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The best travel-focused credit cards provide an impressive array of rewards for both travel and everyday expenses. These cards are often convenient to own due to their low or nonexistent annual fees and the simplicity of earning rewards in various categories. Capital One offers plenty of cards that can serve different levels of travel goals and budget needs.

One of the best Capital One cards is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. This card earns up to 10x miles, has airport lounge access, a fee credit of up to $120 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, 10,000 bonus miles on your card anniversary, and more. Plus, new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles when they spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel, with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Plus, did you know that none of the Capital One credit cards have a foreign transaction fee? These cards are not only great for international travel, but they also come with exclusive and valuable perks, like lounge access.

Let’s narrow down the best Capital One credit cards.

Enjoying smores at Park Hyatt Aviara.

Best Capital One Credit Cards for Travel in 2024

You will qualify for the travel credit cards from Capital One if you have “excellent credit.” Capital One defines excellent credit as never declaring bankruptcy, not being at least 60 days late on any credit account in the past year, and having a loan or credit card with a minimum $5,000 limit for at least 5 years.

Your approval odds are best when you have a minimum 740 credit score, but others report getting approved with a low 700s credit score, albeit with a lower credit limit. If you don’t have excellent credit yet, Capital One offers other instant-approval credit cards.

Are Capital One Cards Good Cards for Travel?

One of the three Capital One Venture products is the best travel option for most households as you have flexible mile redemption options and can enjoy other additional travel-related benefits. Plus, none charge foreign transaction fees.

Mile redemption options are similar for every Venture family credit card. You can redeem Venture miles for recent travel purchases and upcoming trips. There are also multiple 1:1 airline transfer partners for international travel and alliance partner flights. However, there are no domestic airlines, which can be quite frustrating.

The primary difference lies in how many miles you can earn on travel purchases, additional benefits, and the annual fee. Let’s look at some of the travel card options.

Does Capital One Have Good Credit Cards For Travel?

Yes, Capital One has two excellent credit cards for travel. The Venture and Venture X please read below for more information on why they are great Capital One travel cards.

What is Capital One’s best travel card?

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is Capital One’s best travel card.

It’s a great travel card product and miles credit card. You earn 2x miles on every purchase. However, earn 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Let’s talk about that. Earning at least 2x miles on everything is an easy way to earn rewards. No matter what you get, you’ll earn double rewards, whether that is when you’re traveling or when you’re at home. You can read more about this in our Capital One Venture Rewards review.

Redemption Options

Your point redemption options include travel statement credits and booking award travel. You will have a lot of flexibility when redeeming your points for travel statement credits due to no redemption minimum and being able to book award travel without blackout dates.

Cardholders can redeem miles via Capital One transfer partners, including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Air France/KLM, as well as ALL and Wyndham Rewards hotels.

Most of the transfer partners have 2x Venture miles to 1.5 airline miles, which isn’t the best transfer ratio compared to Chase or American Express, but it can be a better redemption option when booking international flights.

Another travel benefit you might enjoy includes a fee credit of up to $120 for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application.

Signup Bonus Offer for Venture

New Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once they spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, equal to $750 in travel. 

Premium Rewards: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

If you want a premium travel card, this is for you. It comes with several premium perks that can help cardholders quickly earn rewards. For starters, with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, all purchases earn at least 2x miles per $1 spent. However, cardholders booking hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel earn 10x miles, while flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel earn 5x miles.

Additionally, cardholders can receive $300 back annually for bookings through Capital One Travel. Other airport perks include unlimited access to all-inclusive amenities at the Capital One Lounge and at over a thousand Priority Pass lounges worldwide. Plus, get up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary. This is one of the top cards for international travel.

Capital One Venture X Signup Bonus Offer

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, with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

You can use your miles for travel, including flights, hotels, rental cars, and more. Alternatively, you can transfer your miles to your choice of several travel loyalty programs.

The annual fee is $395, which is much lower than other competing premium travel credit cards.

Best Capital One Credit Cards Reddit

Reddit has a lot of information on Capital One credit cards, and honestly, most of it is incorrect, but here’s the best Reddit for Capital One cards.

What is the Best Card to Have with Capital One?

Below are the options for the best cards to have with Capital One outside of their travel products. As you’ll read below, Capital One has great cash back, every day, and business card options.

Lifestyle Rewards: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

It’s worth noting that the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn’t have an annual fee.

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card earns an unlimited:

  • 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
  • 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
  • 3% Cash Back on dining and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on popular streaming services, and on entertainment
  • 1% Cash Back on all other purchases

There is no foreign transaction fee.

New Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

Cash Rewards: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

For flat-rate cash rewards, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the best cash-back credit card options available. You earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on each purchase. However, earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. This is the standard rate for the best cash-back credit cards. What helps distinguish the Quicksilver from other no-annual-fee credit cards is you won’t pay a foreign transaction fee.

New Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Capital One lets you redeem your cash rewards in any award amount.

It’s possible to get more value from the Capital One Venture if you travel on a regular basis. But if you prefer the flexibility of cash rewards or want to avoid paying an annual fee, the Quicksilver makes it easy to maximize your spending power.

Best Capital One Card for Building Credit: Capital One Platinum Credit Card

When you have a low credit score, it can seem like most cards charge an annual fee. The Capital One Platinum Credit Card doesn’t.

Although you won’t earn purchase rewards by owning the Capital One Platinum, it’s a free way to build credit by paying your balance in full every month.

If you have “average credit” with a credit score in the 600s or less than 3 years of credit history, you can pursue the unsecured Capital One Platinum. With an unsecured card, you won’t have the security deposit that secured credit cards require. In as little as 6 months, Capital One will review your account and consider increasing your credit line. This can make it easier to improve your credit score by reducing your credit utilization ratio.

Cardholders can also enjoy perks like fraud coverage if the card is lost or stolen, online and mobile banking, 24/7 account access, and contactless card technology.

Best for Bad Credit: The Secured Mastercard from Capital One

When you have no credit, need to rebuild your credit, or have a credit score below 600, the Secured Mastercard® from Capital One is a better fit.

This version of the Platinum Mastercard requires access to an authorized bank to make a refundable security deposit of $49, $99, and $200. If you can make the minimum required security deposit, you will get an initial $200 credit line. If you can deposit more money before your account opens, you’ll get a higher credit line.

In as little as 6 months of timely payments, Capital One will consider increasing your credit line with no additional deposit needed. Capital One will monitor the account, so doing things like making on-time payments may earn you back your deposit as a statement credit. And unlike a prepaid card, Capital One regularly reports to the 3 major credit bureaus. Plus, you can easily keep track of your account 24/7 by using their mobile app.

Learn more: Credit Cards for Bad Credit

Traffic on the drive to Palm Desert, California.
Traffic on the drive to Palm Desert, California.

Best Capital One Card for Business: Spark Business Cards Lineup

If you’re in the market for a small business credit card, the Spark Business lineup lets you earn up to 2x miles per $1 spent. You will need to decide whether you want to earn travel rewards (Spark Miles) or cash rewards (Spark Cash).

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business has similar travel redemption options as the personal Venture Miles card for travel statement credits, award flights, and point transfers. You’ll also receive up to $120 credit to use towards one Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.

If you don’t want to pay an annual fee, you can get the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business or Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business.

Capital One Spark Cash

With the Capital One Spark Cash, your rewards won’t expire for the life of the account, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount. Cardholders earn an unlimited 2% cash back for their business on every purchase, everywhere, with no limits or category restrictions. Employee cards are free. There are no foreign transaction fees. There’s also no annual fee for the first year, $95 afterward.

New Capital One Spark Cash cardholders can earn a one-time $750 cash bonus once they spend $7,500 on purchases within 3 months of account opening.

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

The best Capital One card that earns miles is the Capital One Spark Miles for Business. Cardholders earn an unlimited 2x miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, with no limits or category restrictions. Hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel earn 5x miles. Miles can also be transferred to travel partners, and miles won’t expire for the life of the account.

Cardholders can redeem miles instantly for travel-related purchases. They also get a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee statement credit of up to $120. Employee cards are free, and you also earn 2x miles on purchases.

The introductory annual fee is $0 during the first year, then $95.

New cardholders can earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once they spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. You can see the Spark and Ink Preferred comparison post and also the approval odds when applying for a Spark card.

Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business

The Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere, with no limits or category restrictions.

There are free employee cards available, which also earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Rewards don’t expire and can be redeemed for cash back for any amount. Here’s how you can share miles with another account.

There is no annual fee or foreign transaction fee. There is also a $0 fraud liability if the card gets lost or is stolen.

New cardholders earn a one-time $500 cash bonus after spending $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business

The information for the Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The best Capital One card that earns miles but doesn’t have an annual fee is the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business. Cardholders earn an unlimited 1.5x miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, with no limits or category restrictions. Miles won’t expire for the life of the account.

If they use their card to book a hotel and rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal, they’ll earn 5x miles per $1 spent. They can also transfer miles to Capital One’s transfer partners.

Miles can be redeemed for travel-related purchases like hotels, flights, and even ride-shares. Employee cards are free, and you also earn an unlimited 1.5x miles on purchases.

New cardholders can earn a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles – equal to $200 in travel – once they spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

Capital One Spark Classic for Business

The information for the Capital One Spark Classic for Business has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Even if you only have average credit, the Capital One Spark Classic for Business lets you earn 1% cash back for your business on every purchase, with no limits or restrictions, and doesn’t charge an annual fee. There are also free employee cards that earn an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases. Rewards don’t expire and can be redeemed for any amount.

This can be a great card to build business credit. Plus, you can develop a relationship with Capital One so you may eventually upgrade your card.

Like the personal Capital One credit cards, none of the Spark business credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee.

Natalie used her cell phone at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Sept. 2023). Credit: Johnny Jet

Which Capital One Cards Are Good for Travel?

The primary difference lies in how many miles you can earn on travel purchases, additional benefits, and the annual fee. Let’s look at some of the travel card options.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is an excellent fit for frequent travelers as it offers the most benefits. You can maximize your card membership by booking travel through Capital One Travel when possible to earn more Venture Miles and use the annual $300 travel credit. Here are some of the Venture X benefits:

  • Earn 10x miles on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel
  • 5x on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
  • 2x on all remaining purchases
  • 10,000 bonus miles on each card anniversary
  • Annual $300 Capital One Travel credit
  • Unlimited airport lounge visits for cardholders and two guests to Capital One Lounge and partner networks
  • $100 experience credit at Capital One Premier Collection of hotels and resorts
  • Primary auto rental collision and theft coverage (on most rentals)

The annual fee is $395 for the primary card, and you can request up to 4 complimentary additional cards.

Related: What Credit Score Do You Need for the Capital One Venture X?

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Casual travelers can find the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card that features these travel perks:

  • Earn 5x miles on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel
  • Earns 2x on all remaining purchases
  • 2 free lounge visits per year to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges (Effective January 1, 2025, Venture and Spark Miles cardholders will no longer receive complimentary lounge access)
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement (up to $120 credit)
  • Hertz Five Star status

The annual fee is $95, and additional cards are free.

Related: What Is the Capital One Venture Credit Score Needed for Approval?

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card can be a good fit for infrequent travelers and individuals new to credit cards. It’s best for earning miles but lacks additional benefits as it has no annual fee or foreign transaction fee.

  • Hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel earn 5x miles
  • All remaining purchases earn 1.25x miles
  • Applicants can receive 20,000 bonus miles after $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Related: Capital One Venture Rewards vs Capital One VentureOne Credit Cards

Is The Capital One Quicksilver Card Good For Travel?

We’ve shown you several travel-specific Capital One options that are good cards for travel. But what about cash back cards? The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great option for occasional travelers as you can earn a competitive rate on daily spending and while you’re out of town.

  • 5% back on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel
  • 1.5% back on all remaining purchases

In most cases, it can also be better than the VentureOne which also doesn’t have an annual fee as the Quicksilver Rewards earns slightly more on purchases (1.5% cash back vs. 1.25 miles per $1). If you plan on using your miles to reimburse purchases, choose the Quicksilver instead of VentureOne.

However, the VentureOne is better than the Quicksilver when you want to use your purchase rewards for upcoming trips through Capital One Travel or for mile transfers.

This card doesn’t have additional benefits, but there is no annual fee or foreign transaction fee.

Is The Capital One Savor A Card Good For Travel?

The Capital One Savor can also be a good primary or secondary credit card for travel and entertainment experiences. This is also one of the best credit cards for dining and earning cash back on purchases.

However, this card family earns cash back that you can’t combine with your Venture or Quicksilver rewards. If you’re okay with having a rewards card independent from full-time travel credit cards, it’s a competitive offering from several aspects.

Is There A Good Capital One Travel Card?

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the best overall option for travel rewards as it has several benefits that are easy to redeem, especially if you fly.

For occasional travelers, it depends on what purchases you want to earn the most miles on and what annual fee you want to pay. For example, the Venture Rewards and Spark Miles for Business credit cards are good if you want the most flexibility with using your rewards for travel plus you get a couple of air travel benefits.

It’s also worth comparing the Chase Sapphire and Venture cards as both offer different benefits and transfer partners. The better choice depends on which airlines and hotels you usually travel with and if you redeem your miles as statement credits or for upcoming travel.

Otherwise, the Quicksilver Rewards and Savor Rewards are competitive cash back offerings. They have a competitive earning potential and no foreign transaction fee.

Summary of Are Capital One Good Cards for Travel?

Capital One offers a good card for travel if you want flexible rewards categories and redemption options. Their no-annual-fee cards won’t earn the most when booking travel directly from the carrier, but you can make up the difference by earning an above-average amount of miles on non-travel spending through the year.

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Johnny Jet has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Johnny Jet and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

1 Comment On "Best Capital One Credit Cards for Travel, Cash Back, & More"
  1. Malik Robinson|

    Thanks for the tips. Sheds a bit of light on me. Keep it up.

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