Capital One Venture’s Limited-Time Bonus Is Back

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If you’re already planning your next vacation, now might be a good time to start earning rewards to fund it.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card can help with that. For a limited time, new cardholders can earn a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit, plus 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months. That’s a total value of $1,000 in travel.

For a mid-tier travel credit card charging $95 in annual fees, that’s pretty generous. Plus, the card provides solid long-term value too, thanks to its statement credit perks and double rewards on all purchases.

The issuer currently doesn’t provide an end date for this offer. If you’re interested in travel rewards, it might be wise to hurry if the Venture is a good card for you to begin with. Here’s how to determine that, as well as everything else you need to know about the limited time bonus offer.

What you need to know about the Capital One Venture bonus offer

With the current offer, new cardholders can earn 75,000 miles ($750 when redeemed for travel) after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. That’s a total of $750 worth of travel in first-year value.

To earn the bonus 75,000 miles, you’ll need to spend about $1,333 monthly in the first three months. That may seem like a hefty spend requirement, but it’s in line with intro bonuses on other similar cards.

Additionally, the Venture currently offers a one-time $250 welcome credit which cardholders can use to book flights, hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal. The credit is valid for one year.

This will give you a taste of what luxury credit cards typically provide.

Should you take advantage of the bonus offer?

The Capital One Venture is one of Bankrate’s best travel cards for flat-rate rewards. Cardholders can:

• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day

You can use your rewards to book travel through the issuer’s portal, cover recent travel purchases or transfer miles to Capital One’s travel partners (potentially at a higher value).

Cardholders also receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, plus a $50 experience credit when they book a hotel through Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection. Still, you want to make sure the Capital One Venture is the right choice for you before you submit your card application.

Why you should get the Venture card

• You’re an occasional traveler. If you don’t travel enough to justify a triple-digit annual fee, the Capital One Venture can be a great alternative to more premium travel cards.
• You prefer simplicity. All your purchases will earn at least 2X miles per dollar. You’ll get the same 1-cent-per-point value whether you book travel through the issuer’s portal or a third-party site. For those who value simple and flexible travel rewards, it doesn’t get better than that.
• You maximize rewards. If you’re all about getting the most out of your credit cards but have no flat-rate rewards card yet, the Capital One Venture can take that spot. This way, you’ll always earn more than 1 cent per dollar on your purchases.

Why you should skip the Venture card

• The spend requirement would be too challenging for your budget. Avoid spending just for the sake of earning rewards. The right offer for you shouldn’t impact your spending habits or risk putting you into debt.
• You want to redeem rewards outside of travel. While Capital One gives you other redemption options, your miles might lose a lot of their value. For example, redeeming for cash back only gets you 0.5 cents per mile. If travel rewards aren’t your primary goal, perhaps consider a top cash back card for better rewards return.
• You prefer to transfer credit card rewards. Capital One has transfer partners, but you might get a better deal with a different issuer. According to Bankrate valuations, we value Capital One miles at 1.7 cents per mile.

The bottom line

If the Capital One Venture looks like a good fit for you, even without the limited-time offer, then now might be the perfect time to apply. The intro offer is generous, and you get a portion of it just for being a cardholder. Make sure to learn more about the card’s benefits before you send your application — it’s always best to make a fully informed decision.