Capital One has greatly increased the value of its credit card rewards in recent years. The issuer has a whopping 18 airline and hotel transfer partners and rewards consumers with some of the most generous reward rates for dining and entertainment.
The top travel credit cards allow cardholders to pool Capital One miles with friends and family and reduce travel expenses with their rewards, which are credited toward outstanding credit card balances. Capital One has also opened multiple airport lounges in recent years, and plans to add more.
The cards below represent the best of what Capital One has to offer this year, as chosen by Business Insider credit card experts.
Best Capital One Credit Cards
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for dining and entertainment with no annual fee
- Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for flat-rate cash back
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for travel rewards
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best intro bonus and upscale travel perks
- Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for earning cash back while building credit
- Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card: Best for building credit with a lower security deposit
- Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for students
Featured Capital One Cards
$0
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee for the first 15 months, then 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time)
19.24% - 29.24% Variable
Earn $200 cash back
Good to Excellent
- No annual fee
- Bonus cash back on dining, entertainment, and grocery store purchases
- Long intro APR period for purchases and balance transfers
- Other cards earn more cash back in certain bonus categories
- Not the highest sign-up bonus among cash-back cards
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a good welcome bonus and excellent return rates that can earn you cash back on common expenses like dining, groceries (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), streaming, and entertainment — plus there's no annual fee to worry about.
Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.24% - 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
$95
N/A
19.99% - 29.24% variable
Earn 75,000 bonus miles
Good to Excellent
- $50 experience credit and free upgrades on Capital One Lifestyle Collection bookings
- Includes a statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Other credit cards offer higher rewards in certain categories of spending
If you want an easy, no-fuss travel rewards credit card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great fit. For a moderate annual fee, it offers plenty of value, useful benefits, and a substantial welcome bonus.
Venture Rewards Card- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
$395
N/A
19.99% - 29.24% variable
Earn 75,000 bonus miles
Excellent
- Excellent welcome bonus and miles earning
- Premium perks including airport lounge access and credits for certain purchases
- Visa Infinite benefits including travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Annual travel credits only apply to Capital One Travel purchases
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for frequent travelers, with top-notch benefits and a wide range of built-in protections. It comes with a generous welcome bonus and credits that can help offset the annual fee — which is much lower than similar premium cards.
Capital One Venture X Rewards- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Best for Dining and Entertainment With No Annual Fee: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card lets you rack up exceptional rewards on dining, entertainment, streaming, and grocery purchases. This card also comes without an annual fee, which is a net positive if you want to keep your costs down.
If you have a large purchase you want to pay off over time, you'll be happy to know this card extends a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee for the first 15 months, then 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time), followed by a 19.24% - 29.24% Variable. This card also comes with no foreign transaction fees.
Read our Capital One Savor Cash card review to learn more.
Best for Flat-Rate Cash Back: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is for you if you want to earn cash back without paying an annual fee. Its welcome bonus is also relatively generous and easy to earn.
On the redemption side of the equation, you can redeem your rewards for cash back at any time and in any amount. You can also cash in your points for gift cards. The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card also comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee for the first 15 months, then 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time), then a 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR.
Read our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card review to learn more.
Best for Travel Rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns rewards you can redeem for any type of travel at a rate of 1 cent per mile. You can also transfer miles to Capital One's airline and hotel partners, including Accor, Air Canada Aeroplan, Emirates, British Airways, Virgin Red, and Wyndham.
The transfer ratio for most partners is now 1:1, except for EVA Infinity MileageLands (2:1.5 ratio) and Accor Live Limitless (2:1 ratio).
Capital One miles are one of many credit card transferable points currencies — along with Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards®, and Citi ThankYou Rewards. Capital One miles are valued at 1.7 cents apiece, on average, according to Business Insider valuations.
This card has no foreign transaction fees, and offers a credit toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership fee. If you travel frequently, be sure to read our comparison of the Capital One Venture and Venture X — the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card could actually be a better fit despite its higher annual fee.
Read our Capital One Venture Card review for more info.
Best Intro Bonus and Upscale Travel Perks: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has been making waves since its launch. Along with a massive welcome bonus which is worth $1,275 in travel based on Business Insider's valuations, the card comes packed with upscale benefits that can more than offset the $395 annual fee.
Capital One's first premium card has an annual fee lower than similar cards and a range of valuable travel perks. It's become a real competitor to cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Cardholders receive $300 a year in credits toward travel booked through the Capital One travel portal; airport lounge access through Priority Pass and Capital One (even for authorized users); a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary; and Visa Infinite travel and purchase benefits.
As with other cards that earn Capital One miles, rewards from the Venture X can be used to book award travel with more than a dozen airline and hotel Capital One transfer partners. Capital One also has its own luxury hotel booking program, the Capital One Premier Collection, for Venture X cardholders. It offers perks like room upgrades and on-property credits at hundreds of hotels and resorts around the world.
If you're trying to decide between the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and other premium cards, check out our comparisons of the Venture X and Sapphire Reserve, and the Amex Platinum versus the Venture X.
Read our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review to learn more.
Best for Earning Cash Back While Building Credit: Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is ideal if you're working on building your credit but still want to earn rewards. Although there's no welcome offer, cardholders earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no bonus categories to keep track of.
Because it's a secured credit card, you'll have to put down a security deposit equal to the initial credit line you'll be given. You can get started with a deposit as low as $200, and with responsible use over time, you could have the opportunity to upgrade to an unsecured Quicksilver card and get your deposit back.
Read our Capital One Quicksilver Secured card review for more info.
Best for Building Credit With a Lower Security Deposit: Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
Opening a secured credit card is a good stepping stone if you want to build credit with credit cards — whether you're starting from scratch or rebuilding your credit.
If you're trying to improve your credit score after some financial mishaps, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card is an ideal option — it's relatively easy to get approved for since you put down a security deposit when you open your card.
As a new cardholder, you'll put down a security deposit ($49, $99, or $200), which is refundable and determines your initial credit line. After you make payments on time for six months, you can get access to a higher credit line.
Here's our Capital One Platinum Secured credit card review with all the details.
Best for Students: Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
If you're in college and spend a lot on dining out, groceries, entertainment, and streaming, the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the most rewarding card options out there. Along with a welcome offer of a $50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within three months of account opening, the card offers 3% cash back in student-friendly categories, with no limits to what you can earn.
Dining and groceries (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target) are straightforward categories, and Capital One has a broad definition of entertainment — including movies, professional sporting events, amusement parks, record stores, and bowling alleys. Eligible streaming services include popular platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.
Like the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card comes with surprisingly good perks for a student credit card, such as car rental coverage, roadside dispatch, price protection, extended warranty, and access to a concierge service.
Read our Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Student credit card review to learn more.
Get Pre-Approved with Capital One
Before you get a credit card, it helps to know if you qualify for the card you want. Credit card pre-approval is an efficient way to explore your options with minimal risk to your credit score.
Capital One offers three of the seven products listed in our guide to the best pre-approved credit cards, making this issuer one of the best for avoiding unnecessary hard credit pulls.
Capital One's pre-approval tool generates pre-approved credit card offers tailored to your credit profile based on basic personal information such as your monthly income and spending habits.
The tool also evaluates your spending habits and card preferences into account. For example, you can specify if you'd like a card with no annual fee, need a travel rewards credit card, or want to focus on a card that helps you build credit.
If you'd like to learn more, read our credit cards pre-approval guide.
Check for Card Offers
Check for card offers from participating partners with CardMatch. There's no impact to your credit score unless you choose to apply for a card you are matched with.
Capital One Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is our top-choice travel rewards credit card from Capital One thanks to a reasonable annual fee, statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, and bonus rewards on travel expenses.
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a generous 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, streaming services, and groceries in addition to 1% back on all else.
Yes, several of Capital One's best credit cards do not charge annual fees including the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the issuer's newest — and fanciest. This card comes with Priority Pass airport lounge membership for up to five people, and is the most affordable premium credit card on the market that comes with this benefit.
Capital One cards are good for their excellent customer service and solid perks, and you'll never pay foreign transaction fees which can save you money if you're traveling overseas. You've also got a wide variety of card options — whether you're just getting started with credit or are looking for an upscale card that earns generous travel rewards, there's likely a Capital One card that is a good fit.
If you're a beginner, Capital One credit cards are a great option. You can choose from a strong selection of fair credit, bad credit (such as secured credit cards), and student credit cards for folks just starting out, building credit, or rebuilding credit. There's a great range of rewards rates, bonuses, intro APR rates, and perks to choose from.
Yes, you can have more than one Capital One card. Capital One doesn't publish any firm rules about the total number of cards you can have open at once — it depends on your credit profile, income, and other factors.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Capital One Credit Cards
Our experts evaluated all of the Capital One credit cards currently available to new applicants and considered several factors:
- Ease of use — Does the card have a rewards program (cash back or miles) and if so, is it easy to navigate?
- Earning potential — Are there bonus categories or strong flat-rate earning with the card, and are they appealing to a broad range of customers?
- Annual fee — Many Capital One credit cards have no annual fee, but for those that do charge one, are there additional perks or features that make it worth it?
- Cards for various types of consumers — We picked cards that appeal to different types of consumers, including travel aficionados, foodies, students, folks building credit, and small-business owners.
For more information, check out Business Insider's guide to how we rate and review credit cards.