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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card vs. American Express^® Gold Card [2024]: Simple Earning vs. Bonus Categories

Both cards offer plenty of great benefits, but some people may prefer the Capital One Venture’s simple rewards, while others will like the Amex Gold’s bonus categories.

By Ben Walker, CEPF, CFEI®
and Erin Gobler

Edited by Yahia Barakah, CEPF

Updated Dec. 19, 2024

4.7

Has a generous welcome offer
Offers up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® statement credit
Has an easy rewards program and highly flexible travel redemptions
Doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees
Offers valuable travel protections

4.9

Our view

We like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card over the American Express^® Gold Card because it has simple rewards rates and a lower $95 annual fee. Having straightforward rewards rates means you typically don’t need to carry more than one credit card in your wallet.

The Amex Gold will still be the better option for some cardholders. The Amex Gold bonus categories are likely better if you want to maximize your earning potential, especially if you spend a lot on dining out and groceries. And if you can earn enough to make up for the annual fee, you’ll probably find it’s well worth it.

How we evaluate products

Capital One Venture vs. Amex Gold card comparison

	Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card	American Express^® Gold Card
FinanceBuzz star ratings	4.7 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
FinanceBuzz value calculation¹ <p class="">These values are based on the <a href="https://financebuzz.com/financebuzz-credit-card-valuation">FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model</a>, which takes a look at rewards earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee. We used a valuation of 1 cent/point unless otherwise stated above. These are estimated values - your actual earnings will depend on how much you spend and in what categories.<br></p>	Year one earnings: $1,521 Year two earnings: $771	Year one earnings: $1,784 Year two earnings: $1,184
Annual fee	$95	$325
Welcome offer	Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening	Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership
Earning rate	2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25	4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, after that 1X), 4X at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X), 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 2X on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases
Other benefits	Up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees Two free visits per year to Capital One or Plaza Premium Lounges (ending Dec. 31, 2024)	Up to $120 in dining credits each year (enrollment required) Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash ($10 per month) for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders when you add your Gold card to the Uber app (enrollment required)
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Read our Capital One Venture review	Read our Amex Gold review

When to go with Capital One Venture

Capital One Venture is a simple card with a low annual fee, and is best if:

You want straightforward rewards
You want a low annual fee
You travel frequently and don’t like security lines
You prefer to stay at luxury hotels

You want straightforward rewards

If you prefer a simple and straightforward rewards structure, the Capital One Venture is likely a better choice for you than the Amex Gold. It pays 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day with no spending limits.

This is a more generous flat rewards rate than many other cards offer. If you’d rather not have to think about which card to use for each purpose to get the highest reward rate, then you’ll love the simplicity of the Capital One Venture.

You can also earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. This reward is also unlimited. Compare that with the Amex Gold, which only offers 3X points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com and 2X points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.

You want a low annual fee

Consider going with the Capital One Venture if you’d rather pay a low annual fee. Though the Venture still charges an annual fee of $95, it’s lower than plenty of other travel cards, including the Amex Gold.

When I’m deciding if an annual fee is worth it for me, I start by running the numbers to see if the card’s value can easily make up for the annual fee. In the case of the Venture, the welcome offer more than makes up for your annual fee during the first year you have the card. And in subsequent years, it would take less than $5,000 of annual spending to get your money back (or less if you take advantage of the 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel or other card perks).

Compare the Venture’s $95 annual fee with the Amex Gold’s much higher annual fee of $325. You’d have to get a lot more value from that card to make it worth it.

You travel frequently and don’t like security lines

If you regularly pay for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, you can get up to a $120 statement credit, offsetting its cost. This also instantly makes up for the card’s annual fee, making any other benefits you earn become instant rewards.

The Amex Gold doesn’t offer TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credits, so you’d be stuck paying for those out of pocket if you chose that card.

You prefer to stay at luxury hotels

If you frequently book luxury hotels, you can earn a $50 experience credit on every stay booked at a Lifestyle Collection hotel or resort. The collection has over 100 destinations and includes other benefits such as:

Room upgrades
Early check-in
Late checkout

Of course, this is only a benefit if you normally look for luxury hotels. If that’s something that’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you, don’t focus on this benefit.

When to go with American Express Gold

American Express Gold, even with its higher annual fee, is best if:

You spend a lot on dining out
You have a large grocery budget
You can offset the higher annual fee

You spend a lot on dining out

If you eat out frequently, you’ll love the 4X points per dollar you could earn at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, after that 1X).

In addition to the points you could earn on your dining out spending, American Express Gold also offers some attractive perks, including:

Up to $84 Dunkin’ credit: If you use your card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations, you can earn up to a $7 statement credit monthly
Up to $100 Resy credit: Dine at U.S. Resy restaurants and pay with your Amex, and you can earn up to $50 back every six months
Up to $120 dining credit: Get up to $10 in statement credits when you purchase from Grubhub, Goldbelly, Wine.com, or dine at The Cheesecake Factory or Five Guys.
Up to $120 Uber Cash: When you add your Amex Gold to your Uber account, you could get up to $10 in Uber Cash each month to use for either Uber ridesharing or Uber Eats. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
Select benefits require enrollment.

You have a large grocery budget

The 4X points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X) is a high rewards rate. Since the average family spends $14,000 on groceries, most households can maximize the earnings on this card.

While I wouldn’t select American Express Gold solely based on the 4X per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X), it’s a nice bonus if you’ll get other benefits from the card. For example, if you dine out frequently and have a large grocery budget, you’d quickly earn back the annual fee and profit from the card.

Additionally, since you get better redemption value from points you redeem for travel through AmexTravel.com, this card makes sense if you have a large grocery budget and travel frequently.

You can offset the higher annual fee

Most of us are quick to balk at a high annual fee, but the $325 the Amex Gold charges is well worth it if you can offset the higher annual fee with rewards points and other card perks.

Take a look at the dining perks, for example. Between the Resy credit, Dunkin’ credit, Uber Cash, and dining credit, you could get $400 in value right there. As someone whose household has a high food budget, it’s easy for me to see how quickly I could earn the annual fee back.

Capital One vs. American Express transfer partners

Both the Capital One Venture and Amex Gold have some excellent travel perks. If you’re a frequent traveler, one of your biggest considerations when choosing between these two cards might be which transfer partners you have access to.

The Capital One transfer partners and American Express transfer partners include:

Capital One		American Express
Accor AeroMexico Air Canada Air France KLM Avianca British Airways Choice Hotels Emirates	Etihad EVA Air Finnair Qantas Singapore Airlines TAP Air Portugal Turkish Airlines Virgin Red	Aer Lingus AeroMexico Air Canada Air France KLM ANA Avianca British Airways Cathay Pacific Choice Hotels Delta Emirates	Etihad Hawaiian Airlines Hilton Iberia JetBlue Marriott Bonvoy Qantas Singapore Airlines Virgin Atlantic

There’s some overlap between the transfer partners of both credit card issuers. But you can also find some unique partnerships with Capital One or American Express.

Overall, American Express has more transfer partners, but that doesn’t automatically make it better. The only way to decide which credit card company has the better transfer partners is to see which ones align with your travel plans.

For example, you might prefer Amex transfer partners because of ANA, Delta, and JetBlue. Or you might like Capital One transfer partners because of Turkish Airlines and Wyndham.

What both cards excel at

There are a few things that both the Capital One Venture and Amex Gold do well. You’ll be able to enjoy these perks no matter which card you choose:

Welcome offers: The Capital One Venture allows you to earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. Meanwhile, with the Amex Gold you can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership.
Travel coverage: Both cards offer travel perks that include no foreign transaction fees and rental car insurance. The Capital One Venture offers travel accident insurance, while the Amex Gold offers baggage insurance.² Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.<ul><li>Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. </li><li>Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. </li><li>Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.</li></ul>
Purchase protection: Both cards offer extended warranty protection on your purchases. The Amex Gold also offers purchase protection.³ When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year.<ul><li>Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. </li><li>Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. </li><li>Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.</li></ul> ⁴ Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply.  <ul><li>Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. </li><li>Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.</li><li>Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.</li></ul>
Redemption options: Both cards allow you to use your points or miles for travel within the travel portal, transfers to travel partners, statement credits, gift cards, online shopping, and more.
Entertainment: Both cards give you access to exclusive tickets and presales for sporting events, concerts, and other events.

FAQs

What card competes with Amex Gold?

These are some of the travel credit cards that compete with the American Express Gold.

Is Amex Gold a bad card?

The Amex Gold is an excellent card for earning travel rewards on everyday purchases. This includes earning 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X). If you compare credit cards, most other rewards cards can’t match this earning rate.

Is Capital One Venture a rewards card?

Yes, the Capital One Venture is a rewards card that helps you earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25. You can redeem your Capital One miles for travel, transfers to travel partners, gift cards, and more.

Bottom line

The Capital One Venture card makes sense for more people thanks to its lower annual fee and simple flat rewards rate. It may also be the better choice for people who spend a lot on travel, thanks to the 5 miles per dollar you can earn in the Capital One Travel portal.

However, we don’t think everyone should count out the American Express Gold. Depending on your spending habits, the higher annual fee could be well worth it. It’s likely the better choice if you spend a lot of money on dining out and at U.S. supermarkets to earn the elevated earning rate and if you can take advantage of the dining credits.

For more of our top recommendations, check out our list of the best travel credit cards.

Big Rewards at Restaurants

American Express^® Gold Card

4.9

American Express^® Gold Card

Learn How to Apply

See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership

Annual Fee

$325

Rewards Rate

4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, after that 1X), 4X at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X), 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 2X on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Card Details