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.
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.
💡 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, the Sapphire Preferred 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
The Sapphire Preferred includes:
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
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 for its easy of use.
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?” 😌
