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Capital One miles are some of the most flexible miles around: you can transfer them to a hotel or airline partner, use them to book Capital One travel or simply erase travel charges right off your statement. Statement credits might not be the top way to maximize points, but we’ve happily used Capital One miles to erase Disney tickets off our bill (remember, charges have to code as “travel” on Capital One cards to be eligible for statement credits, so purchase your Disney tickets through a third party like Undercover Tourist to get them to code correctly).
In this post we’ll look at the differences between three Capital One cards: the Venture One, Venture and the Venture X, so you can decide which one works best for you; first, let’s talk about ways to redeem your Capital One Miles, and Capital One Lounges.
Redeeming Capital One Miles
Transfer Partners
Often, the best value for your miles will be identifying a transfer partner, finding a valuable redemption and then transferring your CO miles (never transfer miles without a specific redemption in mind, because you can’t transfer them back.) Capital One’s 1:1 transfer partners include Aeromexico Club Premier, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Executive Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Choice Priviledges, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, Finnair Plus, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Singapore airlines KrisFlyer, TAP Portugal Miles&Go, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, & Wyndham Rewards. ALL Accor Live Limitless is a 2:1 transfer partner, and EVA Infinity MileageLands is 2:1.5.
If those transfer partners look unfamiliar to you, start by making a mental note of just one: Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles. This is a transfer partner lots of travelers have used to fly their family roundtrip to Hawaii using a Capital One sign-up bonus!
Using miles in the Capital One Travel Portal
The Capital One Travel app is easy and fun to use. It shows you airfare price trends for the entire year, and also helps you decide when to purchase flights by predicting flight prices with 95% accuracy and then alerting you when it’s best to book (helping you save an average of 15%). They’ll suggest when to book, and if they’re wrong, refund you the difference up to a preset amount. Book with free price drop protection; if you find a better price, they’ll match it!
They also proactively adjust hotel prices to guarantee they match or beat Expedia and other travel sites, so you can rest assured that when you’re booking lodging, you’ll get the lowest price. Your miles won’t expire for the life of the account, so they’re always there when you need them. Plus, there are no blackout dates, so travel when and how you want. You’ll be traveling with protection too: automatically insure covered losses when you use your card to buy your fare; plus, get 24-hour travel assistance if your card is lost or stolen.
Capital One Lounges
With Capital One lounges popping up in airports around the country, carrying certain Capital One cards is becoming more and more appealing to travelers and credit card enthusiasts. Anyone can visit a Capital One lounge for $65, no credit card or reservation required–your boarding pass in your admittance. Venture X cardholders get unlimited free access, while Venture and Spark miles cardholders get two complimentary visits per year! You can find a Capital One lounge in DFW, and soon in DEN & IAD too.
Venture One
An entry level card with no annual fee, open a Venture One and earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend only $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Earn unlimited 1.25X miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, and earn 5X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. No foreign transaction fees.
Because this card’s welcome bonus will only earn you ~$200 towards Disney tickets or another redemption, we recommend considering the Venture or Venture X.
Venture
A major step up from the Venture One, Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card and earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening, for only a $95 annual fee. You’ll receive two complimentary Capital One Lounge visits per year, and earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, and 5X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee with no foreign transaction fees.
If Disney tickets are your goal, this bonus earns you ~$750 worth!
Venture X
A premium card with a $395 annual fee, open a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Receive up to $300 back as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get our best prices on thousands of options. Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary. Receive up to a $100 credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Earn 10X Miles on hotels & rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X Miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X Miles on all other purchases, every day.
Protect your cell phone every time you pay your bill with your Venture X card. If it’s stolen or damaged, you’ll get reimbursed up to $800 (certain terms, conditions and exclusions apply). Add cardholders to your account for no fee—they can enjoy benefits and you will earn rewards on every dollar they spend. Refer your friends and family to apply for a Venture X card and earn up to 100,000 bonus miles when they’re approved (terms apply). Sign up for complimentary Hertz President’s Circle® status, skip the counter and choose from the widest selection of cars—and enjoy guaranteed upgrades with Venture X. Recharge with all-inclusive amenities like fresh local food options, high-speed WiFi and cozy relaxation rooms with unlimited free Capital One Lounge visits for Venture X cardholders. Bring 2 free guests per visit, $45 per additional guest.
We recently opened the Venture X, completed our minimum spend, and then purchased $572 worth of Disney tickets on the card through Undercover Tourist. Once the charge posted, we used 57,200 miles to erase the ticket charge! To read more about ways to buy Disney tickets with Credit Card points & miles, refer to this post:
Priority Pass
With your Venture X card, receive complimentary membership as part of your Visa Infinite® benefits. Enjoy unlimited free visits for you and your guests, and Access 1,300+ participating VIP lounges, in more than 600 cities and more than 148 countries.
TAKEAWAYS
No matter your travel needs, there’s probably a Capital One card on this list for you. If you’re allergic to annual fees, try the Venture One, or step up to the Venture for only $95/year. And if you’re in the market for a premium travel card with lots of perks including unlimited Capital One lounge access, go for it like we did with the Venture X!
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