Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture X
Too close to crownjust $0 apart in year one
It's close: the right pick depends on you
- Year one, the Chase Sapphire Preferred nets about $755 vs $755 for the Capital One Venture X on our conservative math: a $0 edge.
- It also costs no more to keep: about $5/year ongoing vs $5 once the signup bonus is spent.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred points (Chase Ultimate Rewards) are more flexible to transfer, which matters if you want premium-cabin awards.
- Because the values are within ~$100 of each other, neither is an outright winner. Pick on fee tolerance, which credits you'll actually use, and whether you value transfer flexibility over a lower fee.
It's a genuine toss-up: so don't let anyone rush you.
These are too close to call on the math. Skim the credits and perks below, then pick on the ones you'll actually use.
Scored, dimension by dimension
Audit the math
Chase Sapphire Preferred: $750 bonus + $100 credits − $95 fee = $755 year one, $5/yr ongoing.
Capital One Venture X: $750 bonus + $400 credits − $395 fee = $755 year one, $5/yr ongoing.
3-year value counts the signup bonus once plus three years of ongoing value: Chase Sapphire Preferred $765, Capital One Venture X $765.
Bonuses valued at our conservative planning baseline. See how we value points.
Credits & benefits, in full
Every recurring credit at face value, plus the perks that don't show up as a dollar figure. The honest worth of a card is which of these you actually use.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
- $100 annual hotel credit$100
- $120 DoorDash non-restaurant promos ($10 monthly)$120
- $120 DashPass membership$120
- Up to $100 in Chase Travel hotel credits per account anniversary year; credited purchases earn no points
- 5x on eligible Chase Travel bookings; 3x on dining, gas/EV charging, eligible online groceries, select streaming and eligible vacation homes; 2x on other travel; 1x elsewhere
- Online groceries exclude Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs
- Vacation-home 3x applies at eligible brands such as Airbnb and Vrbo; confirm eligibility before booking
- Up to $120 for one Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application every four years; excluded from annual credit math
- One year of Apple TV, a $180 issuer-stated value, when activated by December 31, 2026; excluded from annual credit math
- At least 12 months of DashPass when activated by December 31, 2029, plus up to $10 off one qualifying non-restaurant order monthly; unused discounts expire
- 5x on eligible Lyft purchases through September 30, 2027; 5x on eligible direct Peloton equipment/accessory purchases over $150, up to $5,000 spend through December 31, 2027
- Emergency evacuation and transportation, auto rental, and trip protections are subject to policy terms and exclusions
- No foreign transaction fees
- Separately sourced transfer context, reviewed September 7, 2026: Hyatt transfers are 4:3 from October 1, 2026 (1,000 Chase points become 750 Hyatt points). See the linked Chase transfer notice; this was not re-verified in the October 29 offer review.
Capital One Venture X
- $300 Capital One Travel credit$300
- 10,000 anniversary miles (~$100)Auto$100
- Up to $300 annual Capital One Travel credit; 10,000 anniversary miles, equal to $100 toward travel, starting on the first anniversary
- 10x on hotels and rental cars and 5x on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- 5x on eligible Capital One Entertainment ticketing-platform purchases (cardholder pre-sales and direct Capital One Hall/Arena tickets excluded); 2x on all other purchases
- Primary cardholder access to Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass lounges; access terms apply
- Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit once per account every four years; excluded from annual credit math
- No foreign transaction fees
Read the full reviews
Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred worth it?
The full honest review
Is the Capital One Venture X worth it?
The full honest review
Still not sure? Let your actual trip decide.
The optimizer picks the card that wins for your route: or tells you to skip both and pay cash.
Run my trip: freeHonest answers
Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture X better?
It's close: the right pick depends on you. Year one, the Chase Sapphire Preferred nets about $755 vs $755 for the Capital One Venture X on our conservative math: a $0 edge.
Which has the better signup bonus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture X?
At our conservative valuations the Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus is worth about $750 and the Capital One Venture X about $750. Offers change, so confirm the live bonus on each issuer's site.
Can I get both?
Often yes, but apply with a plan: meet one minimum spend before chasing the next, and watch issuer rules (like Chase's 5/24). A card only earns its keep if you'll actually use its credits.
How we make money, honestly: we may earn a commission if you apply for a card through one of our links, and a small commission if you book a hotel through one of our links. Both at no cost to you. Our ranking never depends on payout fields. A “pay cash” verdict earns us nothing by itself; if you then book a hotel through one of our links, we may earn a commission. Offers and terms change constantly; always confirm current details on the provider's site before booking.