I’ve just paid my third annual fee for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, and I did so with complete confidence.
The reason is straightforward: Each year, this card effectively rewards me for keeping it, resulting in a net gain.
Here’s why it has been one of the most rewarding cards I’ve ever held—long after the initial excitement of the welcome bonus faded—and why I intend to keep it for many more years.
Related: Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X: Is the extra $300 justified?
Why I’m Glad to Pay the Annual Fee Again
While the $395 fee for the Venture X is notable, it’s actually lower than many competing premium cards.
During my second year, I leveraged the card’s perks to gain nearly $800 in value from a Caribbean winter getaway to the stunning island of Grenada. This included my TSA PreCheck and Global Entry fees, which continue to save me considerable time at U.S. airports.
Here are the benefits I appreciate in my third year of card membership:
- Annual credit: $300 in credits for bookings via the Capital One Travel portal every cardmember year.
- Anniversary bonus: 10,000 bonus miles on each account anniversary (starting on my first anniversary), valued at $185 according to Flying Frugal’s December 2025 evaluations.
- Lounge access: Free entry for myself and up to two guests to Capital One Lounges and over 1,800 Priority Pass lounges. Note that guest access will tighten in 2026.
- Excellent earning rates: I earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals, and 5 miles per dollar on vacation rentals and flights booked through Capital One Travel.
- Solid everyday earning rates: Earning 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases.
The $300 Capital One Travel credit and the 10,000 anniversary miles effectively cover the $395 annual fee for me each year. The lounge access and robust earning rates enable me to accumulate tens of thousands of Capital One miles beyond just the anniversary bonus annually.
Related: Great news: Discover the Capital One Venture X’s 100,000-mile bonus—its best in 4 years!
Venture X: My Go-To Card
I own several travel credit cards with various perks and rewards. Keeping track of which card earns bonuses for specific purchases can be overwhelming, especially during busy transactions.
My Venture X card offers 2 miles per dollar on all purchases, making it the most rewarding option in my wallet, even more so than the popular Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees). This is why I’ve set it as my default card in my Google Pay app.
My husband is an authorized user on all my cards. While he enjoys redeeming points and miles, like booking an award seat on Qatar Airways’ Qsuite business class, he isn’t as enthusiastic about credit cards as I am.
To simplify things for him, I’ve also made the Venture X his default card in Google Pay. Now he can easily earn 2 miles per dollar spent without worrying about memorizing multiple earning rates.
Maximizing My Venture X as a Third-Year Member
In 2026, I’m planning to explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
I’ll use the $300 travel credit from my Venture X to reduce my hotel expenses in Lexington, the starting point for the tours. As I’ll be staying several nights, my accommodation costs will likely exceed $300. For any excess, I’ll earn 10 miles per dollar spent by booking through the Capital One Travel portal.
I plan to fly into Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) on British Airways from London, using my 10,000 anniversary miles (plus additional miles earned over the past year) to cover the flights by transferring them to the British Airways program at a 1:1 ratio.
I’ll also need a rental car for my trip from Cincinnati to Lexington, which I’ll book through Capital One Travel for a chance to earn 10 miles per dollar and utilize the included car rental collision damage waiver—though I hope not to need it.
Related: Bourbon tasting and baseball bats: Why Louisville is the ideal destination for a father-daughter trip
Final Thoughts
The Venture X card remains my primary card due to its overall value surpassing the annual fee.
Currently, new applicants can earn an impressive welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 within the first six months. If you’ve ever contemplated adding this card to your wallet, now is the ideal time to apply!
