Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card $95/yr. Strongest bonus categories: The Platinum Card from American Express on hotels, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card on hotels.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
American Express
Capital One
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | The Platinum Card from American Express | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | 5X | 1X |
| Hotels | 1X |
No unconditional category winner — 4 categories depend on how you earn.
Flights
Depends: via AmexTravel; up to $500,000/yr
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Car Rentals
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; The Platinum Card from American Express earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Vacation Rentals
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; The Platinum Card from American Express earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Entertainment
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; The Platinum Card from American Express earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Published annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card $95/yr — a $800 difference before welcome offers and credits.
| 1X |
| Everything Else | 1X | 1X |
Network
Key Benefits
Pros
Cons
| Scenario |
|---|
| The Platinum Card from American Express |
|---|
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
|---|
| Ongoing winner |
|---|
| Year-one winner |
|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,445 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $730 Year one: $730 | Rewards: $222 Credits (our usable estimate): $137 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $264 Year one: $1,832 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,445 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $1,270 Year one: $1,270 | Rewards: $888 Credits (our usable estimate): $137 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $930 Year one: $2,498 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/yr — that's $800 more than the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ($95/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $800 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The The Platinum Card from American Express includes travel credits, dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, complimentary hotel status. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $800 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $800 fee gap means the The Platinum Card from American Express needs roughly $800 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on hotels and flights and everyday spend.
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card means losing:
Get the The Platinum Card from American Express if you:
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
