The Platinum Card® from American Express has long been regarded as one of the best travel rewards cards for decades, especially for travelers who value premium benefits and a luxurious travel experience.
But a recent competitor, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, may be much more worth your attention.
Both cards offer valuable benefits, top-notch travel and purchase coverage, and complimentary airport lounge access. But they also have drastically different annual fees and distinct perks.
This guide helps you evaluate the merits and drawbacks of the Amex Platinum vs. the Capital One Venture X to decide which card is the best fit for you.
Amex Platinum vs. Capital One Venture X
$695
N/A
See Pay Over Time APR
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, and more.
Amex Platinum Card- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 per Calendar year in statement credits, when you pay for a CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
The Amex Platinum Card and the Capital One Venture X are sleek metal cards that come with generous welcome bonuses and airport lounge access.
The Amex Platinum Card offers a vast range of statement credits and perks including up to $200 in annual airline fee credits, access to more airport lounge networks than any other card, complimentary Gold elite status with Hilton and Marriott, and up to $200 a year in Uber credits.
However, these premium benefits don't come cheap: the Amex Platinum Card has a hefty annual fee of $695 (rates and fees). While many cardholders are able to get much more than that in value each year, those who don't travel enough or can't use most of the card's annual benefits should steer clear of this potential moneysink.
Instead, there's another premium credit card that offers many of the same perks for a much lower annual fee. The Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee that's much more manageable for most budgets. It still comes with a big welcome bonus, travel credits, and airport lounge access.
Amex Platinum vs. Venture X welcome offers
Welcome bonuses, or initial offers, incentivize new cardholders to earn an initial boost of rewards by spending a certain amount of money within a designated timeframe.
Right now, here's what new cardholders can earn from each card:
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This offer is worth around $1,275 in travel value, based on our assessment of what Capital one Miles are worth.
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. This offer is worth around $1,440 in travel value, based on our assessment of what Amex points are worth.
When comparing Amex Platinum and Capital One Venture X welcome offers, keep in mind how much you need to spend to earn the reward, and how long you have to spend that much.
What are Amex points and Capital One miles worth?
"Point currencies" have different values, so make sure you understand what points and miles are worth to decide which makes the most sense for you.
Amex points are worth an average of 1.8 cents apiece by our valuations, while Capital One miles have a slightly lower average value of 1.7 cents each, primarily because American Express transfer partners are more useful for most U.S. travelers than Capital One transfer partners.
Venture X vs. Amex Platinum rewards
The Capital One Venture X earns better on everyday categories, but the Amex Platinum Card earns really well on flights purchased directly through the airline. Both cards earn generous rewards on travel purchased through their respective issuer's travel portal.
Amex Platinum Card
The Amex Platinum Card earns 5 points per dollar on airfare purchased directly through the airline, and on flights and hotels booked through Amex Travel (5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel applies to up to $500,000 per calendar year). Otherwise, the card earns 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Capital One Venture X
Similarly, you'll earn bonus miles for some purchases made with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card — 10 miles per dollar on car rentals and hotels booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked the same way. All other eligible purchases earn 2 miles per dollar.
Overall, you have the potential to earn more rewards on non-bonus category spending with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, at 2 miles per dollar versus 1 point per dollar with the Amex Platinum Card. And for hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One, it's hard to beat earning 10 miles per dollar.
Benefits and Features
Both premium cards are best known for their travel benefits. Here's what you should expect and how their perks stack up, side by side.
Airport Lounge Access
The Amex Platinum Card offers the widest airport lounge access of any premium card. You'll get access to Amex's proprietary Centurion Lounges, as well as a range of other lounge options around the world. These include:
- More than 1,500 Priority Pass airport lounges worldwide
- 10 visits to the Delta Sky Club lounges (when you're flying with Delta that day; unlimited visits after spending $75,000 or more in a calendar year)
- Escape Lounges
- Plaza Premium lounges
- Some Lufthansa lounges
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card also offers Priority Pass airport lounge membership, and the access it offers is actually slightly better than the membership that comes with the Amex Platinum Card.
With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Priority Pass membership, you and unlimited free guests (lounge space permitting) can access Priority Pass lounges.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card cardholders also get complimentary access to Capital One's new airport lounges.
Elite Status With Travel Programs
The Amex Platinum Card offers complimentary elite status with several hotel chains and car rental agencies. These elite tiers come with perks that can get you upgrades and a better travel experience:
- Complimentary Gold elite status with both Hilton and Marriott**
- Elite status with Avis, Hertz, and National Car Rental
You won't get hotel elite status with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, but it does offer complimentary Hertz President's Circle elite status, which comes with perks like guaranteed upgrades, skip the counter and e-return, a free additional driver, and more.
Travel Credits and Hotel Benefits
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a straightforward annual travel credit: Each year, cardholders receive $300 in credits toward flight, hotel, or car rental purchases made through Capital One Travel. While booking through Capital One Travel means you may not earn hotel or car rental points (or have your loyalty status recognized), it should be fairly easy for most folks to maximize this credit.
The Amex Platinum Card offers more opportunities to earn statement credits for travel-related purchases, but it's a little more complicated. You can get:
- Up to $200 in airline incidental fee credits each calendar year
- Up to $200 per year in credits toward prepaid hotel bookings through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or The Hotel Collection with a minimum of a two-night stay
- $199 per year in statement credits toward CLEAR® Plus membership (expedited airport security)**
- Up to $200 in Uber Cash (can be used for Uber rides or Uber Eats) per year
By dollar value alone, the Amex Platinum Card comes out ahead — as long as you can maximize the credits. For example, the airline fee credit doesn't cover airfare — only extras like bag fees or seat selection fees — so if you don't incur any of these additional charges when you travel, your benefit may go unused.
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit
Both the Amex Platinum Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offer statement credit toward the Global Entry or application fee. These trusted traveler programs are worth having if you're a frequent flyer because they can save you a lot of time waiting in line at the airport.
There's one minor difference between the two cards. On the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you'll receive a credit for either program's application fee once every four years. With the Amex Platinum Card, the credit is available every four years for Global Entry, but 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck®.
Anniversary Bonuses
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card cardholders receive a 10,000-mile bonus each year on their account anniversary. Capital One miles are worth 1 cent each when you redeem them toward travel purchases (and potentially more when you transfer to partners), so this bonus is worth at least $100 in travel.
The Amex Platinum Card doesn't offer an anniversary points bonus.
Other Credits
The Amex Platinum Card has added retail credits in the past couple of years, most recently adding new "lifestyle" benefits like digital entertainment and Equinox credits. Here's the full list:
- Up to $300 in Equinox credit** per year toward things like in-person gym membership or for a subscription to the Equinox+ fitness app
- $300 in statement credit for SoulCycle at-home bike purchases (up to a maximum of 15 credits per year)
- Up to $155 per year in statement credits toward Walmart+ membership ($12.95 per month)**
- Up to $100 per year in Saks Fifth Avenue credits ($50 from January to June, and $50 from July to December)**.
Transfer Partners
Both the Amex Platinum Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earn flexible rewards you can transfer an array of airline and hotel partners, but your options with each program are different.
With Amex Membership Rewards, you can transfer points to 21 airline and hotel partners, all at a 1:1 ratio unless otherwise noted:
Meanwhile, Capital One miles transfer to 18 airline and hotel partners, also mostly at a 1:1 ratio (except noted):
Before you commit to either program, consider the transfer partners you're likely to use. Amex Membership Rewards is somewhat more useful for domestic travelers because it partners with Delta and JetBlue, but Capital One has unique partners like Wyndham and Accor that you won't find with Amex.
Even if your favorite airline isn't listed, it may be possible to redeem rewards for award flights through alliances and partnerships. For example, if you prefer United, which isn't a transfer partner of either program, you can transfer rewards to Air Canada Aeroplan or Singapore Airlines. Because these airlines are all part of Star Alliance, you can use miles from any of them to book award flights on any other partner.
Additional Card Features
Both cards offer significantly more benefits. We'll detail the most important ones below.
Authorized Users
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the clear winner in terms of authorized user access and benefits. You can add up to four authorized users to the card at no cost, and they get many of the same top perks as the primary cardholder, including:
- Priority Pass and Capital One airport lounge access
- Hertz President's Circle elite status
- Cellphone protection
The Amex Platinum Card also offers benefits to authorized users, including airport lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck® credit, and hotel elite status, but it's not free: You'll pay $195 per authorized user on this card account.
Protection and Insurance Coverages
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a Visa Infinite card, which means it comes with excellent travel and purchase protections, including primary car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and trip delay insurance.
As Amex's premium consumer card, the Amex Platinum Card also offers great coverage. One advantage of the Amex Platinum Card is emergency medical transportation assistance offered by its Premium Global Assist Hotline, which you won't find on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
However, keep in mind the Amex Platinum Card only offers secondary car rental insurance (with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, it's primary insurance) and doesn't come with travel accident insurance.
There are restrictions and exclusions for each of the benefits below — be sure to read the Capital One Venture X benefits guide and benefits guides for the Amex Platinum for important terms.
| Benefit | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | The Platinum Card® from American Express |
| Car rental insurance | Primary — up to $75,000 on eligible rentals | Secondary — up to $75,000 on eligible rentals |
| Trip cancellation/interruption | Up to $2,000 per person (cardholder and immediate family) | Up to $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 per card per consecutive 12-month period |
| Travel accident insurance | Up to $1,000,000 | N/A |
| Trip delay reimbursement | Up to $500 per ticket (cardholder and immediate family) for delays of six hours or more | Up to $500 per covered trip for delays of six hours or more, up to two times per consecutive 12-month period |
| Lost luggage reimbursement | Up to $3,000 per covered trip (cardholder and immediate family) | Up to $2,000 per person for checked bags and up to $3,000 per person for carry-on luggage |
| Purchase protection | Up to $10,000 in reimbursement per claim, and up to $50,000 per account, within 90 days of purchase | Up to a maximum of $10,000 per item and $50,000 per year |
| Extended warranty | Extends the time period of a U.S. manufacturer's warranty on eligible items by an additional year, on warranties of three years or less | Extends the time period of a U.S. manufacturer's warranty on eligible items by an additional year, on warranties of five years or less |
| Return protection | Up to $300 per item and an annual maximum of $1,000 per account, within 90 days of purchase | Up to $300 per item and an annual maximum of $1,000 per calendar year, within 90 days of purchase |
| Cell phone protection | Up to $800 in coverage per claim with a maximum of two claims and $1,600 per 12-month period ($50 deductible) | Up to $800 in coverage per claim with a maximum of two claims 12-month period ($50 deductible) |
| Travel and emergency assistance services | Yes (all costs are cardholder responsibility) | Yes (all costs are cardholder responsibility; emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost only if approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline) |
Comparison: Capital One Venture X vs Amex Platinum
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | The Platinum Card® from American Express | |
| Annual fee | $395 | $695 (rates and fees) |
| Welcome bonus offer | 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening | 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership |
| Rewards rate | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel 2x miles on all other purchases | 5x points on airfare purchased directly through the airline, and on flights and hotels booked through Amex Travel* 1 point per dollar on everything else |
| Card benefits | Priority Pass and Capital One airport lounge access10,000-mile bonus each account anniversaryComplimentary elite status with Hertz car rentalPrimary car rental insuranceTravel accident insuranceCell phone protectionTrip cancellation/interruption insuranceReturn protectionExtended warrantyVisa Infinite conciergeComplimentary PRIOR subscription | Up to $200 in Uber Cash each calendar year** Gold elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required) Airport lounge access (Priority Pass after enrollment, Centurion lounges, and more) Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts (benefits at exclusive luxury properties) The Hotel Collection (property credits and upgrades) Cell phone protection Secondary car rental insurance Trip cancellation insurance Baggage insurance Trip delay insurance Return protection Purchase protection Extended warranty Premium Global Assist Hotline Discounts and bonuses through Amex Offers** |
| Statement credits | $300 per year in credits toward Capital One Travel bookings Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit | Up to $200 in airline fee credits each calendar year Up to $100 in Saks credits each calendar year** Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit Up to $300 annually in Equinox credits** $199 per year in credits for CLEAR® Plus membership** Up to $200 in credits per year toward prepaid hotel bookings through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay) Up to $240 in annual credits (up to $20 per month) toward eligible digital subscriptions*** $12.95 in credits each month toward Walmart+ membership $300 statement credit toward a purchase of SoulCycle At-Home Bike online |
| Foreign transaction fee | No | No |
| Review | Capital One Venture X Rewards credit card review | Amex Platinum card review |
*The 5x points will apply on up to $500,000 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® per calendar year
***Eligible digital subscriptions include Hulu, ESPN+, Disney+, Peacock, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal
Annual Fees
Neither of these cards comes cheap, but one is significantly more expensive than the other.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Amex Platinum Card has an annual fee of $695 (rates and fees). This is one of the highest annual fees of any publicly available credit card in the U.S., making this card only a good choice for a very specific demographic.
This card is a good fit for you if you purchase a lot of flights each year, can fully maximize the annual credits for Uber and airline incidental fees, shop at Saks, stay at Hilton and Marriott hotels, and visit Amex Centurion Lounges at least several times annually. If any of these criteria don't apply, you'll probably save money by choosing another premium card.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X's annual fee is $395.
This card comes with a flexible credit of up to $300 a year on travel booked through Capital One Travel, and a 10,000-mile bonus each year when you renew the card, worth $100 toward travel.
If you can use both benefits in full every year, you can completely recoup the value of this annual fee.
Winner: Capital One Venture X
How to Choose Between Venture X vs. Amex Platinum
The Platinum Card® from American Express has a definite advantage in the sheer number of benefits it offers, including various travel and retail statement credits and unmatched airport lounge access. For these perks, though, you'll pay almost double the annual fee.
Matching Card Benefits to Your Spending Habits
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card doesn't offer the array of credits the Amex Platinum Card does, but its key benefits — a $300 annual travel credit, 10,000-mile anniversary bonus, and Priority Pass airport lounge access — are enough to easily offset the annual fee cost.
Evaluating Card Fees Against Benefits
Both cards offer excellent travel and purchase protection and a wide range of redemption options. The right card for you really depends on how much you'll use the benefits, and, in the case of the Amex Platinum Card, whether or not the extra perks are worth an additional $300 per year.
Venture X vs. Amex Platinum cardholder reviews
In addition to compiling our research on both premium cards, Business Insider's personal finance experts screened customer reviews on Reddit and Facebook to see what everyday cardholders have to say about these cards.
Switching Loyalties: Changing
Amex Platinum Card has a definite advantage in the sheer number of benefits it offers, including various travel and retail statement credits and unmatched airport lounge access. For these perks, though, you'll pay almost double the an
Venture X vs. Amex Platinum frequently asked questions
How do the annual fees for Capital One Venture X and American Express Platinum compare?
Both cards carry a significant annual fee by any standard, although the benefits greatly outweigh the cost for the right consumers. The Amex Platinum Card costs $695 per year (rates and fees), and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card costs $395 per year.
Which card offers better rewards for travel and everyday purchases?
Both cards offer middle-of-the-pack rewards on non-travel spend. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 2x Capital One miles on every dollar spent outside of travel, which can earn up to 5 points per dollar on flights and vacation rentals through Capital One Travel. The Amex Platinum Card earns 5x Amex Membership Rewards points on all flights booked directly through an airline or Amex Travel, but 1 point per dollar on everything else.
What are the major travel benefits of each card?
Both cards offer extensive travel perks icluding airport lounge access, travel credits, and luxury hotel benefits. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card cardholders get access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One lounges, while Amex Platinum Card cardholders can enter Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and Delta Sky Club lounges on qualifying travel.
Can I earn a sign-up bonus with these cards?
Yes, both the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Amex Platinum Card offer welcome bonuses for new cardholders who meet certain spending requirements within a specific amount of time after opening the card.
Which card is best suited for frequent travelers?
Frequent travelers may fare better with the Amex Platinum for its extensive travel benefits and luxury perks, while those seeking a balance between travel rewards and everyday value may find the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card to be a better fit.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply
