We get it. Credit card points, airline miles, and big annual fees can be intimidating and downright confusing. It's tough to know where to start.
And that's precisely why we think the *capital one venture card* is one of the best credit cards for beginners. It's got a low annual fee of just $95 a year and, most importantly, offers one of the easiest ways to earn a bunch of miles and redeem them simply toward travel – and not just flights, but hotels, rental cars, Airbnbs, and even excursions. It's also one of the best ways to get signed up for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, programs that will save you a ton of time at the airport.
And unlike some starter cards, this one comes with a big sign-up bonus: For a limited time, you can earn 75,000 Capital One miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership, plus get a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit.
With a big welcome bonus and ongoing points earning identical to what you'll earn on the Venture Card's premium sibling, the *venture x*, this is the place to start if you're ready to dip your toe into the world of points and miles.
Read on as we make a case for the Capital One Venture Card being one of the best travel credit cards to start with.
Full Benefits of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
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- Earn unlimited 2x miles per dollar on every purchase
- Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Fly on any airline or stay in any hotel with no blackout dates by using miles to cover virtually any travel purchase
- Transfer miles to nearly 20 airlines or hotel chains that are Capital One transfer partners
- Capital One miles never expire
- No foreign transaction fees
- Annual Fee: $95
Learn more about the *capital one venture card*
A Welcome Bonus Worth $1,000 (or More)
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Since these miles can easily be redeemed for at least 1 cent each toward travel, it means the bonus miles alone are worth $750. Add in the one-time $250 travel credit you get with the card and you're getting over $1,000 worth of travel in your first year. Not bad for a card with a $95 annual fee, right?
And if you're willing to put in a little work, you can get even greater value out of your Capital One miles by leveraging one of the bank's transfer partners.
Earn 2x Miles on Every Purchase
The Capital One Venture card makes it simple to rack up miles. You'll earn unlimited 2x miles for every dollar you spend, making this a solid card for your everyday spending to keep earning miles day in and day out.
That 2x return is tough to beat, especially when you consider that the Venture card earns the same amount of points as the pricier Venture X Card.
If earning points on everyday spending is your primary goal, the Venture Card is the place to start considering it'll cost you $300 less upfront in annual fees.
Related reading: Capital One Venture vs. Venture X: Which Card is Best?
A Reasonable Annual Fee
The Capital One Venture Card has an annual fee of just $95.
Considering you'll be able to earn the 75,000-mile welcome bonus after spending $4,000 in the first three months while also taking advantage of some of the other benefits offered by the card, you should be able to easily come out way ahead on that investment in your first year. Not to mention, you'll get a one-time $250 travel credit as part of the welcome bonus.
Read more: Do the Math, Don't Rule Out Credit Cards with Annual Fees
$100 Application Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
One of the great benefits of the Capital One Venture Card is the $100 application fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. It's one of the cheapest travel cards that covers the cost of enrolling in either program, in fact.
If you apply for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and pay with your card, the application cost will automatically be reimbursed once every four years. Considering membership in both programs is good for five years, your Venture Card will have you set.
Using a credit like this is one of the most cost-effective ways to get enrolled in either program. Unsure which program to go with? Since Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck benefits, that should be your choice if you plan to do any international travel.
Related reading: Cheap Credit Cards That Get You Free TSA PreCheck & Global Entry
The Easiest Way to Redeem Your Miles
Don't have the time or patience to dive into the world of transfer partners? Just want an easy way to redeem your miles toward travel? Capital One has you covered.
Because of the way Capital One miles work, you aren't tied down to using them with one airline or one hotel chain. In fact, you could use them to cover almost any travel-related expense you can think of.
All you need to do is pay with your Capital One Venture Card and use the “Cover Travel Purchases” feature to remove the charge from your statement using your miles. Think airfare, hotels, cruises, Uber – you name it, your miles will cover it all.
From Airbnb stays to Disney tickets, to flight and hotel purchases and even cruises – all of these count as “travel.” Every mile you've got is worth 1 cent. That means if you book a $100 car rental, you would need 10,000 Capital One miles to cover the charge.
It's an invaluable way to save on practically any travel expense out there.
Related reading: A Step-By-Step Guide to Covering Travel Purchases with Capital One Miles
Valuable Transfer Partners, Too
If you're ready to learn about the best ways to maximize your points and miles, the Capital One Venture Card is a great starting point because Capital One gives you the best of both worlds.
In addition to an easy way to cover almost any travel purchase, you can also transfer Capital One miles to more than a dozen different airline partners and three hotels. These transfers are the key to unlocking maximum value from your miles with top-dollar redemptions like first or business class.
| Program | Type | Ratio | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeromexico | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Air France/KLM | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| British Airways | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles | Airline | 1:1 | Up to five business days |
| Emirates | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Etihad | Airline | 1:1 | Up to 1 day |
| EVA Air | Airline | 2:1.5 | Up to five business days |
| Finnair | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Qantas | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| Singapore | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |
| TAP Air Portugal | Airline | 1:1 | Same day |
| Turkish Airlines | Airline | 1:1 | Same day |
| Virgin Red | Other | 1:1 | Same day |
| Accor | Hotel | 2:1 | Up to two business days |
| Wyndham | Hotel | 1:1 | Same day |
| Choice Hotels | Hotel | 1:1 | Same day |
All but two transfer on a 1:1 basis, meaning transferring 1,000 Capital One miles gets you 1,000 airline miles in your account. Transfers to EVA move on a poorer, 2:1.5 basis. Transfers to Accor are the worst deal yet, with a transfer ratio of 2:1.
But for the vast majority of the options at your disposal, transferring miles is an even trade. If you've got 75,000 miles stashed away from your Venture Card bonus, you can easily turn them into 75,000 British Airways Avios, 75,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points, or 75,000 Turkish Airlines miles.
Never flown in a premium cabin before? With the current welcome bonus alone, you could book EVA Air and ANA business class flights for as low as 75,000 miles each way by transferring your points to Air Canada Aeroplan.
Related reading: Capital One Transfer Partners: How & Where to Transfer Your Capital One Miles
Bottom Line
The Capital One Venture Card is one of our favorite cards for beginners (and experts alike) because of its simplicity.
The annual fee of $95 is fairly easy to swallow and it comes with some worthwhile travel benefits, too. But above all else, Capital One miles can be used to cover nealy any travel purchase … with a path to transfer those miles to airline and hotel partners, if you're ready to take the next step.
Learn more about the *capital one venture card*