Capital One offers a range of consumer credit cards that target different consumer groups based on rewards preferences and credit history. Below we offer our ranking of the five “best” Capital One credit cards:
card_name – Why We Like It Best: Capital One’s SavorOne offers generous cash back in everyday categories where you are likely to be doing real spending, with no annual fee. (No foreign transaction fees, either, perfect when traveling outside of the United States!)
EARN:
- 3% cash back on dining
- 3% on entertainment
- 3% on popular streaming services
- 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- 5% on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- 1% on all other purchases.
EARLY SPEND BONUS: bonus_miles_full.
card_name – Why We Like It: Offers the desirable features of more expensive travel cards, but the Capital One Venture X strips away the fluff to keep the annual fee reasonable.
That annual fee is annual_fees, but it’s not difficult to justify once you see the many places where you gain value from the card.
First, you can get up to $300 in travel credits each year when you book travel through the Capital One Travel platform.
And then you’ll get value from potential bonuses. There’s the Early Spend Bonus (bonus_miles_full.)
And then the Anniversary Miles Bonus that kicks in starting on your first anniversary of having the card — that’s 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel).
In terms of rewards on everyday purchases, earn unlimited 10 miles per dollar in purchases on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, plus unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.
And don’t forget airport lounge access through the Priority Pass network & the new Capital One Lounges, plus quite a bit more.
card_name – Why It Makes The List: Easy-to-understand cash back credit card gives 1.5% cash back on every purchase you make with the card, so it’s not necessary to think about purchasing categories when you carry this one. No annual fee to worry about, either.
EARLY SPEND BONUS: bonus_miles_full.
card_name – Why It Makes The List: No frills, but this no-annual-fee credit card has been the starting place for many people with fair/average credit (or little credit history at all) who got turned down by other credit card issuers.
As a result, it has a fan club of grateful cardholders who held it while building their credit scores to a place where they might qualify for one of the Capital One rewards credit cards listed above. If approved, Capital One says you’ll be “automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months.”
card_name – Why It Makes The List: If the Venture X listed above has too high of an annual fee for you, this alternate Capital One travel credit card still offers plenty at a more do-able annual_fees annual fee.
Earn unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase (but 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel), and use those miles to pay for travel or even transfer them into the loyalty programs of Capital One travel partners.
Other perks include a credit toward your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application (up to $100 when paid with the card), Hertz Five Star status, no foreign transaction fees on purchases outside of the United States and more.
EARLY SPEND BONUS: bonus_miles_full.
For more, see our List of All Capital One Credit Cards & Store Credit Cards Issued by Capital One
Author: Adam Jusko