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Card Guides
Capital One Welcome Bonus Eligibility Explained
Updated November 7, 2025
Cards that earn Capital One Miles are some of the best for travel. Not only do they have great earn rates and a fantastic list of transfer partners with many high-value redemption options, but they have excellent welcome bonuses, too.
However, there are a few things to be aware of before applying when it comes to eligibility for the below welcome bonuses.
card_name - our favorite card for beginners
Why we love it:
​With 2x miles on every purchases (plus 5x miles on select purchases through Capital One Travel) and a up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, this card has ton of value with only a $95 annual fee!
card_name - our favorite overall card
Why we love it:
​With a $300 annual Capital One Travel credit, 10k bonus miles upon each renewal, airport lounge access, and a straightforward 2x miles on every purchase (plus up to 10x miles through Capital One Travel), this is one of the best value travel cards available!
Previous Rules
Previously, each card had its own “48 month rule” for intro offer eligibility. This meant that if you’ve received the welcome bonus for that specific card within the past 48 months, you’re not eligible for the welcome bonus again. However, this didn't affect welcome bonus eligibility when applying for other cards within the Venture "family" of cards.
For example, you could apply for and earn the welcome bonus on the Venture X card and still be eligible to earn the welcome bonus on the Venture or Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card less than 48 months later.
New Rules
Now, there is a tiered set of rules that applies to the entire “family” of cards.
Here’s the breakdown:
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Venture X: Customers are not eligible for the Venture X bonus if they have earned the Venture X bonus within the last 48 months.
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Venture: Customers are not eligible for the Venture bonus if they have earned the Venture X bonus or the Venture bonus within the last 48 months.
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VentureOne: Customers are not eligible for the VentureOne bonus if they have earned the Venture X, Venture, or VentureOne bonus within the last 48 months.
In simpler terms, you’re not eligible for the bonus on a card if you’ve received a bonus on a higher tier card within the last 48 months.
Our Recommendation
Even though the Venture X is our #1 overall card and one we think is a no-brainer for any type of traveler due to the many valuable benefits, we typically recommend first starting with the Venture Rewards Card. This way, you’ll still be eligible to receive the bonus on the Venture X card in the future if it’s still within the 48 month window.
HOWEVER, with the current limited-time welcome bonus offer on the Venture X, we wouldn't pass up the 100,000 miles on that one - as long as the large spend requirement for the bonus isn't a major hurdle for you. If you're working in "two player mode" as a couple, one person can get the Venture X and the other the Venture and then the miles can be combined between accounts.
For those that are brand new to the world of credit cards and might not have a lot of credit history, the VentureOne is a great card to start with, and you’ll still be eligible for the Venture or Venture X welcome bonus in the near future.
For 10 ways to maximize Capital One Venture miles, checkout this guide.
Earn 100,000 miles plus 2x miles on every purchase, 10k bonus miles upon each renewal, airport lounge access, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit once every 4 years, and more premium benefits!
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