topic Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it? in Credit Cards

Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

greatscott85 — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 21:26:23 GMT

Hello credit gurus!

We are debating whether or not to pick up the Capital One Venture card. Seems like it's mostly a 2% CB card after the SUB. Some travel benefits but we do have some with the cards on my signature. No FTF is great! But the rest seems kind of "meh". The previous 100k bonus seems like a missed opportunity for us, 60k isn't bad though. I wonder if they are going to bring that back at some point?

I really appreciate any thoughts on whether it's worth the hassle! As @Steveo777 would say, "Give it to me straight up, no chaser "

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

AmericanSkin — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 21:57:27 GMT

With the AMEX Platinum, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and NFCU Flagship already in your rotation, the Venture card really doesn't offer anything of value to your portfolio. Each of the above cards easily matches or beats the Venture with a similar or lower AF (except the Platinum, of course, but that's an entirely different category of travel card).

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

greatscott85 — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 22:12:14 GMT

@AmericanSkin I think you're very right! I really appreciate that.

Admittedly, the metal cards tend to pull us in. Yes, it's dumb, yes we know .

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 22:47:23 GMT

@greatscott85 wrote:
Hello credit gurus!

We are debating whether or not to pick up the Capital One Venture card. Seems like it's mostly a 2% CB card after the SUB. Some travel benefits but we do have some with the cards on my signature. No FTF is great! But the rest seems kind of "meh". The previous 100k bonus seems like a missed opportunity for us, 60k isn't bad though. I wonder if they are going to bring that back at some point?

I really appreciate any thoughts on whether it's worth the hassle! As @Steveo777 would say, "Give it to me straight up, no chaser "

Unless you use the newish transfer feature, the Venture really doesn't make sense past the first year. In an era where free 2% everywhere cards are common, it seemed very strange that people were paying an AF (originally $59 now more) for a card with apparently restricted redemption (2% redemption only for travel, but there are ways around that) when free cards with unrestricted redemption are easily available. Then they added the transfer feature, which if you can use it, may make it valuable. But if not, stay away maybe apart from the SUB. There are still some 2% with no FTF, although sadly Paypal had added one

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

greatscott85 — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 23:04:47 GMT

@Anonymous That is a great point! The PenFed PCR is a great card for 2% with no AF.

I will say, the transfer option is a good point! Thanks for bringing that up, adds a bit of thought process to it vs being adamantly no.

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

NoHardLimits — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 23:07:05 GMT

I got in on the 100k signup bonus offer last year. When my account ages past one year, I plan to close it. Sadly, SavorOne does not appear as a downgrade option for me and I already have a Quicksilver. I also have a Citi Double Cash which gives me 2% cash back with no annual fee.

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

greatscott85 — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 01:53:57 GMT

@NoHardLimits That was a good call on your part! 100k is a good value. Congrats! I think it was only 20k in spending? I don't remember.

I have thought about Savor as well. As I understand, the SavorOne is a bit better with no AF and 3% back. The Savor gets 4% on dining and entertainment and an extra $100 of the SUB. Ok so year one is good. But after year two, you start to doubt. I guess I could do the Savor and then downgrade after 1 year. Is that possible?

That's a great Citi card! I saw that Citi took away the Prestige and amped up the Premier. But I don't think the rewards are as good as Chase and Amex. I could be wrong! Amex has been good to me .

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

wingennis — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 01:53:23 GMT

I closed my Venture when I realized I was paying an annual fee to rent my credit line on this 2% card (I have 3 2% cards). There were no point transfers then, though. If you get the global entry credit with one of your other cards it doesn't seem to have any charms that any other 2% doesn't have for no annual fee.

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

greatscott85 — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 02:02:28 GMT

@wingennis Thanks for the history!

Do you think the points transfer would've kept you in? They do have give decent limits on the card, which is nice. But I can get that elsewhere.

We do get Global Entry elsewhere. The DW and I have been signed up for a while. Everyone should just get Global Entry since it includes TSA Precheck for only $15 more. A great value if you travel internationally even once a year. Of course the Global Entry is good for 5 years, so the credit comes along rarely. NFCU Flagship gives that AND Amazon Prime, which is awesome.

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

wingennis — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 02:11:08 GMT

@greatscott85 wrote:
@wingennis Thanks for the history!

Do you think the points transfer would've kept you in? They do have give decent limits on the card, which is nice. But I can get that elsewhere.

We do get Global Entry elsewhere. The DW and I have been signed up for a while. Everyone should just get Global Entry since it includes TSA Precheck for only $15 more. A great value if you travel internationally even once a year. Of course the Global Entry is good for 5 years, so the credit comes along rarely. NFCU Flagship gives that AND Amazon Prime, which is awesome.

The points transfer most likely would not have kept me interested. Venture has a distinct lack of domestic transfer partners. I realize that transferring to British Airways would allow me to buy award flights on American-as an example-but that is too tedious for me. I mostly fly Delta/Virgin Atlantic and my MRs transfer right to them with frequent transfer bonuses.

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

greatscott85 — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 02:39:38 GMT

@wingennis wrote:
@greatscott85 wrote:
@wingennis Thanks for the history!

Do you think the points transfer would've kept you in? They do have give decent limits on the card, which is nice. But I can get that elsewhere.

We do get Global Entry elsewhere. The DW and I have been signed up for a while. Everyone should just get Global Entry since it includes TSA Precheck for only $15 more. A great value if you travel internationally even once a year. Of course the Global Entry is good for 5 years, so the credit comes along rarely. NFCU Flagship gives that AND Amazon Prime, which is awesome.
The points transfer most likely would not have kept me interested. Venture has a distinct lack of domestic transfer partners. I realize that transferring to British Airways would allow me to buy award flights on American-as an example-but that is too tedious for me. I mostly fly Delta/Virgin Atlantic and my MRs transfer right to them with frequent transfer bonuses.

Yeah, it's looks pretty limited! We are moving to the UK next July, so being able to transfer to British Airways is very interesting. I think we fly the same airlines! Good style .

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

NoHardLimits — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 02:54:51 GMT

@greatscott85 wrote:
@NoHardLimits That was a good call on your part! 100k is a good value. Congrats! I think it was only 20k in spending? I don't remember.

I have thought about Savor as well. As I understand, the SavorOne is a bit better with no AF and 3% back. The Savor gets 4% on dining and entertainment and an extra $100 of the SUB. Ok so year one is good. But after year two, you start to doubt. I guess I could do the Savor and then downgrade after 1 year. Is that possible?

Yes, the Venture 100k SUB required $20k in spend within 12 months which was not difficult with my normal spending patterns. I just used Venture wherever I would have otherwise used Citi Double Cash.

As far I as know, Capital One does not permit downgrades to SavorOne. I would have loved to downgrade from Savor to SavorOne after the first year, but the best I could do was Quicksilver. Without the pandemic, I could have totally made the $95 annual fee Savor worthwhile, but my dining and entertainment spend is now greatly reduced.

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

MrDisco99 — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 11:51:11 GMT

Yeah my plan for the Savor was to downgrade to SavorOne but they wouldn't let me. I already had a Quicksilver so I just canceled the account. I'll apply for a SavorOne next year probably.

Transfer partners for the Venture can be used for domestic travel through alliance partners. However, the transfer rates are what kill it for me as it's not 1:1. As was said, the Venture is great for the signup bonus first year, but after that doesn't really make sense.

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

coldfusion — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 13:38:20 GMT

@MrDisco99 wrote:
Yeah my plan for the Savor was to downgrade to SavorOne but they wouldn't let me. I already had a Quicksilver so I just canceled the account. I'll apply for a SavorOne next year probably.

Transfer partners for the Venture can be used for domestic travel through alliance partners. However, the transfer rates are what kill it for me as it's not 1:1. As was said, the Venture is great for the signup bonus first year, but after that doesn't really make sense.

Doublechecking here to confirm you're aware that C1 added to their list of 1:1 travel partners last week, although I understand that there are still some that weren't updated.

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

Hoben02 — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 14:19:40 GMT

I used to have the cap one venture when I was able to pay my mortgage with plastiq and cap one venture, but sadly that was closed down by cap one it was worth it at the time becuz with the spend cap one would waive the af

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

greatscott85 — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 16:46:44 GMT

This has been super helpful! I thank you all!

Based on the inputs here, unless C1 brings back a really great SUB we are going to hold off. The Langley Signature CB seems a better value for a card for the DW. We just hit SUB's so fast that anything that comes up worthwhile, we start considering. I think the pandemic really added to large SUB's throughout the CC world.

Re: Is the Capital One Venture card worth it?

MrDisco99 — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 17:43:50 GMT

@coldfusion wrote:
@MrDisco99 wrote:
Yeah my plan for the Savor was to downgrade to SavorOne but they wouldn't let me. I already had a Quicksilver so I just canceled the account. I'll apply for a SavorOne next year probably.

Transfer partners for the Venture can be used for domestic travel through alliance partners. However, the transfer rates are what kill it for me as it's not 1:1. As was said, the Venture is great for the signup bonus first year, but after that doesn't really make sense.
Doublechecking here to confirm you're aware that C1 added to their list of 1:1 travel partners last week, although I understand that there are still some that weren't updated.

No I did not know that.

I just had a look and it looks a lot better than it did when I looked at it last time. The fact that points are now 1:1 transfers to Flying Blue makes me consider this as a potential app for year 1.

Still not a keeper for year 2 since I get 2x transferrable points for free from Amex and Citi, but if the SUB is nice I might go for it.