If you’re into credit card gossip – and I definitely am – there’s reason to believe Capital One could be rolling out a new card sometime soon. To be clear: Nothing is confirmed … but where there’s smoke, there’s often fire.
Late last year, rumors began circulating on Reddit about a new, mid-tier Capital One Savor X Credit Card launching in December. That timeline has come and gone, but after taking a closer look at the card’s rumored benefits, the idea still makes a lot of sense.
For some context, Capital One already offers the no-annual-fee *Capital One Savor*. The card earns 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Target and Walmart), as well as on dining, entertainment, and select streaming services. Cardholders also earn 5% back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, plus 1% back on all other purchases.
When Capital One entered the premium travel card arms race in 2021, it used the ultra-popular *capital one venture card* as the blueprint for the *venture x*. And the name? It looks kind of familiar, right? Just add an “X” to the end and all of a sudden it's a premium version of an already successful card. Why mess with a good thing?
That same playbook appears to be in use again. Here’s what we know so far about the rumored Savor X … and who it's aimed at.
Capital Savor X: Rumored Benefits
Take this list of benefits with a brick-sized grain of salt. The Capital One Savor X Credit Card is far from a sure thing – and even though I think there's something to the rumors, the card's earning rates and benefits could be wildly different if (and when) it finally does launch.
Having said that, the card looks pretty compelling … and eerily similar to some of the competition.
- Earn 4x on dining and entertainment
- Earn 3x on groceries
- Earn 10x on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn 1x on all other purchases
- Annual $100 Capital One Travel credit
- Annual $100 dining credit to spend at a collection of the best restaurants (e.g., Michelin-starred hotspots)
- Annual $120 credit at Starbucks
- Complimentary Apple TV+ membership ($120 annual value)
- Complimentary UberOne membership ($120 annual value)
- Annual fee: $295
It’s still unclear whether the card would earn cash back, like the current Savor, or Capital One miles, like the Venture cards. That distinction likely won’t matter much to most travelers, since cash back can easily be converted into miles and redeemed for potentially outsized value through Capital One’s long list of airline and hotel partners.
If accurate, the ability to earn 4x on dining and entertainment and 3x on groceries would make the Savor X especially rewarding – and a strong complement to a Venture card.
Add in the up to $320 in annual statement credits for travel, dining, and Starbucks purchases, and you've already made your annual fee back … and then some. Perks like Apple TV+ and Uber One would only add to the value.
How those credits would actually be structured remains to be seen – if they’re real at all. Will Capital One go the way of nearly every other bank and break them up into monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual allotments? Or let you use them up all in one fell swoop?
The $120 Starbucks credit, in particular, seems likely to be divided into $10 monthly increments – the math just works out too well. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see the $100 Capital One Travel credit and $100 dining credit split into two $50 installments each year.
Related reading: Capital One Venture vs. Venture X: Which Card is Best?
A Clear Shot at Amex
Based on the rumored benefits, it’s hard to miss who Capital One appears to be targeting.
The *amex gold card* has long been a favorite for everyday spending, thanks to its strong earning structure: 4x points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in spending per year, then 1x) and 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1x).
The card also comes with a long list of statement credits, including up to $10 per month in Uber Cash, up to $10 per month in dining credits at select restaurants, up to $7 per month in Dunkin’ credits, and up to $100 per year (up to $50 semi-annually) in Resy dining credits. Use them all, and the card’s annual_fees annual fee (see rates & fees) becomes much easier to justify.
Read more: 6 Reasons We Love the American Express Gold® Card (& You Will Too)
With the rumored Savor X, cardholders could earn uncapped 4x rewards on dining and entertainment and 3x on groceries. While that grocery bonus falls slightly short of what Amex offers, it’s still competitive.
The $100 dining credit for “Michelin-starred hotspots” sounds similar to Amex’s Resy partnership – and arguably closer to Chase's new Sapphire Reserve exclusive tables. The $120 Starbucks credit could also prove more broadly appealing than the up to $84 per year Amex Gold cardholders receive for Dunkin’.
The $100 Capital One Travel credit and complimentary Apple TV+ membership are the biggest departures from the Amex Gold formula. While Uber One isn’t the same as monthly Uber Cash, it’s a comparable partnership that could still turn heads among Amex cardholders.
Put it all together, and it’s clear Capital One is looking to steal a not-so-little piece of pie from Amex.
Pair It With a Venture Card
What makes the rumored Savor X especially intriguing is how well it could pair with Capital One’s existing Venture cards.
Both the Venture Rewards and Venture X earn unlimited 2x miles on all purchases, making them a natural match. A Savor X could handle dining, entertainment, and grocery spending, while a Venture card covers everything else.
More premium travelers could combine the Savor X with the Venture X and still pay less in annual fees than Amex charges for its Platinum Card. In return, they’d pick up an additional $300 Capital One Travel credit every year, a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus (starting in year two), airport lounge access, rental car elite status, and top-tier travel protections.
For those looking to keep costs lower, pairing the Savor X with the standard Venture card would still maximize earnings and add perks like an up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.
However it shakes out, the Savor X could be a strong addition to Capital One’s lineup – especially for existing Venture cardholders.
Read more: A Full Review of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Bottom Line
Capital One may be preparing to launch a mid-tier Savor X card that looks like a direct challenge to the Amex Gold, with strong bonuses on dining, entertainment, and groceries, plus a bundle of lifestyle credits.
Still just a rumor, the proposed $295 card could be easy to justify if the benefits pan out – and it could pair especially well with a Venture or Venture X for travelers who want to maximize everyday rewards without going fully premium.
