venture x travel

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review

Written by: Nouri Zarrugh

Edited by: Brendan Dyer

Reviewed by: Garrett Yarbrough

Partner Offer

In a Nutshell:

Boasting a roster of valuable perks and annual credits and one of the best rewards rates available on a luxury travel card, the Venture X card should offer terrific value for frequent travelers.

See Rates and Fees

Learn more about this card

Other notable features: Capital One lounge access, Priority Pass Select membership, up to $100 in credits for TSA Precheck or Global Entry application fee every four years, no foreign transaction fee ( See Rates and Fees )

Put simply, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a game-changer.

The first luxury travel card from Capital One , the Venture X stands out not only for its impressive roster of travel perks – including annual benefits that can easily justify the card’s cost on their own – but also for its generous rewards scheme, which gets you bonus miles on all eligible purchases, not just travel spending.

Add in a massive sign-up bonus and an annual fee that’s lower than most of the card’s luxury competition at $395 ( See Rates and Fees ) and it’s safe to say the Venture X stands as not only one of the best credit cards on the market, but perhaps the best travel credit card out there.

That said, since its key perks, annual bonuses and most valuable redemptions are centered squarely around travel, the Venture X card may not be the best option for occasional travelers. Plus, though the Venture X can easily offer more value than a lower-cost travel card, you may not be comfortable with such a high annual fee – no matter how much value you can squeeze out of the card.

See related: How to pick a travel credit card

• Get 10,000 bonus miles every year on your account anniversary, worth $100 when redeemed through Capital One travel portal.
• This card comes with great perks, including up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, a major plus for frequent travelers.
• The current welcome offer is quite lucrative and can easily offset the steep annual fee.
• You’ll get a $300 travel credit each year when you book through Capital One Travel, including flights, hotels and car rentals.
• High annual fee: The card’s annual fee is very steep and can be hard to cover if you don’t take advantage of the card’s annual bonus or spend enough on travel.
• Only travel redemptions are worthwhile: You only get a full 1-cent-per-mile redemption value if you use miles for travel. Non-travel redemption options offer less than 1 cent per point in redemption value.

Why you might want the Capital One Venture X card

If you’re a frequent traveler who doesn’t mind putting up an annual fee in exchange for competitive rewards rates and useful perks like travel credits and airport lounge access, the Venture X card should be one of your first stops.

Along with a big sign-up bonus and several valuable benefits that make it easy to offset the card’s cost, the Venture X comes with a versatile rewards program that gives you the flexibility to redeem miles for travel with the issuer or to cover outside travel purchases.

Terrific rewards rate on both travel and non-travel purchases

One of the most unique and appealing aspects of the Venture X card is its generous rewards rate not only on travel purchases like airline and hotel bookings – a feature common among luxury travel cards – but also on everyday spending.

Along with the 10 miles per dollar you’ll earn on hotel and rental car bookings made via the Capital One Travel portal and the 5 miles per dollar you’ll earn on flights booked through the portal, you’ll get 2 miles per dollar on general purchases.

While other luxury travel cards may match the Venture X card’s rewards rate on hotel and airline bookings, almost none can compete with its boosted rate on general purchases. Comparable cards that earn 2 to 5 points per dollar in categories like travel, dining and groceries tend to only earn just 1 point per dollar on general purchases. Meanwhile, though plenty of flat-rate rewards cards offer 1.5 or 2 points per dollar on all eligible purchases, they don’t carry bonus rewards rates in any specific spending categories. This makes the Venture X card’s rewards program truly unique and potentially very lucrative, especially for big spenders and frequent travelers.

To get a sense of how much you can earn via card spend with the Venture X, let’s say you take 10 round-trip flights per year at an average cost of around $350, for a total of $3,500 in spending on airfare. If you booked those flights through the Capital One Travel portal, you’d earn 17,500 miles (at a rate of 5 miles per dollar). Add in $2,000 in spending on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One (at a rate of 10 miles per dollar) and $1,500 per month in general spending (at a rate of 2 miles per dollar) and you’d earn another 56,000 miles per year, giving you a total of 73,500 miles, worth $735 when redeemed for travel.

Even if you subtracted the card’s $395 annual fee ( See Rates and Fees ) from that total, you’d be up $340.

Compare this with the same spending breakdown on one of the Venture X card’s main competitors, The Platinum Card® from American Express . Setting aside both cards’ valuable perks and credits, you’ll see just how much of a difference the Venture X card’s boosted rate on general purchases makes when it comes to earning rewards via card spend:

Perks and annual bonuses alone easily cover annual fee

The Venture X card’s steep annual fee may make you nervous, but rest assured that the fee is easily worth it if you take advantage of the card’s generous benefits. In fact, you can completely cover the card’s cost by maximizing just two of its key perks – the account anniversary bonus and the annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel – which together offer up to $400 in annual value.

You’ll get 10,000 bonus miles each year on your account anniversary, worth $100 when you redeem for travel through Capital One or use to cover outside travel purchases. You’ll also get a $300 Capital One travel credit each year for booking through Capital One Travel.

This means that if you already spend at least $400 per year on travel – the cost of one or two round-trip domestic flights – it essentially costs you nothing to keep the Venture X card in your wallet: For a $395 annual fee ( See Rates and Fees ), you’ll automatically get $100 worth of travel rewards added to your account each year, and if you purchase travel through the Capital One Travel portal, your first $300 in spending will be covered by the travel credit.

The card’s other major perks also add value but may be more suited to especially frequent travelers, including an up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years and a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which gets you access to over 1,300 lounges around the world. You’ll also get unlimited access to the brand-new Capital One Lounge and two complimentary guest passes per year. Considering a Priority Pass Standard Plus membership costs $299, the value of these lounge access benefits alone could make up a big chunk of the card’s annual fee.

The card also charges no foreign transaction fees ( See Rates and Fees ) and no fee for the first four authorized users you add to the card ( See Rates and Fees ). The Chase Sapphire Reserve® , meanwhile, charges $75 per authorized user).

This list of cardholder benefits is even more impressive considering the Venture X card’s relatively low cost compared to its luxury travel competitors. While a $395 annual fee ( See Rates and Fees ) is certainly nothing to sneeze at, it pales in comparison to the $695 annual fee you’ll find on the Amex Platinum and the $550 annual fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Flexible travel redemptions

Like the original Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card , the Venture X stands out for its impressive redemption flexibility. Unlike most travel rewards cards, which require you to redeem rewards through an issuer’s travel portal to enjoy full value, the Venture X lets you redeem miles for travel not only through the Capital One Travel portal, but also to cover outside travel purchases – such as bookings made directly with airlines and hotels or via third-party travel sites like Expedia. This is a huge advantage since it lets you shop around for the best deals on every aspect of your trip.

Capital One also offers a decent mix of travel transfer partners, the majority of which allow you to transfer miles at a 1:1 ratio, including British Airways, Air France-KLM, Avianca LifeMiles, Wyndham Rewards and more. Depending on the value of the transfer partner’s rewards currency, you may even get more bang for your buck by moving your Capital One miles around this way.

See related:  Capital One travel partners

Terrific sign-up bonus

The Venture X card features one of the highest sign-up bonuses currently available on a travel rewards card, making now a great time to apply if you have a big trip on the horizon and are looking for an influx of rewards. Even though the current offer is a drop from the card’s original bonus of 100,000 miles after meeting the spending requirements in your first six months, it’s still quite valuable. You can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in your first three months – worth $750 when redeemed for travel, whether you book through the Capital One Travel portal or use miles to cover outside travel purchases.

Leaving aside all the card’s perks and rewards from ongoing spending, that could rival the bonus value offered by the card’s main competitors, the much pricier Amex Platinum ($695 annual fee) and Chase Sapphire Reserve ($550 annual fee):

Why another card might be a better fit

While the Venture X is no doubt one of the best travel rewards cards on the market thanks to its valuable bonuses and terrific rewards rate on both travel and general purchases, it may not be the best fit based on your goals and spending habits.

If you only travel occasionally or want the flexibility to redeem rewards for both cash back and travel without sacrificing rewards value, you may be better off with a lower-cost, more versatile rewards card.

A risky option for infrequent travelers

Despite its generous rewards rate on non-travel purchases and easy-to-use perks that help offset its cost, the Venture X card could still be too pricey for novice travelers.

To get the most value out of the card, you’ll need to take advantage of its boosted rewards rate on Capital One travel bookings and its $300 Capital One travel credit. If you don’t travel enough to make use of these features or don’t want to be stuck using the issuer’s portal to earn boosted rewards on travel bookings, the Venture X card’s annual fee may be tough to swallow.

Assuming you only use the card for general purchases and never make any travel bookings, you’ll need to spend at least $19,750 per year (just under $1,650 per month) to earn enough rewards to break even with the Venture X card. Compare this with the original Venture card, and you’d only need to spend $4,750 on general purchases per year (just over $395 per month) to cover the Venture card’s $95 annual fee ( See Rates and Fees ) – around a fourth of the spending required to break even with the Venture X. This may be an extreme example, but it illustrates just how difficult it could be for modest spenders and infrequent travelers to justify the Venture X card’s cost.

Plus, since you’ll need to redeem miles for travel to get the most value out of your rewards, the Venture X won’t make much sense if you plan to use your rewards for cash back, gift cards, online shopping or other non-travel redemptions. Opting for a non-travel redemption with the Venture X typically means diluting the value of your miles, making it even more difficult to justify the card’s cost.

On this front, the Venture X card’s rewards program simply can’t match the versatility of a program like Chase Ultimate Rewards , which lets you redeem points for travel with Chase, cash back, gift cards and more at a minimum of 1-cent-per-point.

See related:  Cash back vs. points

Limited non-travel perks

If you don’t place much value in perks like expedited security screening or airport lounge access, the Venture X card’s perks may be a disappointment. You won’t get many of the one-off extras that pop up on luxury cards, like complimentary food delivery service subscriptions or shopping and rideshare credits.

Compare this with the Amex Platinum, an elite card so packed with extra credits and discounts that some users have described the card as resembling a coupon book. Along with the sort of travel benefits you’ll find on the Venture X, the Amex Platinum would get you hundreds of dollars’ worth of perks, including credits for Uber, Saks Fifth Avenue credit digital entertainment and more.

How does the Venture X compare to other travel rewards cards?

The Venture X is no doubt a top-tier travel rewards card that more than holds its own against established competitors. However, depending on your spending and redemption habits, your appetite for annual fees and the other cards in your wallet, one of these alternatives may be a better fit:

Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve

One of the most popular luxury travel cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve carries a much higher annual fee than the Venture X, but also has a clear edge when it comes to redemption value. Not only can you earn a higher rewards at a higher rate on general travel and restaurants (3 points per dollar), but you also get 50% more value out of your points when you redeem for travel with Chase (1.5 cents per point). You also maintain solid value when you opt for cash back and outside travel as you’ll always get a point value of at least 1 cent per point.

You can also take advantage of the Chase Trifecta to stack the Sapphire Reserve with no annual fee Ultimate Rewards cards that earn rewards in unique bonus categories, then pool your points to enjoy the higher travel redemption value. This gives the Sapphire Reserve a bit more flexibility compared to the Venture X.

You also won’t miss out on many of the Venture card’s best perks, as the Sapphire Reserve comes with its own $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass Select membership and other valuable benefits.

Capital One Venture X vs. The Platinum Card from American Express

Another standout in the luxury travel space, the Amex Platinum is famous for its generous roster of cardholder perks, which could translate to thousands of dollars’ worth of value if you take full advantage. These extras can more than cover the card’s extremely high annual fee.

The Amex Platinum also offers broader lounge access and a more robust set of transfer partners than the Venture X, some of which could boost the value of your rewards to as much as 2 cents per point – double the standard value you’ll get out of miles redeemed through the Capital One Travel portal.

Though it certainly falls short of the Venture X when it comes to rewards earned via general spending, the Amex Platinum can be one of the most lucrative travel cards out there in the hands of the right cardholder.

Capital One Venture X vs. Capital One Venture

If you’re on the fence about whether you’re willing to put up the Venture X card’s steep annual fee, the original Venture card is well worth a look, especially if you want to earn travel rewards but don’t typically spend much on travel.

Offering the same base rewards rate at less than a fourth of the price, the Venture card could be a much safer choice for occasional travelers since you’ll only need to spend about $400 per month to offset its annual fee.

How to use the Venture X card

• Be sure to spend at least $300 per year on travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal to take advantage of the card’s $300 travel credit.
• To maximize your earnings on airline, hotel and rental car bookings, be sure to buy through the Capital One travel portal.
• Use the card for most of your general spending to take advantage of the card’s generous base rewards rate.
• Consider transferring your Capital One miles to a partner airline or hotel program if you need to top off a rewards balance or could squeeze more value out of a partner’s rewards currency.

Is the Capital One Venture X right for you?

If you travel frequently and are looking for a card to use for the majority of your travel and everyday spending, the Venture X card should offer remarkable value with few downsides.

The card’s perks alone should easily cover the annual fee and its best-in-class rewards rate on general purchases means it should offer solid ongoing value, even if your travel spending dips. However, if you aren’t sure you’ll spend hundreds of dollars on travel each year or if you want the option to redeem for cash back without sacrificing rewards value, a lower-cost, general rewards card may be a better fit.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.

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• Capital One Venture X

Capital One Venture X Card — How To Use the Annual $300 Travel Credit

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Table of Contents

Capital one venture x card — snapshot, what is the capital one venture x card’s capital one travel credit, the 3 best ways to use your travel credit on airfare, the 3 best ways to use your travel credit on hotels, the 3 best ways to use your travel credit on car rentals, purchases that do not trigger the capital one travel credit, what if my purchase isn’t automatically reimbursed, final thoughts.

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The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best new credit cards in the U.S. Offering tremendous travel benefits and streamlined rewards categories, it’s hard to beat the card’s value proposition.

It offers best-in-class rewards on everyday purchases, terrific travel protections and benefits, the worldwide acceptance of a Visa credit card, and much more.

One of these benefits is the fantastic $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel.

In this guide, we go through the ins and outs of this travel credit and provide some awesome ways you can use this perk! Let’s get into it!

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  None

Capital One Miles

The Capital One Venture X card offers $300 in travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel .

In many cases (especially for airfare), the Capital One Travel portal displays the cheapest possible flights, so the travel credit is truly worth the full face value.

In fact, the entire Capital One Travel search engine is powered by Hopper , which uses some of the best data and software to predict prices.

You can also freeze a flight price for a small fee (up to 14 days), get complimentary price drop protection on flights (if your flights go down in price), and access a seamless travel experience.

Currently, you can book flights, hotels, and car rentals through Capital One Travel.

To apply your $300 travel credit, just make the booking through the Capital One Travel portal using your Capital One Venture X card, and the credit will appear within 2 billing cycles. Most of the time, the credit appears in 7 business days, though.

Even better, purchases that count towards the $300 travel credit also earn bonus miles ! With the Capital One Venture X card, you’ll earn:

• 10x Capital One miles on car rentals and hotels booked through Capital One Travel
• 5x Capital One miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel

In addition to getting $300 worth of free travel, you could earn 3,000 Capital One miles, too, which is worth around $54, according to our valuations !

Now that we’ve walked through how to use your $300 travel credit, let’s take a look at some of our favorite ways to spend it, starting with airfare!

1. Round-trip Flights in Economy to Cabo

Planning a simple weekend getaway to Cabo can get expensive very quickly, especially if you want to fly out on a Thursday or Friday and return on a Sunday.

In general, round-trip tickets in economy start at $350, even when booking far in advance.

Luckily, these flights can still be found for under $300 round-trip, making it an excellent way to fly to Cabo for free. You’ll probably need to fly on a budget carrier, but for a quick weekend trip, it shouldn’t be difficult to manage that.

Here are some great example routes where you can book round-trip economy tickets to Cabo for a weekend trip:

• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Los Cabos (SJD)  aboard Spirit Airlines
• Las Vegas (LAS) – Los Cabos (SJD)  aboard Frontier Airlines
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Los Cabos (SJD) aboard Delta Air Lines

2. One-way Flights in First Class to New York

If you’re looking to plan a trip to New York and aren’t based in a transcontinental hub like Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO), you’ll be pleased to hear that you can still get one-way flights in first class to New York!

These seats will almost always be in recliner-style products, unlike the premium transcontinental flights, which almost always retail for $700 to $1,000 in each direction.

Still, it’s better than roughing it in coach! Here are some great routes to consider booking:

• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) – Newark (EWR) on United Airlines
• Houston (IAH) – New York-LaGuardia (LGA) on American Airlines
• Nashville (BNA) – New York-Kennedy (JFK) on Delta Air Lines

3. One-way Flights in Economy to Hawaii

It’s no secret that flights to Hawaii are extremely expensive. Even if you’re flying during the low season, tickets stay elevated in price.

Luckily, with $300 in travel credit, you can book one-way economy flights from various cities around the U.S., even starting as far away as Boston!

Here are some of our favorite flight routes:

• Boston (BOS) – Honolulu (HNL) on Hawaiian Airlines
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Lihue (LIH)  on Delta Air Lines
• Phoenix (PHX) – Maui (OGG)  on American Airlines
• Portland (PDX) – Kona (KOA) on Alaska Airlines

Bottom Line: There are always bargains to be had when looking for flights, even to the hottest destinations like Cabo, New York, and Hawaii. You can even get first class flights to New York paid for completely with your Capital One Venture X card’s travel credit!

It’s pretty difficult to use $300 in travel credit for a substantial hotel stay without compromising on the quality of the stay.

But if you’re looking to book a night or 2 in a popular destination, you could get some solid value!

Here are our favorite ways to use your travel credit at hotels:

1. A 2-Night Weekday Stay in Las Vegas

If you’re looking to stay for a couple of nights in Vegas , you can actually get 2 nights or almost 2 nights paid for entirely with your travel credit.

The best way to get the best deals is to stay during the week — in particular, if you check in on Sunday or Monday and check out 2 days later, you can get some exceptional deals.

That said, it’s possible to find great deals in the middle of the week, too, but you’re statistically better off looking to check in on Sunday or Monday.

Also, it’s best to book your stay around 1 or 2 months in advance to get the best deals.

Here are 3 properties where you can enjoy a 5-star experience for nearly free!

• ARIA Resort & Casino
• Delano Las Vegas
• Vdara Hotel & Spa

2. A Night in Miami During the Low Season

Miami’s low season is generally in August. If you have the flexibility to travel during this timeframe and don’t mind hot, humid weather, you can get some pretty good deals!

In fact, you can get a night at a 4-star hotel during the low season for under $300, which is fantastic.

Some of our favorites include:

• Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel, an IHG Hotel
• The Palms Hotel & Spa
• SLS Brickell

Hot Tip: Keep in mind that resort fees are not paid to Capital One Travel and are therefore not eligible for your $300 travel credit. These resort fees are paid directly to the hotel upon checkout.

3. A Night in a 4-Star Hotel in San Francisco

San Francisco is no stranger to luxury hotels. One of the largest economies in the U.S., this bayside city has an incredible history and a vibrant melting pot of culture.

For the most part, it’s easy to find 4-star hotels in San Francisco bookable for under $300 per night, including all taxes and fees.

Here are a few of our favorite options:

• Hyatt Regency San Francisco
• Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SOMA
• The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square

The last major way you can spend your travel credit, besides flights and hotels, is on car rentals.

So, here are our favorite ways!

1. Rent a Car for the Family for a Disney Vacation

One of the most popular family-friendly vacations is to visit Orlando and go on a theme park crawl.

If you book your car rentals in advance, you can save a ton of money.

Including taxes and fees, it’s possible to reserve an SUV for 4 days during the spring season for less than $300!

2. Rent a Car for a Southern California Road Trip

If you’re planning a road trip in Southern California , it can be cheaper than you think to rent a car, even if you want to return your car at a different location from your pick-up.

For example, if you book a 6-day car rental starting in San Diego (SAN) and ending in Los Angeles (LAX), you can book the entire trip, including additional drop-off fees, for as low as $365, making it easy to get full value from that $300 travel credit.

3. Rent a Car To Explore Nashville

Headed to the Music City? This city, which is notorious for its bonkers price gouging for rental cars, can actually be affordable to visit thanks to the Capital One Venture X card’s travel credit.

If you book far in advance, you can secure up to 5 days in a base-level car to tour Nashville . This is in contrast to rates that are more than double if you wait until 1 to 3 months before the trip.

So with some forward planning, you can get 5 days of car rentals in Nashville!

A purchase that is made outside the Capital One Travel portal will not trigger the travel credit. You must also use your eligible Capital One Venture X card as payment.

Here are some further examples:

• Purchases made directly with the airline, hotel, or car rental company
• Purchases made with any Capital One partners, including transfer partners
• Purchases not made with an eligible Capital One Venture X card

Bottom Line: To make sure your purchase triggers your Capital One Travel credit, use your Capital One Venture X card to pay for the reservation made directly on the Capital One Travel portal.

Although the Capital One Travel credit is usually posted to your account within 7 business days, it may take up to 2 billing cycles for it to show up.

If you wait for 2 full billing cycles and don’t see it, you can reach out to Capital One by calling the number on the back of your card.

All in all, it’s easy to get the full $300 worth of value from your Capital One Venture X card’s travel credit.

Although eligible purchases must include those made on Capital One Travel and be paid for using your Capital One Venture X card, the travel portal is one of the best in business.

The credit is extremely easy to use, and Capital One Travel offers key features that other websites do not, like price drop protection, predictive tools, and the ability to freeze your airfare for up to 14 days by paying a small fee.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa ® or Mastercard ® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i transfer miles from the capital one venture card to the capital one venture x card.

Yes, you can! If your online accounts are already linked, you can transfer miles from your Capital One Venture card to your Capital One Venture X card. To do this, log in to your online account, click View Rewards , then select the account you want to move miles from. After that, click Move Rewards , select the account you want to move miles to, select the number of miles, and then click Share .

If your accounts aren’t linked in the same online account, call the number on the back of your card to transfer miles between cards.

Can I get a Capital One Venture X card if I have a Capital One Venture card?

Yes, you can! However, just remember that Capital One allows a maximum of 1 credit card application every 6 months. Even if you’re declined the first time, you must still wait at least 6 months.

What counts as a travel purchase for the Capital One Venture X card travel credit?

For the Capital One Venture X card’s $300 travel credit, eligible purchases include any bookings made through Capital One Travel using your Capital One Venture X card. You must make your booking through Capital One Travel.

What is the Capital One Venture X card $300 travel credit?

The Capital One Venture X card’s $300 travel credit is a fantastic benefit that allows you to receive a credit of $300 per year on eligible purchases, which include flights, hotels, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel using your Capital One Venture X card.

How much are Capital One Venture X card miles worth?

In general, we value Capital One miles at 1.8 cents each. However, you can get better value by redeeming them through transfer partners for luxury airfare and hotels .

Do I need to use my $300 Capital One Travel credit in 1 transaction?

No, you may receive the credit across multiple transactions until the $300 is reached.

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Capital one announces premium venture x credit card, with large welcome offer and array of benefits for avid travelers, capital one launched a new premium travel card packed with benefits and a 100,000-point welcome bonus..

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card welcome offer mentioned below is no longer available.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Capital One announced today that it will be launching a brand new premium travel credit card called the Venture X . This metal credit card , which will open for applications on Nov. 9, is designed for consumers who value travel, simple rewards categories and want flexibility with the rewards they earn.

With the Venture X, you will have a long list of benefits including airport lounge access (including the new Capital One airport lounges), TSA PreCheck/Global Entry and travel statement credits, access to the Capital One Experiences program and much more.

Select analyzed the new card to help determine whether or not it's worth a spot in your wallet.

Our best selections in your inbox. Shopping recommendations that help upgrade your life, delivered weekly.  Sign-up here .

Capital One introduces the Venture X card

The Venture X card is rich in benefits, yet simple to use. It's a trend among credit card issuers to have a somewhat overwhelming list of perks, making it nearly impossible to take advantage of all of them. This card from Capital One is concise in its offering, however, it comes with a $395 annual fee . But the benefits of the card can quickly make up for the annual fee.

To start, the card comes with an excellent welcome offer:

• Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases within the first six months of account opening.

If you are able to meet the minimum spending threshold in the first six months, you will have a minimum of 120,000 bonus miles. Because Capital One miles are always redeemable for one cent per point towards travel this is a $1,200 value from the start. But the benefits don't end there.

Earning points

With the Venture X card, you will earn:

• 2X miles for every dollar spent on all eligible purchases. This is the same multiplier as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
• When booking travel through the Capital One Travel portal, you will earn 5X miles for every dollar spent on flights and 10X miles for every dollar spent on hotels and rental cars.

Your miles can be redeemed in a few ways, including transfers to 15 different airline and hotel partners (like Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Air Canada Aeroplan), or you can use them to "erase" any recent travel purchases.

The VentureX card comes loaded with benefits that are primarily geared towards travelers:

• Up to $300 back in statement credits each year for bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Up to $200 in statement credits for vacation rentals (i.e. Airbnb and VRBO), note that this is a limited-time benefit
• A 10,000 mile bonus on each account anniversary
• Up to $100 statement credits for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Airport lounge access: you will have access to over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges, as well as Capital One Lounges. Venture X cardholders and authorized users will get unlimited access to Capital One and Priority Pass lounges, along with free entry for up to two guests per visit. It's $45 per visit for additional guests.
• Access to the Capital One Travel portal , which includes benefits such as opt-in travel insurance, price drop protection and price match guarantee
• Access to in-person events through the Capital One Experiences program, such as dining and sports events
• Primary cardholders can earn up to 100,000 miles per year for referring friends to the VentureX card (up to four referrals per year; 25,000 miles awarded per referral)
• Complimentary Hertz President's Circle status for primary cardholders, authorized users and account managers. Benefits include: skip the counter and e-return, the widest vehicle selection, guaranteed upgrades, free additional driver, and more.
• Complimentary cell phone insurance
• No additional annual fee to add authorized users

The benefits the Venture X card offers are very compelling, even if you only travel a few times per year. In one trip alone, you can easily use the $300 statement credit for Capital One Travel, and nearly make back the cost of the annual fee. Any use of the other perks only increase the card's value. It's also nice to see Capital One offer an incentive to hold onto the card by offering 10,000 points on your account anniversary.

In addition, cardholders do not need to keep track of any spending categories as all eligible purchases outside of Capital One Travel earns 2X miles for every dollar spent — which is a respectable return, especially if you're transferring points to travel partners. And when booking travel through Capital One, you'll be rewarded big with up to 10X miles per dollar spent.

Compared to other premium credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees ), this card is focused on travel, rather than offering other lifestyle benefits that have been added to its competitors in recent years. In addition, the Venture X provides perks that make it much simpler and straightforward to earn back the value of the annual fee compared to the other two cards.

Bottom line

The Capital One Venture X Card is the first premium credit card offered by Capital One, and it really packs a punch. With a manageable annual fee, large list of travel benefits and massive welcome bonus, it could make a great addition to your wallet — as long as you can use the perks. If the $395 annual fee seems like to much to bite off it could be worth considering a travel credit card with a lower annual fee .

Additionally, if you decide to apply for the Venture X card, be sure you're able to meet the minimum spend requirements for the 100,000-mile welcome offer. Spending $10,000 in six months could be a stretch, so it may be smart to wait until you have a few large bills or purchases to ensure you complete the bonus. But if you're able to complete it responsibly, this card can get you jumpstarted on taking vacations completely paid for with your Capital One miles.

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For rates and fees of the Platinum Card from American Express, click here .

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Table of Contents

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card benefits

How the card compares to other premium travel cards, why the card’s annual fee is actually a good deal.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the bank's first foray into the premium travel card space, and it delivers with fresh perks you won’t find anywhere else. It’s certainly the new kid on the block, but it’s the effortlessly cool new kid.

It comes with a $395 annual fee, which is less than many competitors. Yet, it still delivers on the common benefits you've probably come to expect from top-tier travel cards. Think: lounge access, statement credits for travel, and TSA PreCheck or Global Entry reimbursement.

Still, can the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card compete with the likes of The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® ? Is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card worth its $395 annual fee?

We’ll cover the card’s benefits and how it stacks up against cards in a similar price range.

Sign-up bonus

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

This isn’t the highest sign-up bonus we’ve ever seen on a travel card, but it’s respectable. The bonus alone makes the card easy to justify in year one of being a cardholder, but you’ll want to think about the ongoing benefits as well.

Rewards rate (value depends on your spending habits)

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has a similar miles-earning scheme to the other cards in the Venture family. It earns 2 points per $1 spent on every purchase.

If you book travel through Capital One Travel with cash, you could earn even more miles:

10x miles on hotels and rental cars.

5x miles on flights.

Capital One Venture cards earn miles , but those miles don’t actually have to be used to book flights. They're akin to points that can be redeemed for hotels, rental cars and flights, or transferred to airline or hotel partners.

TSA PreCheck/Global Entry statement credit (up to $100)

One of the best features of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card makes a reappearance on this card. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card will give you an up-to-$100 statement credit if you use the card to pay for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck .

» Learn more: What you need to know about Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit cards

Lounge access (value varies based on your usage)

Here’s where we start getting into some premium benefits. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card gives you unlimited access to Priority Pass , Capital One lounges, and more than 100 Plaza Premium lounges, including select Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses.

The Capital One lounges are the bank’s response to AmEx’s Centurion Lounges , which are more expensive to access. There are only a few Capital One lounges open so far, but the lounges are largely equivalent in quality to AmEx’s offerings.

The first lounge opened in Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport at the end of 2021, with a lounge at Washington-Dulles following in 2023. A Dever lounge is slated to eventually open as well.

These new lounges are smartly designed to cater to travelers’ varying needs. The Dallas-Fort Worth location has a grab-and-go section for people who are just stopping to get a snack or coffee before their next flight; it has a separate section for people who plan to plug in and spend a few hours there during a layover.

Some unique amenities include a yoga and cycling room complete with Peloton bikes, and two meditation rooms with napping pods.

It’s hard to put a price on the value of an airport lounge visit because Capital One hasn’t announced the day pass rate. Priority Pass charges $35 per visit in addition to a membership fee, but many credit cards will cover the membership fee for unlimited visits (worth $429). You’ll have to consider how often you'll use lounge access to assess how much this benefit is worth to you.

» Learn more: How to maximize the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Anniversary bonus (worth $100)

Every year you renew the card, you’ll get a bonus of 10,000 miles deposited into your account. This perk might help you justify the annual fee because it effectively wipes out $100 of the $395 each year.

» Learn more: 5 top credit cards with anniversary bonuses

Statement credit for bookings made on Capital One Travel (up to $300)

Along with the anniversary bonus, the statement credit for Capital One Travel bookings could offset the rest of the annual fee. Each year, you can get statement credits for up to $300 worth of travel booked with Capital One.

This benefit is on par with the $300 annual travel credit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . The only difference is that statement credits on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card apply only to bookings made through the Capital One Travel portal, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve® ’s credit applies to almost any travel charged to the card.

» Learn more: Guide to the Capital One Travel portal

Statement credit for Gravity Haus annual membership (up to $300)

You’re entitled to a statement credit of up to $300 when you commit to an annual membership with Gravity Haus, which is a membership-based social club with locations primarily in popular ski areas, including Breckenridge, Vail and Winter Park in Colorado, as well as a location in Truckee, California, near Lake Tahoe.

Gravity Haus amenities vary by location, but expect hotel rooms, equipment rentals, a cafe, a gym, group fitness classes, a spa and co-working spaces. It’s a sort of country club designed for the trendy winter sports crowd, where you can also sleep and work.

If you’re a first-time Gravity Haus member, you can enroll through the Capital One landing page to receive $300 off the regular, non-discounted price of one 12-month membership to any Gravity Haus membership level. Those are:

Explorer ($840 annually).

Weekender ($1,200 annually).

Local ($1,560 to $1,800 depending on the location).

All-In ($2,400 annually).

The discount will be applied over the course of the first membership term only, so you’ll get $25 off the regular, non-discounted monthly price, each month, for a 12-month membership.

Even with the statement credit, you’re still on the hook for a minimum of $540 for the lowest membership tier, so it’s unlikely most cardholders will use this benefit. But if you frequent mountain towns where Gravity Haus operates, you might find membership to be a worthwhile deal, especially given the Capital One credit.

This offer is only available through Jan. 19, 2024.

» Learn more: Should you use Capital One Rewards to pay for merchandise through PayPal?

Transfer partners

Capital One miles are actually more flexible than you might think. The issuer has recently added transfer partners and improved the ratios, so now there are 15 partners with a 1:1 transfer ratio.

If you transfer your Capital One miles to some of these international airlines to take advantage of sweet spots, you might be able to get more than the 1-cent-per-mile value that you would get through Capital One Travel.

Say you score a $500 one-way flight to Hawaii with only 10,000 Turkish Airlines miles (one of the best Turkish Miles&Smiles redemptions ). That’s a whopping 5-cent-per-mile value, and the value of your award flight is already more than the annual fee you paid that year.

Based on our most recent analysis, NerdWallet values Turkish Airlines miles at 1.1 cents each.

» Learn more: The best Capital One transfer partners — and those to avoid

We took a closer look at premium travel cards competing for your business, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , The Platinum Card® from American Express and the U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card .

Here's a summary of our findings:

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs. the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® outdoes the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card in a couple big ways.

They each provide annual travel credits, airport lounge access, credits toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and other valuable benefits. But the Chase Sapphire Reserve® 's points are worth 50% more (1.5 cents each) when you redeem them through Chase's travel portal .

As well, the card's $300 annual travel statement credit is less limited.

The Platinum Card® from American Express vs. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Platinum Card® from American Express is more than a glorified coupon book .

Even though it captures the hearts (and wallets) of luxury-seeking travelers, one major downside is that booking hotels with Membership Rewards points in the AmEx Travel Portal yields a value of 0.7 cents per point — 0.3 cents less per point than a similar booking with Capital One miles through Capital One Travel .

Terms apply.

The U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card vs. the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card offers cardholders a more flexible annual statement credit that covers travel and dining purchases and few limitations.

However, this card has one major limitation not seen on any of the other cards listed here: To qualify for the card, you must have an existing U.S. Bank account open for at least five business days before applying.

If you're eligible, its points can be redeemed at 1.5 cents each U.S. Bank.

Read our full comparison of how the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card stacks against its competitors .

Notably, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has most everything you would expect from a premium travel credit card, and the lowest annual fee among the bunch.

Most other premium travel cards have annual fees upward of $450, so $395 is a good value. It also has enough annual benefits ($300 for Capital One Travel bookings and $100 worth of anniversary bonus points) to completely offset the annual fee fairly easily.

The catch is that you’ll have to do some travel booking through the Capital One Travel portal to maximize the statement credits and number of miles you’ll earn. The portal might limit your choices a bit.

The transfer partners are also a good choice for redemptions, but the lack of hotel partners and domestic airlines may make this card less appealing to novice and/or domestic travelers.

For people willing to take a chance on a growing travel rewards program, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card might be a good way to get into the premium travel credit card space at a lower price point.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

1%-10% Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases. Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024. Terms apply.

$200 Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

2x-10x Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

The way we travel now

What sorts of journeys do today’s travelers dream about? Where would they like to go? What do they hope to do when they get there? How much are they willing to spend on it all? And what should industry stakeholders do to adapt to the traveler psychology of the moment?

About the authors

To gauge what’s on the minds of current-day travelers, we surveyed more than 5,000 of them in February and March of this year. 1 Unless otherwise noted, the source for all data and projections is McKinsey State of Travel Survey, 5,061 participants, February 27 to March 11, 2024. Our universe of respondents included travelers from five major, representative source markets: China, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. All respondents took at least one leisure trip in the past two years. We asked them more than 50 questions about their motivations, behavior, and expectations.

Results from this survey, supplemented with findings from focus groups and other additional research, suggest six vital trends that are shaping traveler sentiment now.

Travel has become a top priority, especially for younger generations

Sixty-six percent of the travelers we surveyed say they’re more interested in travel now than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. This pattern holds across all surveyed age groups and nationalities. Respondents also indicate that they’re planning more trips in 2024 than they did in 2023.

Travel isn’t merely an interest these days. It’s become a priority—even amid uncertain economic conditions that can make budgeting a challenge. Travel continues to be one of the fastest-growing consumer spending areas, rising 6 percent over a recent 12-month period in the United States, even when adjusted for inflation. Only 15 percent of our survey respondents say they’re trying to save money by reducing the number of trips they go on. And in the February 2024 McKinsey ConsumerWise Global Sentiment Survey of more than 4,000 participants, 33 percent of consumers said they planned to splurge on travel, ranking it the third-most-popular splurge category—trailing only eating at home and eating out at restaurants. 2 Christina Adams, Kari Alldredge, Lily Highman, and Sajal Kohli, “An update on US consumer sentiment: Consumers see a brighter future ahead,” McKinsey, February 29, 2024.

Younger generations appear to propel much of the rising interest in travel (Exhibit 1). In 2023, millennials and Gen Zers took, on average, nearly five trips, versus less than four for Gen Xers and baby boomers. Millennials and Gen Zers also say they devote, on average, 29 percent of their incomes to travel, compared with 26 percent for Gen Zers and 25 percent for baby boomers.

Younger travelers are the most keen to venture abroad

Younger travelers are particularly excited about international travel. Gen Zers and millennials who responded to our survey are planning a nearly equal number of international and domestic trips in 2024, no matter their country of origin, whereas older generations are planning to take roughly twice as many domestic trips (Exhibit 2).

Younger travelers’ thirst for novelty might be motivating their urge to cross borders. Gen Zers say their number-one consideration when selecting a destination is their desire to experience someplace new. For Gen Xers, visiting a new place comes in at number eight, behind factors such as cost, ease of getting around, and quality of accommodation.

There might be a mindset shift under way, with international travel feeling more within reach for younger travelers—in terms of both cost and convenience. Younger travelers have become adept at spotting international destinations that feature more affordable prices or comparatively weak currencies. Low-cost airlines have proliferated, carrying 35 percent of the world’s booked seats over a recent 12-month period. 3 “Low-cost carriers in the aviation industry: What are they?,” OAG Aviation Worldwide, September 13, 2023. Meanwhile, translation software is lowering language barriers, mobile connectivity overseas is becoming cheaper and more hassle free, and recent visa initiatives in various regions have made passport-related obstacles easier to overcome.

It remains to be seen whether this mindset shift will endure as younger generations get older. But early evidence from millennials suggests that they’ve retained their interest in international travel even as they’ve begun to age and form families. It could be that this is a lasting attitude adjustment, influenced as much by the changing dynamics of travel as it is by youth.

Baby boomers are willing to spend if they see value

Baby boomers are selective about their travel choices and travel spending. Enjoying time with family and friends is their number-one motivation for taking a trip. Experiencing a new destination is less important to them—by as much as 15 percentage points—than to any other demographic.

Although older travelers appreciate the convenience that technology can offer, they prefer human contact in many contexts (Exhibit 3). For example, 44 percent of baby boomers—versus only 30 percent of other respondents—say they value having a travel agent book an entire travel experience for them. And only 42 percent of baby boomers have used a mobile app to book transportation, versus 71 percent of other respondents.

While this generation typically has more accumulated savings than other generations, they remain thoughtful about how they choose to spend. Their top two cited reasons for not traveling more are “travel is becoming too expensive” and “not having enough money to travel.” They make up demographic most willing to visit a destination out of season, with 62 percent saying they’re open to off-peak travel to bring costs down.

Baby boomers might be willing to spend strategically, in ways that make travel more convenient and less burdensome. For example, whereas 37 percent of Gen Zers are willing to take a cheaper flight to lower their travel costs—even if it means flying at inconvenient times or with a stopover—only 22 percent of baby boomers say they’ll do the same. But these older travelers don’t splurge indiscriminately: only 7 percent describe their attitude toward spending as “I go out all the way when I travel.” They’re much more willing to forgo experiences to save money, identifying this as the first area where they cut spending. Gen Zers, on the other hand, will cut all other expense categories before they trim experiences.

Whatever baby boomers’ stated feelings and preferences, they still account for a substantial share of travel spending. And they still spend more than younger generations—three times more per traveler than Gen Zers in 2023, for example.

The adventure starts before the trip begins

Travelers are delighting in crafting their own trips. Only 17 percent of survey respondents say they used a travel agent to book a trip in the past year. When asked why, respondents’ top-cited reason is that they want full control over their itineraries. Their second-most-cited reason? They simply enjoy the planning process. In fact, studies have shown that the anticipation of a journey can lead to higher levels of happiness than the journey itself. 4 Jeroen Nawijn et al., “Vacationers happier, but most not happier after a holiday,” Applied Research in Quality of Life , March 2010, Volume 5, Number 1.

When seeking inspiration during the planning process, respondents are most likely to turn to friends and family—either directly or on social media (Exhibit 4). Advice from other travelers is also sought after. Fewer and fewer travelers rely on travel guidebooks for inspiration.

Today’s travelers tend to view the planning process, in part, as a treasure hunt. Seventy-seven percent of respondents describe the research phase as an effort to ensure that they’re finding good deals or saving money. And all demographics describe “value for money” as the most important factor when choosing a booking channel.

Unexpected traveler archetypes are emerging

When we analyzed our survey results, we identified seven clusters of travelers who express shared attitudes and motivations toward travel. While the distribution of these archetypes varies across source markets, respondents within each archetype exhibit strong similarities:

Seven clusters of travelers express shared attitudes and motivations toward travel. Each archetype’s distribution varies across source markets, but the travelers within them exhibit strong similarities.

• Sun and beach travelers (23 percent of respondents). These vacationers travel rarely and spend frugally, preferring sun and beach destinations that are easy to get to. They like to relax and visit with family. They’re relatively more likely to place significant value on nonstop flights (72 percent, versus 54 percent overall) and are less interested in authentic and immersive experiences (only 13 percent say these are main reasons why they travel).
• Culture and authenticity seekers (18 percent). These are active and high-budget travelers who typically spend more than $150 per day on holiday, love to sightsee, are willing to spend on experiences, and don’t want to settle for typical bucket-list destinations. Only 6 percent prioritize familiarity when choosing where to go—the lowest percentage of any traveler segment. This segment is also least likely (at 17 percent) to say they would shorten a holiday to save money.
• Strategic spenders (14 percent). These travelers are open to selectively splurging on authentic, carefully curated experiences. But they keep a watchful eye on total spending. They’re willing to sacrifice some conveniences, such as nonstop flights, in the interest of cost savings.
• Trend-conscious jet-setters (14 percent). Travelers in this high-budget group (they spend more than $150 per day when traveling) turn first to friends and family (79 percent) and then to social media (62 percent) when scouting destinations. Seventy-six percent say the popularity of a destination is an important factor, compared with 63 percent overall. And 75 percent say they focus on hotel brands when selecting accommodations.
• Cost-conscious travelers (11 percent). This travel segment is made up of predominantly older travelers who travel rarely and frequently return to the same destinations and activities. They’re relatively more likely to care about the familiarity of a destination (54 percent, versus 35 percent overall) and the cost of the trip (76 percent, versus 65 percent overall).
• Premium travelers (12 percent). This segment expects high-quality trappings when they travel, and only 20 percent say that cost is an important factor. These frequent travelers are especially selective about accommodation—they, on average, are more likely than travelers overall to care about brand, prestige, exclusivity, design, decor, amenities, and sustainability. Similarly to trend-conscious jet-setters, this traveler segment is, on average, more likely than travelers overall (at 27 percent, versus 18 percent) to be swayed by celebrities and influencers when choosing travel destinations.
• Adventure seekers (8 percent). This younger segment enjoys active holidays that present opportunities to encounter like-minded travelers. Nineteen percent say they’re motivated by adventure and physical activities, and 15 percent say meeting new people is a major reason why they travel. They aren’t after large-group events; instead, they prefer small-group adventures. This segment prizes remoteness, privacy, and sustainability.

What travelers want depends on where they’re from

When asked what trips survey respondents are planning next, 69 percent of Chinese respondents say they plan to visit a famous site—a marked difference from the 20 percent of North American and European travelers who say the same. Chinese travelers are particularly motivated by sightseeing: 50 percent cite visiting attractions as their main reason for traveling, versus an average of 33 percent for those from other countries.

Emirati travelers, like their Chinese counterparts, favor iconic destinations, with 43 percent saying they plan to visit a famous site. They also have a penchant for shopping and outdoor activities. Fifty-six percent of respondents from the United Arab Emirates describe the range of available shopping options as an important factor when selecting a destination—a far higher proportion than the 35 percent of other respondents. And respondents from the United Arab Emirates report going on a greater number of active vacations (involving, for instance, hiking or biking) than any other nationality.

Travelers from Europe and North America are especially keen to escape their daily routines. Respondents from Germany (45 percent), the United States (40 percent), and the United Kingdom (38 percent) place importance on “getting away from it all.” Only 17 percent of respondents from China and the Middle East feel the same way. European travelers are particularly fond of beach getaways: respondents from the United Kingdom and Germany cite “soaking in the sun” at twice the rate of American respondents as a main reason they travel.

Travel is a collective story, with destinations as the backdrop

Younger generations are prioritizing experiences over possessions. Fifty-two percent of Gen Zers in our survey say they splurge on experiences, compared with only 29 percent of baby boomers (Exhibit 5). Gen Z travelers will try to save money on flights, local transportation, shopping, and food before they’ll look to trim their spending on experiences. Even terminology used by younger generations to describe travel is experience oriented: “Never stop exploring” is tagged to nearly 30 million posts on Instagram.

The value of experiences is often realized in the stories people tell about them. Books and films have spurred tourists to flock to specific destinations (for instance, when droves of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything across Italy, India and Indonesia [Viking Penguin, 2006] readers visited Bali). And travel has always been a word-of-mouth business, in which travelers’ stories—crafted from their experiences—can inspire other travelers to follow in their footsteps.

Social media is the latest link in this chain: a technology-driven, collective storytelling platform. Ninety-two percent of younger travelers in our survey say their last trip was motivated in some way by social media. Their major sources of social inspiration, however, aren’t necessarily influencers or celebrities (30 percent) but rather friends and family (42 percent). Consumers’ real-life social networks are filled with extremely effective microinfluencers.

Posting vacation selfies is a popular way to share the story of a journey. But a growing number of social media users are searching for ways to present their travel narratives in a more detailed and more enduring fashion, and new apps and platforms are emerging to help them do so. The microblogging app Polarsteps, which more than nine million people have downloaded, helps travelers plan, track, and then share their travels—allowing journeys to be captured in hardcover books that document routes, travel statistics, and musings.

Giving today’s travelers what they need and want

From our survey findings, important takeaways emerge that can help tourism industry players engage with today’s travelers.

Know customer segments inside and out

Serving up a one-size-fits-all experience is no longer sufficient. Using data to segment customers by behavior can help tourism players identify opportunities to tailor their approaches more narrowly.

Cutting-edge data strategies aren’t always necessary to get started. Look-alike analysis and hypothesis-driven testing can go a long way. Even without having data about a specific family’s previous travel patterns, for example, an airline might be able to hypothesize that a family of four traveling from New York to Denver on a long weekend in February is going skiing—and therefore might be interested in a discounted offer that lets them check an additional piece of luggage.

The same philosophy applies to personalization, which doesn’t necessarily need to be focused on a single individual. Merely having a clearer sense of the specific segments that a provider is targeting can help it craft a more compelling offer. Instead of simply creating an offer geared toward families, for instance, providers might build an offer tailored to families who are likely to visit in the spring and will be primarily interested in outdoor activities. And instead of relying on standard tourist activities, providers might find ways to cater to more specific traveler interests—for example, facilitating a home-cooked meal with locals instead of serving up a fine-dining experience.

Help travelers share their journeys

Today’s travelers want to share their travel stories. And friends and family back home are more likely to be influenced by these stories than by anything else they see or hear. Providers should consider ways to tap into this underexploited marketing channel.

Hotels can install a photo booth that enables guests to share pictures from their journeys. Guests can be given small souvenirs to take home to their friends and family. Hotels might also send guests photos on the anniversary of a trip to help jog happy memories and prompt a future booking.

Given the right incentives, customers can act as a distributed team of marketers. Reposting guests’ social media photos and videos, for example, or spurring engagement with contests and shareable promo codes can encourage travelers to become evangelists across an array of different channels.

Recognize younger generations’ unquenchable thirst for travel

Younger travelers’ remarkable desire for experiences isn’t always in line with their budgets—or with providers’ standard offerings. A new generation of customers is ripe to be cultivated if providers can effectively meet their needs:

• Travel companies can better match lower-budget accommodations with younger travelers’ preferences by incorporating modern design into rooms and facilities, curating on-site social events, and locating properties in trendy neighborhoods.
• More affordable alternatives to classic tourist activities (for example, outdoor fitness classes instead of spas or street food crawls instead of fine dining) can be integrated into targeted packages.
• Familiar destinations can be reinvented for younger travelers by focusing on experiences (for instance, a street art tour of Paris) instead of more traditional attractions (such as the Eiffel Tower).

Cater to older travelers by using a human touch and featuring family-oriented activities

Older generations remain a major source of travel spending. Providers can look for ways to keep these travelers coming back by meeting their unique needs:

• While older travelers are growing more comfortable with technology, they continue to favor human interaction. Stakeholders can cater to this preference by maintaining in-person visitor centers and other touchpoints that emphasize a human touch.
• Older travelers are generally fond of returning to familiar destinations. Providers can look to maximize repeat business by keeping track of guest information that aids personalization (such as favorite meals or wedding anniversary dates). Identifying historical behavior patterns (for example, parents repeatedly visiting children in the same city) can help providers make targeted offers that could maximize spending (for example, a museum subscription in that city).
• The off-seasonal travel patterns that older travelers often exhibit might open opportunities for providers to create appealing experiences scheduled for lower-occupancy periods—for example, an autumn wellness retreat at a popular summer destination.
• Older travelers’ propensity to visit family and friends opens the door to offerings that appeal to a range of generations, such as small-group trips pairing activities for grandparents and grandchildren.

Travelers are more interested in travel—and more willing to spend on it—than ever before. But the familiar, one-size-fits-all tourism offerings of the past have grown outdated. Today’s travelers want to indulge in creative experiences that are tailored to their priorities and personal narratives. The good news for providers: new technology and new approaches, coupled with tried-and-true strengths such as managerial stamina and careful attention to service, are making it easier than ever to shape personalized offerings that can satisfy a traveler’s unique needs.

Caroline Tufft is a senior partner in McKinsey’s London office, Margaux Constantin is a partner in the Dubai office, Matteo Pacca is a senior partner in the Paris office, Ryan Mann is a partner in the Chicago office, Ivan Gladstone is an associate partner in the Riyadh office, and Jasperina de Vries is an associate partner in the Amsterdam office.

The authors wish to thank Abdulhadi Alghamdi, Alessandra Powell, Alex Dichter, Cedric Tsai, Diane Vu, Elisa Wallwitz, Lily Miller, Maggie Coffey, Nadya Snezhkova, Nick Meronyk, Paulina Baum, Peimin Suo, Rebecca Stone, Sarah Fellay, Sarah Sahel, Sophia Wang, Steffen Fuchs, Steffen Köpke, Steve Saxon, and Urs Binggeli for their contributions to this article.

This article was edited by Seth Stevenson, a senior editor in the New York office.

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Expense software startup Ramp launches new corporate Travel marketplace powered by Priceline

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Ramp, the five-year-old expense management software and corporate card startup, doesn’t just want to be the provider of choice for enterprise finance and accounting teams.

No, as of today, it also wants to be the one companies and their employees turn to when booking business travel.

Hence, the company is launching Ramp Travel , a new marketplace for searching, selecting, and booking corporate-approved travel options, in partnership with Priceline, the online discount travel booking website perhaps best known for employing former Star Trek actor William Shatner as its pitchman “The Negotiator” back in the late 90s and early 00s.

The new solution integrates Ramp’s enterprise policy controls and settings, expense automations, and spend analytics with Priceline’s extensive inventory and competitive deals.

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Essentially, an employee whose company has contracted its corporate expense management software and cards with Ramp will get the opportunity to, through the existing Ramp platform and app interfaces, now have the ability to book travel via a Priceline plugin, with all the spend on flights, hotels, and rental cars tracked automatically — without them having to keep track of their receipts manually.

Only those Priceline options that fall within a given company’s expense policy will be shown and available for an employee to book through Ramp. In addition, Ramp Travel waives all booking fees.

Any current or future Ramp customer can use Ramp Travel at no additional cost.

Eric Glyman, CEO of Ramp, emphasized the efficiency brought by the new product in a statement, saying: “Ramp already makes companies’ finances more efficient by streamlining expenses and automating busywork. By integrating travel booking, which has traditionally been a pain point for busywork and bloat, organizations have more time and resources to focus on what really matters: their business.”

A resurgent market opportunity

Corporate travel and entertainment (T&E) expenses currently account for 20% of annual purchases made on Ramp, a figure expected to rise as corporate travel demand returns to pre-pandemic levels. Already, airline bookings this year are up 34%, according to figures cited in the official Ramp Travel announcement blog post.

Ramp Travel’s introduction comes at a crucial time, offering businesses a way to manage this significant expense category more efficiently.

This launch marks Ramp’s entry into the business travel booking sector, aiming to save businesses both time and money from booking to expense reconciliation.

However, Ramp aims to maintain flexibility by still supporting expense tracking and management for company travel booked through other providers.

As such, Ramp maintains integrations with TravelPerk, Corporate Traveler, Uber, Lyft and “many more to further enhance and automate the business travel experience,” according to a spokesperson who emailed VentureBeat.

“Businesses that prefer to book through these providers can continue to do so and still benefit from Ramp’s insights, controls, and automations,” wrote the Ramp spokesperson. “As long as a Ramp card is used, we work in the background to detect spend in real-time, use enhanced data signals to check receipts against compliance policies, collect receipts to automate expense reporting, and streamline accounting.”

A match made in business travel heaven?

Ramp Travel leverages Priceline’s global network of airline partners, accommodation options, and industry-leading rates, offering users streamlined access to exceptional deals on flights and hotels worldwide.

Through its partnership with Priceline Partner Solutions, Ramp Travel ensures that customers can benefit from Priceline’s extensive travel products spanning over 116 countries.

Early praise and testimonials from Ramp customers and Priceline

Staci Robinson, AP Manager at Pair Eyewear, praised the seamless experience provided by Ramp Travel in a statement: “I’ve used so many systems for travel, and Ramp really knows how to take the best parts of each and make it so seamless and efficient. Employees don’t have to navigate to three different places just to book travel, and all their spend when they actually take the trip is all in Ramp, too. From approvals, to coding, to automatically attaching receipts to each trip – it’s brilliant.”

Matthew Shutt, Vice President and General Manager of Priceline Partner Solutions, highlighted the benefits of the partnership: “Priceline’s extensive inventory and highly competitive rates will help users seamlessly find the right travel offering to suit their needs. We’re excited to partner with Ramp to help take the friction out of business travel for corporate customers, and improve the experience for both employees and employers.”

Ramp Travel also offers real-time insights into T&E spend, helping companies prevent non-compliant activities and detect negative spending trends early.

Ramp Travel is designed to address common pain points in business travel — such as cumbersome expense reports, delayed visibility into travel spending, and complicated approval processes. We’ll see if it helps the company in its fight against other business expense management software such as SAP’s Concur and Brex , the latter of which just today announced a wave of AI-powered updates .

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Why you should add authorized users on the Capital One Venture X

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card shook up the premium rewards credit card market when it launched in November 2021, giving legacy cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® a run for their money.

While the Venture X's $395 annual fee (see rates and fees ) is still something to consider, it's much lower than what Capital One's rivals charge. Not only are the card's perks competitive, but many even extend to authorized users — and cardholders can add up to four authorized users for free (see rates and fees ).

Today, let's go over the full suite of benefits that additional users of the Venture X card will enjoy. In particular, we'll highlight the growing number of lounges you and your traveling companions can all visit together without any additional out-of-pocket cost.

Venture X overview

Before we begin, we'll review the details of the Venture X card:

• Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus Capital One miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
• Earning rates: Earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel , 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases
• Annual credit: Receive a $300 credit annually when you book travel with your Venture X through the Capital One Travel portal

• Anniversary bonus: Earn 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary
• Capital One Lounge access: Get unlimited access to Capital One Lounges for you and two guests (each guest after that will cost $45)
• Plaza Premium Lounge access: Visit over 100 Plaza Premium airport lounges with two free guests
• Priority Pass membership: Enjoy access to more than 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide for you and up to two guests traveling with you
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck reimbursement: Receive up to a $100 statement credit every four years for either trusted traveler program
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees )
• $395 annual fee (see rates and fees )

Related: 6 things to do when you get the Capital One Venture X

Which Venture X benefits apply to additional cardholders?

While the Venture X's $395 annual fee may seem high on paper, one key benefit is the ability to add up to four authorized users for no additional charge. That's huge, considering the Amex Platinum Card charges $195 per card for authorized users (see rates and fees ), and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® charges $75 per authorized user. This makes the Venture X a much more affordable option for couples and families.

Additionally, many perks extend to authorized users as well.

Airport lounge access

Capital One's flagship lounge at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened in late 2021, and recently, they opened a second lounge at Dulles International Airport (IAD) and a third lounge at Denver International Airport (DEN) . The amenities — like Peloton bikes and premium, locally sourced eats — are outstanding.

Another lounge is in the works at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) , but we don't have estimated opening dates.

While there are only three Capital One Lounges open for now, Venture X cardholders also get a complimentary Priority Pass lounge membership (with the ability to bring in up to two guests traveling with you) and access to over 100 Plaza Premium lounges (with the ability to bring in up to two guests for no additional charge).

However, what makes the Venture X's lounge privileges even more compelling is that authorized users can enjoy the same lounge access privileges as the primary cardholder. So, you can add four free authorized users to your card, and each can visit all of the lounges named above while also bringing in guests.

Related: Big family? No problem! Get unlimited lounge guests with this credit card .

If you have a large family, this benefit could be invaluable. Just know that an adult must accompany guests under 18 years old.

To game this out, let's say you opened the Venture X and then added four additional users for free. You and each of your authorized users would each be able to get into Capital One and participating Plaza Premium lounges along with two guests each. Add it all together — five cardholders plus two guests apiece — and you could get 15 travelers into the airport lounge altogether (one of those people being you).

And the guest policy for Venture X cardholders is even better at Priority Pass lounges: unlimited guests . Not bad for a single credit card — plus, you could easily consume over $395 worth of food and drinks each year with this perk.

Just note that the exact procedure for accessing these lounges varies:

• Capital One Lounges : Show your Venture X card and eligible, same-day boarding pass for entry
• Priority Pass lounges : Register for your complimentary Priority Pass membership at this link using your Venture X details. Then, present your Priority Pass card and eligible, same-day boarding pass for entry.
• Plaza Premium lounges : Show your Venture X card and eligible, same-day boarding pass for entry

This applies to both the primary cardholder and authorized users on the card.

Complimentary Hertz President's Circle elite status

Hertz's partnership with Capital One grants complimentary Hertz President's Circle elite status * to Venture X primary cardholders and authorized users. This top-tier status gets you a guaranteed one-class car upgrade, 50% bonus points on all rentals, access to a broader range of cars and a dedicated customer service line.

Eligible cardholders must enroll through the Capital One website or mobile app. Cardholders can find the link to register by visiting their eligible card's "Rewards" tab or "Capital One Travel Benefits" tab and clicking on the Hertz benefit tile. Primary cardholders must enroll authorized users through this same process.

You can also stack this benefit with the ability to earn extra miles on rental car bookings made with Capital One Travel. You can get your Hertz perks and earn 10 miles per dollar on rentals booked with Capital One Travel, which isn't a stacking combination available with other cards, portals or rental agencies. In this way, you're guaranteed the best of both worlds.

Purchase and travel protections

The Capital One Venture X is a Visa Infinite card, so there are several important travel and purchase protections that both the primary cardholder and authorized user(s) can count on:

• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance : Up to $2,000 per person for prepaid, nonrefundable tickets for you and immediate family members.
• Trip delay reimbursement : Up to $500 per person for reasonable expenses like hotel rooms, food, toiletries or clothes when your flight is delayed overnight or by six hours or more.
• Lost luggage reimbursement : Up to $3,000 per covered trip if the airline damages or loses your bags.
• Cellphone protection : Up to $800 in coverage per claim with a maximum of two claims and $1,600 per 12-month period. A $50 deductible applies per occurrence.
• Primary rental car insurance : Up to $75,000 due to damage caused by collision or theft to a rental car.
• Purchase, extended warranty and return protections : Up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account on purchases; warranties extended by an additional year; return up to $300 per item and $1,000 per account.

Which benefits do Venture X authorized users share?

Authorized users on the Venture X do not receive their own $300 annual credit or another Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit. Each of these is limited to a single credit per account. That means these credits should apply to eligible charges made with an additional card on the account, but they will count against the primary cardholder's benefit.

Likewise, only the primary cardholder will receive the 10,000-mile anniversary bonus.

That said, authorized users' spending racks up Capital One miles at the same rates as the primary card, and their purchases will count toward the card's minimum spending requirement to earn the introductory bonus. So, adding users to your account and having them spend (responsibly) on your behalf could help you snag those 75,000 bonus miles even faster.

How to add authorized users to your Venture X

Once you decide to add authorized users to your Venture X, head over to your Capital One account and look for the "I Want To" button on the right side of the screen. Then, click "Add Account User."

You'll then have to decide the level of access you want to provide to your authorized user. You have two options:

• Account manager
• Authorized user

Here's a full chart of what primary cardholders, account managers and authorized users can access.

Once you review the options and make your selection, you'll enter your authorized user's first and last name, phone number, date of birth and Social Security number.

Read more: Everything you need to know about authorized users

Bottom line

There's no question about it: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card provides generous benefits to authorized users. The best part is that you can add four additional cardholders for free, making the Venture X affordable for larger families and groups. Next time you visit a Capital One, Priority Pass or Plaza Premium lounge, you'll be able to bring in the whole squad thanks to these authorized user benefits.

Learn more: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g., at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program, and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply

For rates and fees of the Platinum Card® from American Express, click here .