The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card provides great value to occasional travelers who want to maximize the miles they earn. This card features a $95 annual fee and earns at least 2 miles per dollar on all purchases.

Its flashier sibling, the $395-annual-fee Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, offers an enhanced travel experience to compete with other premium products like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees).

If you don’t carry either card — the Venture Rewards or the Venture X — you may wonder: Should you apply for the well-established, crowd-pleasing Venture Rewards or go premium with the luxe Venture X?

Let’s examine both cards to help you decide which Capital One card is your best option.

Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X comparison

Card	Capital One Venture Rewards	Capital One Venture X
Annual fee	$95	$395
Welcome offer	Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.	Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Earning rates	5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5 miles per dollar spent on Capital One Entertainment purchases (through Dec. 31, 2025) 2 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases	10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5 miles per dollar spent on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel 5 miles per dollar spent on Capital One Entertainment purchases (through Dec. 31, 2025) 2 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
Other benefits	Up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Access to Lifestyle Collection hotel bookings	Up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Access to Capital One Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection hotel bookings Up to a $300 annual credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel Access to Capital One lounges and a Priority Pass membership 10,000 bonus miles at each cardholder anniversary Free additional cardholders
Foreign transaction fees	None	None

Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X welcome offer

The Venture Rewards and Venture X have the same welcome offer: New cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Both offers are worth $1,388 based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations, so you’ll get solid value from the bonus no matter which card you choose.

Winner: Tie. Both cards provide the same welcome offer.

Related: How to redeem Capital One’s 75,000 bonus miles welcome offer for maximum value

Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X benefits

With the Venture Rewards, you’ll get up to a $120 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, as well as rental car and travel accident insurance, extended warranty protection and access to Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection of hotels and Capital One Entertainment.

Conversely, the Venture X has a stronger list of benefits that more than justify its higher annual fee if you can maximize them.

As a cardholder, you’ll get a $300 annual credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel.

Currently, Venture X cardholders and their authorized users get complimentary access to Capital One lounges and can bring two guests for free. Starting Feb. 1, 2026, you’ll need to spend $75,000 in a calendar year to keep free guest access; otherwise, adults will cost $45 each, children 17 and under $25, and children under 2 remain free.

With the Venture X, you’ll also get a Priority Pass lounge membership to over 1,700 locations worldwide. Guests can again join at no additional cost until Jan. 31, 2026, after which you’ll have to pay $35 per guest.

An additional benefit of Venture X is that you can add a limited number of authorized users for no additional fee. However, starting Feb. 1, 2026, if you want your authorized user to have lounge access, you’ll have to pay $125 for the privilege.

You’ll also receive 10,000 bonus miles, worth $185 according to TPG’s August 2025 valuations, at each cardholder anniversary, along with access to Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection and the luxury Premier Collection of hotels, travel protections, extended warranty protection and cellphone protection.

Winner: Venture X. As the more premium card offering, it has a much more robust list of benefits than the Venture Rewards.

Related: Is the Capital One Venture X worth the $395 annual fee?

Earning miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X

Both the Venture Rewards and the Venture X earn bonus miles on travel booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases. Both cards also earn 5 miles per dollar spent on Capital One Entertainment purchases (through Dec. 31, 2025).

With the Venture Rewards, you’ll earn 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. However, if you have the Venture X, you’ll earn 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar spent on flights and vacation rentals booked through the same portal.

Winner: Venture X. It earns double the miles as the Venture Rewards on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. The Venture X also earns bonus miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, while the Venture Rewards does not.

Related: 7 types of purchases you should make with your Capital One Venture Rewards card

Redeeming miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X

Both the Venture Rewards and the Venture X earn Capital One miles and give you the same redemption options.

You’ll get the most value by transferring your miles to one of Capital One’s 15-plus transfer partners, but you can also redeem them for a statement credit to cover travel purchases or gift cards at a flat rate of 1 cent per mile.

Both cards allow you to redeem your miles for cash back, but you’ll get a much lower rate of 0.5 cents per mile, so we recommend avoiding this option whenever possible.

Winner: Tie. Both cards give you the same options to redeem your miles.

Related: Should you transfer Capital One miles to partners or redeem directly for travel?

Transferring miles with the Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X

One of the best things about both the Venture Rewards and the Venture X is that they allow you to transfer your miles to one of Capital One’s 15-plus hotel and airline partners, including valuable options like Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Club and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.

And if you can take advantage of a welcome bonus, you’ll get even more value from your miles. For instance, TPG senior points and miles writer Ben Smithson gets solid value from his miles by transferring them to Air Canada Aeroplan and Flying Blue.

Winner: Tie. Both the Venture Rewards and Venture X transfer to the same partners at the same rates.

Related: Cashing in Capital One miles? How to get the maximum value when redeeming miles

Should I get the Capital One Venture Rewards or Capital One Venture X?

If you’re focused on keeping your annual fee costs low, go with the Venture Rewards. You’ll get a strong earning rate, the ability to take advantage of Capital One’s transfer partners and some travel benefits for just a $95 annual fee. However, if you want airport lounge access and can maximize its $300 annual credit, the Venture X is the better choice.

Related: Who should (and shouldn’t) get the Capital One Venture X card?

How to upgrade from the Capital One Venture Rewards to the Capital One Venture X

If you already have Venture Rewards and want to upgrade to Venture X, you can call the number on the back of your card and request a product change. You won’t be able to take advantage of your new card’s welcome offer, but it’s a good way to get more benefits without worrying about eligibility.

You can also downgrade from the Venture X to the Venture Rewards through the same method.

Related: How Venture X saved me over $6,000 on a summer trip to France

Bottom line

Both the Venture Rewards and the Venture X are excellent travel rewards cards that earn bonus miles on Capital One Travel purchases and at least 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases.

The Venture X is a great card for those who can take advantage of its airport lounge access and annual travel credit, while the Venture Rewards is a better fit for anyone looking to keep their annual fee costs low. Regardless of which card you choose, you’ll get solid travel benefits and earn valuable transferable rewards.

To learn more, read our full reviews of the Venture Rewards and Venture X.

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Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards

Learn more: Capital One Venture X

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For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Through its partnership with American Express, Delta Air Lines offers one of the most comprehensive airline credit card portfolios on the market, which includes entry-level, mid-tier and premium cards (as well as business card versions of most).

If you decide that now is the time to apply, your next question will likely be: How do you choose which Delta credit card is right for you?

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a great choice for anyone seeking a card with solid benefits for a reasonable annual fee. However, more frequent Delta flyers should do some math to determine whether the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card could offer better travel benefits for its price.

Let’s do a deep dive and compare these two Delta cards so you can decide based on our analysis and your needs.

Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex comparison

Benefit	Delta Gold	Delta Platinum
Welcome offer	Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends July 16.	Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends July 16.
Annual fee	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees)	$350 (see rates and fees)
Earning rates	2 miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases with Delta, on dining at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets 1 mile per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases	3 miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases with Delta and purchases made directly with hotels worldwide 2 miles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets 1 mile per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
Baggage	First checked bag free on Delta flights (including up to eight companions on the same reservation)	First checked bag free on Delta flights (including up to eight companions on the same reservation)
Key benefits	Priority boarding (including up to eight companions on the same reservation) 20% discount in the form of statement credits on inflight purchases Up to $200 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10,000 on purchases in a calendar year Up to $100 Delta Stays statement credit per calendar year	Priority boarding (including up to eight companions on the same reservation) 20% off inflight purchases in the form of statement credits Global Entry/TSA PreCheck statement credit ($120 every four years for Global Entry, or up to $85 every 4½ years for TSA PreCheck) Complimentary upgrade for cardmembers who are not SkyMiles Medallion Members for Delta One (within the 50 United States), First Class and Delta Comfort+ after Medallion Members Up to $120 annual Resy credit every calendar year on eligible purchases in the U.S. (up to $10 monthly statement credit) Up to $120 annual ride-hailing credit each calendar year on select U.S. providers (up to $10 monthly statement credit) Up to $150 Delta Stays statement credit per calendar year Hertz Five Star status (enrollment in the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program required) Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply
Companion certificate	None	U.S, Mexico, Caribbean or Central American Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year at renewal
Status boost	None	MQD Headstart: Cardmembers receive 2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year Earn 1 MQD for every $20 spent in a calendar year

Related: Current offers on the Delta SkyMiles cards

Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex welcome offer

New Delta Gold Amex cardmembers can earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends July 16.

This bonus is worth $920, based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations. This matches the highest welcome offer we’ve seen on the card which we saw about nine months ago.

With the Delta Platinum Amex, you can earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends July 16.

These bonus miles are worth $1,035, based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations. This offer is slightly below the highest we’ve seen on the card but a great offer to consider if you’ve been eyeing this card.

While you’re getting more value out of the welcome offer on the Delta Platinum, be sure to factor the annual fee into your equation.

The Delta Platinum has a $350 annual fee, whereas the Delta Gold has a more modest $0 introductory annual fee for the first year and then a $150 annual fee every subsequent year.

Also, keep in mind that American Express limits cardmembers to one welcome offer per card per lifetime. It’s important to ensure you get the best welcome offer available. Since American Express limits welcome offers on cards within the same family, if you’ve received an offer for the Delta Platinum in the past, you may not be eligible to receive one on the Delta Gold.

Winner: Delta Platinum Amex. Its welcome offer is more valuable.

Related: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions

Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex benefits

The primary long-term benefits that set the Delta Platinum apart from the Delta Gold are the MQD boost and earning potential.

Delta Platinum cardmembers will receive 2,500 MQD toward elite status at the start of each Medallion Qualification Year and earn 1 MQD for every $20 spent in a calendar year. The Delta Gold does not include any elite status headstarts.

Both the Delta Platinum and Delta Gold offer statement credits.

The Delta Platinum has a slew of statement credits, including:

• Up to $120 Resy credit each calendar year on eligible purchases in the U.S. (up to $10 monthly)
• Up to $120 ride-hailing credit with select U.S. providers every calendar year (up to $10 monthly)
• Up to $150 Delta Stays credit per calendar year
• Hertz Five Star status
• Enrollment is required for select benefits, and terms apply.

Meanwhile, Delta Gold cardmembers receive:

• Up to $100 Delta Stays statement credit per calendar year
• A $200 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10,000 on purchases in a calendar year

The Delta Platinum Amex companion certificate can be put toward a second seat in Main Cabin (L, U, T, X and V fares, but not Basic Economy “E” fares) on a round-trip itinerary on Delta or Delta Connection to the 50 U.S. states, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. You just pay the taxes and fees of no more than $80 on domestic itineraries and $250 on international itineraries.

That can amount to huge savings if you put it toward an otherwise expensive ticket.

In addition, the Delta Platinum Amex offers a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit, which is available once every four to 4½ years. Cardmembers will receive a $120 Global Entry credit every four years or an up to $85 TSA PreCheck credit every 4½ years.

Enrollment is required for select benefits, and terms apply.

Winner: Delta Platinum Amex. Thanks to its variety of statement credits and MQD boost and earning capabilities, it wins against the Delta Gold Amex.

Earning miles on the Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex

Both cards earn Delta SkyMiles, which TPG’s July 2025 valuations peg at 1.15 cents a piece

The Delta Gold earns:

• 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta (2.3% return)
• 2 miles per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S) and at U.S. supermarkets (2.3% return)
• 1 mile per dollar spent on other eligible purchases (approximately a 1.2% return)

Meanwhile, the Delta Platinum earns:

• 3 miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and hotels worldwide
• 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases made on dining at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets (2.3% return)
• 1 mile per dollar spent on other eligible purchases (approximately a 1.2% return)

Both cards have almost identical earning rates, with just two exceptions. The Delta Platinum earns an additional mile per dollar spent on Delta purchases (3 miles per dollar as opposed to 2). The Delta Platinum also earns 3 miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with hotels worldwide (as opposed to 1 mile per dollar with the Delta Gold).

Both cards earn the same number of miles on dining at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets.

If you spend reasonable amounts with Delta and at hotels, it makes sense to go with the Delta Platinum.

Winner: Delta Platinum Amex. The increased earning rates in select categories allow cardmembers to earn SkyMiles at a faster rate.

Related: Is the Delta Platinum worth the annual fee

Redeeming miles on the Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex

With both the Delta Gold and Delta Platinum, the most straightforward way to redeem your miles is by booking award flights on Delta and its partners. Since Delta uses a dynamic award pricing system, redemption rates can vary and fluctuate at any time.

This means you can’t really aim for a set amount of miles to book a specific award.

That said, the Delta SkyMiles program still has some sweet spots. For example, one of the best ways to redeem Delta SkyMiles is to book a SkyMiles deal. Delta frequently has mileage flash sales with significantly discounted economy and even Delta One award flights.

You can also redeem Delta SkyMiles to fly on Delta’s partner airlines, including SkyTeam alliance partners like Air France and Korean Air and nonalliance partners.

Furthermore, you can redeem SkyMiles for many things other than flights — including premium drinks in Delta Sky Clubs. Most of these redemptions yield a lower return than when redeeming for flights.

TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson likes to redeem his SkyMiles for last-minute domestic flights, especially transcontinental routes from the Pacific Northwest, as you can score great deals and save 15% off the cost using the TakeOff 15 benefit offered by both cards.

Winner: Tie. The cards’ redemption options are the same.

Related: Is the Delta Gold Amex annual fee worth it?

Should I get the Delta Gold Amex or Delta Platinum Amex?

If you can take advantage of the additional perks and benefits the Delta Platinum offers, you should go with that. However, if you are aiming to keep your costs low or only fly with Delta once or twice each year, the Delta Gold is the better choice.

How to upgrade from the Delta Gold Amex to the Delta Platinum Amex

The Delta Gold is the younger sibling of the Delta Platinum card, and it’s fairly simple to upgrade. Because both are personal cards, you can call American Express customer service and request an upgrade. You’ll need to do the same thing to downgrade your Delta Platinum to a Delta Gold.

When upgrading your card, you forgo earning the welcome offer on the Delta Platinum card. Therefore, my advice is to wait for an upgrade offer before changing your Delta Gold to a Delta Platinum.

Remember that American Express has a once-per-lifetime policy for awarding welcome bonuses and has restrictions on earning welcome bonuses for cards within the same family.

Bottom line

If you fly Delta often, the Delta Platinum is a great way to boost your SkyMiles account while enjoying several excellent perks, such as the annual companion certificate at card renewal and various statement credits. However, even infrequent Delta flyers will get value from the Delta Gold thanks to a solid welcome offer and basic benefits.

To learn more, check out our full reviews of the Delta Gold and Delta Platinum.

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Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex

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For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card, click here.