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Paying hundreds of dollars in annual fees for premium credit cards is not for everyone, especially if you're just starting off with earning travel rewards. Fortunately, there are several travel credit cards that will cost you less than $100 per year, while still earning you valuable points to help you plan a memorable vacation.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are two of the best cards in this category. Both have $95 annual fees and earn valuable travel rewards, ideal for newcomers and those seeking to transfer points and miles to airline and hotel partners for significant
Both rewards cards are popular options from big banks, Chase and Capital One. On the surface, both cards yield some of the most valuable travel rewards currencies, but there's a lot more to this comparison than just rewards.
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
- $95 Annual Fee
-
$1,320
Editor's
Bonus EstimateLearn more about how we evaluate points and miles in our monthly evaluation guide.
-
Sign Up Bonus
60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,320 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.022 base)
- 20.99% - 27.99% (Variable) APR
Secure application on issuer’s website
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- $95 Annual Fee
-
$1,600
Editor's
Bonus EstimateLearn more about how we evaluate points and miles in our monthly evaluation guide.
-
Sign Up Bonus
75,000Capital One Rewards Miles
Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel Dollar Equivalent: $1,350 (75,000 Capital One Rewards Miles * 0.018 base)
- 19.99% - 29.74% (Variable) APR
Secure application on issuer’s website
Rates & FeesWe'll go over additional features of each card, how to redeem your rewards and more in our card comparis
Compare Welcome Bonuses
Winner: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
These cards come with a generous welcome bonus to boost your points and miles. With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account. According to our points and miles valuation, each Capital One mile can be worth around 1.8 cents when redeemed for travel.
On the other hand, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has a welcome bonus of 60,000 points if you spend $4,000 in the first three months after account opening.
Given how similar the welcome bonus offers and minimum spend requirements are, potential applicants must look at each card's benefits to determine which suits them best. However, you'll want to ensure you meet the minimum spending requirements to avoid losing out on the excellent welcome bonus with either card.
Compare Rewards Rates
Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Both cards are great earners
While the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has fewer overall bonus categories, it offers a better rate of 2x miles on every card purchase and 5x miles on hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel.
We appreciate that Chase defines the "travel" category quite broadly, so Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders can get 2 points
If you prefer simplicity and want to earn a fixed earning rate on all everyday purchases, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card may be for you. However, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is an excellent choice if you spend money on numerous common categories, such as dining and tra
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Compare Rewards Redemption Options
Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Customers seeking to extract value from their hard-earned rewards have many flexible redemption options with both cards. Capital One allows cardholders to redeem their miles at a fixed value of 1 cent per mile towards travel purchases made through Capital One Travel
Additionally, you can maximize the value of your Capital One miles by transferring them to airline and hotel transfer partners. The majority of transfers are currently 1:1. Given that the card earns 2x miles per
If you are not interested in earning travel rewards, you can use your miles for gift cards, cash back, or purchases on Amazon and PayPal. However, it is essential to note that the rate you can redeem your miles for these options may not be as favorable as redeeming them for travel rewards.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred allows cardholders to earn Ultimate Rewards points, which can be redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal or transferred to other programs. Cardholders can make travel purchases through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, and extract
However, by transferring the points to one of Chase's airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio, you could significantly boost the value of the points. Cardholders can also redeem points for gift cards and cash back. However, the value of each point is only worth 1 cent apiece.
While the flexibility to redeem Capital One miles for any travel purchase is convenient, the Chase Sapphire Preferred still provides the most long-term value in terms of redemption optio
Compare Intro APR Offers
Winner: Tie
Both cards are considered mid-tier travel rewards cards and offer valuable rewards. However, it's important to note that neither includes any introductory APR offers as part of their bene
Compare Benefits
Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred
For starters, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has no foreign transaction fees (Rates & Fees). It also offers additional benefits, including extended warranty protection for eligible purchases, purchase protection for covered losses within the first 90 days of purchase, and Visa
Cardholders also receive two complimentary passes to access the Capital One Lounge or Plaza Premium Lounge
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred are Visa Signature cards. As a result, they provide similar benefits, but they also differ in a few key ways, and it is here that the Chase Sapphire Preferred shines out even more.
For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has primary rental coverage, while the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has secondary car rental coverage. So, if a minor collision occurs while renting a car, Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders could file a claim directly with the card's benefits provider
Furthermore, the Chase Sapphire Preferred includes superior travel benefits such as up to $500 in trip delay reimbursement for delays of more than 12 hours or overnight, up to $10,000 in trip cancellation and interruption insurance per person ($20,000 per trip), and up to $100 per day for up to five days in baggage delay reimbursement for delays of more than 6 hours.
The card also has a 10% anniversary point bonus and an annual $50 credit for hotel stays booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel port
Which Card is Right for You?
Even though both cards are premier mid-tier travel rewards credit cards with the same $95 annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred outperforms the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card in our research.
Chase Sapphire Preferred provides a far higher ceiling for customers who spend a lot on travel and dining. It also offers superior travel and purchase protections compared to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
When redeeming rewards, Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders' points are worth 25% more when booking travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. You can also transfer your points to popular travel loyalty programs like World of Hyatt
On the other hand, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is ideal for customers who want simplicity from their credit card and do not want to keep track of spending categories since they earn 2x miles
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
- $95 Annual Fee
-
$1,320
Editor's
Bonus EstimateLearn more about how we evaluate points and miles in our monthly evaluation guide.
-
Sign Up Bonus
60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,320 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.022 base)
- 20.99% - 27.99% (Variable) APR
Secure application on issuer’s website
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- $95 Annual Fee
-
$1,600
Editor's
Bonus EstimateLearn more about how we evaluate points and miles in our monthly evaluation guide.
-
Sign Up Bonus
75,000Capital One Rewards Miles
Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel Dollar Equivalent: $1,350 (75,000 Capital One Rewards Miles * 0.018 base)
- 19.99% - 29.74% (Variable) APR
Secure application on issuer’s website
Rates & FeesWhile the set rewards rate on Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card purchases may be preferable for those who like straightforwardness, most customers will get more overall value from the Chase Sapphire Preferred due to its outsized reward rates and high-value redemption opti
Bottom Line
When comparing these two cards, it is evident that they share many similarities. However, several distinct differences set them apart from each other.
Regarding everyday spending, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card beats out the Chase Sapphire Preferred because it earns 2x miles per dollar (compared to 1x points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred). However, suppose you often make purchases in specific categories, such as restaurants, streaming services and online groceries. In that case, the Chase Sapphire Preferred delivers 3x points per dollar on these transactions and 2x points per dollar on travel purchases.
In the end, the best card for you will be the one that fits with your spending habits, lets you use points for travel goals that are important to you, and includes perks you can u
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*Disclosure: Benefit available to accounts approved for the Visa Signature product, subject to terms, conditions, and exclusions in the Visa Signature Guide to Benefits. See Account Terms or Application Terms for more details. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply.
Juan Ruiz
Juan has been writing and editing stories involving credit cards, loyalty programs, travel, and personal finance topics for more than 10 years. In addition to working and contributing to a number of outlets including The Points Guy, Forbes, and Business Insider, Juan was recently the editor-in-chief at Money Under 30, where he led a team of personal finance journalists. He is also an adjunct professor at Florida International University and a licensed real estate professional.
