Pairing the American Express® Gold Card and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a straightforward path to maximizing travel rewards and benefits. While many cards compete for wallet space, these two offer distinct advantages that complement each other, creating a powerful combination for frequent travelers.
Why Combine These Cards?
The core idea is simple: leverage each card’s strengths to cover more spending categories and unlock better rewards. The Amex Gold excels in dining and groceries, while the Venture X provides flat-rate rewards and strong travel perks. This synergy eliminates weaknesses in either card’s earning structure, ensuring you always get maximum value from your spending.
Earning Power: Covering All Bases
The Amex Gold’s bonus categories are aggressive: 4x points on dining worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets, plus 3x on flights booked directly or through Amex Travel. The Venture X fills the gaps with 2x miles on everything else, including everyday purchases where the Gold doesn’t offer a bonus.
This means that whether you’re at a restaurant, the grocery store, or buying gas, you’re always earning at least 2x points/miles per dollar. This consistent earning rate ensures no spending goes unrewarded.
Travel Perks: The Best of Both Worlds
The Amex Gold offers up to $120 in annual dining credits, $120 in Uber Cash, $100 in Resy credits, and up to $100 in hotel credits through The Hotel Collection. These benefits offset the card’s $325 annual fee if you utilize them.
However, the Venture X takes travel perks further. Its $300 annual travel credit effectively lowers the fee to $95, and the card provides 10,000 bonus miles annually. Plus, it includes airport lounge access through Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass, a benefit missing from the Amex Gold.
Welcome Bonuses: A Quick Start
Both cards offer substantial welcome bonuses. The Amex Gold currently offers up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points after $6,000 in spending within six months. The Venture X provides 75,000 Capital One miles after $4,000 in spending within three months.
Combined, these bonuses can be worth over $3,388 based on TPG’s valuations, providing a significant initial boost to your rewards balance.
Flexible Redemption Options
The real power comes from the combined redemption flexibility. Amex Membership Rewards transfer to airlines like Delta and Air Canada Aeroplan. Capital One miles transfer to JetBlue and Turkish Airlines, among others. Having both currencies gives you more choices when booking award travel, especially when transfer bonuses are available.
Conclusion
The Amex Gold and Venture X form a highly effective card pairing. By combining the Amex Gold’s focused spending bonuses with the Venture X’s broad rewards and travel perks, you get a well-rounded system that maximizes value for both everyday spending and travel. Holding both cards isn’t about collecting more plastic; it’s about working smarter, not harder, to earn and redeem rewards more efficiently.
