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Capital One VentureOne Review: Travel the World Without the Baggage of an Annual Fee

Review Updated
Alice Hoekstra
Nathan Alderman
Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation.

If you're looking for a way to earn travel rewards without breaking the bank, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) could be the perfect solution. With a $0 annual fee, flexible redemption options, and a generous welcome bonus, this card offers a solid starting point for budget-conscious travelers. Let's dive into what makes the Capital One VentureOne card a standout option and whether it's the right fit for your wallet.

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: 0% intro on purchases for 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months (Balance Transfer Fee Applies)

Regular APR

19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

1.25X-5X miles

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. 20,000 Miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

20,000 Miles

  • What really stands out is the incredibly easy-to-earn sign-up bonus. You can earn a 20,000-mile bonus (worth $200) after spending only $500 in your first 3 months (that's like earning 40x miles on that spend!). Redeem points by reimbursing yourself for travel expenses charged to your card, book through Capital One Travel, or transfer points to 15+ travel partners for potentially even greater value. If a straightforward travel rewards program, 0% Intro APR, & sign-up bonus with a low spending hurdle is most important to you, then this card is a very solid pick.

    • No annual fee
    • Sign-up bonus
    • Rewards on purchases
    • Great intro APR
    • No foreign transaction fee
    • Mediocre rewards rate
    • No bonus categories
    • $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
    • Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
    • Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
    • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
    • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
    • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
    • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
    • Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.24% - 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Who should consider the Capital One VentureOne card?

The Capital One VentureOne card is great for people who want to earn travel rewards without worrying about annual fees. Many top-tier travel credit cards charge hefty annual fees, which can be frustrating if you're on a budget. This card, like a direct flight, takes you right to "earning miles" without any layovers at "annual fees."

What I like about the Capital One VentureOne

Flexible reward redemption

I have a Capital One credit card, and I love how easy it is to redeem my Capital One miles.

You get the best value transferring to one of Capital One's transfer partners, which are mostly international airlines like British Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Avianca.

However, you can also redeem credit card miles for travel expenses as a statement credit. This means you can use your miles to pay for more unusual travel costs, like a night at a treehouse hotel or a river cruise.

TIP

No trip? No problem!

If you're not going on a trip anytime soon, you can still redeem your miles a variety of ways, including:

  • Turning miles into cash back or gift cards
  • Using miles to pay for purchases on Amazon
  • Snagging tickets and experiences with Capital One Entertainment

Easy-to-earn welcome bonus

Some credit card welcome offers require thousands of dollars in spending to qualify for the bonus. This card is different. The Capital One VentureOne's welcome bonus is budget-friendly: Earn 20,000 Miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.

Long 0% intro APR offer

Still paying off your last vacation? The Capital One VentureOne card offers 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. The go-to 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) APR applies at the end of the intro period. A balance transfer fee of 3% for the first 15 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time will be charged on all balance transfers with this card.

That means you can transfer your credit card debt from another card to this one and pay it off over time. You'll have 15 months until Capital One starts charging interest on the debt you transfer.

Travel credit cards and 0% APR credit cards rarely overlap. If you're interested in paying off debt while earning miles on your day-to-day spending, this card was made for you.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Best for cash back on rotating categories
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
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Best for cash rewards on everyday spending
$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
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Best for unlimited rewards on purchases
25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5-3 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable)

Downsides you should consider

Limited travel perks

While this card is branded as a travel card, its perks are pretty basic. You won't find extras like trip cancellation insurance, rental car coverage, or TSA PreCheck credits here. Most travel credit cards with these benefits charge steep annual fees.

Lower earning rate

This card earns 5X miles on hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel. On all other purchases it earns 1.25X miles per dollar. That's significantly lower than premium travel cards; unfortunately, those other cards usually charge hefty annual fees.

If you don't like annual fees, I'm right there with you. I need a travel card that doesn't cost an arm and a leg; I'm already paying an arm and a leg for my vacation!

I opted for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which has a low annual fee ($95, see rates and fees) but earns 2X miles per dollar on every purchase. I find it earns miles pretty quickly, and the $95 annual fee is bearable for my budget.

Is the Capital One VentureOne worth it?

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) is worth it if you're looking for a no annual fee card to help you earn miles. It offers a respectable earning rate across all spending categories, and has incredibly flexible redemption options.

That said, if you can afford an annual fee, you'll likely find cards with better perks and higher earning rates elsewhere.

How to apply for the Capital One VentureOne card

Applying for the Capital One VentureOne card is simple and only takes a few minutes.

You can apply on Capital One's website. All you'll need is basic information about yourself, such as your name, address, SSN or ITIN, and income.

You might receive an instant decision. If you're approved, Capital One will give you a virtual card to use online until your physical card arrives in the mail.

Is the Capital One VentureOne card hard to get?

Capital One doesn't disclose specific requirements, but most cardholders report needing a "good" credit score, typically 670 or higher, to qualify. This is similar to other rewards credit cards.

If your credit score isn't there yet, don't worry. Here are a few steps that can boost your credit score:

  • Pay your credit card bill on time each month
  • Pay off debt, especially credit card debt
  • Check your credit report for errors and dispute them

Final thoughts

The Capital One VentureOne card offers a no-fee way to earn miles and get your foot in the door with travel rewards. It's not the flashiest card, but I think it's one of the best credit cards for budget-conscious travelers.

Ready to get started? Click here to apply for the Capital One VentureOne card on Capital One's website.

Our credit card methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • Cardholders typically report credit card approvals with credit scores of 670 and higher, although some were approved with lower scores.

  • Yes, Capital One allows you to redeem your miles for cash back or gift cards. You can also use them to pay for Amazon or PayPal purchases, get tickets and experiences through Capital One Entertainment using miles, and more.