What we like:
10x miles on thousands of hotels through January 2020
| Intro Offer | 20,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening |
| Rewards Rate | Unlimited 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases 10x miles on purchases at thousands of hotels through January 2020 |
| Regular APR | 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months After that, variable APR of 14.24% to 24.24% depending on creditworthiness |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
Card Details
Pros
- No annual fee
- Simple and unlimited rewards
- Can transfer miles to 10+ travel partners
- Travel and purchase protection
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Excellent credit is required, so many people won’t qualify
- Rewards lose value if redeemed for anything other than travel
- No 0% APR for balance transfers
- Some cardholder benefits not available to authorized users
Recommended Credit Score
- Excellent credit
Capital One VentureOne Card: A No-Fee Travel Card with Limited Perks
The Capital One VentureOne is a pretty good option if you’re looking for a travel rewards card that charges no annual fee and that has a simple rewards program. As the free version of the Capital One Venture card, the VentureOne provides access to the same flexible rewards redemption options but has more limited perks. Learn more in this Capital One VentureOne card review.
In this review:
VentureOne Card Benefits
The Capital One VentureOne card offers an easy-to-earn signup bonus and some valuable benefits for frequent travelers.
Signup Bonus
The VentureOne gives new accountholders the chance to earn 20,000 bonus miles after spending at least $1,000 on purchases within three months of opening the account.
VentureOne Rewards
The VentureOne Rewards program is simple and straightforward: You get 1.25 miles per $1 spent on all purchases. Through January 2020, you get 10x miles on purchases at thousands of participating hotels.
Capital One’s Purchase Eraser lets you redeem points for a statement credit after you make a travel purchase or to book flights or hotel stays. You also have the option to easily transfer rewards to more than 10 travel loyalty programs that work with Capital One. Rewards never expire over the life of the account, so you don’t need to scramble to redeem them quickly — you can save them up until you need them.
Travel Perks
The Capital One VentureOne credit card offers plenty of travel perks in addition to bonus miles for eligible hotel purchases (see the list at Hotels.com/venture). You also benefit from:
- No foreign transaction fees when shopping outside of the U.S.
- Travel accident insurance if you book your trip with your card
- 24-hour travel assistance services if your card is lost or stolen
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
- No blackout dates
Shopping Perks
Frequent shoppers will appreciate Capital One’s extended warranty on eligible items purchased with the VentureOne card. The low intro APR on purchases for 12 months also allows you to avoid paying interest on large purchases as long as you pay your balance in full before the promotional period runs out.
Downsides of the VentureOne Card
The VentureOne rewards credit card has some downsides to consider, including the following:
- No intro 0% APR on balance transfers
- No access to airline lounges
- No free checked bags
- Potentially high APR after intro rate expires
- Only people with excellent credit can qualify
How It Compares to Similar Cards
The Capital One VentureOne is a good travel card for with no annual fee, but the bonus and perks it offers aren’t as good as other travel credit cards that charge annual fees.
Capital One Venture vs. VentureOne
The Capital One Venture card has a $95 annual fee that is waived the first year. However, the Venture offers more generous perks for cardholders than the VentureOne. For example, the Venture gives you 50,000 miles as a one-time bonus when you spend $3,000 in the first three months of account opening, compared to just 20,000 bonus miles after $1,000 in spending. The Venture also provides double miles per dollar spent on every purchase with no limit, while the VentureOne provides 1.25 miles per $1 spent.
In addition to more generous rewards, the Venture also provides a statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, which could be worth up to $100. This is a valuable benefit if you want to be able to move more easily through security lines or quickly clear Customs when you return to the United States from a trip abroad.
If you’re a big spender and think the double points on all purchases make up for the annual fee — or if you will take advantage of the TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit — the Venture may be a better choice. But if you want to avoid an annual fee, you should opt for the VentureOne instead.
Bottom Line
The VentureOne doesn’t provide all of the same benefits as travel cards with higher annual fees, but it’s a good starter card with an easy-to-earn signup bonus and straightforward rewards program. You could always start with the VentureOne and upgrade to a better Capital One card over time as you build a positive credit history.