Capital One Venture Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card [Detailed Comparison]

Selecting the appropriate travel rewards card can be a daunting task, especially when you’re first starting out. It’s a natural inclination to simply choose a card with an earning structure you understand, a few benefits you might use, and redemption options that are easy to execute.

On the flip side, a traveler might want to jump in with both feet and select a premium travel rewards card with all the bells and whistles.

Today we’re going to talk about 2 such very different rewards cards. One is a card you might consider if you were just starting out, mostly because of its simplicity but also because of its familiarity due to its advertising exposure.

The other card has a high annual fee, bonus earning categories, various flexible redemption options, and a long list of travel benefits.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® are both respectable travel rewards cards, each offering value when matched with the right type of traveler.

So, is it better to keep things simple or go for the card with all the premium offerings?

We’re about to take on that conundrum and dive deep into our 2 featured cards to assist you in determining which is the better fit for you.

Capital One Venture Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card — Overview

Before we dive into all the details, let’s look at a side-by-side overview of the Capital One Venture card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card for a glance at the overall value of each card as it could relate to your situation.

Please note that the information for the Capital One Venture Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and has not been provided by the card issuer. Some of these benefits are provided by Visa^® or Mastercard^® and may vary by product. See your respective guide to benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Welcome Offers

Welcome bonuses offer an opportunity to quickly build a bank of redeemable rewards. You’ll earn this bonus on either of our featured cards after meeting minimum spending requirements within the first 3 months after card approval.

Here’s how these cards stack up with regard to these initial bonuses.

Capital One Venture Card

Welcome offers for the Capital One Venture card may vary, but you can expect to receive a reasonable bonus. Miles may be worth potentially more when transferred to airline and hotel partners.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

The welcome bonus offered on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is worth 1.5x more when redeemed through the Chase travel portal or transferred to the Chase airline and hotel partners for potentially even greater end value.

Earning Rewards

The Capital One Venture card earns rewards in the form of Capital One miles, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card earns Ultimate Rewards points.

While redemption values differ, here’s how the 2 cards compare when earning rewards on every purchase you make.

We’ve put together complete guides on the best ways to earn lots of Capital One miles and Ultimate Rewards points so you can learn even more.

Bottom Line: If you want simplicity, you won’t find a better earning structure than the Capital One Venture card with a minimum of 2 miles per dollar earned on every purchase. If you’re a frequent traveler and have a lot of associated spending, however, you’ll find greater upside earning opportunities and travel benefits with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. 

Redeeming Rewards

Capital One miles earned on the Capital One Venture card are not the same as frequent flyer miles — the miles function as redeemable miles similar to the Ultimate Rewards points earned on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

When you’re ready to redeem your rewards on either card, you’ll find several options, although values vary depending on the redemption option you select.

While redemption options on each card are similar, the rewards currencies can differ significantly in the value received. The sweet spot for Capital One miles is transferring the miles to travel partners for the best potential value.

Ultimate Rewards points can also be transferred to travel partners for potentially more value, plus you have the option to redeem the points for 1.5 cents each on the Chase travel portal. When redeeming Capital One miles for travel with Capital One Travel, miles are only worth 1 cent.

Ultimate Rewards points are much more valuable overall, however, as points could also be redeemed for cash at 1 cent each versus Capital One miles at 0.5 cents each.

Here are some great ideas for redeeming your Capital One miles and Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value.

Bottom Line: Ultimate Rewards points earned on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card are more valuable than Capital One miles as the Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for 1.5 cents each towards travel or 1 cent per point for statement credits or cash-back. 

Annual Fees, Authorized Users, and Transfers

The Capital One Venture card and Chase Sapphire Reserve card are in different leagues regarding earning rewards, redeeming rewards, and benefits offered. The same differences hold true regarding annual fees, adding authorized users, and transfers between accounts.

Annual Fees

The Capital One Venture card currently charges an annual fee of $95. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has an annual fee of $550.

Authorized Users

The Capital One Venture card does not charge a fee to add an additional user to your card. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card charges $75 to add an authorized user. Authorized users do, however, receive worldwide lounge access via Priority Pass Select membership and some travel/shopping benefits and protections.

Transfers Between Accounts

The Capital One Venture card allows free transfers of Capital One miles to any account that is eligible to earn miles. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card allows no-fee transfers to family members’ accounts in the same household.

Travel Benefits and Protections

Both of these featured cards offer benefits and protections that can save you money and provide assistance during your travels.

Here are some common travel benefits and protections found on our featured cards:

• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Reimbursement — Use your card to pay for the fee and receive up to $100 in reimbursement for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees — You can take either of these cards with you when you travel as neither charges fees on foreign purchases.
• Lost Luggage — You could receive up to $3,000 per trip for lost or stolen luggage.

Capital One Venture Card

In addition to the previously mentioned benefits, the Capital One Venture card comes with these useful and money-saving features:

• Auto Rental Insurance – Use your card to rent an eligible vehicle and you may be covered for physical damage and theft of the vehicle. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details
• Roadside Dispatch Service — Get help if your vehicle breaks down and pay just 1 discounted flat fee for roadside assistance.
• Gravity Haus Benefits — Cardholders receive a $300 discount toward a membership. This entitles you to discounted hotel stays near top ski resorts, exclusive events, and discounts on your ski or snowboarding gear. This partnership will last through January 19, 2024.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is packed with additional valuable travel benefits and protections.

• NEXUS Reimbursement — In addition to TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, you can also use your card to pay for the NEXUS enrollment fee and receive up to $100 in reimbursement.
• Car Rental Collision Damage Waiver — Pay for the entire car rental with your card, decline the CDW/LDW coverage offered by the rental car company and receive primary car rental coverage for damage and theft.
• Worldwide Airport Lounge Access — Enjoy complimentary access to over 1,300 locations worldwide with your Priority Pass Select membership that comes with the card.
• Trip Cancellation, Interruption, and Delay — Coverage of up to $10,000 per trip, $20,000 per occurrence, a maximum of $40,000 per 12-month period for trip disruption, and up to $500 for a trip delay of more than 6 hours.
• Up to $300 Travel Statement Credit — Receive a statement credit for your first $300 in travel purchases each card anniversary year.
• Emergency Medical, Dental, and Evacuation — Receive up to $2,500 for emergency medical or dental, and $100,000 for emergency evacuation.
• Roadside Assistance — Receive up to 4 free service calls each year, a maximum of $50 coverage for each occurrence.
• Car Rental Privileges — Enjoy cardholder discounts and other perks with Avis, National, and Audi on demand.
• Delayed Baggage — If your baggage is delayed more than 6 hours, you could receive up to $100 a day for 5 days.
• Hotel Program Benefits — Receive VIP treatment and cardholder perks at the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, Relais & Chateaux, and at Ennismore hotels.
• Emergency Travel Assistance — Receive access to a dedicated phone line to assist you with medical or legal referrals, emergency transportation, help with replacing a lost passport, and much more.

This list of benefits and protections is not all-inclusive, and descriptions have been abbreviated. You’ll want to access the specific card’s guide to benefits for the full descriptions, terms, and conditions.

Bottom Line: While both cards come with several travel benefits and protections, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is by far the winner for the frequent traveler. The card comes with a high annual fee, however, so you’ll want the card only if you can optimize the offered benefits. 

Shopping Benefits and Protections

While you might not select a travel rewards card for its shopping benefits and protections, these perks could influence your decision.

Here are the shopping-related benefits/protections that come with each card.

If you use DoorDash or Instacart, having complimentary subscriptions for those purchases is a big positive for Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders.

Final Thoughts

If you’re just starting out and trying to decide on a travel rewards card, the Capital One Venture card does make the process simple — you spend on the card and earn 2x rewards. Even with several redemption options, that process is also simple.

If you’re a frequent traveler, however, you could receive better value from a travel rewards card such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. With 3x earnings on travel and dining, worldwide lounge access, up to $300 in travel credits, and a long list of travel benefits, the card offers a package that matches most traveling profiles. It does have a hefty annual fee, but if you can use even a couple of its benefits, such as lounge access and the travel credit, you could receive value far beyond that fee.

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.