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Card Comparison

Capital One Venture X Rewards vs United Explorer

Side-by-side comparison of fees, rewards, benefits, and transfer partners.

Capital One Venture X Rewards card art
Capital One
Capital One Venture X Rewards
Capital One
More Info
United Explorer card art
United MileagePlus
United Explorer
Chase
More Info
Annual Fee
$395/yr
$150/yr
Foreign Fees
None
None
Signup Bonus
100,000 points
Spend $10,000 in 6 months
85,000 points
Spend $3,000 in 3 months
Top Earn Rates
  • Hotels (Capital One Travel) 10x
  • Rental Cars (Capital One Travel) 10x
  • Flights (Capital One Travel) 5x
  • United Purchases 2x
  • Restaurant Purchases 2x
  • Hotel Stays 2x
Reward Type
miles
miles
Key Credits
  • Annual Travel Credit $300
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit $120
  • Statement Credit $5
  • Statement Credit $50
  • Statement Credit $50
  • +1 more
Card Perks
  • Capital One Lounge Access
  • Priority Pass Select
  • 10,000 Anniversary Bonus Miles
  • +2 more
  • 2 United Club one-time passes per year
Transfer Partners
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • JAL Mileage Bank
  • Qatar Avios
  • I Prefer Hotel Rewards
  • Flying Blue
  • +16 more
No transfer partners

Common Questions: Capital One Venture X Rewards vs United Explorer

Is the Capital One Venture X Rewards or United Explorer better for dining?

Capital One Venture X Rewards has no dining bonus; United Explorer earns 2x on dining.

Which has the higher signup bonus in 2026?

Capital One Venture X Rewards currently offers 100,000 pts signup bonus (spend $10,000 in 6 months). United Explorer offers 85,000 pts signup bonus (spend $3,000 in 3 months). Capital One Venture X Rewards has the larger bonus.

Which card is better for international travel?

Both cards charge no foreign transaction fees, making either a solid choice for international travel.

Can I hold both the Capital One Venture X Rewards and the United Explorer?

In most cases yes — holding both is allowed and can be a smart strategy for maximizing rewards across different spending categories. Capital One Venture X Rewards is from Capital One and United Explorer is from Chase, so they're governed by separate bank policies.