Travelers love the *venture x*, the bank’s premium travel rewards credit card that burst onto the scene a few years back with high-end travel perks at a palatable price point. But if you’re eligible for a small business credit card – and trust us, you just might be – there’s also a business version of this popular card.
The naming committee didn’t stray too far with this one: It’s the *venture x business*. But the name fits as it’s so similar to its counterpart: It’s packed with many of the same benefits and features – and an identical $395 annual fee. Where it differs is with a gargantuan welcome offer bonus of up to 150,000 miles … and an equally large spending requirement to earn it.
With the Venture X Business Card, you’ll get all the important perks like airport lounge access, an annual $300 travel credit, and 10,000 bonus miles each year on your cardmember anniversary. But while some top travel cards are best for perks rather than earning points, this isn’t one of them: The Venture X Business earns a solid 2x miles per dollar on all purchases, helping you rack up more miles, wherever your business is spending.
Read on for everything you need to know about the Capital One Venture X Business Card.
Learn more about the *venture x business*.
Who Can Apply For a Business Card?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what makes the Venture X Business a great fit for small (and even large) business owners looking to earn valuable travel points, let’s set a foundation for who is actually eligible to open business cards. And it may be much easier than you think.
To open a business credit card like the Venture X Business, you don’t need a full-time business with employees or six-figure revenues – though if you’re planning to earn this card’s mammoth welcome offer, that might help. More on that soon.
While running a big business would obviously qualify you to open a business credit card, you can also get approved for a small-business credit card like the Venture X Business Card with a part-time side hustle, a freelance job, a gig economy job, or even by selling goods on online marketplaces like Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and more. In fact, many Americans have what the banks would consider a small business and don’t even realize it.
At the end of the day, if you are selling any goods or services, or contracting with a company to do so in an attempt to make a profit, you have a small business and thus are typically eligible to apply for a small business credit card. That makes it possible for many Americans to apply for a business credit card.
Just keep in mind: You should never lie or attempt to mislead a bank when applying for a business credit card. It’s important to have a legitimate business, even if that business is just your own.
Read more: You Might Be Eligible for Business Credit Cards & Not Know It
A Big Sign-Up Bonus
With the *venture x business* you can earn 150,000 bonus miles when meeting the card’s minimum spending requirement of $30,000 in the first three months of card membership.
For some small businesses, spending the $30,000 necessary to earn the first part of the bonus might seem daunting. But for many others – from restaurants to general contractors – spending $10,000 each month is commonplace. The key here is to not go out of your way to earn the bonus by spending money unnecessarily.
And if you’re wondering how high of a credit limit you’d need to be able to comfortably spend $30,000 in three months, that’s where the Venture X Business card differs from its personal counterpart. The Venture X Business Card is actually a pay-in-full card that doesn’t come with a preset credit limit or charge interest on purchases. Instead, you need to pay your card’s balance in full each month or be subject to a late fee.
This puts the Venture X Business in line with American Express’ hybrid cards (previously known as charge cards) like *biz platinum* and the *biz gold*.
Read next: 5 Ways to Responsibly Hit the Minimum Spending Requirement on a New Business Card
Just like the personal Capital One Venture X Card, the business version comes loaded with travel benefits and perks that have us questioning if the card is too good to be true.
Annual travel credits, airport lounge access, and elite-like benefits at The Premier Collection of hotels make the Venture X Business incredibly valuable. With little effort, these perks can more than justify the card’s annual fee and make it a powerful business tool for any company to have.
Annual $300 Travel Credit
Each year of card membership, Venture X Business cardholders will get up to $300 in travel credit to use for Capital One Travel bookings. Just use your card to book flights, hotels, or rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal and you’ll automatically get up to a $300 discount on your purchase.
While we typically steer clear of third-party sites and online travel agencies, Capital One has added some awesome new features to their portal that can turn that logic on its head.
And best of all, this travel credit goes a long way to offset the card’s annual fee. Think of it this way: Do you plan to spend $300 or more on travel each year? Then this card’s annual fee isn’t $395 – it’s more like $95.
Read more: Everything You Need to Know About Capital One $300 Travel Credit
Airport Lounge Access
Whether you’re traveling for work or heading off on vacation, few things make your travel experience better than having access to an airport lounge.
Just like the personal version, the Venture X Business Card will get you access to the outstanding Capital One Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and a Priority Pass Select membership to get you into more than 1,300 lounges across the globe.
Capital One Lounges
After years of planning and months of building, Capital One finally has its own branded airport lounges. With just three lounges currently open for business (and more on the way), Capital One won’t win any awards for quantity – but quality is a whole different discussion.
Each lounge is a bit different, but they’ve all got a great design, fun amenities, and absolutely outstanding food and drinks – easily among the best airport lounges in the U.S., period.
The first Capital One lounge location in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) clocks in around 10,000 square feet, but it feels much bigger than that. There’s an open and airy design, with floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the tarmac below. Everything feels bright, fresh, and new. Once you enter the lounge, there’s plenty of seating, with armchairs, cafe-style tables, and long sofas.
Whether you’re at the bar, at a high-top table, or lounging somewhere else, there are power outlets and USB ports seemingly everywhere.
Capital One puts a big emphasis on offering excellent food and drinks, with a local flair – and once you’re in door, it’s all free. At the Capital One lounge in Denver (DEN), for example, the bank leans into the Colorado location with a ground bison sloppy joe. Where else are you going to find that in an airport lounge?
Not to be out done, the lounge at Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD) offers a full-service coffee bar where you can order a coffee or tea to go or to sip on while in the lounge. From a simple Americano to an oat milk latte, the friendly baristas can make you almost any coffee drink you want. There’s also cold brew on tap and drip coffee, of course.
Additional Capital One Lounges are planned for Las Vegas (LAS) and New York (JFK), though exact opening dates have yet to be announced.
The Venture X Business card will get you and two guests unlimited access to any of these Capital One lounges for free.
Capital One Landings
Don’t call it a lounge … it’s a Capital One Landing.
The first of these hybrid airport lounge-restaurant mashups, officially opened the its doors at Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport (DCA) late last year. While we haven’t yet visited for ourselves, this new space looks pretty sweet. Capital One Landings have both a sit-down dining room and grab-and-go options.
The food and beverage program is spearheaded by award-winning celebrity chef José Andrés and his José Andrés Group, with made-to-order Spanish-style tapas and drinks delivered directly to your seat. Plus, you’ll find “interactive” carts roaming the space at various times of the day – a mimosa cart in the morning featuring orange, pomegranate, and pineapple juices; a cheesecake cart in the afternoon with accompanying fruits and sauces, and a gin and tonic cart in the evening featuring various gins, tonics, and garnishes.
So far, just one other Capital One Landing has been announced, with the next location set to open at New York’s La Guardia Airport (LGA) later this year, though an exact timeline is still unclear.
Just like the Capital One lounges, Venture X Business cardholders get unlimited complimentary access for themselves and two guests. You can even make reservations online in the Capital One app up to six months in advance.
Priority Pass Lounges
The Capital One Venture X Business will also get you a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership that gives you access to over 1,300 airport lounges across the world.
The quality and offering in Priority Pass lounges can vary quite a bit. But even the worst Priority Pass lounge is still better than sitting at the gate in the terminal.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit
Add the Capital One Venture X Business to the growing list of credit cards offering up to a $120 credit for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Membership in either program is good for five years and Venture X Business cardholders will get to use this credit every four years to ensure they get their renewal done before it expires.
If you plan for any sort of international travel, spring for Global Entry as it automatically includes a TSA PreCheck membership.
Taking advantage of this credit is simple. Just use the card when you pay for your application and voilà: Your credit will kick in to cover the entire cost.
Read more: Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck: Which is Better for You?
10,000 Mile Anniversary Bonus
Each and every year on your account anniversary, you’ll receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus after paying your card’s annual fee.
These miles are worth a minimum of $100 towards travel – and potentially much more by utilizing the Capital One transfer partners. You won’t get this right when you open the card: This benefit starts in your second year and each year after that.
This is just another way to get more value out of your Venture X Business card and easily offset the card’s annual fee.
The Premier & Lifestyle Collection of Hotels
In early 2023, Capital One launched its own portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts call The Premier Collection, bookable with exclusive benefits for Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders.
It’s not just glamorous hotels and resorts that Capital One hopes will draw travelers in, either. Every Premier Collection booking unlocks a handful of additional perks that match (or exceed) the top levels of hotel status, including:
- Free breakfast for two every morning
- A $120 credit for dining, the spa, or other experiences on the property
- Free Wi-Fi during your stay
- Room upgrades, early check-in, and late check-out when available
- Earn 10x miles per dollar on every booking
- Use your Venture X Business Card’s $300 annual travel credit for these hotel bookings
Capital One further bolstered its hotel offerings with the introduction of the Lifestyle Hotel Collection, which includes brand names like Virgin, The Standard Design, and The LINE as well as a number of boutique hotels around the world. While the Premier Collection is available exclusively to Venture X personal and business cardholders, the Lifestyle Collection is available to other Capital One cardholders.
Cardholders will get perks usually reserved for those with hotel status or who hold a premium travel rewards credit card such as earning more points on stays, room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout, and a $50 experience credit to use at bars, hotel restaurants, room service, or other activities.
Business Tools
For business owners, time is money – and having a business credit card that saves both time and money can be a huge advantage to running a successful business.
With the *venture x business* you can make payments to any of your vendors – even those that don’t accept cards. It works similarly to third-party payment services like Plastiq and Melio, where you’re charged a 2.9% fee for processing the card payment but in the process, you’ll be able to hold on to your cash for a little longer and earn valuable rewards for making your payment.
Being able to make these vendor payments directly through Capital One, instead of using a third party, will save you from having to create another account and risk payment information getting compromised. You can also connect your QuickBooks Online account to streamline future vendor bill payments and keep track of everything in one secure place.
With the Venture X Business Card, you can also assign an account manager to make purchases and payments, review transactions, and resolve any problems on your behalf. With this feature, your account manager is able to get work done when you can’t be there – or simply free you up to take care of other business priorities.
Besides allowing your account manager to make purchases, you can also add extra employee cards to your account for free. That means employees can get their own card for business purchases or supply runs, and all those charges (and rewards) go to the business owners’ account. As an added layer of security, you can even set customized spending limits for employee cards and see transactions as soon as they post.
To help with year-end bookkeeping, you’ll get an account summary that includes an itemized report of all your year-to-date spending. This can help with budgeting for the next year, as well as provide you with an aid for tax preparation. In addition to the year-end summary, you can also download your purchase records into multiple formats including Quicken, QuickBooks, and Excel.
Related reading: How (& When) to Pay Your Taxes With a Credit Card
Earning Miles
Earning points with the Venture X Business card couldn’t be any easier.
You’ll get unlimited 2x Capital One miles for every purchase, everywhere – all without paying any pesky foreign transaction fees. No matter if you’re paying for business supplies, office rent, utilities, or other vendors, you’re going to be getting a decent return on all your purchases.
When it comes time to book travel, you’ll get 5x Capital One miles on flights and a whopping 10x Capital One miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One’s portal. If your business spends heavily on travel, booking this way will mean you’re earning lots of rewards for one of your company’s biggest expenses.
Redeeming Miles
There are plenty of worthwhile ways to redeem Capital One miles.
Let’s start simple: Covering your purchases with Capital One miles. Just book a flight, hotel, or any travel expense with your Venture X Business Card, then go back and remove it from your statement with miles.
When you cover your travel purchases with miles, every single mile is worth 1 cent toward travel. The same is true when using another method to book travel: Capital One’s travel portal, where you can search for flights, hotels, or rental cars and book directly through Capital One. By first booking travel through the Capital One Travel portal, you’ll earn extra rewards and still leave yourself open to cover the charge with miles. This is a true win-win!
That means 100,000 Capital One miles are worth at least $1,000 toward travel. But you could do much, much better.
Over the last few years, Capital One has solved a glaring weakness by leveling up its transfer partner program with new additions and improved transfer rates. Now, you can transfer to 18 different airline and hotel programs – most on a 1:1 basis. That means 100,000 miles can become 100,000 British Airways Avios. Or 100,000 miles with Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles. Or 100,000 Air Canada Aeroplan miles. You get the idea…
With this improved transfer partner program, these miles are potentially worth much, much more than one cent per point and it makes Capital One miles a genuine double threat.
Aside from travel-related redemption options, you can also use your miles for thousands of experiences like sporting events, concerts, and more through Capital One Entertainment. Less fun, but equally useful options include redeeming for cash, gift cards, or even Amazon purchases.
Read more: 7 Sweet Spots for Using Capital One Miles
Is It Worth the Annual Fee?
This is an easy answer.
Yes, the *venture x business* is worth paying $395 a year … for most small business owners.
With little effort, most business owners should be able to easily recoup $300 a year with the card’s annual travel credit alone. While you do have to book through the Capital One Travel portal in order to get this discount, that will be a minor inconvenience for most, and more than worth it to get $300 back.
On top of the annual travel credit, you’ll also get a 10,000 Venture mile bonus each year that you keep the card and pay the annual fee. This anniversary bonus doesn’t kick in until your second year with the card. But considering those bonus miles are worth at least $100 in travel, Capital One is practically paying you to have this card.
Add in the fact that you can access some of the best airport lounges around the world and get outstanding travel protections, it makes this card’s annual fee seem like a bargain.
Bottom Line
The *venture x business* is nearly identical to the personal version, offering business owners unlimited 2x Capital One miles on all purchases along with some of the best travel benefits of any card on the market. With a 150,000-mile sign-up bonus and a modest $395 annual fee, this card packs a punch way above its weight class.
Learn more about the *venture x business*.
