Why the Capital One Venture Card Has Been Our Favorite Travel Credit Card for 11+ Years
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When it comes to travel, one of the best pieces of advice I can give is to make your everyday spending work for you. For us, that’s meant putting almost everything on our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, a card we’ve had in our wallets for over 11 years.
From international flights to Disney vacations, this card has been the backbone of how we earn and redeem points to make travel more affordable and accessible plus it gives us extra protection. If you’ve ever wondered whether this card is worth it, let me break down exactly why it’s been our go-to for more than a decade.
Why We Chose the Venture Card
When we first started traveling internationally, we wanted a card that was:
Simple to use (no complicated category bonuses to track)
Flexible with redemptions
Packed with travel perks
The Capital One Venture Card checked all those boxes. It’s straightforward, rewarding, and perfect whether you’re new to travel rewards or have been collecting points for years.
How You Earn Miles
Earning with the Venture card is incredibly simple:
2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
No rotating categories, no mental gymnastics. Just swipe and earn.
How You Redeem Miles
Here’s where this card shines: redemption is flexible:
Use miles to erase travel purchases. Book flights, hotels, tours, or even Disney tickets however you want (directly with airlines, online travel agencies, or Disney itself). Then go into your account and redeem miles as a statement credit against those charges.
Book directly through Capital One Travel. Sometimes the rates are more competitive, plus you’ll get extra earning on certain bookings.
Transfer miles to travel partners. Capital One has 15+ airline and hotel partners (including Air Canada, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Wyndham Hotels), making it easy to maximize value if you’re into award travel.
This flexibility means we’ve been able to use miles for everything from international flights to local road trip hotels—without worrying about blackout dates or restrictive booking systems.
Key Travel Perks
After 11+ years, these perks have saved us countless dollars and headaches:
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit (up to $100 credit every 4 years) – a game-changer for getting through airports faster with kids.
No foreign transaction fees – we’ve used this card seamlessly across South Africa, Turkey, Thailand, and beyond.
Travel protection when you pay with your card – if you book your trip (flights, hotels, or rental cars) with your Venture card, you get:
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance – reimburses you for non-refundable expenses if your trip is unexpectedly canceled or cut short.
Lost luggage reimbursement – helps cover the cost if your bags are lost or damaged.
Travel accident insurance – provides coverage in case of serious injury or death while traveling.
Extended warranty protection on purchases – helpful for big travel buys like luggage or cameras.
Annual Fee & Why It’s Worth It
The Capital One Venture card has a $95 annual fee, but the value far outweighs the cost:
The welcome bonus alone usually covers years of fees.
Even moderate spenders can easily offset the fee through miles earned.
The perks (like Global Entry) more than pay for themselves.
For us, the simplicity and flexibility of the card have made it worth it year after year. If you want a card without the annual fee, check out the Capital One VentureOne card.
Why It’s Still Our #1 Pick After 11 Years
We’ve cycled through a lot of travel credit cards over the years, but the Capital One Venture is the only one that’s never left our wallet. Why? Because it’s:
Easy to use
Flexible to redeem
Packed with value for both frequent and occasional travelers
Whether you’re booking a dream Disney vacation, flying across the globe, or just wanting to save on a weekend getaway, this card makes it simple to turn everyday spending into travel memories.
Ready to Get Started?
If you’re looking for a no-fuss, high-value travel credit card, I can’t recommend the Capital One Venture card enough. It’s been our travel companion for over 11 years, and I think you’ll love it too.
👉 Click here to learn more and apply for the Capital One Venture Card today!
