If you’re looking for a premium travel rewards credit card, two popular options are likely to pop up in your search: the recently refreshed Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
These cards vary when it comes to annual fees, earning rates and benefits. And, of course, each earns points or miles in its own currency. You’ll collect Chase Ultimate Rewards points with the Sapphire Reserve, while you’ll earn Capital One miles with the Venture X.
Whether you’re weighing a switch from one option to the other or ready to apply for your first premium card, either could be a solid choice, depending on your goals and spending habits.
Let’s analyze the details of each to help you decide whether the Capital One Venture X or the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the card for you.
Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve comparison
Here’s what to know about the cards at first glance.
| Feature | Capital One Venture X | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
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$395 |
$795 |
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Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening. |
Earn up to 175,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
You must check to see if you’re eligible for the 175,000 point offer via the Chase pre-qualification widget. There is no impact to your credit score. This offer is only available via this tool. If you are not eligible for this elevated offer, you may still be eligible to earn the standard 125,000-point offer with the same spend requirements. |
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Elevated earning rates on flights and hotels booked directly and Chase Travel purchases apply only after exhausting the $300 annual travel credit. |
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*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. 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.
Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve welcome offer
New Venture X cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
TPG’s November 2025 valuations peg Capital One miles at 1.85 cents apiece, making this welcome offer worth $1,850.
Meanwhile, new Sapphire Reserve cardholders can earn up to 175,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening with no impact to your credit. Again, you must check to see if you’re eligible for the 175,000 point offer via the Chase pre-qualification widget. This offer is only available via this tool.
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If you’re not eligible for this elevated offer, you may still be eligible to earn the standard 125,000-point offer with the same spend requirements.
TPG’s November 2025 valuations peg Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents apiece, making this welcome offer worth up to $3,588.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points are slightly more valuable than Capital One miles, due in part to Chase’s high-value transfer partners.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. Its welcome bonus is worth more.
Related: Highest offer in 4 years: Just how good is the Capital One Venture X’s 100,000‑mile bonus?
Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits
The benefits are what make these cards stand out above the rest. Here’s a look at the benefits at first glance.
| Benefit | Venture X | Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
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Plus, you can unlock these benefits after spending $75,000 or more in a calendar year:
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Both cards have a $300 annual travel statement credit, but there are some key differences to consider. The travel credit on the Venture X isn’t flexible; you have to book through Capital One Travel to be reimbursed.
The Sapphire Reserve’s credit is simpler to use since it automatically applies to any travel purchase up to $300 and doesn’t require booking directly with Chase.
The credit on the Sapphire Reserve can cover everything from tolls to parking meters to international subway fares. Additionally, with the Sapphire Reserve, you receive myriad credits, including an up to $250 biannual The Edit credit for two-night prepaid hotel stays and an up to $150 biannual Chase Dining credit.
When it comes to lounge access, both cards offer a Priority Pass membership. This grants access to over 1,800 lounges for the cardholder and up to two guests. However, starting Feb. 1, 2026, primary cardholders and authorized users of the Venture X won’t be able to bring complimentary guests to Priority Pass lounges. A fee of $35 will apply per guest.
Both issuers are also actively expanding their own lounge networks.
Five Capital One lounges and one Capital One Landing are currently open at six airports across the U.S. Another Capital One Landing is scheduled to open at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
Chase has its own growing network of airport lounges, with eight lounges currently open.
Chase also plans to open lounges at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in the future.
Both cards come with ancillary benefits, such as the Sapphire Reserve’s various DoorDash perks and IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status (through Dec. 31, 2027) and the Venture X’s complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status, that may not necessarily move the needle for prospective applicants.
Still, these perks are all worth taking advantage of if you decide to apply for either card.
With the Venture X, you’ll get a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus each year for every cardholder anniversary.
Additionally, both cards are Visa Infinite cards and provide high-level travel and purchase protections.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. Its benefits and statement credits provide almost triple the value of the Venture X’s. Plus, beginning Feb. 1, 2026, guests will have better lounge access on the Sapphire Reserve.
Related: 5 ways to ensure you have lounge access before your next flight
Earning rewards with the Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve
Both cards earn ultra-flexible rewards currencies. The Venture X earns:
- 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- 5 miles per dollar spent on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve earns:
- 10 points per dollar spent on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $150 or more (through Dec. 31, 2027), with a maximum of 50,000 points
- 8 points per dollar spent on purchases made through Chase Travel, including The Edit
- 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027)
- 4 points per dollar spent on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3 points per dollar spent on dining worldwide
- 1 point per dollar spent on everything else
Elevated earning rates on flights and hotels booked directly and Chase Travel purchases apply only after exhausting the $300 annual travel credit.
According to TPG’s valuations, the Venture X offers an 18.5% return on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One’s portal, while the Sapphire Reserve returns 16.4% on purchases through Chase Travel.
The Venture X offers simplicity with 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases. The Sapphire Reserve offers higher returns in certain categories, including 4 points per dollar spent on hotels and flights booked directly and 3 points per dollar spent on dining purchases.
Frequent travelers will likely earn more with the Sapphire Reserve’s bonus categories than they will with the Venture X’s flat-rate earning structure.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. It offers bonus earnings in categories beyond travel portal bookings.
Related: Best rewards credit cards
Redeeming rewards with the Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve
The most valuable option for redeeming with either the Capital One Venture X or the Sapphire Reserve is transferring points or miles to travel partners. However, that’s not the only way to use your rewards on either card.
Capital One miles and Chase Ultimate Rewards points can both be used for flat-rate redemptions on each respective issuer’s travel portal.
With the Chase Sapphire Reserve, your points can be used to book travel directly through Chase Travel at a value of up to 2 cents per point, depending on the card and the specific redemption, with the Points Boost feature (see your rewards program agreement for full details).
While this isn’t as rewarding as transferring your points to Chase’s transfer partners, this redemption option is useful if you have trouble finding award space.
Meanwhile, Venture X offers fixed-rate travel redemptions at just 1 cent per mile — and while this can be applied to any travel purchase charged to the card, it’s still notably lower.
Both the Venture X and the Sapphire Reserve also offer less lucrative redemption options, such as gift cards and cash back.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve. Redeeming your rewards for travel is up to 50% more lucrative than with the Venture X.
Related: Combination of points and cash: How I strategize my award redemptions
Transferring rewards with the Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve
Transferring rewards to travel partners is the best way to maximize those hard-earned points and miles.
Both Chase and Capital One offer an impressive list of transfer partners, making redeeming rewards the best option.
With the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points at a simple 1:1 ratio.
On the other hand, the Capital One miles program has partners that transfer at a 1:1 ratio for the most part, but there are a couple of exceptions that transfer at a less favorable ratio.
Chase has 13 airline and hotel transfer partners, which include Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and United MileagePlus, to name a few.
Meanwhile, Capital One has 15-plus transfer partners. Some notable names include Avianca LifeMiles, Etihad Guest and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.
TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson consistently transfers his Ultimate Rewards points to partners to redeem them for outsize value. He recently transferred 54,000 points to United MileagePlus to upgrade to Polaris business class on a flight from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB).
You can also take advantage of transfer bonuses to get maximum value.
Winner: Tie. Despite Capital One having more transfer partners, not all transfers occur at a 1:1 ratio.
Should I get the Capital One Venture X or the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
If you value broader earning potential and a flexible travel credit, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a good choice. But if you prefer paying a lower annual fee and frequently travel out of an airport with a Capital One Lounge, the Capital One Venture X is likely the better card for you.
Bottom line
Both the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve have their own strengths and weaknesses, and it really comes down to your preference on what benefits are useful to you or not.
However, for a much more manageable annual fee, almost half of the Sapphire Reserve, the Venture X is a fantastic offering — if you don’t mind using the travel portal to unlock many of the benefits on the card.
For those who prefer to book directly with travel providers and want more statement credits and benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is likely the better option for you, though it comes with a higher $795 annual fee.
To learn more, check out our full reviews of the Capital One Venture X and the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Learn more: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
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