Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture X (2026)

Updated October 23, 2026: we rechecked both welcome offers (75,000 points after $5,000; 75,000 miles after $4,000) and both annual fees ($95 and $395) on Chase’s and Capital One’s pages. None changed since our October 18 check.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture X are the two cards people most often weigh as their “one good travel card.” On paper they look far apart: one costs $95 a year, the other $395. In practice the gap is smaller than the fees suggest, because each card hands back most of its fee in credits if you use them.

The real differences are how you spend, whether you want airport lounges, and which airline and hotel programs you plan to use. This guide lines the two up side by side so you can pick on purpose.

Every card fact below was checked October 18, 2026 on Chase’s Sapphire Preferred card page and Sapphire Preferred benefits page, Capital One’s Venture X page, Capital One’s transfer partner guide, and the Capital One Travel airport lounge access policy guide. For the full single-card breakdown, see our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

The two cards at a glance

Sources: Chase card page and benefits page; Capital One Venture X page and its footnotes; all checked October 18, 2026.

Welcome offers and who can get them

Sapphire Preferred: 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Chase’s card page says the card “is unavailable to you if you currently have this card open,” that the bonus “may not be available to you if you previously held this card or received a new cardmember bonus for this card,” and that Chase “may also consider the number of cards you have opened and closed” when deciding bonus eligibility.

Venture X: 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Capital One’s footnote says existing or previous cardmembers are not eligible “if they have received a new cardmember bonus for this product in the past 48 months.” It also says the bonus is available through the Apply Now button on that page and “may not be available if you navigate away from or close this page.”

Both bonuses are the same size on paper. The Venture X asks for $1,000 less spending. At our working estimate of 1.5 cents per point or mile (our assumption, not an issuer figure), either bonus is worth roughly $1,125 when used well.

How you earn: the one-point rule

Here is the simplest way to compare the earning:

• On non-bonus spending, the Venture X earns 1 more mile per dollar (2X vs 1X).
• On the Sapphire Preferred’s 3X categories (dining, gas and EV charging, vacation homes at top brands, top streaming, online grocery), the Sapphire Preferred earns 1 more point per dollar (3X vs 2X).
• On other travel booked directly, it is a tie at 2X.

So the question is not “which card earns more” but “which pile of spending is bigger for you”: your 3X-category spending or your everything-else spending.

Sapphire Preferred earning (Chase card page, checked October 18, 2026):

Chase also lists limited-time partner earning: 5X total on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027, and 5X total on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 through December 31, 2027 (maximum 25,000 points, per the benefits page).

Venture X earning (Capital One Venture X page, checked October 18, 2026):

A worked example (illustrative)

Take a household that puts $30,000 a year on one card: $6,000 dining, $2,400 gas, $1,800 other travel booked directly, and $19,800 of everything else. No portal bookings.

In this example the Venture X earns 11,400 more. At our assumed 1.5 cents, that is about $171 a year, which on its own does not cover the $300 fee difference. The credits decide it, which is the next section. Swap the mix (say, $12,000 of dining and gas and less everything-else spending) and the Sapphire Preferred pulls ahead instead.

Credits: what each fee buys back

Sapphire Preferred ($95):

• Up to $100 a year for hotels booked through Chase Travel, each account anniversary year. Chase’s terms say the first $100 of Chase Travel hotel purchases each year does not earn points.
• Up to $120 every four years for the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee.
• DashPass membership (Chase lists a $120 value) when activated by December 31, 2029, plus a $10 monthly DoorDash promo on non-restaurant orders.
• Apple TV for at least 12 months when activated by December 31, 2026 (Chase lists a $180 value).

Venture X ($395):

• $300 annual Capital One Travel credit for hotels, flights, vacation rentals, and more booked through Capital One Travel. Per Capital One’s footnote, each annual credit expires on your next account anniversary and does not earn rewards.
• 10,000 anniversary miles every year, starting on your first anniversary. Capital One describes them as “equal to $100 towards travel.”
• Up to $120 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, one statement credit every 4 years.
• Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection hotel and vacation rental bookings through Capital One Travel come with an experience credit of up to $100 (Premier) or $50 (Lifestyle), plus other perks Capital One lists, such as daily breakfast for two on Premier Collection hotel stays.

The fee math (illustrative): if you would book at least $300 of travel through Capital One Travel anyway, the $300 credit plus the 10,000 anniversary miles (about $100 toward travel) roughly cover the $395 fee from year two on. If you would book a $100 hotel through Chase Travel anyway, the Sapphire Preferred’s credit roughly covers its $95 fee. Both “net fees” depend entirely on using a travel portal, so compare the portal price with booking direct before you count a credit as money saved.

Airport lounges: the Venture X’s big edge, with 2026 limits

The Sapphire Preferred has no lounge access. The Venture X does, but the rules changed in 2026, so read the current policy rather than older reviews. Per the Capital One Travel lounge access policy guide, checked October 18, 2026:

• Primary cardholders get complimentary access to Capital One Lounges and Capital One Landings, and to participating Priority Pass lounges after enrolling.
• Additional cardholders need an annual lounge access fee of $125 each (for up to 4 additional cardholders, age 18 or older) to get lounge access.
• Guests at Capital One Lounges and Landings cost $45 per visit (18 and older) or $25 (17 and under). Children under two are free.
• Guests at Priority Pass lounges cost $35 per guest per visit.
• Spend $75,000 across the account in a calendar year and you can bring 2 complimentary guests to Capital One Lounges and 1 to Capital One Landings per visit. That perk does not apply to Priority Pass lounges.

If you travel alone a few times a year, the Venture X’s lounge access is a real perk the Sapphire Preferred cannot match. If you usually travel as a couple or a family, budget for guest fees or the $125 add-on.

Travel protections

This is the Sapphire Preferred’s quiet strength. Chase’s card page lists, among others:

• Primary auto rental coverage, up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage on most rental vehicles with an MSRP of $125,000 or less (secondary inside the U.S. for New York residents).
• Trip cancellation and interruption up to $10,000 per covered traveler and $20,000 per trip.
• Trip delay reimbursement up to $500 per covered traveler when a common carrier delay runs over 12 hours or requires an overnight stay.
• Baggage delay up to $100 a day for up to 5 days, and lost luggage reimbursement up to $3,000 per covered traveler.
• Emergency evacuation and transportation up to $100,000, plus purchase protection (120 days, up to $500 per item) and extended warranty.

Capital One’s Venture X page highlights cell phone protection (reimbursement up to $800 when you pay your phone bill with the card, terms and exclusions apply) and points to the Visa Infinite Guide to Benefits for the rest of its coverage. If protections are a deciding factor, read that guide before you apply; we only list here what the card page itself spells out.

Redeeming: transfer partners and portals

Transfer partners

Chase Ultimate Rewards (Sapphire Preferred): Aer Lingus AerClub, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, JetBlue TrueBlue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, and Wyndham Rewards. Chase says points transfer “to most travel partners at a rate of 1:1.” World of Hyatt is 4:3: 1,000 Chase points become 750 Hyatt points. Chase notes that accounts opened before June 15, 2026 kept 1:1 to Hyatt only through September 30, 2026.

Capital One miles (Venture X): per Capital One’s transfer partner guide:

Capital One requires at least 1,000 miles per transfer, the names on both accounts must match, and transfers cannot be reversed.

What the lists mean in practice:

• Both cards reach Aeroplan, Flying Blue, British Airways, and Singapore KrisFlyer at 1:1, plus Wyndham.
• Only Chase reaches United, Southwest, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Chase moves points to JetBlue at 1:1 where Capital One is 5:3.
• Only Capital One reaches Turkish, Avianca, Qatar, Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Emirates, EVA, JAL, Qantas, Finnair, TAP, and Aeromexico.

If you live near a United or Southwest hub and fly domestically, Chase’s list is usually the easier fit. If you are chasing international premium cabins on partners like Turkish, Qatar, or Cathay, Capital One’s list opens more doors.

Travel portals

• Chase Travel: with Points Boost, Sapphire Preferred points are worth “up to 1.5x on top-booked hotels and flights with select airlines,” on a rotating basis. Chase’s Points Boost guide shows boosted prices next to the points a booking would need without Boost, so you can see the difference before you book.
• Capital One Travel: Capital One describes 10,000 miles as equal to $100 toward travel, so miles used on travel through Capital One are worth about 1 cent each. The Venture X page also lets you use miles to cover travel purchases more broadly.

Which card should you pick?

Pick the Chase Sapphire Preferred if:

• You spend a lot on dining, gas, streaming, or online groceries.
• You want United, Southwest, Hyatt, or Marriott as transfer options.
• You want strong built-in travel insurance and primary rental car coverage for $95.
• You are under 5/24 and this is your first travel card.

Pick the Capital One Venture X if:

• Most of your spending is in categories no card rewards specially, so a flat 2X wins.
• You will book at least $300 a year through Capital One Travel.
• You travel solo often enough to use lounges, or you are fine paying guest and add-on fees.
• You want partners like Turkish, Qatar, or Cathay that Chase does not offer.

Get both? They come from different banks and pair well: the Sapphire Preferred on its 3X categories, the Venture X on everything else. Start with Chase if you are anywhere near 5/24. For other options by traveler type, see our best travel credit cards guide.

Checklist before you apply

1. Add up last year’s spending: dining, gas and EV charging, streaming, online grocery, other travel, and everything else.
2. Apply the one-point rule: bigger 3X-category pile favors Chase; bigger everything-else pile favors Capital One.
3. Count only credits you would really use: the $300 Capital One Travel credit, the $100 Chase Travel hotel credit.
4. If lounges matter, count your travel companions and price the $45, $35, or $125 add-ons.
5. Check your 5/24 count before any Chase application.
6. Look up the award you want and confirm which card can transfer to that program.
7. Pay the full statement balance every month.

FAQ

Is the Venture X worth $300 more than the Sapphire Preferred?

Only if you use its credits. The $300 Capital One Travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles (Capital One says $100 toward travel) can offset most of the $395 fee, and lounge access is extra value for solo travelers. If you will not book through Capital One Travel, the Sapphire Preferred’s $95 fee is easier to justify.

Which card has the better welcome bonus right now?

Both offer 75,000 (points or miles) within 3 months. The Venture X requires $4,000 of purchases; the Sapphire Preferred requires $5,000. Both pages were checked October 18, 2026, and offers change.

Which card earns more on everyday spending?

On non-bonus spending, the Venture X (2X vs 1X). On dining, gas and EV charging, streaming, vacation homes at top brands, and online grocery, the Sapphire Preferred (3X vs 2X).

Do authorized users get lounge access with the Venture X?

Not automatically. Capital One’s lounge policy says primary cardholders can buy lounge access for additional cardholders for $125 each per year.

Can Venture X miles transfer to Hyatt?

No. Hyatt is not on Capital One’s partner list. Chase Sapphire Preferred points transfer to World of Hyatt at 4:3.

Does either card charge foreign transaction fees?

No. Both card pages say there are no foreign transaction fees.

Bottom line

Related: Best Airline Miles for Beginners

Related: Hotel Transfer Partners

The Points Quest

Related reading

• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Sapphire Reserve (2026)
• American Express Gold Card Review (2026)
• Points and Miles Valuations (October 2026): What Your Points Are Worth
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Review (2026)
• Best Travel Credit Cards (2026): Picks by Type of Traveler
• Why Chase Is Still a Great Place to Start (Even If It’s Not the Most Valuable Program Anymore)
• Capital One Venture’s Limited-Time Offer: 75,000 Miles Plus a $300 Stays Credit
• Should You Transfer Bilt Points to Hyatt Before Jan 1, 2027?
• Credit Card Transfer Partners Chart (2026): Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi and Bilt
• Credit Card Reviews and Comparisons

Points Quest is educational content only, not personalized financial advice. Welcome offers, annual fees, earning rates, credits, lounge policies, protections, and transfer ratios were checked on creditcards.chase.com, chase.com, capitalone.com, and capitalonetravel.com on October 18, 2026 and can change at any time; terms apply. Point and mile values used in examples are our own illustrative assumptions, not issuer figures. Targeted offers may differ from public ones. Advertiser Disclosure