Credit Cards Travel Credit Cards

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card vs. American Express Platinum Card^® [2025]: The Venture X Reigns Supreme

We generally recommend the Capital One Venture X over the Platinum Card® because it offers high value at a lower price point, but you might prefer the Platinum Card®'s benefits if you favor luxury travel.

By Ben Walker, CEPF, CFEI®

Edited by Melinda Sineriz, ABFP™

Updated Oct. 10, 2025

4.9

$300 annual travel credit
10,000 anniversary miles
Access to Capital One and Priority Pass™ lounges after enrollment
Elevated rewards miles on flights and hotels booked via Capital One Travel
Valuable travel protections

4.9

Enjoy hundreds of dollars in annual credits (enrollment required for select benefits)
Gain access to exclusive airport lounges worldwide (enrollment required)
Elevate your hotel stays with elite status perks (enrollment required)
Earn valuable Membership Rewards points on flights and hotels
Protect your trips with top-notch travel insurance

Our view

Wondering how the Capital One Venture X and Platinum Card® compare, and which is actually better? Overall, we recommend the Capital One Venture X because it has a much lower $395 annual fee and easy ways you could almost immediately offset it, including travel credits and anniversary bonus miles. We also like how simple its rewards rate is. Although it has a few bonus categories, the base earn rate on everything is more competitive.

That said, the Platinum Card®, which has a $895 annual fee, could make more sense depending on the travel benefits you want. If you can take advantage of at least a handful of its statement credits, which far surpass the Venture X's, its higher fee could be worth it. It also provides more airport lounge access than the Venture X, as well as more complimentary elite status upgrades with various travel loyalty programs.

Dive into our Capital One Venture X vs. Platinum Card® from American Express comparison to see which one makes the most sense for you.

Venture X vs. Platinum Card® comparison

	Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card	American Express Platinum Card^®
Card type	Travel	Travel
Credit card issuer	Capital One	American Express
Annual fee	$395	$895
Welcome offer	Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months (welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer; apply and find out your offer)
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	Capital One Travel portal Transfer partners Cover past travel purchases Capital One Entertainment Online purchases Gift cards Statement credits Mailed checks	American Express Travel® portal Transfer partners Pay with points at checkout Gift cards Cover card charges Shop with points
Annual credits	$300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel 10,000 bonus anniversary miles	Up to $300 digital entertainment credit Up to $200 Uber Cash and up to $120 Uber One credit Up to $600 hotel credit Up to $200 airline fee credit per calendar year Up to $209 CLEAR Plus credit Up to $400 Resy credit Up to $155 and applicable local sales tax per year Walmart+ credit (Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.) Up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit Up to $300 lululemon credit (Select benefits require enrollment.)
Travel perks	Access to Priority Pass and Capital One Lounges after enrollment Up to $120 statement credit for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee Hertz President's Circle elite status¹ <p class="">Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply<br></p>	Access to The Centurion Lounge, Priority Pass, International American Express Lounges, and other airport lounge networks Up to $120 every four years for Global Entry or up to $85 every four and a half years for TSA PreCheck application fee (five-year plan only) Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite Status Hilton Honors™ Gold Status Car rental privileges with Avis, Hertz, and National (Select benefits require enrollment.)
Travel insurance	Auto rental collision damage waiver² <p class="">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.<br></p> Trip delay reimbursement Trip cancellation and interruption insurance Lost luggage reimbursement	Car rental loss and damage insurance³ <p>Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. </p><p></p><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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.</li></ul><p></p> Trip delay insurance⁴ <p>Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. </p><p></p><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 New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.</li></ul><p></p> Trip cancellation and interruption insurance⁵ <p>The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.</p><p></p><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 New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.</li></ul><p></p> Baggage insurance⁶ <p>Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.</p><p></p><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><p></p> Global Assist Hotline⁷ <p>You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility.</p><p></p><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>If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.</li></ul><p></p>
Other benefits	Return protection Extended warranty protection Cell phone protection Capital One Entertainment access	Return protection⁸ <p>With Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won't take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories.</p><p></p><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></ul><p></p> Purchase protection⁹ <p class="">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. <br></p><p></p><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><p></p> Extended warranty¹⁰ <p>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.</p><p></p><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><p></p> Cell phone protection¹¹ <p>Coverage for a Stolen or damaged Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per Eligible Card Account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per Eligible Card Account per 12 month period.</p><p></p><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 New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.</li></ul><p></p> American Express Experiences through By Invitation Only and Preferred Access
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent	Excellent, Good
	Read full review	Read full review

When to go with the Venture X

We'd recommend the Venture X for you instead of the Platinum Card® if:

You want great travel benefits for a lower annual fee
You want to earn simple rewards on travel and everyday spending
You want to add additional cardholders
You prefer Capital One transfer partners
You have an existing relationship with Capital One

Read our Venture X review.

Competitive travel benefits for the fee

The Capital One Venture X is an excellent credit card for travelers because of its many travel benefits, including Priority Pass and Capital One Lounge access after enrollment.

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.

Earning potential

The Capital One Venture X offers a simple rewards rate that makes it easier to earn rewards on different types of eligible purchases than the Platinum Card®.

For comparison, 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. It provides a potential annual value of $1,671 in year one and $1,021 in year two, according to our FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model.¹² <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>

The Platinum Card® 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. It offers a potential annual value of $1,671 in year one and $1,021 in year two. And although these values are higher, they assume you're using the card for all of your non-travel spending, which wouldn't be as rewarding with Amex, and include statement credits you may or may not actually use.

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.

Authorized users

The Capital One Venture X is unique because you can add authorized users at no additional cost, which is rare, and they receive many of the same benefits as the primary account holder. This includes airport lounge access, Hertz President's Circle elite status, and travel insurance.

The Platinum Card® 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 Platinum Card® 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.

When you should choose American Express Platinum Card^®

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 $895 annual fee, but you could more than offset the cost if you can take advantage of the Platinum Card®'s many annual credits and other benefits.

Consider the Platinum Card® over the Venture X if:

You want more annual statement credits
You travel more than a few times each year
You want increased airport lounge access
You want to unlock elite status with loyalty programs
You prefer American Express transfer partners
You have an existing relationship with American Express

Read our Platinum Card® review.

Annual statement credits

The Platinum Card® from American Express provides far more annual credits and benefits than the Venture X, which makes sense when you consider the difference in their annual fees.

To start, Venture X provides these annual credits and benefits:

$300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel
10,000 bonus anniversary miles

These are some (not even all) of the annual credits Platinum Card® provides:

Up to $300 annual digital entertainment credit
Up to $200 annual Uber Cash
Up to $120 Uber One credit
Up to $600 hotel credit
Up to $200 airline fee credit per calendar year
Up to $209 annual CLEAR Plus credit
Up to $155 Walmart+ credit (up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.)
Up to $400 Resy credit
Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit

If you're able to use all of these credits and benefits, the Platinum Card® provides much more value. Plus, you could easily offset the $895 annual fee without even using all of them.

Airport lounge access

Overall, the Platinum Card® provides more airport lounge access than the Venture X.

With the Venture X, you can access the Capital One Lounge and Priority Pass airport lounge networks after enrollment. You also receive access for up to two guests, subject to availability.

With the Platinum Card®, eligible Card Members can access the full Global Lounge Collection, including these lounge networks:

The Centurion Lounge
International American Express Lounges
Priority Pass
Delta SkyClub (when flying an eligible Delta flight)
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). If lounging in airports is important to you, you'll want to choose the Platinum Card®.

Elite status

The Platinum Card® from American Express differs from the Capital One Venture X in that it provides more opportunities to receive elite status with different loyalty programs. If you're a frequent traveler, this benefit can go a long way toward helping you save on bookings and enjoy more luxury perks.

As a Platinum Card® cardmember, you could receive Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite Status, Hilton Honors™ Gold Status, Avis Preferred Plus Elite status, Hertz President's Circle® Status, and National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status (select benefits require enrollment).

Venture X cardholders receive Hertz President's Circle elite status. That means that the Platinum Card® matches what you could receive for elite status on the Venture X and goes well beyond.

3 important differences between Venture X and Platinum Card®

While they're both travel cards, the Venture X and Platinum Card® have many differences.

Annual fees

The Venture X has a $395 annual fee, and the Platinum Card® has a $895 annual fee. If you consider nothing else, the Venture X is the better card because of its lower cost.

Winner: Capital One Venture X because it has a lower annual fee of $395.

Transfer partners

The Venture X lets you transfer Capital One miles to these Capital One transfer partners:

Accor Live Limitless
AeroMexico Club Premier
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air France KLM Flying Blue
Avianca LifeMiles
British Airways Executive Club
Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles)
Choice Privileges
Emirates Skywards
Etihad Guest
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands

Finnair Plus
JAL Mileage Bank
JetBlue TrueBlue
Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qatar Privilege Club
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
TAP Miles&Go;
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles;
Virgin Red
Wyndham Rewards

The Platinum Card® lets you transfer Membership Rewards Points to these American Express transfer partners:

Aer Lingus AerClub
AeroMexico Club Premier
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air France KLM Flying Blue
ANA Mileage Club
Avianca LifeMiles
British Airways Executive Club
Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles)
Choice Privileges
Delta SkyMiles

Emirates Skywards
Etihad Guest
HawaiianMiles
Hilton Honors
Iberia Plus
JetBlue TrueBlue
Marriott Bonvoy
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

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.

Credit score 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 Platinum Card®. If you're still in the process of improving your credit history, it could be easier to qualify for the Platinum Card®.

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.

FAQs

Does it make sense to have the Platinum Card® 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 and Capital One Lounges after enrollment. With the Platinum Card®, you could also access The Centurion Lounge, International American Express Lounges, Delta Sky Club (when flying an eligible Delta flight), 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.

Bottom line

In general, we recommend the Capital One Venture X over the Platinum Card® from American Express because it has a lower $395 annual fee while still offering plenty of value. The Venture X is ideal for just about any type of traveler who wants a premium credit card. It's easy to use and has simple, straightforward, and valuable travel benefits.

The Platinum Card®, on the other hand, shines for its airport lounge access and elite status shortcuts, but it has a lot of benefits to keep track of and a high $895 annual fee. It's more of a luxury travel card, offering an almost overwhelming selection of perks. It suits more frequent travelers who take enough trips to use the many statement credits.

For more of our recommended credit card offers for travelers, check out our list of the best travel credit cards.

Luxury Travel Benefits

American Express Platinum Card^®

4.9

American Express Platinum Card^®

Learn How to Apply

See rates and fees | Terms Apply

Current Offer

Earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months (welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer; apply and find out your offer)

Annual Fee

$895

Rewards Rate

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

Benefits and Drawbacks

Card Details