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 Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ($95/yr) and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card ($149/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.
2x miles on every purchase, 5x on hotels and rentals through Capital One Travel. Earns a solid 2.0% on everything else.
Perfect if: You're comfortable booking through the issuer's own site for the best rate.
Apply Now3x on Southwest purchases, 2x on groceries and restaurants up to $8,000/year.
Perfect if: You want a strong rewards rate with no spending caps to worry about.
Apply Now| Feature | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $95 | $149 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | 75,000 miles after $4,000 spend in 3 months | 55,000 points after $1,500 spend in 3 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 2% | 1% |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
5% through Capital One Travel Earns 5% only on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, Capital One's own booking site. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 2%. |
3% on Southwest Earns 3% only on Southwest purchases. Flights on other airlines, hotels and car rentals earn 1%. |
| Key Benefits | 2x miles on every purchase, 5x on hotels and rentals through Capital One Travel. | 3x on Southwest purchases, 2x on groceries and restaurants up to $8,000/year. |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card pulls ahead for travel, dining, groceries, gas spending.
The $54/year fee difference means Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card carries $170/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.