Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Venture X
The battle of the heavyweights. We compare the three best premium travel cards on the market to help you decide which one deserves a spot in your wallet.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
★ 4.8
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
★ 4.9
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
★ 4.9
Annual Fee
$695
$550
$395
Sign-On Bonus
80,000 Membership Rewards® Points
60,000 Bonus Points
75,000 Bonus Miles
Spend Requirement
$8,000 in first 6 months
$4,000 in first 3 months
$4,000 in first 3 months
Foreign Trans. Fee
0%
0%
0%
Highlights
5x on Flights
Centurion Lounge Access
$200 Airline Fee Credit
$200 Hotel Credit
$200 Uber Cash
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit
3x Points on Travel & Dining
Priority Pass™ Select
$300 Annual Travel Credit
Primary Rental Car Insurance
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit
1:1 Point Transfers to 14+ Partners
2x Miles on Every Purchase
Capital One Lounge Access
$300 Annual Travel Credit
10,000 Anniversary Miles ($100 value)
Free Authorized Users
The Good
Centurion Lounges are the best domestic lounges
Over $1,500 in potential annual statement credits
Unmatched 5x multiplier on flights
Complimentary Marriott & Hilton Gold Status
Best-in-class transfer partner ecosystem
$300 travel credit is applied automatically to any travel purchase
Primary rental car insurance saves you $15-25/day
Points are worth 50% more when redeemed through Chase Travel
Effective fee is -$5 if you use the travel credit and anniversary miles
2x flat rate on everything eliminates category tracking
Capital One Lounges are world-class
Adding authorized users is free (and they get lounge access)
The Bad
$695 annual fee is the highest consumer card fee
Coupon-book style credits require effort to maximize
Poor multiplier (1x) on daily non-travel spending
$550 annual fee is steep for infrequent travelers
Requires excellent credit
High APR means you should never carry a balance
Travel credit must be used through the Capital One Travel portal
Capital One is known to pull all 3 credit bureaus on application
Fewer domestic airline transfer partners compared to Chase
Lounge Access Showdown
Amex Platinum is the undisputed king of lounge access, getting you into Centurion Lounges, Delta SkyClubs (when flying Delta), and Priority Pass. However, Chase Sapphire Reserve includes Priority Pass restaurants, and Capital One Venture X gives you access to their stellar (but limited) Capital One Lounges.
Travel Protections
Both Chase and Capital One offer primary rental car insurance, meaning you don't have to file a claim with your personal insurance first. Amex only provides secondary coverage by default, requiring an additional per-rental fee for primary coverage.