Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.
Choosing between the American Express® Gold Card ($325/yr) and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ($395/yr) comes down to where you spend most. Both cards can deliver real value. Let’s break it down, then run your numbers to find the winner.
Strongest in dining at 4% (up to $50,000/yr). 4X points at restaurants worldwide, 4X on U.S. supermarkets, 3X on flights.
Perfect if: You spend enough in bonus categories to easily offset the annual fee.
Apply Now10x on hotels/rental cars, 5x on flights through Capital One Travel, 2x on everything else. Earns a solid 2.0% on everything else.
Perfect if: You book through the issuer's own site and want premium perks to offset the fee.
Apply Now| Feature | American Express Gold Card | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $325 | $395 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | 100,000 points after $8,000 spend in 6 months | 75,000 miles after $4,000 spend in 3 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 1% | 2% |
| Dining Rewards | 4% (up to $50,000/yr) | 2% |
| Groceries Rewards | 4% (up to $25,000/yr) | 2% |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
3% on flights Earns 3% only on flights booked direct with the airline or on AmexTravel.com. Hotels, car rentals and cruises earn 1%. |
10% through Capital One Travel Earns 10% only on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, Capital One's own booking site. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 2%. 5% on flights through Capital One Travel Earns 5% only on flights booked through Capital One Travel. Flights booked direct with an airline earn the flat 2%. |
| Key Benefits | 4X points at restaurants worldwide, 4X on U.S. supermarkets, 3X on flights. | 10x on hotels/rental cars, 5x on flights through Capital One Travel, 2x on everything else. |
American Express Gold Card pulls ahead for dining, groceries spending.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card wins on travel, gas.
The $70/year fee difference means Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.
American Express Gold Card carries $424/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings), while Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card carries $300/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.