Capital One Venture X vs. American Express Platinum: Which Card is Best for You?
Updated April 4, 2024 at 12:42 pm
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The differences come down to whether you want an affordable, easy-to-use premium travel card or a top-of-the-line luxury travel card that takes work to maximize benefits.
Methodology Understanding the value of cash back is simple, but valuing airline miles or points redeemable for travel requires digging a bit deeper. At Newsweek, we’ve developed a common language to talk about the value of points and miles: our valuations.
Our valuations translate points into dollars and cents in a way that reflects reality. They are based on actual data across a balance of accessible redemption options, not just the aspirational first and business class redemptions that require a PhD in miles and points to book. The upshot is that our valuations help you understand the actual value you can easily get from your miles and points.
Expert Take
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is better for travelers looking for an affordable premium travel card and enjoy easily earning and redeeming miles. The Platinum Card® from American Express is better for frequent travelers who enjoy luxury perks and can maximize as many card benefits as possible to help justify the card’s annual fee (see rates and fees).
Capital One Venture X Overview
Pros
- Offers generous travel perk, including an annual travel credit
- Earns miles on all card purchases
- Annual fee is lower than other top premium travel cards
Cons
- Limited number of airline and hotel partners
- Welcome offer is lower than other premium travel cards
With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which has a $395 annual fee, you get access to premium travel benefits, like airport lounges, exclusive reservations and experience credits for specific luxury hotel stays.
Amex Platinum Overview
Pros
- Extensive airport lounge access
- Valuable statement credits and merchant offers
- Priority status with several hotel brands upon enrollment
Cons
- Annual fee is one of the highest
- Bonus rewards cater to spending with Amex Travel
- It can be a challenge to maximize the available credits each year
The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a significant amount of rewards and perks, which can justify the steep $695 annual fee. Frequent travelers will enjoy perks including an annual hotel credit, credit for airline incidental charges, credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and even Uber Cash.
Vault’s Viewpoints on the Capital One Venture X vs. Amex Platinum
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card charges a $395 annual fee, which is substantially less than the American Express Platinum card’s $695 fee. Additionally, earning miles with the Venture X card is straightforward, with cardholders earning 2X miles for every dollar spent.
The Platinum Card® from American Express is good for customers who are willing to pay the high annual fee in exchange for the card’s substantial list of rewards. But customers who aren’t frequent travelers or who won’t regularly use the available perks might be better off with the Capital One Venture X card.
Both cards are premium travel cards that offer numerous travel perks and benefits. Frequent travelers who prefer rebates on luxury experiences might prefer the American Express Platinum card over the Capital One Venture X card. But for average travelers who appreciate perks and some rewards benefits, the Capital One Venture X card gets the job done without as high of an annual fee.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Highlights
Earning Rewards With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a simple bonus rewards structure. With Venture X, you’ll earn:
- 10X miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One
- 5X miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One
- 2X miles on all other purchases
Other Benefits of the Capital One Venture X
The Capital One Venture X card comes with a host of benefits and perks, including the following:
- Up to $300 in annual statement credits for travel purchases booked through Capital One Travel
- Cardholders receive 10,000 bonus miles on each card anniversary
- Access for you and two guests to Capital One airport lounges and partner lounges
- Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit every four years
- Cell phone protection
- Up to $100 experience credit on certain luxury hotel stays
- Hertz President’s Circle status
- Auto rental collision waiver
- Access to exclusive restaurant reservations and events through Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment
- Complimentary PRIOR subscription (upon enrollment) and The Cultivist subscription
- Miles don’t expire for the life of the account
- No foreign transaction fees
- No blackout dates
- Free additional cardholders
Is the Capital One Venture X Worth It?
The Capital One Venture X card is worth it, especially in the first year. You can earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. Newsweek values Capital One Venture miles at 1.21 cents per point, so earning 75,000 miles can be worth approximately $907.50 if you transfer your miles to a high-value transfer partner.
So, if you earn 75,000 bonus miles, the Capital One Venture X card is worth the $395 annual fee in your first year of card ownership in our view. Then the $300 annual travel credit makes the annual fee even more manageable.
The Platinum Card® from American Express Platinum Highlights
Earning Rewards with The Platinum Card® from American Express
Here’s a look at some of the top benefits included with the American Express Platinum card:
- 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year (then 1X)
- 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
- 1X points on other purchases
Other Benefits of the Amex Platinum Card
You’ll be hard-pressed to find another rewards card with as many benefits as the American Express Platinum card. Here is a list of benefits you receive as a cardholder:
- Up to $200 in hotel credits
- Fee credit for Global Entry ($100 every four years) or TSA PreCheck (up to $85 every four and a half years) for application fee
- Up to $240 in digital entertainment credits
- Up to $300 in Equinox credits
- Complimentary access to the Global Lounge Collection
- Up to $200 Uber Cash
- Up to $200 Airline fee credit annually for incidental fees
- $155 Walmart+ credit
- Up to $100 in statement credits annually for Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com ($50 twice a year, enrollment required)
- Up to $189 CLEAR® Plus credit
- Resy Global dining access when you add your card
- Platinum travel service
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- Hilton Honors Gold status enrollment
- Car rental privileges with premium status for several car rental programs (Avis, Hertz, National)
- Premium global assist hotline*
- $300 statement credit after you use your card to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike (Equinox+ subscription required)
- Car rental loss and damage insurance*
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance*
- Trip delay insurance*
- Purchase protection*
- Extended warranty*
- Return protection* up to 90 days from date of purchase
- Preferred Access and premium seats for events based on availability
- Free 2-day shipping on eligible items with ShopRunner (enrollment required)
- No foreign transaction fees
Is the Amex Platinum Worth It?
With the American Express Platinum card, you can earn 80,000 Membership rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. Newsweek values American Express Membership Rewards points at 1.19 cents per point, so earning 80,000 points can be worth approximately $952 if you take advantage of the right travel transfer partner.
If you earn 80,000 membership rewards points, it makes the American Express Platinum card worth the $695 annual fee in your first year of card ownership based on our assessment. But to make sure the Amex Platinum is worth it in subsequent years of card ownership, it’s important to maximize all annual rewards.
Who Is Capital One Venture X Best For?
The Capital One Venture X card is best for consumers who want a card that makes it easy to earn miles on all purchases. Cardholders who want a streamlined approach and an annual fee under $400 would prefer the Capital One Venture X card. It’s not a good card for travelers who want extensive lounge access or elite status with other travel brands.
Who Is Amex Platinum Best For?
The American Express Platinum card is best for consumers who travel frequently and can take advantage of the many different perks available, such as credit for incidental travel fees and Uber Cash. It’s also a good fit for people who are already enjoying luxury living and have membership to Equinox or shop at Saks Fifth Avenue because it can offset costs they already incur.
The Platinum card wouldn’t be a good fit for people who only travel once or twice per year or wouldn’t regularly benefit from the many rewards and perks this card offers. The annual fee is too high to justify some of the perks if you don’t regularly use them.
Capital One Venture X vs. Amex Platinum Differences
| Capital One Venture X | Amex Platinum | |
| Annual fee | $395 | $695 |
| Intro offer | Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of card ownership | Earn 80,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first six months of card ownership |
| Annual travel credit | $300 | Up to $200 in hotel credits |
| Lounge access | Access to Capital One lounges and more than 1,300 lounges through Priority Pass and Plaza Premium Group | Access to more than 1,400 airport lounges through the Global Lounge Collection |
| Elite status | Hertz President’s Circle status | Complimentary status with Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, and National Car Rental Emerald Club (enrollment required) |
Who Should Consider an Alternative?
The Capital One Venture X and Amex Platinum cards are two of the best travel cards available. But there are plenty of other options to choose from. If the Capital One Venture X doesn’t have enough perks for you and the Amex Platinum is too much work, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is another premium travel credit card worth considering.
The Sapphire Reserve is loaded with an impressive amount of perks, including the chance to earn impressive travel and dining rewards. It also provides access to the Chase Travel portal, which can offer exceptional value when booking travel through here. If the Venture X and Amex Platinum cards don’t feel right for you, the Sapphire Reserve is worth a look.
For more information on how the Sapphire Reserve stacks up against these two cards:
For travelers who aren’t interested in premium features, Capital One and American Express both offer less-expensive travel credit cards that are worth considering.
Capital One Travel credit cards
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: $95 annual fee
- Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: $0 annual fee
American Express travel credit cards
- American Express® Gold Card: $250 annual fee (see rates and fees)
- American Express® Green Card: $150 annual fee
All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Newsweek.com. The American Express® Green Card is no longer available through Newsweek.com.
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. We may earn a commission from partner links on Newsweek, but commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
