Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold: which travel card is best?
Three cards do most of the heavy lifting for the average traveler: the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, and the American Express® Gold Card. Below is a head-to-head comparison of the benefits, pros, and cons of each - and the one I personally carry.
Quick comparison
| Card | Best for | Annual fee | Standout perk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venture X | Frequent travelers who want lounge access and simple rewards | Premium | Annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel |
| Sapphire Preferred | Travelers who want Chase Ultimate Rewards without a high annual fee | Mid-tier | Elevated earn on travel booked through Chase Travel |
| Amex Gold | People who spend heavily on dining and U.S. supermarkets | Mid-tier | Elevated Membership Rewards earn at restaurants worldwide |
Best travel credit cards right now
If you're comparing the most talked-about travel rewards cards today, these three keep coming up for good reason. Each one fills a different role in a wallet:
- ›Premium all-rounder: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card - best for travelers who want lounge access and a simple rewards structure.
- ›Best starter travel card: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - best for someone who wants Chase Ultimate Rewards without a high annual fee.
- ›Dining and grocery powerhouse: American Express® Gold Card - best for people who spend heavily at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
A premium travel card built around an annual travel credit, an anniversary bonus, and unlimited lounge access - a combination that can effectively offset its annual fee for anyone who travels a few times a year.
Key benefits
- ›Annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel
- ›Anniversary bonus miles every account renewal year
- ›Unlimited Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One Lounge access
- ›Elevated earning on hotels, rental cars, and flights booked through Capital One Travel
- ›Authorized users at no additional cost, with lounge access included
- ›Transfers to more than 15 transfer partners
Pros
- +Annual credits and anniversary miles can offset the annual fee for frequent travelers
- +Strong lounge access relative to other premium cards
- +Simple flat earn rate on general spend
Cons
- −Travel credit must be used through the Capital One Travel portal
- −Fewer transfer partners than some competing programs
- −Capital One Lounge network is still expanding
Learn more about the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Terms apply. See the issuer's site for current rates, fees, benefits, and eligibility.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
A widely recommended mid-tier travel card that provides access to Chase Ultimate Rewards and its full transfer partner lineup at a relatively low annual fee.
Key benefits
- ›Elevated earn on travel booked through Chase Travel
- ›Bonus earn on dining, online groceries, and select streaming
- ›Bonus earn on other travel purchases
- ›Annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- ›Points boost when redeeming through Chase Travel
- ›Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel transfer partners
Pros
- +Lower annual fee for access to a top-tier points currency
- +Strong transfer partner lineup, including hotel and airline programs frequent flyers value
- +Solid trip protections and rental car coverage
Cons
- −No lounge access or premium travel credits
- −Subject to Chase's application eligibility rules
- −Ongoing earn rates are modest compared to premium cards
Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Terms apply. See the issuer's site for current rates, fees, benefits, and eligibility.
American Express® Gold Card
A rewards card designed around dining and grocery spending, with statement credits aimed at people who eat out, order in, and travel a few times a year.
Key benefits
- ›Elevated Membership Rewards earn at restaurants worldwide
- ›Elevated earn at U.S. supermarkets (up to an annual cap)
- ›Elevated earn on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- ›Annual dining credit at select partners
- ›Annual Uber Cash benefit
- ›Access to American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners
Pros
- +Strong earn rates on dining and U.S. supermarket spending
- +Membership Rewards is a flexible transferable points currency
- +Statement credits can offset a meaningful portion of the annual fee for those who use them
Cons
- −Credits are broken into monthly increments - easy to leave value unused
- −American Express acceptance can be more limited outside the U.S.
- −Not a Visa or Mastercard, so it works best as part of a two-card setup
Learn more about the American Express® Gold Card
Terms apply. See the issuer's site for current rates, fees, benefits, and eligibility.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Of the three, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the one that lives in my wallet. For me, the math works out: between the annual travel credit and the anniversary bonus miles, the ongoing cost of holding the card is largely offset before I've earned a single mile on spend.
The lounge access is what I use most. Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One Lounges are all included, and I can add authorized users at no extra cost with the same access. Traveling with family or a partner, that alone can be reimbursed by what I'd otherwise spend on day passes.
I also like that the rewards are simple. I earn miles on every purchase, and when I want to maximize value I can transfer to more than 15 transfer partners. When I want to keep it easy, I can use miles to be reimbursed by travel purchases I've already made.
It's the rare premium card where, for how I travel, the ongoing value feels like it lines up with the cost of holding it. If you travel even a handful of times a year, it's an easy card for me to recommend considering.
Learn more about the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Terms apply. See the issuer's site for current rates, fees, benefits, and eligibility.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best credit card for travel rewards?
It depends on how you travel and spend. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is best for frequent travelers who want lounge access and simple miles. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a strong mid-tier option for Chase Ultimate Rewards. The American Express® Gold Card excels for dining and U.S. supermarket spending.
Is the Capital One Venture X better than the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
The Venture X is better if you travel enough to use its annual travel credit and lounge access. The Sapphire Preferred is better if you want a lower annual fee and prefer Chase's transfer partners. Both earn transferable rewards, but the Venture X is structured as a premium card while the Sapphire Preferred is a mid-tier card.
Does the Amex Gold count as a travel card?
The American Express® Gold Card is primarily a dining and rewards card, but it earns Membership Rewards points that can be transferred to airline and hotel partners. It works well as part of a travel setup, especially paired with a card that offers stronger travel protections or lounge access.
Which travel credit card has the best lounge access?
Of these three, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has the strongest lounge access. It includes Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One Lounge access for the primary cardmember and authorized users.
About Patrick Di Cesare
Patrick is the founder of Basic Financial Literacy and a financial content creator with 600,000+ social followers and more than 500 million content impressions. He has partnered with Intuit, ADP, Microsoft, Quicken, and AARP, and has been quoted as a personal finance expert in Newsweek and Yahoo Finance.
Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
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