capital one and travel

Introduction to the Capital One Travel Portal

Utilizing rewards for bookings, how to use capital one travel, what is the capital one premier collection.

• Cards that are eligible for the travel portal

Capital One Miles Value in the Capital One Travel portal

Capital one travel portal: your guide to booking and rewards.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate credit cards to write unbiased product reviews .

The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Capital One Venture X Business Card†, Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card†, Capital One Spark Miles for Business†, Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business†, Capital One Spark Cash Plus†, Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit†, Capital One Spark 1% Classic†, Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®†, Journey Student Rewards from Capital One†. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

The Capital One Travel portal is an online travel platform that allows customers to book flights, hotels, and rental cars. The site provides exclusive travel deals, discounts, and tools to help you save on your next vacation. Select Capital One credit card customers can earn elevated rewards for every purchase made through the portal or redeem them for bookings. It's a great tool that lets you make all your travel reservations in one place and takes the guesswork out of redeeming miles. 

However, Capital One Travel also has several downsides. You're giving up loyalty rewards with those programs by booking hotels and rental cars through Capital One. The Price Freeze function also doesn't work as promised and redeeming Capital One miles for travel bookings may not be the best way to maximize your rewards.

Overview of the Portal

The Capital One Travel Portal offers excellent value for money and flexibility, with various travel options to suit any budget. It also provides a range of rewards, discounts, and tools to help you save on your travels.

With the added convenience of booking flights, hotels, and car rentals all in one place, it is the perfect choice for anyone looking to book their next trip. While some of its features are more gimmicky than others, the fact remains that this portal provides ease and convenience for travelers who don't want to deal with multiple booking platforms and loyalty programs. 

The Capital One Travel portal is a travel booking platform powered by Hopper, an app that helps travelers pick the best times to book and travel at the lowest prices. Capital One Travel offers competitive prices, exclusive discounts, and access to a wide selection of flight, hotel, and rental car options for Capital One cardholders. Customers can use the portal to earn and redeem rewards on travel bookings. 

Additionally, the portal provides helpful tools such as a price calendar to find the cheapest airfares and price drop protection that will refund the fare difference if it drops post-booking. The portal also has a price freeze feature, which allows users to "freeze" a specific airfare for up to $25 or 2,500 miles.

Benefits of Booking Through the Portal

One of the key benefits of using the Capital One Travel portal is that certain types of bookings will earn you higher rewards when you pay with an eligible Capital One credit card. For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars and 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One travel. And with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card , you'll earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through the portal.

This works out well for Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card cardholders' flight bookings since Capital One lets you enter your frequent flyer number on the booking page. You'll not only earn elevated Capital One miles, but you'll also earn airline miles and elite-qualifying miles through your chosen frequent flyer program. You won't get the same benefits on hotel or rental car bookings, so that's worth weighing into your booking decision.

Above all else, the Capital One Travel portal provides convenient and easy travel booking. You can use it to compare airfare from multiple airlines at once, helping you find the best deal on your next trip. Additionally, you can use your Capital One miles to pay for travel bookings at a rate of 1 cent per mile, or get discounted rates on certain flights or hotel stays. Finally, customers have access to customer service representatives who can answer questions and assist with bookings.

How to Use Capital One Miles

The Capital One Travel portal can be a great way to earn elevated rewards and enjoy extra perks. Booking flights through this portal can make sense since you can double-dip, earning rewards with your credit card and frequent flyer miles from airlines. However, you won't earn hotel points or elite night credits on Capital One bookings, which means you'll miss out on possible elite benefits with major hotel loyalty programs. Depending on how often you travel, this could be a significant downside. 

Transferring Capital One miles to one of the 18 airline or hotel partners can be a much better value proposition. If you redeem your miles for business and first-class travel, you'll usually get more than the 1 cent per mile your rewards are worth through the Capital One Travel portal. For example, a sample of fun, valuable ways to use the Capital One VentureOne welcome bonus of 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases within three months from account opening.

However, not all card members want to learn the ins and outs of various loyalty programs to get the most value. Some people want simplicity and the Capital One Travel portal offers just that. If you prefer convenience over value, booking with the Capital One Travel portal is a smart move. But if you're willing to put in the legwork for a high-value redemption, transferring Capital One miles to an airline or hotel program is the best option.

Using the Capital One Travel Portal is straightforward. Simply head to travel.capitalone.com and log into your account. From here, you can select between a flight, hotel, or rental car tab. Enter your destination and travel dates, then browse through the available options.

You can filter results by price, airline, hotel type, and more to find the best deal. Once you've made your selection, you can book directly with Capital One and either pay with your eligible Capital One card or use miles to pay for all or part of your trip. 

Before booking anything, check out the travel offers section underneath the tabs mentioned above. Here, you'll find travel credits in select target markets. If you make a qualifying booking, you'll get a travel credit that's applicable toward future bookings.

How to Book Flights Through the Capital One Travel Portal

You can book flights with both domestic and international airlines through the Capital One travel portal. On the Capital One Travel homepage, select the "Flights" tab and enter the number of travelers, departure city, destination, and travel dates. You can book both one-way and round-trip flights. 

When you select your travel dates, a color-coded calendar will show the cheapest and most expensive travel dates. This is great when your travel dates are flexible and you just want to find the lowest fare.

Choose your outbound and return dates on the calendar and select "done." Next, select the blue "search flights" button to generate your search results. On the results page, you can sort by price, departure time, arrival time, number of stops, and duration. You can also filter results by fare class, stops, airline, time, and price. 

Capital One offers a price predictor tool at the top of the page, recommending whether it's a good time to book a particular price. You'll also get the option to freeze a specific price and book it later, though this feature isn't reliable in my experience. If you're not ready to book, you can select "watch this trip" to receive alerts when fares drop.

You'll also get the option to purchase cancel for any reason insurance (CFAR travel insurance) during the flight booking process. And, if Capital One Travel recommends you buy a specific flight now, it will apply free price drop protection to that flight for 10 days. If the price drops within that time period, Capital One will credit you the difference in fare, up to a maximum of $50.

How to Book Hotels Through the Capital One Travel Portal

Booking hotels through Capital One Travel is similar to booking flights. On the top of the Capital One Travel page, select the "Hotels" tab. Enter your destination, travel dates, number of travelers, and rooms, then select "Search Hotels." 

Unlike the flight search tool, there is no calendar function displaying the lowest rates. However, the hotel search tool does have a city map to help you narrow down your options and find the cheapest rates. Hotel search results can also be filtered by star rating, amenities, price, and amenities. You can also sort results by price and star rating.

Once you select your room and rate, you'll be directed to the checkout page to see your total amount due in miles or cash. You can choose to pay either the cash rate or redeem miles. Note that some hotels charge additional service fees at check-in. These will be displayed on the checkout page, but you won't pay them until you get to the hotel.

How to Book Rental Cars Through the Capital One Travel Portal

To book a rental car, select the "Rental Cars" tab on the Capital One Travel portal and enter your pick-up and drop-off location, rental dates, pick-up and drop-off time, and driver age. Drivers under the age of 25 may be subject to additional fees. Click "Search Cars" to be redirected to the results page.

You can filter results by vehicle type, price per day, rental car company, cancellation policy, and other factors. As with flights and hotel bookings, Capital One displays both the total cash rate and mileage redemption rate (including taxes and fees). Once you've selected your vehicle, you'll get to a booking page displaying your total. During booking, you'll pay the rental cost minus taxes. The taxes will be collected at pick-up.

The Capital One Premier Collection is a curated list of luxury hotels and resorts worldwide that eligible cardholders can access via the Capital One Travel portal. Each property offers special benefits and includes bonus points and money-saving extras, including daily breakfast for two, experience credits, and room upgrades when available.

In addition to earning bonus points, eligible cardholders can also redeem Capital One miles toward their Premier Collection bookings. That's a huge plus, considering some of the properties in the collection are quite pricey. For example, Montage Hotels often have room rates of $1,000 per night or higher. Being able to redeem miles for these stays is a great way to save on upscale hotel bookings.

Capital One Premier Collection Hotels

Some Premier Collection hotels are operated by major hotel chains, while others are independent. Regardless of the hotel's affiliation, booking through the Premier Collection can help you secure added benefits typically reserved for elite members or those willing to pay extra for them. 

There are currently seven major hotel chains represented in the collection. They include upscale brands like 1 Hotels, Design Hotels, Leading Hotels of the World, Montage, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and Viceroy Hotels.

Some of these names may be more familiar than others. They include high-end hotels like the Montage Laguna Beach, Viceroy Los Cabos, Hotel Cafe Royal London, and the Wittmore in Barcelona.

Who Can Book the Capital One Premier Collection?

The only Capital One credit cards that have access to the Premier Collection are the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Business Card† . Both of these are premium cards with high annual fees; for example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card costs $395 per year ( rates and fees ) but comes with an annual $300 travel credit you can apply toward Premier Collection bookings. In addition to all the hotel-specific benefits, cardholders who book a Premier Collection stay will earn 10 miles per dollar spent — the highest travel booking payout of any transferable points card. 

The Capital One Venture X Business Card was previously known as the Capital One Spark Travel Elite, and it's very similar to the Venture X. It has the same $395 annual fee, $300 travel credit, and 10,000 annual bonus miles.

Both cards are great for travel enthusiasts and those looking to earn generous rewards on their daily spending. While the Premier Collection access is not enough reason to get a Venture X card (the list of participating hotels is limited), it is an excellent addition to the various other benefits these cards offer. 

Capital One Premier Collection Benefits

Booking through Premier Collection provides travelers with various perks, including special amenities and bonus miles. The following benefits are available at Premier Collection properties worldwide: 

• 10 miles per dollar on hotel bookings
• $100 experience credit per stay
• Daily breakfast for two
• Space-available room upgrade
• Early check-in and late check-out
• Complimentary Wi-Fi

The experience credit will vary by property, but you'll need to charge the qualifying expense to your room to receive it. The hotel will then apply the credit to your folio upon checkout.

The daily breakfast can be especially valuable in high-priced destinations like the Maldives, where the remote setting often translates to breakfast charges of $50 or more per person. Having breakfast included in the cost of your stay, along with $100 toward some of the most expensive spa treatments in the world, is an excellent value in exchange for booking a stay through Capital One's Premier Collection.

Capital One Credit Cards That Are Eligible for the Travel Portal

You don't necessarily need a high-priced travel credit card to use the Capital One Travel portal. The platform is open to many Capital One cardholders, including those who carry a student credit card or small-business credit card issued by Capital One.

Over a dozen options are available, ranging from no-annual-fee credit cards like the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, a premium credit card :

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card†
• Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Spark Miles for Business†
• Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business†
• Capital One Spark Cash Plus†
• Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit†
• Capital One Spark 1% Classic†
• Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®†
• Journey Student Rewards from Capital One† (no longer available to new applicants) 

At 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars and 5x on flights booked through the portal, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card cardholders will earn the most rewards on Capital One Travel bookings. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card includes $300 per year in credits toward Capital One Travel bookings, which helps offset much of the card's $395 annual fee.

Capital One miles are worth 1 cent each in the Capital One Travel Portal. This is pretty generous, considering miles are earned at a rate of 2 to 5 per dollar spent with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and 2 to 10 miles per dollar on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. 

However, it's possible to get more value from your miles by skipping the portal and instead transferring rewards to Capital One's transfer partners . You can transfer miles to 18 airline and hotel loyalty programs to book award travel. 

Business Insider's points and miles valuations peg the value of Capital One miles at 1.7 cents each, because it's possible to get outsized value from transferring miles to partners and booking award flights or stays. Be sure to read Insider's guide on how to earn and redeem Capital One miles to find out more about maximizing your rewards. 

Yes, the Capital One Travel Portal allows you to book a wide range of airlines and hotels, offering the flexibility to use your miles without blackout dates or restrictions.

Yes, you can earn Capital One miles on bookings made through the portal, further increasing your rewards.

The portal provides tools to predict price trends for flights and flexible booking options that allow you to filter searches based on free cancellation policies, offering you peace of mind and potential savings.

Yes, Capital One offers the flexibility to pay with a combination of cash and miles, giving you more options to utilize your rewards.

For changes or cancellations, you can either manage your booking directly through the portal or contact Capital One's customer support for assistance.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

• Main content

Why Capital One Travel should be your only stop for booking (and enjoying) your next trip

No matter how often you travel or how savvy you are, planning and booking any trip can be an overwhelming task. Throw in two kids under 5 years old (like I have), and it's almost inevitable that you'll overlook something. So I'm always looking for the most efficient way to arrange my travel, including which card and program will offer me the most value.

That's where Capital One Travel comes in. It is more than just a booking platform; it has all the tools I need to help me travel smarter — which is why it's the first place I go when it's time to plan a trip.

See how Capital One Travel can transform your booking and travel experience.

In fact, Capital One Travel delivers value at all stages of travel — from the initial planning phase to the booking process to the travel experience and even back home, where all of the rewards you've earned can jumpstart your next trip. Sure, you can purchase flights, reserve rental cars and book your accommodations through Capital One Travel. But it also tells you if you're getting a good price on your flight, and if not, you can set up alerts for when it's time to book.

If you have a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , you get unlimited access to Capital One Lounges. Plus, there's a new culinary-focused airport concept — Capital One Landing — coming to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and New York City's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in partnership with legendary Chef José Andrés. And the recently-announced Premier Collection will offer luxurious accommodations and value-added benefits for Venture X cardholders.

In short, Capital One Travel makes it easy to be a smarter traveler while earning valuable rewards.

Keep reading to see everything you can enjoy with Capital One Travel .

Experience a better way to book travel

Does Capital One Travel finally answer the question, "When's the best time to book airfare?" Each situation is unique, but one thing's for sure: Capital One Travel makes sure you have all the information you need to feel confident both before and after booking your flight.

With its proprietary price prediction technology, Capital One Travel shows you a color-coded calendar as soon as you search for a flight, allowing you to see which dates have the lowest prices to fly to your desired destination. If prices are still high, there's no need to constantly monitor them yourself — you can create price alerts that'll notify you when it's time to book.

And it gets even better thanks to Capital One Travel's price drop protection , another tool automatically available to cardholders at no extra cost.

The premise is simple yet so valuable. If Capital One Travel recommends that you book a flight (or a price alert tells you to book), it will keep watching your itinerary for 10 days after booking. If the price drops during that time, Capital One Travel will automatically issue a credit for the price difference — up to $50 per ticket.

These features — price alerts and price drop protection — aren't found with any other card issuer's travel portal.

When it comes to hotels, you can trust that you're getting the best price as well. Capital One Travel utilizes proactive price matching with online travel agencies like Expedia. However, if you still somehow find a better price at the same hotel within 24 hours of booking, Capital One Travel will match the better price. This even extends to flights and car rentals.

But giving cardholders these unique, innovative insights and tools is just part of what makes Capital One Travel so valuable.

Earn extra rewards on travel

Cardholders can look forward to earning up to 10 miles per dollar when booking travel with Capital One Travel (depending on which card they hold). Capital One Venture X cardholders earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars and 5 miles per dollar on flights. All other Capital One rewards cardholders — including the Venture, Savor, Quicksilver, Spark Business and Student product suites — earn 5 miles (or 5% cash back) per dollar on hotels and rental cars.

Once you've earned those valuable rewards, you can redeem them directly through Capital One Travel for future trips, or you can transfer them to one of over a dozen airline and hotel partners . Alternatively, Venture X and Venture cardholders can choose to cover recent travel purchases by redeeming their miles at a rate of 1 cent per mile. Even when I pay for my trip with Venture X, I could use the miles that I earned through Capital One Travel to then offset all (or part) of my travel purchases.

And then, during your trip, you can look forward to starting your vacation early — by kicking back and relaxing at a Capital One Lounge.

Start your vacation off right with special lounge access

There's no need to wait until you land at your destination for your vacation to begin. Venture X cardholders get unlimited complimentary access (plus two guests) to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network. Meanwhile, Venture cardholders receive two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or 100+ Plaza Premium lounge locations .

A Capital One Lounge is now open at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), and two more locations are coming soon to Denver International Airport (DEN) and Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport (IAD).

And these aren't just your run-of-the-mill airport lounges.

Boasting a contemporary, light and airy layout, a Capital One Lounge features a premium dining experience, including health-conscious food options that are plated small bites served via dining stations rather than buffet-style. All food is freshly prepared with a focus on locally sourced ingredients — including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

For travelers in a hurry, there's a whole section of grab-and-go items — including artisanal nut mixes, fresh fruits, juice shots and rotating warm selections like breakfast sandwiches in the mornings or fresh-from-the-oven cookies in the afternoons. These sustainably-packaged selections are perfect for those without long layovers who still want some terrific food while traveling.

If you can spend some time in the lounge, you'll enjoy a fully stocked bar with craft cocktails on tap, local beers and hand-selected wines. A full-service coffee and espresso bar featuring La Colombe cold brew on tap appeals to even the most discerning coffee aficionados, while a custom, six-tap system of artisanal sodas and flavored waters keeps all members of the family happy.

Beyond these extensive food and beverage offerings, travelers can also take advantage of relaxation rooms, Peloton bikes, nursing rooms and showers where they can freshen up before (or after) a long flight.

Related: 5 distinctive amenities in the Capital One Lounge that impressed me the most

But that's not all.

Last month, Capital One announced a new offering as it continues to rethink the airport experience. Capital One Landings , a new chef-driven concept, will focus on bringing an elevated dining experience to the heart of the terminal. In partnership with the award-winning José Andrés Group, Capital One Landings will offer top-notch food for travelers on their way to the gate. The first locations will debut in Terminal B at LGA and at DCA in the near future.

And while you may never want to leave the comfort of the Capital One Lounge (or Landing), the luxury travel benefits continue upon arrival at your destination.

Elevate your hotel stay with the Premier Collection

In addition to Capital One Landings, the issuer continues to raise the bar for what travelers can expect with its Premier Collection of hotels and resorts, offering cardholders premium benefits with every stay. Capital One hand-picked these properties for their unparalleled service, immersive culture and authentic character — all to deliver exceptional experiences to travelers.

The Premier Collection will be available to Venture X cardholders later this year and will include hotels from all over the world — from city stays to villas and private island retreats. Cardholders will enjoy benefits like a $100 experience credit, daily breakfast for two, complimentary Wi-Fi and more. Venture X cardholders will also earn 10 miles per dollar spent on Premier Collection properties booked through Capital One Travel .

Bottom line

The Capital One Travel ecosystem continues to grow. With top-notch credit cards, an outstanding booking experience, luxurious lounges, new airport dining options and premium hotel perks, Capital One deserves a place at the top of every traveler's mind.

You can book your flights with confidence thanks to price alerts and the color-coded calendar. And you'll get a price match guarantee on all bookings — all while earning Capital One rewards to use on future travel.

The Capital One Lounge iat DFW will be joined by two more locations in 2023 (IAD and DEN), and as a complement, the issuer will debut its culinary-focused airport experience — Capital One Landing — at LGA and DCA to provide fresh, unique and inventive food and drinks for travelers in the heart of the terminal.

Plus Venture X cardholders have even more to look forward to with the Premier Collection, Capital One's curated set of luxury hotels and resorts.

So what are you waiting for? Join the many Americans (and TPG staffers ) who are using Capital One Travel to elevate their trips — and unlock incredible value along the way.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology .

Capital One Travel: Your Guide To Booking Flights, Hotels & Car Rentals

Carissa Rawson

Senior Content Contributor

254 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 51 U.S. States Visited: 36

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

32 Published Articles 3126 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 47 U.S. States Visited: 28

Director of Operations & Compliance

1 Published Article 1171 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 10 U.S. States Visited: 20

Why Book Travel Through Capital One Travel?

What are capital one miles worth, how to access capital one travel, how to book a flight through capital one travel, how to book a hotel through capital one travel, how to book a rental car through capital one travel, rental cars, other ways to use capital one miles, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Trying to figure out how to use your rewards? Whether you’re a longtime fan of Capital One Miles or you’ve just jumped on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card train, there’s a lot to love about this flexible point currency.

Although it’s possible to transfer your Capital One miles out to a variety of partners, you can also use Capital One Travel to earn and redeem rewards for your stays. Let’s take a look at Capital One Travel, how it works, and when you should use it.

Capital One is heavily pushing its customers toward its travel portal — and for good reason. There’s a lot to love about Capital One Travel, and if you’re the kind of person who values simplicity and high rewards over elite status, it could be a good match for you.

Earn Miles or Points by Paying With a Credit Card

There are 2 ways in which you’ll earn miles or points when booking through Capital One Travel.

As a Capital One cardholder, you’ll earn a varying amount of miles depending on which card you use to pay:

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit on bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Unlimited complimentary access for cardholder and 2 guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• 10,000 bonus miles awarded on your account anniversary each year
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• Add authorized users for no additional annual fee ( rates & fees )
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates & fees )
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

• Benefits of the Capital One Venture X Card
• Best Ways to Use Venture X Points
• Capital One Venture X Credit Score and Approval Odds
• Capital One Venture X Lounge Access
• Capital One Venture X Travel Insurance Benefits
• Capital One Venture vs Venture X
• Capital One Venture X vs Amex Platinum
• Capital One Venture X vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Best Credit Cards with Priority Access
• Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access
• Best Capital One Credit Cards
• Best Luxury and Premium Credit Cards
• Best Metal Credit Cards
• Best High Limit Credit Cards
• Choice Privileges Loyalty Program Review

The Capital One Venture X card earns 10 miles per $1 spent  on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per $1 spent on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per $1 spent everywhere else.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card   is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• Access to Capital One transfer partners
• $95 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Limited elite benefits
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• How To Find the 75k or 100k Bonus for the Capital One Venture
• Travel Insurance Benefits of the Capital One Venture
• Capital One Venture Card vs. Capital One VentureOne Card [Detailed Comparison]
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best Everyday Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for Groceries and Supermarkets
• Best Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses
• Capital One vs. Citi Credit Cards – Which Is Best? [2024]
• Recommended Minimum Requirements for Capital One Credit Cards

The Capital One Venture card earns 5 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per $1 spent on everything else.

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

The Capital One Spark Miles card is a low-annual-fee business card that earns 2x transferable miles on every $1 you spend. (Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.)

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is a great option for business owners looking for an uncomplicated rewards card that earns double miles on every purchase they make and offers access to transfer partners, all for a low annual fee.

• Unlimited 2x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
• 5x miles per $1 spent on hotel and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2 complimentary visits to a Capital One Lounge per year
• Up to a $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• No foreign transaction fees
• Free employee cards
• Extended warranty coverage
• Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, $95 after that
• Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won’t expire for the life of the account
• Unlimited 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
• Skip the lines with up to a $100 statement credit on TSA PreCheck ® or Global Entry
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
• Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
• APR: 26.24% (Variable)
• Business Credit Cards
• Best Capital One Business Credit Cards
• Best Ways To Redeem Capital One Miles
• Capital One Miles Program Review
• Capital One Transfer Partners
• How Much Are Capital One Miles Worth?
• Best High Limit Business Credit Cards

The Capital One Spark Miles card earns 5 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per $1 spent on everything else.

Capital One Venture X Business Card*

Capital One Venture X Business Card

The Capital One Venture X Business card offers at least 2x miles on all purchases, and comes packed with premium perks.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Business card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

The Capital One Venture X Business card is a great all-around premium rewards card that helps you rack up miles on all of your business expenses.

From 2x miles on all purchases, airport lounge access, an annual travel credit, complimentary employee cards, and more, there is plenty to love about the Capital One Venture X Business card.

• Unlimited complimentary access for cardholder and 2 guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass lounges
• No-additional-fee employee cards ( rates and fees )
• No preset spending limit
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $395 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• 10x and 5x bonus categories are limited to Capital One Travel bookings
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
• This card has no preset spending limit, so you get purchasing power that adapts to your spending needs. The annual fee on this card is $395
• Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
• Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get the best prices on thousands of options
• Every year, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
• Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
• Skip the lines with up to a $100 statement credit on TSA PreCheck ® or Global Entry. Then enjoy unlimited complimentary access to Capital One Lounges and a network of 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Priority Pass™ and Plaza Premium Group lounges
• This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
• Elevate your stay at luxury hotels and resorts from the Premier Collection with a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits on every booking
• APR: All charges made on this account are due and payable in full when you receive your periodic statement. The minimum payment due is the New Balance as indicated on your statement.

The Capital One Venture X Business card earns 10 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per $1 spent on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per $1 spent everywhere else. *(Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.)

You’ll still earn points even when paying with a different credit card; cards including the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® will earn you 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on all travel, even when using Capital One Travel to book.

Earn Points With Your Loyalty Program

Flights booked through Capital One Travel are counted as paid tickets . This is true whether you use your Capital One miles for a redemption or use cash. Because of this, you’ll be able to earn frequent flyer miles on any flights that you book. Signing up is free and easy — there’s no reason for you to miss out on these miles!

The same can’t be said of hotel programs. Nearly all hotel chains will skip out on benefits if you don’t book your stay directly with the hotel . Not only will you miss out on your perks, but you’ll also lose the ability to earn elite night credits for your stays, which can be a real blow if you’re trying to earn elite status. Keep this in mind when you’re using Capital One Travel for hotel bookings.

Ease of Use

If you’re not a huge points and miles geek, it can make sense for you to book with Capital One Travel. This is because it’s simple; you simply log in, look for the flights/hotels/rental cars that you need, and then book. You won’t have to sift through endless programs trying to find the best rates, and it’s especially easy when you’re looking to redeem your Capital One miles. They’ll always be worth 1 cent each when used for travel via Capital One Travel , which is a solid redemption. It’s not the best, however, as you’ll see later on.

Price Match Guarantee

In a bid for your business, Capital One offers a price match guarantee on all of its hotel bookings . If you find a publicly available price within 24 hours that is better than the one you’ve booked, Capital One will match it.

Capital One also offers price-drop protection for its flights . If the Capital One price prediction tool recommends you purchase a flight and you do, the same tool will automatically keep monitoring the cost of the flight. If prices drop again, you’ll get a refund on some or all of the price difference.

Bottom Line: There are a lot of reasons to book with Capital One Travel, though you’ll want to be wary of limitations that arise from booking with a third party.

We value points and miles according to a variety of factors, including how easy they are to use and redeem. Although you can use your Capital One miles for travel on Capital One Travel, there are plenty of other ways they can be redeemed.

The most valuable use of your miles occurs when you transfer them to any one of Capital One’s hotel and airline partners. In these cases, you can get outsized value for every mile. This is why we consider Capital One miles to be worth 1.8 cents each — nearly double the amount you’ll get when redeeming them within Capital One Travel.

You need to be a Capital One cardholder in to access Capital One Travel . Once on the page, you’ll log in to your account. After logging in, you’ll be brought to the portal’s home page:

From here, you can choose to book flights, hotels, or rental cars.

Booking a flight through Capital One Travel is fairly intuitive. After you log in and reach the landing page, you’ll want to select Flights in the toolbar up top:

This will bring you to the search page for flights. You’ll want to input all your information, including departure airport, destination, and dates of travel:

Like Google Flights , Capital One Travel will give you an estimation of price within a calendar feature:

Unlike Google Flights, however, Capital One has partnered with the booking site Hopper to tell you when you should book. You’ll be presented with detailed information regarding price predictions :

As you can see in the screenshot above, you have the option to freeze your price or set a price watch alert. If you’re looking to book immediately, you’ll want to scroll down, where Capital One will give you a list of results:

When selecting a flight, Capital One Travel will also give you a breakdown of information and the ability to book economy or first class tickets:

Once you’ve selected your outbound flight, you’ll pick the return. If booking a one-way, you’ll be taken to the checkout page.

Hot Tip: Capital One’s price drop protection automatically monitors the cost of flights you purchase and refunds you if prices fall. 

As is normal with checkout pages, you’ll need to fill in your passenger information and credit card information. You can also select seats and choose whether or not you’d like to redeem miles. Capital One will give you 1 cent per point of value when using your miles through Capital One Travel . While this isn’t terrible, there are much better uses of those miles — such as transferring to a partner and booking a reward seat.

Once you’ve input all your info, you’ll hit Confirm and Book . That’s it!

Bottom Line: Booking flights through Capital One Travel is both intuitive and easy. Plus, you’ll be able to earn frequent flyer points on your booking.

If you’re looking to book a hotel through Capital One Travel, the process is simple. As before, you’ll start by logging into your account. Once you’ve hit Capital One Travel’s landing page, you’ll select Hotels in the top toolbar:

You’ll be taken to Capital One’s hotel search bar, where you can put in your travel destination and dates:

Once you select Search Hotels , you’ll be taken to a results page featuring an interactive map:

Along with filtering by rating and price, Capital One offers a variety of ways to narrow down your search:

As we mentioned above, Capital One Travel offers a hotel price match guarantee , which means you won’t find cheaper prices elsewhere. If you do happen to stumble across one on a publicly available site within 24 hours of booking, you can submit a price match request and, if approved, Capital One Travel will drop the cost down to the rate you’ve found.

Selecting a hotel from the search results will open a new tab where you can alter your information:

Scrolling down, you’ll be able to select the room type you prefer:

Once you’ve picked your room, you’ll be taken to the checkout page where you’ll fill out your traveler and payment information. You can also choose to use your Capital One miles for a value of 1 cent per point towards your booking:

Hot Tip: Be aware that booking hotels through Capital One Travel counts as a third-party booking — which means you won’t receive any elite status benefits or credit towards earning elite status when booking this way.

Once everything is filled in, you simply need to select Confirm and Book .

Just as with flights and hotels, you’ll log in to your account. From the landing page, you’ll select Car Rentals from the top toolbar:

You’ll be taken to the rental car search page where you can enter your information, including dates of travel and location:

Once you’ve hit Search Cars , you’ll be taken to the results page:

You can choose from a variety of filters, including the rental car company you’ll be booking, what type of car you prefer, and the cancellation policy of your booking. After picking the car you’d like to reserve, you’ll have the chance to review your booking:

If everything is correct, you’ll hit Reserve , which will take you to the checkout page where you can enter driver information and your method of payment:

As with hotels and flights, you can apply your Capital One miles to your rental car booking at a rate of 1 cent each. Again, there are better ways to use your miles, which we’ll discuss below.

Hot Tip: Check out our handy guide on how to save money on car rentals , including options with points, upgrades, cash savings, and more!

How Do the Prices Compare to Other Sites?

Is it actually worth it to book through Capital One Travel rather than other sites? How do the prices compare? Let’s take a look.

Here’s a flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR) in mid-May 2022:

Interestingly, Capital One Travel notes that this isn’t the best time to book. The cheapest options available are $715, and they’re all nonstop. However, Google Flights comes back with very different results:

Not only does Google suggest that prices are currently low, but it also returns an option that is nearly $200 less than what Capital One Travel is offering . A closer look reveals that although Capital One Travel has the outbound leg available of this cheap flight for $736 roundtrip, it doesn’t offer the same returns. Here’s what’s available from Google:

Meanwhile, here are the options you can get on Capital One:

Bottom Line: While Capital One allows you to book flights through its Capital One Travel portal, its prices aren’t always competitive with other offerings. Make sure to check a few other websites for flights to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

So how do hotels on Capital One fare when compared to other booking options? This is especially pertinent as Capital One has its own price guarantee.

Here’s a night at the all-inclusive  Secrets the Vine Cancun in early June from Hotels.com :

Booking with Hotels.com will earn you 1 stamp towards a free night stay . After 10 stamps you’ll get a free night, which can be especially valuable when booking costly stays.

And here are the results from Priceline , an online travel agency:

Bookings with both Priceline and Hotels.com can also be stacked with shopping portals . Using Rakuten with Priceline, for example, will earn you 5% back on your booking; this can either come in the form of $25.35 or 2,535 American Express Membership Rewards .

Booking Directly

Here’s how much it costs when booking directly with the hotel:

Secrets the Vine Cancun is a member of AMR Resorts , which was recently purchased by Hyatt. Although you can’t earn or redeem points with the property until later in 2022, Hyatt is offering a promotion for its cardholders for many new all-inclusive properties, including this one. Now through May 15, 2022, eligible cardholders will receive 10 points per $1 spent at these hotels.

This means that booking and paying with your The World of Hyatt Credit Card will earn you 5,070 World of Hyatt points. We value World of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents each, which means you’ll be getting $76.05 worth of points back on this booking.

Capital One Travel

Finally, here’s the rate within Capital One Travel:

With the 3 other sites we compared charging $507, Capital One Travel is a few dollars cheaper. But saving $15 doesn’t match the benefits other options are providing, like Hotels.com’s $200 resort credit.

There is, however, one case where booking via Capital One Travel is your best option. First, you won’t want to use Capital One Travel unless you don’t care about elite status — as we’ve mentioned above — so boutique properties can be a good option to book .

Second, as we mentioned above, those who hold the Capital One Venture X card earn 10 miles per $1 spent on hotels booked through Capital One Travel. In this situation, you’d earn 4,915 Capital One miles on your booking. We value Capital One miles at 1.8 cents each, which means you’ll earn  $88.47 worth of miles . All in, you’ll net $403.53, which wins out compared to most other options.

How good are rental car prices compared across multiple sites? The results are less exciting. Here’s what a 5-day rental from Los Angeles looks like at Capital One Travel:

RentalCars.com offers nearly the same price:

AutoSlash, meanwhile, saves you a full $65 on the cheapest rental car:

Bottom Line: The Capital One Venture X card offers 10 miles per $1 on rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and it comes with some nice car rental insurance coverage too.

Of course, redeeming your miles through Capital One Travel is just one way that they can be used. There is a multitude of uses for those miles.

Transfer to Travel Partners

Nearly always, the best use of your Capital One miles comes from transferring to hotel and airline partners. Capital One has many transfer partners from which to choose:

Hot Tip: Check out our guide on the best ways to redeem Capital One miles for max value .

Cover Travel Purchases

Just as when using your miles at Capital One Travel, Capital One will allow you to redeem your miles for recent travel purchases at a rate of 1 cent each .

Redeem for Cash-back

You can redeem your Capital One miles for cash-back, but this is a terrible use of miles. Capital One will only give you 0.5 cents of value per mile when redeeming to cash.

Get Gift Cards

There are a variety of gift cards available using your Capital One miles, but these still aren’t a great redemption. Your value will vary — and can even be as high as 1 cent per mile , but transferring to other partners will still give you better value.

Shop With Amazon

You can use your miles on a linked Capital One card, which will give you a value of 0.8 cents per mile .

Pay With PayPal

Paying with your Capital One miles through PayPal will net you 1 cent per mile , just the same as redeeming your miles within Capital One Travel.

Bottom Line: You can redeem your Capital One miles in a variety of ways, but only transferring them to hotel and airline partners will grant you more than 1 cent per mile in value. 

Capital One Travel is robust — and can be a good option for eligible cardholders who aren’t concerned about elite status. However, you’ll find better value for your miles when transferring to one of Capital One’s many travel partners. Regardless, you can find good deals within the travel portal, and the best price guarantee, combined with price drop protection, can make this portal tempting for many travelers.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Business Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding The World of Hyatt Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Information regarding the Capital One Spark Miles for Business was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.  

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i book travel with capital one.

You can go to Capital One Travel to book travel with Capital One.

What airline can I use my Capital One miles on?

Capital One miles can be used with virtually any airline, whether you’re booking through Capital One Travel or booking directly with the airline.

How do I see my trips on Capital One?

After logging in to Capital One Travel , you’ll find your trips in the My Trips section in the upper left-hand corner of the page.

Can you book Southwest through Capital One Travel?

Unfortunately, you cannot book Southwest flights through Capital One Travel . You can, however, book flights directly with Southwest and pay with your Capital One card. You can then redeem miles against your purchase within 90 days via Purchase Eraser.

Does Capital One use Expedia?

No, Capital One uses a proprietary blend of search tools for its Capital One Travel portal.

Was this page helpful?

About Carissa Rawson

Carissa served in the U.S. Air Force where she developed her love for travel and new cultures. She started her own blog and eventually joined The Points Guy. Since then, she’s contributed to Business Insider, Forbes, and more.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE ™

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.

Related Posts

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

Capital One Main Navigation

• Learn & Grow
• Life Events
• Money Management
• More Than Money
• Privacy & Security
• Business Resources

Global Entry renewal: A how-to guide

April 18, 2024 | 4 min read

If you’ve ever traveled abroad, you may be familiar with the Global Entry Program. It’s a Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) designed to get international travelers through airport customs checkpoints faster when they reenter the U.S.

Learn how to renew your Global Entry membership before it expires, how long renewal lasts and more.

Key takeaways

• Global Entry is a TTP administered by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). 
• Membership in Global Entry lasts for five years; renewal extends it for another five years.
• You can renew your membership starting one year before it expires.
• Capital One Venture and Venture X cardholders can receive up to a $100 statement credit toward their Global Entry renewal.*

Earn 75,000 bonus miles

Redeem your miles for flights, vacation rentals and more. Terms apply.

What is Global Entry?

Global Entry is a TTP run by CBP. The program is designed to help expedite airport customs screening for travelers reentering the U.S. after traveling abroad. 

Benefits of Global Entry include helping members reduce wait times at security checkpoints and navigate airports more easily .

Global Entry membership is open to U.S. citizens, legal permanent U.S. residents, Mexican nationals, citizens of certain other countries and more. It’s available at dozens of airports in the U.S. and abroad.

Global Entry renewal requirements

Here are things to know about renewing your Global Entry membership.

• You can renew your membership starting one year before it expires. And if you submit a renewal application before your membership expires, you can use the program’s benefits for up to 24 months after the expiration date.
• You’ll need to submit a renewal application. You can complete your Global Entry renewal application and pay your renewal fee on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website.
• You may need to attend an in-person interview. An interview may be required once your renewal has been conditionally approved. But since this interview isn’t always necessary, be sure to check your account periodically for updates on next steps.

How to renew Global Entry

Here are specifics on the Global Entry renewal process.

1. Fill out the Global Entry renewal application

You can fill out your renewal application on the DHS website. Here are the steps:

• Sign in to your account on the TTP portal. If you don’t already have an account, you’ll be directed to create one.
• Select the option for Global Entry renewal and follow the prompts.
• Submit your renewal application.

2. Pay the Global Entry renewal fee

Once you’ve submitted your renewal application on the TTP portal, simply follow the prompts to pay your application fee.

When it comes to paying the renewal fee, there’s good news: Some travel credit card issuers reimburse cardholders for the fee. In fact, Capital One reimburses Venture and Venture X cardholders up to $100 for Global Entry fees every four years.

3. Complete your Global Entry renewal interview, if required

When you first apply for membership, you’ll typically be required to attend an in-person Global Entry interview with a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officer. But an interview isn’t always required for renewal.

If you’re asked to attend a renewal interview, you can schedule it at a Global Entry enrollment center or at a major airport to coincide with your travel plans.

Global Entry renewal FAQ

Here are commonly asked questions about renewing Global Entry membership.

Can I renew my Global Entry pass online?

Yes. You can fill out your renewal application on the DHS website’s TTP portal. 

How long after Global Entry expires can you renew?

You can typically renew Global Entry starting one year before your membership expiration date. If you complete a renewal application before your membership expires, you can continue using Global Entry benefits for up to 24 months.

Does Global Entry renewal require an interview?

Not always. But if you’re asked to attend an interview, you can schedule it at a Global Entry enrollment center. A program known as Enrollment on Arrival also allows you to schedule your interview at a major airport to coincide with your travel plans.

Global Entry renewal in a nutshell

Global Entry is one of several U.S. government TTPs. Its goal is to help travelers get through customs screening faster when they land in U.S. airports after traveling abroad.

Capital One Venture and Venture X cardholders can receive up to a $100 statement credit toward their application fee or renewal fee every four years.

Related Content

Global entry vs. tsa precheck®: what’s the difference.

article | April 23, 2024 | 5 min read

Known Traveler Number (KTN): What to know

article | September 28, 2023 | 6 min read

TSA PreCheck® vs. Clear®: What’s the difference?

article | September 28, 2023 | 4 min read

• Auto Insurance Best Car Insurance Cheapest Car Insurance Compare Car Insurance Quotes Best Car Insurance For Young Drivers Best Auto & Home Bundles Cheapest Cars To Insure
• Home Insurance Best Home Insurance Best Renters Insurance Cheapest Homeowners Insurance Types Of Homeowners Insurance
• Life Insurance Best Life Insurance Best Term Life Insurance Best Senior Life Insurance Best Whole Life Insurance Best No Exam Life Insurance
• Pet Insurance Best Pet Insurance Cheap Pet Insurance Pet Insurance Costs Compare Pet Insurance Quotes
• Travel Insurance Best Travel Insurance Cancel For Any Reason Travel Insurance Best Cruise Travel Insurance Best Senior Travel Insurance
• Health Insurance Best Health Insurance Plans Best Affordable Health Insurance Best Dental Insurance Best Vision Insurance Best Disability Insurance
• Credit Cards Best Credit Cards 2024 Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards Best Rewards Credit Cards Best Cash Back Credit Cards Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards Best 0% APR Credit Cards Best Business Credit Cards Best Credit Cards for Startups Best Credit Cards For Bad Credit Best Cards for Students without Credit
• Credit Card Reviews Chase Sapphire Preferred Wells Fargo Active Cash® Chase Sapphire Reserve Citi Double Cash Citi Diamond Preferred Chase Ink Business Unlimited American Express Blue Business Plus
• Credit Card by Issuer Best Chase Credit Cards Best American Express Credit Cards Best Bank of America Credit Cards Best Visa Credit Cards
• Credit Score Best Credit Monitoring Services Best Identity Theft Protection
• CDs Best CD Rates Best No Penalty CDs Best Jumbo CD Rates Best 3 Month CD Rates Best 6 Month CD Rates Best 9 Month CD Rates Best 1 Year CD Rates Best 2 Year CD Rates Best 5 Year CD Rates
• Checking Best High-Yield Checking Accounts Best Checking Accounts Best No Fee Checking Accounts Best Teen Checking Accounts Best Student Checking Accounts Best Joint Checking Accounts Best Business Checking Accounts Best Free Checking Accounts
• Savings Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Best Free No-Fee Savings Accounts Simple Savings Calculator Monthly Budget Calculator: 50/30/20
• Mortgages Best Mortgage Lenders Best Online Mortgage Lenders Current Mortgage Rates Best HELOC Rates Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders Best Home Equity Loan Lenders Best VA Mortgage Lenders Mortgage Refinance Rates Mortgage Interest Rate Forecast
• Personal Loans Best Personal Loans Best Debt Consolidation Loans Best Emergency Loans Best Home Improvement Loans Best Bad Credit Loans Best Installment Loans For Bad Credit Best Personal Loans For Fair Credit Best Low Interest Personal Loans
• Student Loans Best Student Loans Best Student Loan Refinance Best Student Loans for Bad or No Credit Best Low-Interest Student Loans
• Business Loans Best Business Loans Best Business Lines of Credit Apply For A Business Loan Business Loan vs. Business Line Of Credit What Is An SBA Loan?
• Investing Best Online Brokers Top 10 Cryptocurrencies Best Low-Risk Investments Best Cheap Stocks To Buy Now Best S&P 500 Index Funds Best Stocks For Beginners How To Make Money From Investing In Stocks
• Retirement Best Gold IRAs Best Investments for a Roth IRA Best Bitcoin IRAs Protecting Your 401(k) In a Recession Types of IRAs Roth vs Traditional IRA How To Open A Roth IRA
• Business Formation Best LLC Services Best Registered Agent Services How To Start An LLC How To Start A Business
• Web Design & Hosting Best Website Builders Best E-commerce Platforms Best Domain Registrar
• HR & Payroll Best Payroll Software Best HR Software Best HRIS Systems Best Recruiting Software Best Applicant Tracking Systems
• Payment Processing Best Credit Card Processing Companies Best POS Systems Best Merchant Services Best Credit Card Readers How To Accept Credit Cards
• More Business Solutions Best VPNs Best VoIP Services Best Project Management Software Best CRM Software Best Accounting Software
• Manage Topics
• Investigations
• Visual Explainers
• Newsletters
• Abortion news
• Coronavirus
• Climate Change
• Vertical Storytelling
• Corrections Policy
• College Football
• High School Sports
• H.S. Sports Awards
• Sports Betting
• College Basketball (M)
• College Basketball (W)
• For The Win
• Sports Pulse
• Weekly Pulse
• Buy Tickets
• Sports Seriously
• Sports+ States
• Celebrities
• Entertainment This!
• Celebrity Deaths
• American Influencer Awards
• Women of the Century
• Problem Solved
• Personal Finance
• Small Business
• Consumer Recalls
• Video Games
• Product Reviews
• Destinations
• Airline News
• Experience America
• Today's Debate
• Suzette Hackney
• Policing the USA
• Meet the Editorial Board
• How to Submit Content
• Hidden Common Ground
• Race in America

Personal Loans

Best Personal Loans

Auto Insurance

Best Auto Insurance

Best High-Yields Savings Accounts

CREDIT CARDS

Best Credit Cards

Advertiser Disclosure

Blueprint is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service focused on helping readers make smarter decisions. We receive compensation from the companies that advertise on Blueprint which may impact how and where products appear on this site. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Blueprint. Blueprint does not include all companies, products or offers that may be available to you within the market. A list of selected affiliate partners is available here .

Credit Cards

Capital One Quicksilver benefits guide 2024

Lee Huffman

Ashley Barnett

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Published 5:47 a.m. UTC April 22, 2024

• path]:fill-[#49619B]" alt="Facebook" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
• path]:fill-[#202020]" alt="Email" width="19" height="14" viewBox="0 0 19 14" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">

Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy .

Vectorian, Getty Images

If you’re looking for a straightforward cash-back program without an annual fee, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. delivers. But the card is more than just a vehicle for budget-conscious consumers to earn rewards, as it comes with other perks, too. 

Capital One Quicksilver overview

The Capital One Quicksilver is a cash-back credit card that offers numerous benefits without charging an annual fee , including unlimited cash-back rewards, a welcome bonus, an intro APR offer and no foreign transaction fees. Here’s everything you need to know about the Capital One Quicksilver’s benefits and rewards.

Major Capital One Quicksilver benefits

As a cardholder, you gain access to Capital One Quicksilver benefits that can enhance the value of your rewards credit card. Some benefits are available for a limited time only, so use them right away to maximize their value.

An easy-to-attain welcome bonus

With the Capital One Quicksilver, you can earn a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. The minimum spending requirement to earn this bonus is significantly lower than many other cash-back cards that require spending of upwards of $1,500 or more to earn a bonus.

An intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers

When you open a Capital One Quicksilver card, one of the benefits is an intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers. You’ll get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then a 19.99% to 29.99% variable APR. There is a 3% fee on each balance transfer in the first 15 months but no fee for amounts transferred at the purchase APR after the first 15 months.

Keep in mind that the standard APR applies to any remaining balance when the intro APR promotion is over.

Unlimited cash-back rewards

One Quicksilver card benefit that is available year after year is the ability to earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. This gives you a decent cash-back earnings rate on most of your spending without having to keep track of bonus categories. 

Additionally, when you book hotels or rental cars through Capital One Travel, you’ll receive an elevated cash-back rate. Capital One’s travel portal offers free price drop protection on qualifying flights, competitive hotel rates and price matching within 24 hours of booking.

Rewards never expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. You can redeem rewards manually or set up an automatic redemption on either specific calendar days or whenever your rewards balance exceeds a set dollar amount.

No foreign transaction fees

None of Capital One’s credit cards charge foreign transaction fees. These hidden fees increase the cost of your international purchases by up to 3%. Using a card without foreign transaction fees can save you money when traveling or making purchases from an overseas vendor. Capital One will automatically convert the charges to U.S. dollars without tacking on any fees.

Additional benefits worth noting

Other Capital One Quicksilver benefits also provide value, even if they aren’t used frequently. For some cardholders, these benefits can be worth as much as, if not more than, the rewards earned on the card.

Complimentary Uber One membership

When you activate this benefit, you’ll receive up to six months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits. This benefit is available through November 14, 2024, but note that activation is required. An Uber One membership normally costs $9.99 per month and includes $0 delivery fees on eligible Uber Eats orders, member pricing, no cancellation fees or penalties, as well as other benefits.

Extended warranty

The manufacturer’s warranty is extended for up to an additional year, on eligible purchases made with the card. This benefit applies to eligible warranties of three years or less and doubles the warranty period up to one additional year. For example, if the manufacturer’s warranty is three months, you’ll receive an additional three months of coverage, for a combined total of six months of coverage.

Virtual card numbers

Purchases made online and over the phone are often targeted by criminals to steal your credit card information. Capital One cardholders can use free virtual card numbers from Eno to protect their information and reduce the potential for unauthorized transactions.

Potential drawbacks

While many Capital One Quicksilver benefits are included with the card, no card is perfect. Here are some of the drawbacks to consider.

• Limited redemption options. You have limited redemption options and the card does not have any airline or hotel transfer partners. There are no redemption options to receive outsized value for your rewards, just cash back.
• No bonus categories. Bonus categories provide additional rewards on purchases made at eligible merchants. Getting a card with bonuses that match your biggest spending categories allows you to maximize your rewards.
• Requires excellent credit. People with blemishes on their credit may not qualify for the Quicksilver Card. If your credit needs repair, the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. earns cash-back rewards while building credit.

If the drawbacks are too much for you, you can always opt to cancel your Capital One credit card .

Should you get the Capital One Quicksilver?

The Capital One Quicksilver cash rewards credit card is an excellent choice for people who want a straightforward cash-back credit card . It earns unlimited and straightforward cash-back rewards on every purchase without having to remember bonus categories or activating limited-time offers. 

As a new cardholder, you can earn a welcome bonus and enjoy 15 months of interest-free financing on purchases and balance transfers. Take advantage of the Capital One Quicksilver benefits to maximize the value of your card.

However, if your spending is concentrated in a few categories, you might be better off finding a card with matching bonus categories so you can maximize the rewards on your purchases. 

Additionally, if you like to travel, consider instead one of best travel rewards credit cards that offers transfer partners or comprehensive travel protections. These features can enhance the value of your rewards and save money in case you face problems with your travel plans.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

You’ll earn a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. These rewards won’t expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. You can redeem rewards for cash back, statement credits or gift cards.

No, you won’t receive rental car insurance when paying with your Capital One Quicksilver Card. For rental car insurance against theft or damage, consider a card like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , which offers primary auto rental coverage.

Travelers receive automatic travel accident insurance for covered losses on reservations made with the Capital One Quicksilver card. However, the Capital One Quicksilver’s travel benefits are limited; it does not offer trip delay, cancellation or interruption insurance, rental car protection or baggage insurance. To receive these protections, consider a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Capital One Venture X .

The Capital One Quicksilver includes numerous benefits, but reimbursement for TSA PreCheck is not one of them. For a low-annual-fee Capital One card that reimburses Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees, consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , which has a $95 annual fee and will reimburse you up to $100 (via statement credit) every four years for the application fee for one of those Trusted Traveler programs.

The Capital One Quicksilver and Capital One QuicksilverOne cards both earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, but there are distinct differences.

People with excellent credit are more likely to qualify for the Quicksilver card, which has no annual fee, a lower interest rate, and new cardholders can earn a welcome bonus and take advantage of an intro APR promotion. However, the QuicksilverOne card charges a $39 annual fee and targets people with fair credit.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

*The information for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card, Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Lee Huffman spent 18 years in banking and investments and now uses that insider knowledge to write about credit cards, travel, and other personal finance topics. Lee enjoys showing people how to travel more, spend less, and live better through the power of travel rewards. You can connect with him at BaldThoughts.com.

Ashley Barnett has been writing and editing personal finance articles for the internet since 2008. Before editing for USA TODAY Blueprint, she was the Content Director for an international media company leading the content on their suite of personal finance sites. She lives in Phoenix, AZ where you can find her rereading Harry Potter for the 100th time.

Check it out: This is what the average household spends on grocery costs per month

Credit Cards Stella Shon

United Airlines credit cards have a secret perk that makes it easier to book awards

Credit Cards Jason Steele

Can you pay off one credit card with another?

Credit Cards Louis DeNicola

Amex Gold vs. Platinum

Credit Cards Harrison Pierce

Why I chose the Chase Sapphire Preferred as my first ever rewards card

Credit Cards Sarah Li Cain

How to use Alaska Airlines Companion Fare

Credit Cards Ariana Arghandewal

How I maximize my Chase Ink Business Unlimited Card

Credit Cards Lee Huffman

How to do a balance transfer with Discover

9 ways to maximize the Citi Custom Cash card’s 5% cash-back categories

American Express Business Platinum benefits guide 2024

Credit Cards Chris Dong

Why I applied for the new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card

Which Citi balance transfer card should I get?

Credit Cards Julie Sherrier

5 reasons why the Citi Diamond Preferred is great for paying down debt

Credit Cards Michelle Lambright Black

Welcome offer on Chase’s IHG One Rewards Premier Business card soars to 175K points

Credit Cards Carissa Rawson

You might be a small business owner and not even know it

Capital One Lounge: What you need to know

Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.  

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.  

Capital One is late to the lounge game, but is coming in strong with appealing offerings and industry-leading to-go food options and a coffee bar. Here’s what you need to know. 

Capital One Lounge Locations 

Currently, there are three Capital One Lounges in operation in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Denver (DEN) and Dulles (IAD) airports, and Capital One plans to open a fourth lounge in Las Vegas (LAS) in the future, although no opening dates have been announced as of yet. 

There’s a concept restaurant-style lounge in development at Washington National (DCA) airport with no set opening date as well. While it may seem odd that Capital One only has a handful of lounges but is developing two of them in Washington, DC, remember that Capital One’s headquarters are in McLean, Virginia about halfway between Dulles and National. 

Hours of operation for each lounge vary, so make sure to check Capital One Lounge’s website for the latest info.

Capital One Lounge Overview

Capital One Lounges are a refreshed, modern take on the old school, business traveler centric airport lounges. With more open spaces, an elevated selection of food and beverage options and even grab-and-go menu items as well as barista coffee, they set themselves apart from their competitors.

Additionally, the lounges offer quiet work areas, large community tables, and different seating options for solo travelers as well as families. Bathrooms are single occupancy, for added privacy. The Dallas-Fort Worth and Dulles lounges have secured lockers for you to store your belongings, and you’ll find Peloton bikes and yoga mats in the Dallas-Fort Worth lounge, should you feel like burning some calories.

How to gain lounge access

Capital One offers only two credit cards that will grant you unlimited, free lounge access to the Capital One network of lounges: the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture X Business card. Both are the top tier, premium credit cards on their personal and business side, and they come with an annual fee that is much lower than other premium credit cards in the market offering similar benefits. Not only is the annual fee lower, but the Venture X offers free authorized user cards and each card allows free entry. This benefit does not apply to the business version. 

Capital One Venture X Highlights

Capital one venture x rewards credit card, intro bonus.

Rewards Rates

• 10X 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5X 5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• 2X 2x miles on everyday purchases
• Annual $300 travel credit and 10,000 Miles upon card anniversary make up for the annual fee
• Airport lounge access
• Capital One Miles require effort to maximize
• Limited cash redemption options

Other benefits

• Travel protections including car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption and travel delay protection
• Consumer protections including extended warranty and return protection

Capital One Venture X for Business Highlights

Capital one venture x business.

• 10x 10X miles on hotels and rental cars
• 5x 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x 2X miles on all other purchase
• Annual $300 travel credit helps offset the annual fee

If you instead hold the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card card or the Capital One Spark Miles card, you will enjoy two complimentary Capital One Lounge passes valid until December 31, 2024. As of January 1, 2025, this lounge entry benefit is going away for both Venture and Spark Miles cards.

Guesting Privileges

One of the best things about traveling in style with the help of premium credit cards is that, sometimes, you’re able to extend some of those perks to your friends and family. You will be able to bring in up to two guests per visit to a Capital One Lounge an unlimited number of times at no extra cost to you. If your traveling party is larger than three, fear not: you can guest additional travelers at $45 per guest per visit.

Children under 2 years of age can enter with a cardholder at no charge and enjoy all of the lounge’s amenities.

Best credit cards for lounge access

Alternative Lounge Access

Both Venture X and Venture X for Business cards come with additional lounge benefits, including Priority Pass and Premium Plaza complimentary access, opening the door to a giant global network of lounges you can access virtually anywhere you’re traveling from.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking to elevate your travels with lounge access, having one of Capital One’s premium credit cards is one of the best ways to go. For a significantly lower annual fee than its competitors with premium lounge access like the The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , the Venture X and Venture X Business cards offer many of the same perks geared to frequent travelers who enjoy hitting the road in style.

It should be noted, however, that if you don’t travel through any of the airports where there are Capital One lounges, your benefits will be limited and perhaps better suited with one of the other above-mentioned cards.

To view rates and fees of the The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page  

Frequently asked questions

Can i access a capital one lounge if i hold no capital one credit cards.

Yes, in fact Capital One Lounges allow non cardholders to access its lounges at a cost of $65 per visit, per person, and children under 2 years of age can enter free of charge with an accompanying paying adult. Access may be restricted depending on occupancy.

Are my authorized users granted access to Capital One Lounges?

If you hold the Capital One Venture X personal card and have authorized users, they will receive access to the lounge and the ability to guest up to two companions free of charge. Authorized users of the Venture X Business card do not receive complimentary access to Capital One Lounges.

Are there any Capital One Lounges outside of the United States?

There are no Capital One Lounges outside of the United States, however, if you hold either the Venture X or Venture X Business cards you will also receive access to Priority Pass and Plaza Premium Lounge networks, which have several hundred international locations throughout the world.

Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.  

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefits guide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.  

EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE : The advice, opinions, or rankings contained in this article are solely those of the Fortune Recommends ™ editorial team. This content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of our affiliate partners or other third parties.

Guide to travel rewards credit cards

Best travel credit cards of april 2024, luxury travel for less: your guide to free airport lounge passes, 10 credit card tips to help you avoid disaster when traveling abroad, how credit card travel insurance works—and what it doesn’t cover, insure your adventures: the ultimate guide to credit cards offering travel insurance, how credit card rental car insurance saves money on every rental, chase lga lounge review: luxury at laguardia, chase beefs up new york profile with a new jfk sapphire lounge—here's what you need to know, biggest-ever amex centurion lounge opens in atlanta — with outdoor terraces and bars for both whiskey and smoothies, amex centurion lounge atlanta: what to expect now that it’s open, how to use your credit card to save on travel as airline costs soar, do you have travel rewards saved up these are the best ways to use them, 5 ways your credit card can help you save on spring break travel costs, fortune recommends: best no annual fee travel credit cards, how i travel with my wife for less than a date night, fortune recommends the best credit cards for cheap airport lounge access, best credit cards for airport lounge access in april 2024, fortune recommends beginner's guide to travel rewards: how to travel with credit card points and miles, bilt rewards: everything you need to know, what’s in dia’s wallet: how i scored a hat trick using points in panama.

• United Arab Emirates
• Switzerland
• The Netherlands
• Puerto Rico
• United States
• New Zealand
• ➨ Choose from World Map
• Budget Travel
• Family Travel
• Getting Around
• Visas & Passports
• Work with Us

Browsing Category

• Czech Republic
• Saint Martin
• Uncategorized

Moscow Travel Guide: Best Things to Do + More [2023]

· everything to know about visiting moscow, including the best things to do and how to get around. ·.

Moscow is Russia’s vibrant capital city, and it also happens to be the largest city in all of Europe. The city’s long and infamous history makes it one of the most unique places we have ever visited.

The architecture ranges from centuries-old palaces to uniform, gray concrete buildings. The people range from cold and private to warm and welcoming. Moscow is a city is strong juxtapositions, and we learned a lot during our time there.

This post will break down all you need to know about visiting Moscow, including the best things to do, how to get there, how to get around, and more.

The Best Things to Do in Moscow

1. explore the red square.

The Red Square is the heart of Moscow. Most of the city’s top attractions can be found here, including just about everything on this list. The Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and Lenin’s Mausoleum are all located here, and the State Historical Museum and GUM are not far from here, either.

The Red Square is a common home for parades, protests, and seasonal celebrations. There are massive Christmas celebrations here, with food vendors and carnival rides set up in numbers.

2. Check Out the Ziferblat

The Ziferblat is a café in Moscow that is unlike any café we have ever been to. While most cafes charge you for your drinks and food, the Ziferblat charges you for your time.

Upon arrival, you are given a clock. When you leave, the barista calculates how much time you spent in the café and charges you accordingly. This concept was created to help visitors to be more intentional with their time, and the cafe itself is incredibly charming.

For a detailed look at everything you need to know before you visit, make sure you read my post about visiting the Ziferblat Cafe in Moscow .

3. Marvel at St. Basil’s Cathedral

St. Basil’s Cathedral is one of the most iconic churches in the world, and it was the single thing we were most excited to see while in Moscow. Built almost 500 years ago, St. Basil’s Cathedral is recognized by its colorful domes and whimsical style. The church is of the Russian Orthodox faith, and the inside is just as wondrous as the outside.

St. Basil’s Cathedral is located on the edge of the Red Square, making it incredibly convenient to visit. Entrance for non-worshippers costs 800 rubles, and tickets can be bought at the church

4. Explore the Kremlin

The Kremlin is the largest active fortress in Europe, and it is the site of most of Russia’s government affairs. In addition to government buildings, the Kremlin Complex is filled with courtyards, towers, and museums that are open to the public. If you have the time, you could spend a couple of days fully exploring all that there is to see in the Kremlin.

5. Walk Through Lenin’s Mausoleum

Vladimir Lenin is one of the most important figures in Russian history, and his body is located perfectly embalmed in a mausoleum in the Red Square. The Mausoleum is open to the public to visit, and as long as you are willing to go through a few security checks, it is easily one of the best things to do in Moscow. Its convenient location in the Red Square makes it a can’t miss attraction.

There is absolutely no photography allowed inside the Mausoleum. Do not test this rule.

6. Wander Along Arbat Street

The Arbat is a very popular street in Moscow that is lined with stores, cafes, and other touristy attractions. It is one of the oldest streets in the city, dating back to the 1400s. This street is both quaint and trendy, and there are many walking tours that introduce tourists to the neighborhood’s wonders and highlights.

7. Catch a Show at the Bolshoi Theatre

As a lover of the arts, it is hard to think of Moscow and not think of ballet. Russia has always been a top dog in the world of fine arts, and Bolshoi Theater is one of the best places to catch a performance. We were lucky enough to attend an Opera here, and it is a venue that you don’t want to miss out on if you enjoy opera, ballet, or orchestral performances.

8. Visit the State Historical Museum

The State Historical Museum is one of the most respected museums in Moscow. Despite its name, it is not really focused on the history of Russia as a nation. Rather, it contains a collection of artifacts from all throughout Russia’s history.

The museum’s collection is very broad in nature. It houses some items from indigenous tribes that used to occupy the region, pieces collected by the Romanov family, and more.

9. Wander Around GUM

GUM is an absolutely massive mall within walking distance of the Red Square. It isn’t just the size that draws visitors here; it’s the sense of luxury. The mall is so beautiful inside, much like the metro stations.

While visiting a mall might not sound like it belongs on a bucket list, this mall does. You will not want to miss out on visiting GUM while in Moscow.

10. Admire the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

While St. Basil’s Cathedral is the most iconic church in Moscow, it isn’t the only one. The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is absolutely stunning, with massive golden domes. It is the tallest Orthodox church in the world, and it is the seat of the Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow.

It is located just about a mile from the Red Square, just south of the Kremlin Complex. You can walk to it from the Red Square in about 20 minutes.

How to Get to Moscow

Flying to moscow.

Moscow has three major international airports: Sheremetyevo (SVO) , Domodedovo (DMO) , and Vnukovo (VKO) . All three of them are directly connected to downtown Moscow by the Aeroexpress trains, which leave every 30 minutes throughout the day. By Aeroexpress train, you can expect to get to the city center in 25-45 minutes depending on the airport that you fly into.

Sheremetyevo is the biggest and busiest of the three airports, and it is the one you are most likely to fly into – especially if you are coming from outside of Europe or the Caucus region. We flew into Sheremetyevo on a direct flight from New York City.

I usually provide backup airport options, because flying right into the city isn’t always the cheapest way to get where you’re going. Unfortunately, when it comes to Moscow, don’t really have a choice other than to fly right into Moscow. It is a very remote city, and it is usually the cheapest place to fly into in Russia as a whole.

Since Sheremetyevo is so busy, you will probably find a great flight option anyway. I wrote in  my post about finding cheap flights  that using hub airports will lead to more affordable airfare, and the same logic applies here. Even though Russia’s national airline, Aeroflot, is no longer a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, Moscow is still a major hub connecting passengers from all over the world.

READ OUR CHEAT SHEET

Train or Bus to Moscow

Trains and buses are one of the most popular ways to get around Europe. However, they’re of very little use when you’re trying to get to Moscow.

Moscow is hundreds of miles from the nearest major cities. The only major European city that can even be reached within 8 hours on the ground is St. Petersburg, and even the Baltic capitals of Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn are over 12 hours away.

If you want to get to Moscow, the best option is almost always to fly. While the train routes to Moscow are scenic, they simply take forever.

How to Get Around Moscow

METRO | TROLLEYS | TRAMS | BUSES

Moscow has one of the most memorable metro systems in the world. Its metro lines are very deep underground, and the stations are absolutely stunning. Each station has its own unique style, but all of them contain escalators that seem to go on forever.

The system was built in an effort to showcase the power of the Soviet Union and its bright future. The plans were a form of propaganda, but they resulted in what is still one of the most visually appealing subway systems on earth.

Moscow’s metro system isn’t just pretty. It is also very useful and accessible. The system has 17 lines that connect the city and its surrounding area.

But wait; there’s more!

The Moscow metro system is also incredibly affordable, with each ride costing less than a dollar. The metro is by far the best way to get around Moscow, as it is almost impossible to beat the connection times and the low cost to ride.

Tickets can be bought at electronic, English-speaking kiosks in stations, or directly from ticket counters at certain larger stations. There are also day passes available, which are a very solid option if you plan on riding the metro several times per day.

The metro is by far the best way to get around Moscow.

In addition to the metro system, Moscow also has a network of buses, trams, and trolleys. This system is nowhere near as convenient or well-connected as the metro, though, and is likely of little use to you during your trip. There is no Uber in Moscow, but a similar app named Yandex is available if you need a ride in a pinch.

How Many Days Do You Need in Moscow?

Moscow is the biggest city in all of Europe, and it is absolutely loaded with things to do. You could spend weeks in Moscow and still find new things to do. Of course, most travelers don’t have that kind of time to spend in one place!

I recommend spending no less than three full days in Moscow, and ideally closer to five or seven.

Moscow is very spread out, and it can take some time to get from one major point to another. There are also so many places that are nice to just sit back and relax, which is hard to do when you’re in a hurry trying to cram activities into just a few days.

If you only have a week to visit Russia, I’d advise spending all of the time in one city. If you decide to split your time between Moscow and St. Petersburg, I recommend not trying to squeeze in any day trips beyond those two cities.

When Is the Best Time of the Year to Visit Moscow?

There are two different ways to approach this question. Personally, I think the best time to visit Moscow is around Christmas and New Year’s Day. While the weather will be absolutely freezing, Moscow is a surreal winter wonderland in December and January.

We were in Moscow right before Christmas. While it was very cold, you can always bundle up. Exploring the Christmas markets and pop-up ice skating rinks throughout Moscow is one of my favorite memories from anywhere I’ve traveled, and I dream of going back to do it again.

If you aren’t fond of the cold, Moscow is beautiful in the summer. It tends to get pretty cold in the shoulder seasons, so if you want warm weather, you should plan to visit in the summer. Moscow actually gets pretty warm in July and August, and there are a bunch of fantastic places to soak up the sun within the city.

The best time to visit Moscow is either around Christmas or from late May to August.

Is Moscow Safe to Visit?

While Moscow is a truly wonderful city, there’s no denying that visiting Russia comes with risks. As the country is run by an infamous communist dictator, concerns about visiting are valid. While we didn’t experience any sort of threat or negative treatment during our time in Moscow, we visited in a peaceful time.

In our experience, Russia doesn’t seem to detain normal Americans or Westerners to use as pawns. As a regular person, as long as you don’t commit any crimes, there is a slim chance you will run into any issues. However, Russia will not hesitate to enforce its laws against foreigners, and illegal behaviors will likely land you in a very compromising position.

Russia will not hesitate to enforce its laws against foreigners, and illegal behaviors will likely land you in a very compromising position.

To make matters worse, Russia has a bad reputation for gang violence. While the Russian mafia has very little interest in normal Western tourists, they won’t hesitate to pick a fight with anyone who ventures into their sphere of influence. If you seek out illegal substances or activities, you could be a target of the mafia.

If you seek out illegal substances or activities, you could be a target of the mafia.

Finally, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, things are all very different. Russia is currently at war, and there are battles raging within 8 hours of Moscow. While it is still relatively safe to visit, that could change at any time as the war with Ukraine continues.

Is Moscow Worth Visiting?

Without a doubt, Moscow is worth visiting. It is one of the most unique major cities we have ever visited, and we hope to make it back one day. The Russian Orthodox churches are stunning, the city’s history is unlike any other, and the food is to die for.

While many visitors prefer St. Petersburg to Moscow, I think Moscow deserves a lot of hype of its own. Moscow is the beating heart of Russian culture and history, and it’s a place I highly recommend checking out if you have the chance.

That’s all we have for you about Moscow! I hope this post was helpful as you plan your trip to Russia’s capital.

Have you been to Moscow? Or is this your first time visiting? Comment below if you have anything to add to our travel guide!

Hi, I'm Greg. I'm an avid traveler who has traveled to over 50 countries all around the world with my wife and kids. I've lived in Italy, Mexico, China, and the United States, and I dream of moving abroad again in the future. With this blog, I provide my audience with detailed destination guides to my favorite places and pro-tips to make travel as stress-free as possible.

Leave a comment

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Meet The Author - Greg

Recent Post

How Much Does a Trip to Egypt Cost: Budget Breakdown

March 10, 2024

Best Time to Visit the India Gate in Delhi [2024]

March 1, 2024

Flying with a Sinus Infection: Tips to Avoid Pain

February 20, 2024

11 Best Things to Do in Breckenridge Besides Skiing

February 12, 2024

10 Best Beaches in Mexico for Families (We Lived Here)

February 3, 2024

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Slovenščina
• Science & Tech
• Russian Kitchen

Moscow-City: 7 surprising facts about the Russian capital’s business center

1. Guinness World Record in highlining

The record was set in 2019 by a team of seven athletes from Russia, Germany, France and Canada. They did it on September 8, on which the ‘Moscow-City Day’ is celebrated. The cord was stretched at the height of 350 m between the ‘OKO’ (“Eye”) and ‘Neva Towers’ skyscrapers. The distance between them is 245 m. The first of the athletes to cross was Friede Kuhne from Germany. The athletes didn't just walk, but also performed some daredevil tricks. Their record is 103 meters higher than the previous one set in Mexico City in December 2016.

2. Domination of Europe's top-10 highest skyscrapers

7 out of 10 Europe’s highest skyscrapers are located in Moscow-City. Earlier, the  ‘Federation Tower’ complex’s ‘Vostok’ (“East”) skyscraper was the considered the tallest in Europe.

Left to right: the lower of the ‘Neva Towers’ (296 m), Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt (300 m), Gorod Stolits (“City of Capitals”) Moscow tower (302 m), Eurasia tower (309 m), The Shard’ skyscraper in London (310 m), Mercury City Tower (339 m), Neva Towers (345 m).

However, in 2018, the construction of the 462 meter tall ‘Lakhta Center’ in Saint-Petersburg was completed, pushing ‘Vostok’ (374 m) into 2nd place. The 3rd place is taken by OKO’s southern tower (354 m).

3. The unrealized ‘Rossiya’ tower

If all the building plans of Moscow-City were realized, the ‘Lakhta Center’ in St. Petersburg wouldn't have a chance to be Europe's highest skyscraper. Boris Tkhor, the architect who designed the concept of Moscow-City, had planned for the ‘Rossiya’ tower to be the tallest. In his project, it was a 600 meter tall golden cylindrical skyscraper ending with a spire that was inspired by traditional Russian bell towers. Then, the project was reinvented by famous British architect Sir Norman Foster. He had designed ‘Rossiya’ as a pyramid ending with a spire. The skyscraper itself would have been 612 meters tall, and the height including the spire would have reached 744,5 meters (for comparison, the ‘Burj Khalifa’ in Dubai, UAE, would have been just 83,5 meters taller). Unfortunately, the investors faced a lot of economic problems, due to the 2008 financial crisis, so the ‘Rossiya’ skyscraper was never built. A shopping mall and the ‘Neva Towers’ complex was constructed at its place in 2019.

4. Changed appearance of ‘Federation Tower’

In its first project, the ‘Federation Tower’ was designed to resemble a ship with a mast and two sails. The mast was to be represented by a tall glass spire with passages between the towers. It was planned to make a high-speed lift in it. The top of the spire was going to be turned into an observation deck. But the ship lost its mast in the middle of its construction. Experts at the Moscow-city Museum based in the ‘Imperia’ (“Empire”) tower say, that the construction of the spire was stopped, firstly, due to fire safety reasons and secondly, because it posed a threat to helicopter flights – the flickering glass of the spire could potentially blind the pilots. So, the half-built construction was disassembled. However, an observation deck was opened in the ‘Vostok’ tower.

5. Open windows of ‘Federation Tower’

We all know that the windows of the upper floors in different buildings don’t usually open. Experts say that it’s not actually for people’s safety. Falling from a big height is likely to be fatal in any building. The actual reason is the ventilation system. In a skyscraper, it’s managed with a mechanical system, and the building has its own climate. But in the ‘Zapad’ (“West”) tower of the ‘Federation Tower’ complex, the windows can open. The 62nd and last floor of the tower are taken up by a restaurant called ‘Sixty’. There, the windows are equipped with a special hydraulic system. They open for a short period of time accompanied by classical music, so the guests can take breathtaking photos of Moscow.

6. Broken glass units of ‘Federation Tower’

The guests of the ‘Sixty’ restaurant at the top of the ‘Zapad’ tower can be surprised to see cracked glass window panes. It is particularly strange, if we take into consideration the special type of this glass. It is extremely solid and can’t be broken once installed. For example, during experiments people threw all sorts of heavy items at the windows, but the glass wouldn’t break. The broken glass units of ‘Zapad’ were already damaged during shipment . As each of them is curved in its own way to make the tower’s curvature smooth, making a new set of window panes and bringing them to Russia was deemed too expensive . Moreover, the investors had financial problems (again, due to the 2008 financial crisis), so the ‘Vostok’ tower even stood unfinished for several years. Eventually, the cracked window panes were installed in their place.

7. The highest restaurant in Europe

‘Birds’, another restaurant in Moscow-City, is remarkable for its location. It was opened at the end of 2019 on the 84th floor of the ‘OKO’ complex’s southern tower. Guests at the restaurant can enjoy an amazing panoramic view at a height of 336 meters. On January 28, the experts of ‘Kniga Recordov Rossii’ (“Russian Records Book”) declared ‘Birds’ the highest restaurant in Europe, a step toward an application for a Guinness World Record.

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

to our newsletter!

Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox

• The evolution of Russia's No. 1 news program - from the USSR to now
• The Khodynka tragedy: A coronation ruined by a stampede
• ‘Moskvitch’: the triumph and sad end of a famous Moscow car plant (PHOTOS)

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more.

Moscow City Tourism Committee organizes conference for Indian MICE market stakeholders

N ew Delhi [India], April 24 (ANI): Recognising market demand, the Moscow City Tourism Committee organized a conference for representatives of the Indian MICE industry , to introduce them to the tourism strengths of the Russian capital.

MICE stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions, and is a type of tourism in which large groups, usually plan things well in advance.

The event took place on April 19 in Delhi and brought together over 100 participants from MICE agencies of both countries, corporate customers, representatives of the travel industry in Moscow, Aeroflot and the Indian branches of Sberbank.

Business tourism is one of the most promising directions for Moscow.

In 2023, the capital was visited by 3.7 million business tourists - 7 per cent more than in 2022. And India remains one of the leaders among visitors from non-CIS countries in terms of the number of business travellers.

"The Russian capital as a centre of business tourism and corporate events is already an established and a strong brand in the international arena," commented Anastasia Popova, Deputy General Director for International and Industry Cooperation of Project Office for the Development of Tourism and Hospitality in Moscow.

"Now our task is to demonstrate to our Indian partners all the possibilities of organizing high-value MICE events in Moscow in combination with already proven tourist programs," said Popova.

At the Shaping MICE Future Conference, industry experts from Russia and India pronounced statements and speeches on the future of MICE events in these two countries, a presentation of the MICE potential of Moscow was showcased, and an analytical report on the state of the outbound MICE market in India was presented to the visitors.

During the panel discussion, participants assessed the current status and interaction peculiarities with the MICE market in India and developed recommendations for the MICE industry in Moscow during the general brainstorming session.

Representatives of the Indian MICE industry participated in B2B negotiations to find new cross-partners in the Moscow business environment and among representatives of the hospitality industry.

Representatives of the MICE industry took part in the event from Moscow.

Among them were DMC (Grand Rus, Academservice, Headed Goose, Satguru Travel, Isba Rus, Hug the Bear, Mellenium Group) as well as representatives of other partners interested in the development of MICE cooperation between Russia and India: Global transfers provider i'way and hotels Edge Seligerskaya and Edge Vinogradovo Moscow by Rotana.

"In 2024, we have witnessed a significant surge (more than quadruple) in the demand for transfers by Russians visiting India, both for business and leisure purposes. Muscovites are leading the trend, with 80 per cent of transfer bookings originating from the capital since the beginning of the year. Additionally, we observe a growing interest from Indian tourism agencies in exploring Russia, resulting in a substantial increase in our collaboration," commented Dmitriy Saraykin, co-founder of Global Transfer Provider i'way.

The Shaping MICE Future conference allowed the Moscow City Tourism Committee to form a pool of MICE industry representatives in Moscow to prioritize incoming requests for events and clarify India's requirements for business and corporate events to build mutually effective work. Indian colleagues received up-to-date information about Moscow as a safe and attractive MICE destination and were able to find potential partners among representatives of the MICE industry of the Russian capital and were able to present the MICE market in India.

"The event served as a remarkable platform for fostering meaningful dialogue and collaboration within the tourism industry. The event provided us with invaluable opportunities to engage with key stakeholders from the tourism department, as well as tour operators and service providers. The insights gained during the event underscored the Moscow City Tourism Committee 's keen interest in the Indian outbound market, and we are optimistic about the promising prospects for Moscow as a destination, particularly in the post-pandemic landscape. We firmly believe that with concerted efforts and strategic initiatives, Moscow has the potential to emerge as a top-choice destination for Indian tourists," said Mudit Mathur, director of Tours Delite India, representing Academ Service - Russia in India.

The conference also assessed the solutions to foreign demand for non-standard venues and elements in MICE programs, such as museums, parks, theaters and others. Holding MICE events at offbeat locations, such as the State Historical Museum, the Moscow Planetarium and Khudozhestvenny Cinema, is becoming popular.

This helps to attract conference organizers and creates a unique experience for the participants. Working in this format, many visitors who come to Moscow on a business trip want to return with their families and spend time as regular tourists. (ANI)