If you’ve recently been trying to decide between the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, congratulations… you are already looking at two fantastic options.
That said, even if you end up with both, there’s still a decision to be made.
These cards get grouped together all the time because they hit very similar sweet spots with solid travel perks, flexible points, super reasonable annual fees, and little upkeep.
And right now, the Venture Card is looking even sweeter than normal thanks to its limited-time welcome offer: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.
Let’s look at the two most popular mid-tier travel cards side-by-side to see which one makes sense for you.
How These Cards Compare
Think of the Venture Card as the simple, powerful, “no math required” travel card.
As someone who hates math with a deep, fiery passion, I freaking love the Venture Card.
You earn miles quickly, you can redeem them easily, and you don’t have to track any rotating categories or monthly credits. It’s just easy.
The Sapphire Preferred, on the other hand, involves a tad more strategy. It rewards you for knowing how (and where) to spend, and it’s great if you plan to transfer points to hotel and airline partners like Hyatt, for example.
Neither of these cards is flashy, but they’re both incredibly useful. The real questions come down to what trip you’re looking at, where you spend the most money, and what your long-term goals are.
Welcome Offers and Potential Value
Right now, you can earn:
75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
$250 to use in Capital One Travel during your first cardholder year
That combo is worth $1,000 in travel, which is a big deal for a card with a sub-$100 annual fee.
And the best part is that you don’t need to be a redemption wiz to use it. You can book travel through Capital One Travel or cover your eligible travel purchases with miles after the fact.
💳 Don’t Miss: Mike breaks down exactly how to use the $250 travel credit in this newsletter.
The Sapphire Preferred’s welcome offer changes more frequently, but it’s typically structured as a points-only bonus after meeting a similar spending requirement.
It can still be very valuable (especially if you plan to transfer points), but dollar-for-dollar, the Venture Card’s current offer is an easier win for most people.
Here’s the current Sapphire Preferred offer: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
💡 Pro Tip: If you want instant, easy travel value with minimal learning curve, the Venture Card wins out, in my opinion. If you’re planning future Hyatt stays or international airline transfers, Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. can be super valuable.
Annual Fees, Credits, and Perks
Both cards keep things super reasonable.
Venture Card Annual Fee: $95
Sapphire Preferred Annual Fee: $95
Again, right now, the Venture Card does include a $250 Capital One Travel credit in the first year with the current offer, which effectively wipes out the annual fee and then some.
The Sapphire Preferred doesn’t come with that large a credit, but it does include:
10% anniversary points bonus on total spend
$50 in statement credits each year for hotels booked through Chase TravelSM (which covers more than half of the fee)
Strong travel protections
Solid rental car insurance coverage
Neither card overloads you with perks, which is honestly kind of the point.
Earning and Redeeming Points
2x miles on everything
5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Sapphire Preferred
5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ and qualifying Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027)
3x points on dining, select streaming, and online grocery
2x points on other travel
1x on everything else
The Sapphire Preferred rewards intentional spending. The Venture Card rewards all spending.
💭 My Take: If you want to earn solid rewards without thinking about it, then the Venture Card is ideal. If you enjoy optimizing categories and squeezing extra value from specific purchases, the Sapphire Preferred is a little more fun.
Transfer Partners vs. Simple Redemptions
Both cards earn flexible points, but they’re best used differently.
Capital One miles transfer to a wide range of airline partners, too, but these miles are also just super versatile, since you can:
Book travel through Capital One Travel
Or cover eligible travel purchases at a flat 1 cent per mile
✨ Dream Session: Here are five real trips you could book using just the welcome offer from the Venture Card alone.
Sapphire Preferred
Chase Ultimate Rewards points are famous for many reasons, but one big one is Hyatt. You can also transfer to airlines like United, Flying Blue, Southwest, Air Canada (Aeroplan), and Avios, which makes this card especially appealing for both domestic and international flights.
Travel Protections and Extras
Both of these cards include:
Trip delay and cancellation coverage
Lost luggage protection
Primary rental car insurance
No foreign transaction fees
You’re well-covered either way. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is often seen as slightly stronger on protections, but for most people, the difference is pretty small.
Which Card Is Right for You?
Choose the Venture Card if:
You want easy earning and easy redemptions
You don’t want to track categories
You like flexibility with flights, hotels, and vacation rentals
You want to maximize a limited-time offer with immediate value
Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card if:
You spend decently on dining and travel
You already have other Chase cards and want to build a points ecosystem
You enjoy being a little strategic with your rewards
Bottom Line
The Venture Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card aren’t necessarily “rivals,” but they’re just built slightly differently.
The Venture Card is the ultimate no-brainer travel card, and right now, its limited-time offer makes it especially compelling for both beginners and seasoned travelers who want flexibility without any crazy hassle.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is still a classic for a reason. If you love transfer partners and want outsized value with a little bit of strategy, it’s still one of the smartest cards you can hold.
And if you’re asking which one I’d start with today? It’d be Venture Card first. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card later. But I’ll leave you with one final thought… “¿Por qué no los dos?” 😌
