When it comes to value and practicality, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a longtime travel card heavyweight that’s still hard to beat. However, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
*
The information for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
is a close and scrappy competitor with a simpler rewards structure and a handful of indulgent travel benefits that you can’t get with the Sapphire Preferred. We’ll compare the differences in detail.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase Bank USA, NA’s Secure Website
Earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x points on dining and 2x points on all other travel purchases, plus more.
In a crowded field of value-packed travel cards with moderate annual fees, both the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
*
The information for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
have reliably stayed near the top of the heap.
These two cards are perennially popular, in part, because of their standout welcome bonuses, which both tower well above much of the competition.
The Sapphire Preferred and Venture Rewards cards also stand out for their valuable travel, lifestyle and partner perks that cater to both frequent globetrotters and occasional vacationers.
But where the two cards diverge is in the nature of their rewards programs, as well as in the size and diversity of their perks. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a more traditional travel rewards card that reserves the card’s best earning rates for select travel and everyday spending categories. The Venture card, by contrast, is a simpler flat-rate rewards card that offers the same earning rate on (almost) every purchase.
Beyond the rewards programs, what really sets the two cards apart is the extra perks they offer travelers.
The Sapphire Preferred card shines with a best-in-class suite of travel insurance benefits, a coveted travel transfer partner list and an unusually generous bonus structure — including 25% more value on points redeemed for travel bookings through Chase Ultimate Rewards® and a 10% annual bonus based on how much you’ve spent on purchases throughout the year.
The Venture Rewards card, on the other hand, offers a larger and more diverse array of travel partners, exclusive travel center benefits and a few luxe perks that are more typically found on pricier cards, such as an application fee statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck to help you get through airport security faster (up to $100), limited airport lounge access and special perks and fee credits at select hotels.
Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Rewards: A side-by-side comparison
Annual fees
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has an annual fee of $95.
The Capital One Venture Rewards has an annual fee of $95.
The identical annual fees on the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture Rewards cards aren’t bad considering that many value-packed travel cards with comparable (if plumper) travel benefits cost more than two to three times that amount to own.
Assuming you take full advantage of the rewards and perks on the Sapphire Preferred or the Venture, you should be able to earn more than enough value to make up for the moderate annual fee on either card. However, you won’t be able to test-drive the cards before committing to at least a year of ownership: both cards’ fees start right away.
Winner for annual fee: Tie
Rewards rates
The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3 points per $1 on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
The Capital One Venture Rewards earns 5 miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per $1 on other purchases.
Overall, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s rewards structure is arguably more generous. You’ll get a bigger point bonus on everyday purchases such as restaurant meals and takeout, as well as eligible streaming and online groceries. In addition, you’ll get an ample bonus on an unusually wide range of travel purchases, including hotel stays, airline tickets, car rentals, cruise fare, campground purchases, public transit, highway tolls, ferry tickets and parking fees.
Also sure to please the frequent traveler, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 25% more value per point when you redeem your rewards for travel bookings through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
The Venture Rewards card, on the other hand, offers a uniform rewards rate for most purchases. Depending on your lifestyle and spending habits, you could earn more with the Venture than with the Sapphire Preferred if your purchases don’t tend to fit into the latter card’s dining- and travel-focused rewards categories.
For those who spend substantially on hotels and rental cars, the Venture’s elevated earning rate on those bookings when made through the Capital One portal is also a positive feature to consider.
Winner for rewards: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Welcome offers
New cardholders of the Chase Sapphire Preferred can earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
New cardholders of the Capital One Venture Rewards can earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Both cards offer similarly generous welcome offers and also require a comparably hefty spend to claim. However, at the time of writing, the Venture Rewards card’s offer results in earning more rewards.
For cardholders who just want straightforward value, that means the Venture is the winner in this particular showdown.
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’d need to redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards in order to get $750 worth of rewards value. Otherwise, with most redemption options, the welcome offer would be worth $600.
The Venture Rewards card, by contrast, offers $750 worth of value upfront, assuming the redemption rate for what you buy with your rewards miles is a penny per mile. (Be aware that’s not the case for all Capital One redemption options).
For cardholders who like to maximize redemption value by transferring their points or miles to airline and hotel loyalty programs, the winner will depend on whether you find Chase’s or Capital One’s transfer partners more useful — as well as what deals on award travel you can find at the time of your search.
Winner for welcome offer: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
*
The information for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Travel benefits
When it comes to travel benefits, the competition between the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Venture Rewards card is fierce.
On the one hand, the travel insurance benefits on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card are far superior to what the Venture Rewards card offers.
For example, the Sapphire Preferred card is one of the few cards around that offers primary car rental insurance, rather than secondary. So if you get into an accident with your rental car that was paid for with the Sapphire Preferred, you typically won’t have to file a claim with your own personal car insurance provider.
In addition, the Sapphire Preferred card offers several other high-level credit card benefits that now rarely appear on competing cards, including up to $20,000 worth of trip cancellation or interruption insurance (maximum $10,000 per person), up to $500 worth of baggage delay protection and a trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s list of travel transfer partners is also excellent. Cardholders can transfer their points at a 1:1 rate to a variety of well-known travel partners, such as United MileagePlus, JetBlue TrueBlue and World of Hyatt.
However, the Venture card offers more perks that directly make travel more comfortable — and potentially more memorable. Unlike the Sapphire Preferred card, for example, the Venture Rewards card reimburses travelers for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry via statement credit (up to a $100 value) every four years.
In addition, the Venture card offers twice per year complimentary airport lounge access at Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges. Chase, by contrast, requires you to hold the far more expensive Chase Sapphire Reserve® if you want airport lounge access.
The Venture Rewards card also offers special hotel benefits at properties in Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection, including an up to $50 experience credit you can use for hotel dining, spa or other purchases, late checkout or early check-in when available and complimentary room upgrades when available.
You may also be able to save money on travel by utilizing Capital One’s Travel Center, which offers limited price drop protection, price forecasting and recommendation services.
Plus, Capital One’s travel partner list has grown significantly in size in recent years and now includes a much larger number of airline transfer partners, as well as a diverse collection of hotel transfer partners. Though there is some overlap, Capital One’s travel transfer partner list is not only bigger compared to Chase, it also includes more airlines based in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.
On the downside, Capital One doesn’t partner with a domestic airline, so Chase could be the better option if that’s an important consideration for you.
Winner for travel rewards and benefits: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
*
The information for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Other benefits
The Capital One Venture Rewards card doesn’t perform nearly as well, though, when it comes to domestic benefits. For example, it only offers extended warranty on purchases and a handful of benefits available on other Capital One cards, such as virtual card numbers and card lock and special access to entertainment and restaurant reservations.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card, by contrast, offers a robust array of domestic and partner benefits, including extended warranty and purchase protection and more than $200 worth of partner promotions. Though partner perks are temporary, as of this writing they include a one-year DoorDash DashPass subscription, a six-month Instacart+ subscription and 5 points per $1 spent on Lyft rides and select Peloton equipment. Terms apply.
Winner for other benefits: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Which card is right for you?
If you’re a frequent traveler who values peace of mind and practicality, the Sapphire Preferred card may be for you. You’ll be hard pressed to find another card with a comparable annual fee that offers anything close to the Sapphire Preferred card’s extended suite of travel insurance benefits. Plus, the elevated redemption value on travel bookings made through Ultimate Rewards and 10% annual bonus make the Sapphire Preferred card especially valuable.
The Sapphire Preferred card also offers exceptional redemption options, including the ability to transfer points 1:1 to a selection of popular travel partners or redeem points at 1 cent each for cash back, so it’s a good pick for cardholders who want flexibility.
With that said, the Venture Rewards card may offer more opportunity for you to put together a dream vacation or two thanks to its wider list of airline transfer partners, money-saving travel center tools and luxe hotel and airport perks. So it could be the right choice for you if you’re looking for ways to upgrade your next vacation.
Plus, the Venture card’s rewards program is somewhat lower maintenance thanks to its flat rewards rate. So if you prefer one card for all your spending or rarely spend money on the Sapphire Rewards card’s bonus categories, then the Venture card’s flat rewards rate could make more financial sense for you.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Capital One Miles are generally worth 1 cent each when redeemed for travel, including Capital One Travel Center purchases and statement credits against external travel purchases. However, miles redeemed for other rewards options may be worth less than 1 cent each.
By contrast, you could potentially get outsize value for your rewards by transferring them to one of Capital One’s airline or hotel partners and using them to book award travel.
No, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are generally worth more when redeemed for travel. For example, points on the Sapphire Preferred redeemed for through the Ultimate Rewards portal are worth 1.25 cents each. Capital One Miles are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for travel.
Capital One doesn’t advertise a maximum credit limit. The size of your initial credit line will depend, in part, on your demonstrated ability to repay charges, as well as your credit score.
The Sapphire Preferred card currently offers 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
*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.
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.