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: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card $395/yr, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card $650/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card on hotels, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card on everyday spending.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
Capital One
American Express
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | 2X | 1X |
| Hotels | 2X |
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card wins in 6 of 6 categories. The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card leads in 0.
Hotels
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 10X vs 1X
10X via Capital One Travel - No annual cap
Car Rentals
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 10X vs 1X
10X via Capital One Travel - No annual cap
Flights
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 5X vs 1X
5X via Capital One Travel - No annual cap
Vacation Rentals
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 5X vs 1X
5X via Capital One Travel - No annual cap
Entertainment
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 5X vs 1X
5X via issuer travel portal
Everyday purchases
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X
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.
Both scenarios favor the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Published annual fees: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card $395/yr, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card $650/yr — a $255 difference before welcome offers and credits.
| 1X |
| Everything Else | 2X | 1X |
Network
Key Benefits
Pros
Cons
Both scenarios favor the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $444 Credits (our usable estimate): $312 − Annual fee ($395) Ongoing: $361 Year one: $1,749 | Rewards: $144 Credits (our usable estimate): $317 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$189 Year one: -$189 | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,776 Credits (our usable estimate): $312 − Annual fee ($395) Ongoing: $1,693 Year one: $3,081 | Rewards: $576 Credits (our usable estimate): $317 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $243 Year one: $243 | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card |
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card costs $650/yr — that's $255 more than the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ($395/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $255 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card includes travel credits, dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, free checked bags. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $255 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $255 fee gap means the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card needs roughly $255 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on everyday spending and everyday spend.
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card means losing:
Get the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card 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.
