Venture vs Arrival+ (What is Considered Travel Expense)

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to decide if I want to jump on the Venture bandwagon at this point.  I have checked and have a pre-approval on the Capital One website with the lowest APR showing.   But I have always wanted the Arrival+, no real solid behind my logic on this one.

Before I pull the trigger on the Venture though I was hoping to get some feedback on what Capital One considers Travel, as it looks like Barclay's has a bigger list of MSCs that would be open for "Travel Reimbursement" as compared to the Venture.

Venture: as per the terms listed on their website

"Purchases made from airlines, hotels, rail lines, car rental agencies, limousine services, bus lines, cruise lines, taxi cabs, travel agents and time share"

Arrival+:

"Qualifying Travel Redemptions are defined as: Airlines, Hotels, Motels, Timeshares, Campgrounds, Car Rental Agencies, Cruise Lines, Travel Agencies, Tourist Attractions, Discount Travel Sites, Trains, Buses, Taxis, Limousines, Ferries, and your Barclaycard Arrival Annual Fee (if applicable)"

The biggest difference I notice is that the Arrival+ includes Tourist Attractions and Discount Travel Sites on their list and Venture does not.    You can also pay your Annual Fee with Travel miles it appears.

I want to get one of these cards for general travel expenses, as I don't travel much and don't have loyalities to any brand.  So I'm looking for a card that I will be able to use and not just for the big credit limit that might come with the Venture.  But, if the Venture considers the same expenses as Arrival+ then I would probably lean more that way with the pre-approval already sitting out there.

I currently have QS and SM cards so I already have relationships with both banks. 

[takeshi74]

The terms (that you quoted) are the best resources on the matter.

I don't recommend relying on an prequal/preapp/offer as a reason.  You have no idea when the SP was performed for the offer and what has changed with your credit since then.

[happypill]

The Ventuer gets 2% on everything.  The Arrival+ gets 2.22% on everything (because of the 10% redemption bonus).  In both cases, the points can be redeemed for travel; don't really know the exact difference between the two.

The key consideration, if you are deciding between these two cards is whether your annual spend is large enough to overcome the difference in AF.  The Venture has $59 AF, the Venture+ has $89 AF.  You'd need to spend about $15k more per year on the Arrival+ for the rewards to overcome the difference in fee.

[happypill]

Wanted to clarify a bit.

Considering just these two cards, and not any other cards with similar reward structures (like the Citi double cash):

• If you spend less than $30k a year you should get neither
• If you spend $30-45k a year you should get the venture
• If you spend over $45k a year you should get the Arrival+

[Anonymous]

Thank you both for your replies and insights.  Maybe I will reevaluate my decision on a general spending travel card.    Maybe DC would be the better option for a general spending card that is a little better then the QS that I am using now.

[degs138]

The key for me with having both the Arrival and Venture card is the no foreign transaction fees.  I charge about 5k per year out of the US and I save myself $150.  Arrival has no fee and my venture AF has been refunded 2 years in a row.  I want at least 3 cards that have no Foriegn fees just incase I lose my wallet over seas.  I always have at least one card in the safe as a back up.  If they still hold a card for incidentals at the hotel then i still have 2 extra cards.

[Anonymous]

@happypill, i think you're looking at it a little wrong...you just have to spend $15k period for the arrival+ to makeup the difference in af with venture not $15k more and you have to get to $40k before the extra .22% makes up for the entire annual fee. So I think you mean in your scenario

Under $40k neither over $40k arrival+ with no options choosing venture.

But this is completely ignoring the huge bonuses being offered by venture and arrival + specifically

With the $444 bonus and first year waived you would essentially have 6 years of earning 2.22% over 2% with dc regardless of how much you spend.

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
@happypill, i think you're looking at it a little wrong...you just have to spend $15k period for the arrival+ to makeup the difference in af with venture not $15k more and you have to get to $40k before the extra .22% makes up for the entire annual fee. So I think you mean in your scenario

Under $40k neither over $40k arrival+ with no options choosing venture.

But this is completely ignoring the huge bonuses being offered by venture and arrival + specifically

With the $444 bonus and first year waived you would essentially have 6 years of earning 2.22% over 2% with dc regardless of how much you spend.

---

Right, but don't think of it as 6 years of earning 2.22 if you don't spend enough.  Take the bonus and run!  I think it's more:

1) Get both for the first year, if meeting spend isn't a problem.

2) If you spend over $40K a year, keep Arrival Plus

3) If you spend less, but have over $12,500 of foreign expenses, keep Arrival Plus (compared to QS)

4) Otherwise, cancel and get DC (or Fid Amex) and optionally something like QS if you have foreign charges.

This ignores whatever value you put on WEMC for Arrival Plus

[degs138]

Agree, the bonus is the best part of each card.  I just got my Barclay Arrival bonus.  Now i have a free 200 for my trip next week to spend on hotel and dinning.  As I said, the no foreign transaction fee and no cost of the card make it worthwhile for me over the Arrival+.  I will continue to use the Venture to make any purchase i need that I can't get more than 2% on.  Any basicly for everything overseas if I have non travel expenses.  If i keep getting the AF waived from CAP ONE it's going to stay in my wallet.

[heyitsyeh]

I would get the Arrival+ if only because you can downgrade to Arrival which has 2.22% on dining/travel whereas VentureOne is straight 1.25% and clearly outclassed by Quicksilver in every way. Both non-AF versions have no FTF btw.