Chase Sapphire Preferred Outperforms Capital One Venture Rewards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card generally offers a more advantageous rewards structure and benefits for a wide range of travelers when compared to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Both cards carry a $95 annual fee and recommend a credit score of 670 or higher, making them accessible options for those new to travel rewards.

Chase Sapphire Preferred provides 5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, gas, EV charging, select streaming services, online groceries, and vacation homes, and 2 points per dollar on other travel. In contrast, the Capital One Venture Rewards card offers 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases.

For new cardholders, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months. The Capital One Venture Rewards card offers a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months. While both welcome bonuses are substantial, the Chase Sapphire Preferred's bonus is larger and requires a slightly higher spending threshold.

Beyond base earning rates, the Chase Sapphire Preferred's bonus categories are more diverse, covering essential spending like dining and gas, which are often significant expenses for travelers. The Capital One Venture Rewards card's higher earning rate is primarily limited to travel booked through its own portal, which may not always offer the best prices or availability. This makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred a more flexible and potentially more rewarding card for everyday spending and a broader spectrum of travel bookings.