3x on dining and streaming
  
• 2x on travel
  
• 1x on everything else

But if you prefer simplicity—earning 2x on every single purchase without thinking about it—the Venture Rewards card is still a great choice.

While the Venture card doesn’t include lounge access or bonus categories, its simplicity is the point. If you want powerful, yet simple then this is the card for you
👉 Learn how Venture makes travel rewards easy

Bottom Line: This Card is More Than Worth it For the Sign Up Bonus Alone

This review is simple because this card is simple and that’s why I love it.

I think having a card in your wallet that earns you 2x points on every dollar you spend is extremely powerful. Whether you want to keep things easy with one go-to card or build a strategy by pairing it with others, I highly recommend the Venture Rewards Credit Card.

FAQs About the Venture Card