We get it. Credit card points, airline miles, and big annual fees can be intimidating and downright confusing. It's tough to know where to start.
And that's precisely why we think the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the best options for those just getting started in the world of travel rewards.
The card offers a no-frills way to easily redeem miles and won't cost you any money out of pocket in your first year of card membership. Read on as we make a case for the Capital One Venture Card being one of the best cards to get started with points and miles.
Click Here to get more information about the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Earn 2x Miles on Every Purchase
The Capital One Venture card makes it simple. For every $1 you spend, you get 2 miles. No matter where, no questions asked.
That 2x bonus is tough to beat and the Venture card earns twice as many points as co-branded airline credit from American, Delta, or United.
A Reasonable Annual Fee
The Capital One Venture Card has an annual fee of $95, and considering you'll be able to earn the 75,000-mile welcome bonus after spending $4,000 in the first three months and take advantage of some of the other benefits offered by the card, you'll come out way ahead on that investment in your first year.
$100 Application Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
One of the great benefits of the Capital One Venture Card is the $100 application fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
If you apply for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and pay with the card, the application cost will be reimbursed ($100 for Global Entry and $85 for TSA PreCheck). You can use this credit once every four years, and membership in both programs is good for five years.
It's one of the most cost-effective ways to get enrolled in either program, as you can enroll before paying the card's annual fee! And since Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck, it should be your choice if you plan to do any international travel. See our guide on how to sign up for the program.
A Welcome Bonus Worth Up to $750
The Capital One Venture Card is currently offering 75,000 Venture miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership. These miles can be redeemed for 1 cent each towards travel, which makes the welcome offer alone worth $750.
And since you won't be paying an annual fee in your first year of card membership, it will get you $750 closer to your next adventure. While other credit cards offer bigger welcome offer bonuses, none of them waive the annual fee in the first year.
The Freedom to Book Any and All Travel
Because of the way Capital One Venture miles work, you are not tied down to using them with one airline or one hotel chain. And if you are just getting started in the world of miles and points, that freedom is invaluable.
The Capital One Venture card allows you to keep your options open and use your points to book the cheapest or best option for your schedule. All you need to do is pay for any travel-related expense with your Capital One Venture Card, and use the Purchase Eraser feature to remove the charge from your statement using your miles. Think airfare, hotels, cruises, Uber – you name it.
Every mile you've got is worth 1 cent. That means if you book a $500 flight, you would need 50,000 Capital One Venture miles to remove the charge from your statement. Read up on how to use Capital One's handy Purchase Eraser function.
There are other ways to use points and miles to squeeze out more value, but it doesn't get more straightforward than this. This is reason enough to start with the Capital One Venture Card.
Learn About Airline Transfer Partners
If you want to start learning about the best ways to use points and miles, the Capital One Venture card is a great starting point.
That's because you can now transfer Capital One miles to 15 different airline partners and two hotels. These transfers are the key to unlocking maximum value from your miles with top-dollar redemptions like first or business class.
| Program | Type | Ratio | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeromexico | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Air France/KLM | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| British Airways | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles | Airline | 1:1 | Up to five business days |
| Emirates | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Etihad | Airline | 1:1 | Up to 1 day |
| EVA Air | Airline | 2:1.5 | Up to five business days |
| Finnair | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Qantas | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Singapore | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| TAP Air Portugal | Airline | 1:1 | Same day |
| Turkish Airlines | Airline | 1:1 | Same day |
| Virgin Red | Other | 1:1 | Same day |
| Accor | Hotel | 2:1 | Up to two business days |
| Wyndham | Hotel | 1:1 | Same day |
| Choice Hotels | Hotel | 1:1 | Same day |
Some of these partners are stronger than others – and it might make more sense in some cases to use the Purchase Eraser function rather than transfer to an airline. Aside from the occasional transfer bonus, you'll get 1.5 miles in an airline account for every 2 Capital One miles you transfer.
Read up on some of the best ways to transfer Capital One miles to get an idea of where to start.
Full Benefits of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership ($600 towards travel)
- Earn 2X miles per dollar on every purchase. There is no cap to the number of miles you can earn each year.
- Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Fly on any airline or stay in any hotel with no blackout dates
- Capital One Venture Miles never expire
- The card does not charge foreign transaction fees
- 15 airline transfer partners
- $95 Annual Fee
Click Here to get more information about the Capital One Venture Card.
Bottom Line
The Captial One Venture Card is one of my favorites because of how easy it is to use the Venture miles the card earns, and how approachable they make it for beginners. It can substantially reduce the cost of your travels in both your first year and beyond. You'll be hard-pressed to find a card offering more value that costs you less out of pocket.