Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture: Which Is Better In 2025?

Capital One Venture Rewards Breakdown

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Why We Like It

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Let's break down the key reasons why the Capital One Venture Rewards (See Rates & Fees) card is a top pick for travelers.

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• Its straightforward rewards program earns miles on every purchase, so you don't have to track complicated spending categories.
• You get great flexibility when redeeming miles, with options to cover any travel purchase or transfer to numerous airline and hotel partners.
• It comes loaded with valuable travel perks, like a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and no fees on foreign transactions.

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Pros

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• Earn unlimited flat-rate miles on every purchase, making it easy to accumulate rewards without tracking bonus categories.
• Redeem your miles with great flexibility by transferring them to numerous airline and hotel partners or by covering recent travel expenses.
• Enjoy premium travel perks, including a credit for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee and no foreign transaction fees.

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Cons

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• Carries an annual fee that is not waived for the first year.
• Transferring miles to some airline and hotel partners may not be a 1:1 exchange, potentially reducing their value.
• Lacks the extensive luxury travel perks, such as airport lounge access, found on higher-tier cards.

Capital One Venture Rewards vs Chase Sapphire Preferred®

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Categories

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Deciding which is better Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture often comes down to your specific spending habits and travel style.

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• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: This card is best for those whose spending is concentrated on travel and dining. It is positioned as a top entry-level travel rewards card that also offers rewards on select streaming services and online groceries.
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: This card is suitable for travelers who prefer a straightforward, flat-rate rewards structure on all purchases. It particularly excels when booking hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars through the Capital One travel portal.

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Redemption

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Points can be transferred to a variety of airline and hotel partners, offering high potential value for savvy travelers. Alternatively, you can redeem them for travel through the Chase portal, cash back, or gift cards.

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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: This card offers a straightforward redemption process where you can use your miles to cover any recent travel purchase as a statement credit. You can also book new travel through the Capital One travel portal or transfer miles to travel partners.

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Travel Perks

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• Travel Portals: Both cards provide access to their own travel portals for booking flights, hotels, and car rentals, where you can redeem miles or pay with your card.
• Transfer Partners: Miles from both cards can be transferred to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs, providing flexible travel options.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: Both cards are ideal for international travel as neither charges a foreign transaction fee on purchases made abroad.
• Lounge Access: The Capital One Venture Rewards card offers complimentary annual passes to partner airport lounges, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card does not include lounge access as a standard benefit.
• Travel Credits and Protections: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card includes an annual hotel credit for bookings made through its travel portal. In contrast, the Capital One Venture Rewards card offers a credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee. Both cards also provide a suite of travel protections.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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To make the right choice, you can use a tool like Kudos to compare top-rated cards based on your personal spending.

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• Test drive credit cards using your real spending data to see potential earnings before you apply, all without a hard credit pull.
• Receive a detailed analysis of your approval odds for different cards based on your credit report.
• Get a welcome offer guarantee, which ensures that if a better public offer is found within three months of your approval, Kudos will match it.
• Use an autofill feature at checkout that recommends the best card in your wallet for each purchase to maximize rewards.
• Earn extra rewards through Kudos Boost, which can be stacked on top of your existing credit card rewards when shopping online.
• Track spending, monitor your credit score, and manage all your card perks in one platform.

Who Should Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred®?

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers who want to maximize rewards without committing to a premium annual fee. It’s particularly well-suited for individuals who spend significantly on travel and dining, as it offers accelerated points in these popular categories. With its robust travel protections and flexible redemption options, it serves as a powerful entry-level travel card for those looking to get serious about earning and using points.

Who Should Choose the Capital One Venture Rewards?

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The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is ideally suited for frequent travelers who prefer a simple, flat-rate rewards structure over juggling complicated spending categories. This cardholder wants to earn a consistent 2X miles on all everyday purchases while maintaining the flexibility to redeem those miles for travel, transfer them to airline and hotel partners, or use them for cash back. They also seek valuable travel benefits, such as a statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and key travel protections, without the high annual fee of a premium card.

Alternatives to Consider

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So, you've weighed the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and decided neither is quite right for you. Fortunately, the world of travel rewards cards is vast, and other options may offer the specific benefits you're looking for.

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Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check Your Credit Score – Most travel rewards cards require a good to excellent credit history for approval.
• Plan Your Spending – Make sure you can naturally meet the welcome offer's spending requirement without going into debt.
• Know the Rules – Be aware of issuer-specific application restrictions, like the Chase 5/24 rule.

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Application Strategy

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• Time your applications - Some issuers are sensitive to recent new accounts and inquiries.
• Use an application tool - Services like Kudos can help streamline the process and check for the best offers.
• Don't settle for a lower offer - You can often decline a welcome offer with no credit impact and try again later.

Our Methodology

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We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.

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Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How do I choose the right card for my spending habits?

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Consider where you spend the most money, as one card may offer better rewards on travel and dining while the other provides a consistent rewards rate on all purchases.

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Can I have both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture cards?

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Yes, it is possible to hold both cards, which can be a strategic way to maximize rewards across different spending categories. This approach allows you to leverage the unique benefits of each card's rewards program.

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Which card is better for beginners in travel rewards?

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The best card for a beginner depends on your travel goals and redemption preferences. One program offers straightforward redemptions for travel purchases, while the other can provide more value through transfer partners, which may require more research.

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