If you’re new to the world of travel rewards, there are two cards that are always at the top of the list for beginners. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Both offer solid welcome bonuses, good earn rates and decent perks. And they will both have you traveling for nearly free in no time. But the right one for you depends on your travel goals and how much effort you want to put into your points and miles.

Today we’re looking at the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to see how they stack up to each other. Let’s break down how they compare, what makes each one stand out, and which might be the best fit for your first travel rewards card.

Feature	Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card	Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Welcome Bonus	See current offer here.	See current offer here.
Earning Rates	5x on travel through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 3x on gas/EV charging, 3x on vacation rentals (Airbnb/VRBO), 2x on all other travel, 1x everywhere else	2x miles on every purchase, 5x on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Point Value (Travel Portal)	1¢ per point through Chase Travel℠ with selected redemptions up to 1.75¢ per point.	1¢ per mile through Capital One Travel
Transfer Partners	13+ partners including Hyatt, United, Jet Blue, Southwest, and Air Canada (note the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card transfers to Hyatt at 4:3 as of June 15, 2026)	15+ partners including Air France/KLM, Avianca, and Wyndham
Annual Fee	$95	$95
Travel Protections	Excellent — primary rental car insurance, trip delay/cancellation coverage, baggage insurance, emergency evacuation and transportation coverage	Basic — secondary rental coverage, fewer protections
Ease of Use	Best for those who want to maximize points	Best for those who prefer simplicity
TSA PreCheck Credit	Yes – $120 credit every four years	None

NOTABLE PERKS OF EACH CARD

Chase Sapphire Preferred Perks

• Annual Fee: $95
• Strong travel protections including primary rental car insurance. Recently added emergency evacuation and transportation insurance – a feature often only seen on premium cards with premium fees.
• Ability to redeem points in Chase Travel portal for $.01 per point (for new cards) and up to $.0175 per point with Points Boost hotels/flights.
• Solid transfer partners for beginners such as Southwest, United and Hyatt. (Note that the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card transfers to Hyatt at a 4:3 ratio beginning June 15, 2026)
• $100 annual hotel credit when booking through Chase Travel.
• Great long-term keeper card — ideal first step toward Chase’s popular Ultimate Rewards ecosystem.
• $120 credit every four years for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry.
• Current $10 monthly credit to Door Dash with Dash Pass membership (through December 31, 2027).

Capital One Venture Rewards Perks

• Annual Fee: $95
• 2x miles on everything — no need to track categories.
• Redeem miles to reimburse yourself for any travel purchases — easy and flexible.
• Access to Capital One Lounges (with Venture X upgrade potential).
• Global Entry / TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years.
• Transfer partners for when you’re ready to learn how to get even more value from your points.

WHICH CARD SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture Rewards…which to choose? At the end of the day, it depends on your priorities. The standard sign up bonuses are relatively similar, with the Capital One Venture bonus typically being a bit higher.

Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you’re ready to learn the ropes of travel rewards. Easy to use (and valuable) transfer partners make the CSP a great card for people who are looking to maximize value out of their points. Flexibility to transfer to multiple partners or use it within the Chase Travel portal make this a valuable card. Additionally, solid travel protections and easy to use credits help offset the annual fee.

It’s worth noting that the CSP pairs very well with two additional cards. Firstly is the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. The Ink Cash card earns 5x on internet/cable purchases, cell phone services and office supply stores. The second card is the Chase Freedom Flex®. This card offers 3x on dining and drug stores. In addition, the Freedom Flex earns 5x on quarterly rotating categories up to $1500/quarter. These two cards pair nicely with the CSP to maximize points earning potential!

A word of caution about the Chase Sapphire Preferred: a lot of people love using the points to transfer to Hyatt. As of June 15, 2026, this card now transfers to Hyatt at a 4:3 ratio. While it’s still a SOLID card (in fact I might argue that it’s now a really good card), it might not be the best long term strategy if Hyatt is your main redemption plan. You may want to consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve® if that’s the case.

You can read more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred refresh in this blog post

Choose the Venture Rewards Card if you prefer simplicity over maximization. The ability to reimburse yourself for any travel purchase makes this card valuable for AirBnb’s, national park trips, cruises and other types of travel that points and miles don’t easily cover. It’s a great card for busy families and beginners alike!

CONCLUSION

Both cards are fantastic starter options that can open the door to nearly free travel. You really can’t go wrong — it’s just about which style of rewards you want to earn. Ultimately, your decision should be based on your spending habits, travel goals, and how much you value simplicity versus flexibility. Either way, you’ll be well on your way to earning points for your next adventure!

xoxo, Amber

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