Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

When deciding between two premier credit cards, you’ll need to examine the details of each to make sure you choose the right card for your lifestyle. Both the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card discontinued and the Chase Sapphire Reserve(R) can help you globetrot for less and in style, and their respective rewards programs are top notch. They each allow you to earn rewards at an elevated rate (expressed as miles for the Capital One card and points for Chase) as you make purchases, but while these two cards share many similarities, there are also key differences to note.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was introduced in November 2021 as a premiere addition to the Capital One Venture family. The Chase Sapphire Reserve®, on the other hand, has long been on the market and has an established following of cardholders who maximize its strong package of travel benefits, and recently introduced a full card refresh with additional perks and a higher annual fee. The Capital One Venture X, however, is a strong competitor.

Here’s what you need to know about both products to help you best choose which card is right for you:

Bonus offers

Both of these credit cards offer big bonuses for signing up, as long as you meet their minimum spend requirements. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a 75,000 mile bonus, worth $750 in travel, earned once spending $4,000 within the first three months of opening an account.

Chase Sapphire Reserve(R) offers 125,000 bonus points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Ongoing rewards

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card also gives another bulk award of miles at each account anniversary: 10,000 miles that are equal to $100 toward travel. On purchases, the card offers 10X miles per dollar when you book hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel and 5X miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through the same portal. Every other charge you make with the card will result in 2X miles per dollar spent.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve(R) does not offer an anniversary bonus, but it does offer an annual travel credit reimbursement of up to $300 in statement credits for travel purchases charged to your card each year, and its ongoing rewards are very attractive. Cardholders earn 8X points on Chase Travel^℠ purchases, 4X points on flights and hotels booked direct, 3X points on dining worldwide, and 1X point on all other purchases. If you’re a Lyft user, you can also earn 5X points on qualifying Lyft purchases.

Premium travel benefits

These two credit cards are ideal for frequent travelers because they offer so many great travel perks. To start, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn $300 annual credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel. Cardholders can also look forward to free price drop protection. If the price of a flight is reduced after you purchase it you will receive a partial refund. If you find a better fare on a flight, Capital One Travel will match it, and will notify you when prices drop. This card also comes with complimentary access to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment. Cardholders also receive up to $120 to cover Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fees. The card carries a AnnualFees annual fee, but the value of perks offered with membership easily offset this.

Chase Sapphire Reserve(R) is reward-rich. It offers $300 annually in monthly DoorDash promos and a complimentary DashPass membership. With a DashPass membership, you can enjoy unlimited DoorDash deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees from thousands of restaurants. This card provides you with access to more than 1,300 exclusive airport lounges via Priority Pass™ Select membership, statement credits good for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fees, a $300 annual dining credit and primetime reservations at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables (split into two $150 biannual credits), a $500 annual credit for The Edit– a Chase Travel^℠ collection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts (split into two $250 biannual credits), and numerous other travel credits and perks. And, to protect your trip, this card offers trip cancellation and interruption insurance up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. The emergency evacuation and transportation coverage is up to $100,000. This card charges a AnnualFees annual fee, but again, its numerous benefits help to offset this.

Bottom line

Both the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve(R) are excellent cards for the domestic and world traveler. Each offers a wide array of rewards and perks. Which card is right for you boils down to how you want to earn rewards, and redeem them, and how much of an annual fee you’re willing to pay. We compare the cards in further detail below:

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

For a full synopsis of each card, be sure to check out our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® reviews.