We prefer the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card over The Platinum Card® from American Express because it has a lower $395 annual fee (compared to a $695 annual fee) and much simpler rewards and benefits.
You might choose the American Express Platinum over the Capital One Venture X if you prefer certain benefits depending on the situation, but we still think the Venture X is the better option overall.
Explore our Venture X vs. Amex Platinum card review to see which one makes the most sense for you.
Key takeaways
- We recommend the Venture X over the Amex Platinum for most people because it has a lower $395 annual fee and simple rewards rate while still providing excellent travel benefits.
- The Amex Platinum could make sense depending on the travel benefits you want. Overall, the Amex Platinum provides more airport lounge access than the Venture X.
Venture X vs. Amex Platinum comparison
Card type | Travel | Travel |
Credit card issuer | Capital One | American Express |
Annual fee | $395 | $695 |
Welcome offer | Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening | Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months |
Earning rate | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25 | 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases |
Redemption methods |
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Annual credits |
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Travel perks |
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Travel insurance |
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Other benefits |
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Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
Credit needed | Excellent | Excellent, Good |
Read full review | Read full review |
Our verdict
- We recommend the Capital One Venture X because it has a much lower $395 annual fee and easy ways to almost immediately offset the annual cost, including the $300 travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel and 10,000 bonus miles each account anniversary. We also like how simple the rewards rate is on the Venture X.
Venture X benefits and drawbacks
- Simple rewards rate
- Airport lounge access to Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One Lounges (for you and up to two guests depending on availability)
- $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 anniversary miles
- No foreign transaction fees
- No fee to add an authorized user
- $395 annual fee
- Travel credit can only be used through Capital One Travel
The Capital One Venture X is an excellent credit card for travelers because of its many travel benefits, such as airport lounge access to Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One Lounges. And you can even invite up to two guests to applicable lounges depending on availability.
The Venture X has a $395 annual fee, but travelers shouldn’t have any problem using two specific benefits to help offset the cost. The first benefit is a $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel. That helps cover a flight, hotel stay, or car rental. The second benefit is receiving 10,000 anniversary miles each year, which could be used for another $100 toward Capital One Travel bookings.
If you’re able to use both of those benefits, you’ve essentially offset the $395 annual fee, and all other card perks and rewards simply provide additional value.
Read our Venture X review.
Amex Platinum benefits and drawbacks
- Airport lounge access through Priority Pass, International American Express Lounges, The Centurion Lounge, Delta Sky Club, and more
- No foreign transaction fees
- (Select benefits require enrollment)
- $695 annual fee
- Average earning rate for everyday spending
The Platinum Card from American Express is an excellent travel credit card if you like having loads of different perks and benefits. The main drawback is its $695 annual fee, but you could more than offset the cost if you can take advantage of the Amex Platinum’s many annual credits and other benefits.
For example, with just three benefits, you’ve almost offset the $695 annual fee:
- Up to $240 annual digital entertainment credit
- Up to $200 annual Uber Cash (starting 11/8/2024, you must use an Amex card as the payment method to redeem your Amex Uber Cash benefit)
- Up to $200 annual airline fee credit
- (Select benefits require enrollment.)
The issue here is that not everyone will receive the same value from each of the Amex Platinum benefits. For instance, the up to $300 annual Equinox credit (requires enrollment) is nearly useless if you don’t use or plan on using Equinox for a gym membership.
Fortunately, you don’t have to use every single one of the Amex Platinum’s benefits for the card to be worth it for you. Depending on the situation, you might only find value in a few benefits, such as if you frequently use the airport lounge access (requires enrollment) on your travels. But those benefits could be enough to make the card worthwhile.
Read our Amex Platinum review.
What both cards excel at
As premium travel cards, the Venture X and Amex Platinum share a few similarities:
- Welcome offers: Both cards provide welcome offers, giving new cardmembers the opportunity to earn valuable rewards if they meet the requirements.
- Flexible rewards: The Venture X and Amex Platinum earn rewards that have a variety of redemption options, including travel, gift cards, and covering certain purchases. You can also transfer rewards from either card to applicable airline and hotel travel partners.
- Travel insurance: You automatically receive certain travel insurance benefits when you use either card to make certain purchases. This could include trip delay reimbursement, baggage insurance, and more.
- Helpful protections: Both cards provide useful purchase-related protections for eligible purchases and items, including return protection, extended warranty coverage, and cell phone protection.
8 important differences between Venture X and Amex Platinum
While they’re both travel cards, the Venture X and Amex Platinum have many differences.
1. Annual fees
The Venture X has a $395 annual fee, and the Amex Platinum has a $695 annual fee. If you consider nothing else, the Venture X is the better card because of its lower cost.
Compared to most credit cards, the Amex Platinum’s $695 annual fee is much higher than average.
Winner: Capital One Venture X because it has a lower annual fee of $395.
2. Annual credits and benefits
The Venture X provides these annual credits and benefits:
- $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 bonus anniversary miles
The Amex Platinum provides these annual credits and benefits:
- Up to $240 annual digital entertainment credit
- Up to $200 annual Uber Cash
- Up to $200 annual hotel credit for prepaid Amex Travel bookings through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection (requires a minimum two-night stay)
- Up to $200 airline fee credit per calendar year
- Up to $199 annual CLEAR Plus credit
- Up to $155 and applicable local sales tax per year Walmart+ credit
- Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit
- Up to $300 annual Equinox credit
- (Select benefits require enrollment.)
If you’re able to use all of these credits and benefits on both cards, the Amex Platinum provides much more value.
Winner: The Platinum Card from American Express because it provides more annual credits and benefits where you could earn value.
3. Earning potential
The Venture X provides 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25.
The Amex Platinum provides 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
The better rewards rate depends on your spending habits, but we think the Venture X has a simpler earning rate that could appeal to more people.
Winner: Capital One Venture X because it has a simple rewards rate that makes it easier to earn rewards on different types of eligible purchases.
4. Transfer partners
The Venture X lets you transfer Capital One miles to these Capital One transfer partners:
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The Amex Platinum lets you transfer Membership Rewards Points to these American Express transfer partners:
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Overall, the better transfer partners for you depend on your specific travel plans and preferences.
Winner: It’s a tie because you can access a number of transfer partners through either card, but the better options for you depend on your circumstances.
5. Elite status
Venture X cardholders can receive Hertz President’s Circle elite status.
Amex Platinum cardmembers can receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, Hilton Honors Gold status, Avis Preferred Plus Elite status, Hertz President’s Circle Elite status, and National Emerald Club Executive Elite status (select benefits require enrollment).
Considering the Amex Platinum matches what you can receive for elite status on the Venture X and goes well beyond, it’s the clear winner.
Winner: The Platinum Card from American Express because it provides more opportunities to receive elite status with different loyalty programs.
6. Airport lounge access
With the Venture X, you can access these airport lounge networks:
- Capital One Lounge
- Priority Pass
- Plaza Premium Lounge
You also receive complimentary access for up to two guests, depending on availability.
With the Amex Platinum, you can access the Global Lounge Collection, including these lounge networks:
- The Centurion Lounge
- International American Express Lounges
- Priority Pass
- Delta SkyClub
- Airspace
- Plaza Premium Lounge
- Lufthansa Lounges
- (Select benefits require enrollment)
You can generally bring up to two guests with you at no additional cost to Priority Pass, Airspace, Plaza Premium, and International American Express Lounges, depending on availability (select benefits require enrollment).
Overall, the Amex Platinum provides more airport lounge access than the Venture X.
Winner: The Platinum Card from American Express because it provides access to more airport lounges than the Venture X.
7. Credit requirements
You typically need an excellent credit score to qualify for the Venture X, while you typically need a good or excellent credit score to qualify for the Amex Platinum. If you’re still in the process of improving your credit history, it could be easier to qualify for the Amex Platinum.
Keep in mind that credit card companies consider multiple factors to determine your eligibility for a new card. Your credit score is often one of those factors, but it’s not the only consideration.
Winner: The Platinum Card from American Express because it generally has less strict credit requirements.
8. Authorized users
The Venture X allows you to add cardholders to your account at no additional cost. Even better, the additional cardholder accounts receive many of the same benefits, including airport lounge access, Hertz President’s Circle elite status, and travel insurance.
The Amex Platinum lets you add two types of additional cardholders:
- Platinum Card: Costs $195 for each additional card user.
- Companion Platinum Card: Costs $0 for additional cardholders.
Additional Platinum cardholders receive some of the same benefits as the primary Amex Platinum cardholders, including the same airport lounge access, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, and Hilton Honors Gold status (select benefits require enrollment).
Additional companion cardholders don’t receive airport lounge access or elite status benefits.
Winner: Capital One Venture X because you can add authorized users at no additional cost, and they receive many of the same benefits as the primary account holder.
Which credit card should you choose?
When you should choose Venture X
- You want a lower $395 annual fee
- You want a simple rewards rate that can work for both travel and everyday purchases
- You want to add complimentary additional cardholders who receive many of your primary benefits
- You prefer Capital One transfer partners
- You have an existing relationship with Capital One
When you should choose Amex Platinum
- You want a rewards rate that makes sense for frequent travelers
- You want increased airport lounge access
- You want more opportunities to have elite status with different loyalty programs
- You prefer American Express transfer partners
- You have an existing relationship with American Express
What factors to consider before choosing
It’s important to ask yourself a few questions if deciding between the Venture X vs. Amex Platinum, which could include:
- How do you want to earn rewards? The Venture X has a simple rewards rate that could help you earn travel rewards on everyday purchases.
- Do your local airports have lounges you can access with benefits from either card? Both cards provide airport lounge access, but whether that’s useful to you depends on the airports you frequent.
- Is your credit score high enough to potentially qualify for either card? The Amex Platinum generally has less strict credit requirements.
- Are you planning on adding any authorized users? The Venture X doesn’t charge for additional cardholders.
- How much of an annual fee are you willing to pay? The Venture X has a lower $395 annual fee.
We think either card could make sense depending on the situation. But the Venture X is an ideal fit for just about any type of traveler that wants a premium credit card. It’s easy to use and has simple, straightforward, and valuable travel benefits.
The Amex Platinum is more of a luxury travel card that has an almost overwhelming selection of perks and benefits. It suits more frequent travelers who take enough trips to use many of the available benefits.
FAQ
Does it make sense to have the Amex Platinum and the Venture X?
It could make sense if you want to take advantage of specific benefits on both cards. For example, the Venture X provides airport lounge access to Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One Lounges. With the Amex Platinum, you could also access The Centurion Lounge, International American Express Lounges, Delta Sky Club, and Lufthansa Lounges. (Select benefits require enrollment.)
Is it hard to get approved for the Capital One Venture X?
It could be hard since the Venture X typically requires an excellent credit score, which is the highest credit score possible. But Capital One and other credit card issuers often check multiple factors other than your credit score to determine your eligibility for a new credit card. Those factors could include your income, debt, payment history, and more.
Are there any Capital One Venture X bonuses?
The Venture X provides a welcome offer to new cardmembers where you can earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Cardholder benefits also include a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus and a $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel.
Venture X vs. Amex Platinum: bottom line
In general, we recommend the Capital One Venture X over the Amex Platinum because it has a lower $395 annual fee and simpler benefits. The Amex Platinum shines in many aspects, including its airport lounge access, but it has a lot of benefits to keep track of and a high $695 annual fee.
For more of our recommended credit card offers for travelers, check out our list of the best travel credit cards.