© Provided by The Points Guy MSN has partnered with The Points Guy for our coverage of credit card products. MSN and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.
Thanks to generous credit card sign-up bonuses and the introduction of transfer partners in 2018, Capital One miles have become more valuable over the years. You can redeem miles at a fixed rate of one cent each toward travel purchases or transfer them to 10+ travel partners at a solid ratio.
The redemption flexibility and above-standard earning rate of Capital One credit cards have made these miles more appealing than ever. If you want a rewards currency that doesn't tie you to a single program or require you to shell out big bucks on credit card annual fees, Capital One miles might be the way to go.
However, credit cards are far from the only way to stock up on this currency. Here are nine ways to earn lots of Capital One miles:
Want to learn more about credit card points and miles? Sign up for our daily newsletter.
In This Post
Earn Capital One miles with credit cards
Capital One rewards credit card line-up offers substantial welcome and category bonuses. If you've seen the commercials featuring Jennifer Garner, you're probably familiar with how simple Capital One's reward structure is. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the most popular option, thanks to 2x earnings on all purchases and a massive welcome bonus. Through Jan. 31, 2020 cardholders also earn 5x miles on Uber Eats purchases. The card is also unique in that it offers an up to $100 Global Entry/Precheck fee credit every four years despite only carrying a $95 annual fee.
The only major downside to these cards is that when you apply, Capital One pulls your credit from all three bureaus. That's a pretty big hit for one credit card and I personally wouldn't recommend it unless you're earning a pretty substantial bonus (see the current offer for the Capital One Venture Card).
Here's a closer look at how you can earn Capital One miles with credit cards:
Related: Best Capital One credit cards of 2020
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
© The Points Guy
(Photo by Wyatt Smith / The Points Guy)
Annual fee: $95
Sign-up bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus miles when you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months (Offer ends 12/14/2020). Or still earn 50,000 miles if you spend $3,000 in the first three months.
Earning miles: Earn 2x miles per dollar on all spending. Through Jan. 31, 2021 cardholders also earn 5x miles on UberEats.
Card perks: Capital One Venture cardholders qualify for up to a $100 credit towards Global Entry/TSA PreCheck every four years. Credits like these are common for premium cards that carry annual fees of $450 and up. So this is a unique benefit to include for a card with a $95 annual fee.
Who should get this card: The Capital One Venture is ideal for those who want the highest sign-up bonus and earning rate possible. With the current welcome bonus and 2x earnings on all spending, it certainly fits the bill. Plus, 5x at Uber Eats through the end of January 2021 is a nice bonus. With the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit, this card is definitely geared toward frequent travelers who want to get lots of value for their money (in this case, $95 per year).
Related: Review: Capital One Venture Rewards credit card
Capital One VentureOne Card
© The Points Guy
(Photo by Eric Heglas/The Points Guy)
Annual fee: $0
Sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 within the first three months from account opening.
Earning miles: Earn unlimited 1.25 miles per $1 spent on all purchases. Plus, earn 5x miles on Uber Eats through Jan. 31, 2021.
Card perks: N/A
Who should get this card: The Capital One Venture One card is a budget-friendly alternative to the Capital One Venture Card. It has a lower sign-up bonus and earning rate, but it also has no annual fee. If you're not taking advantage of the Venture Card's Global Entry/PreCheck fee credit or spending at least $12,667 per year on your credit card, then you're better off with the Capital One Venture One card.
Related: Capital One VentureOne Card review
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
© The Points Guy
(Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)
Annual fee: $0 the first year, then $95 after
Sign-up bonus: Earn 50,000 miles after you spend $4,500 within the first three months of account opening
Earning miles: Earn 2x miles on all purchases, plus 5x on hotels and rental cars booked with the card through Capital One Travel.
Card perks: Receive up to a $100 credit towards Global Entry/TSA PreCheck every four years.
Who should get this card: The 2x earning rate on all spending is where the similarities end between the Capital One Spark Miles for Business and the Venture Card. The Spark Miles card has a lower sign-up bonus and a waived annual fee during the first year. In exchange, cardholders earn 5x miles on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel. Depending on how much your business spends in this category, it could make sense to opt for a Spark Miles over a Venture Card.
The information for the Capital One Spark Miles has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Capital One Spark Miles for Business credit card review
Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business
© The Points Guy
(Photo by John Gribben/The Points Guy)
Annual fee: $0
Sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 miles after you spend $3,000 within the first three months from account opening.
Earning miles: Earn 1.5 miles per $1 spent on all purchases. Plus, earn 5x miles on hotel and rental car bookings with the card through Capital One Travel.
Card perks: N/A
Who should get this card: The Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business Card is best if you're looking for a no-annual-fee business card with an above-average earning rate. The card earns 1.5 miles per $1 on all spending, plus 5x on hotel and rental car bookings made through Capital One Travel. That's pretty solid considering you're not paying an annual fee. The sign-up bonus is on par with most no-annual-fee cards and can be cashed in for $200 worth of travel expenses. Additionally, you can transfer Capital One miles to the program's 15 airline and hotel partners.
The information for the Capital One Spark Miles Select has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: The best no-annual-fee business credit cards
Maximize everyday spending
Maximizing your everyday spending is a great way to earn lots of Capital One miles beyond the welcome bonus. Most of you are probably charging common expenses like groceries, gas and dining, but what about purchases that fall outside of those lucrative categories? That's where your Capital One card comes into play.
© The Points Guy
(Photo by Maskot / Getty Images)
Capital One credit cards are ideal for non-bonus spending, since they earn more than the typical 1 mile per $1 spent. If you can't earn more than 1 mile on a purchase, charging it to your Capital One credit card is a great way to maximize that purchase. You can even get a solid 1.25 miles per $1 spent with a no-annual-fee card like the VentureOne, so there is potential to earn lots of Capital One miles - even if you're not a big spender.
Plus, TPG values Capital One miles at 1.4 cents each, so you can get significantly more than just one cent per mile by redeeming them through a travel partner.
Related: The best Capital One credit cards
Book through Capital One Travel
If you have either the Capital One Spark Miles for Business or Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business card, you qualify for 5x miles per $1 spent on hotel and car rental bookings made through Capital One Travel. With TPG's valuation of 1.4 cents per mile, that's essentially a 7% return on your travel spending.
While you can do better by charging your prepaid hotel stays to The Platinum Card® from American Express, not everyone has this card in their wallet or is willing to pay its $550 annual fee (see rates and fees).
© The Points Guy
(Photo by filadendron/Getty Images)
Related: Capital One extends limited-time perks on select cards through April 2021
Earn 5x Capital One miles at Uber Eats
Through Jan. 31, 2020 Capital One Venture and Capital One VentureOne cardholders earn 5x miles on Uber Eats purchases. With Uber Eats being a popular escape from failed home cooking experiments these days, earning 5x is a nice bonus. It may even be more useful than the 5x Capital One Travel bonus offered to Spark cardholders, since booking travel isn't on everyone's radar just yet.
© The Points Guy
(Photo by Shutterstock)
To make sure you don't miss out on earning the most Capital One miles possible, simply add the Venture or VentureOne card to your Uber Eats account as your default payment method. That way, you'll earn 5x miles on every Uber Eats purchase without even having to think about it.
Related: Hungry for miles? Use these tips to maximize earnings on your next food delivery order
Combine miles
If you've exhausted your earning options, you can always get more Capital One miles by sharing with a friend or family member. Capital One allows cardholders to share miles with anyone, free of charge. Transfers can't be done online, so you or whoever is sharing their miles will have to call Capital One to initiate the process.
Refer-a-friend
Once you're done banking your sign-up bonus and maximizing bonus category spending, you can keep earning Capital One miles by referring friends and family. Capital One's referral program lets you earn up to 20,000 miles per successful referral.
All you have to do is head to the Refer a Friend page, log in to your Capital One account, copy your personal referral link and share it with others. When they apply for and are approved for a Capital One credit card, you will receive a bonus within eight weeks. You can earn up to 50,000 Capital One Miles or $500 per year, if you have a cash back card. Keep in mind that the maximum bonus applies regardless of how many Capital One credit cards you have.
For example, if you have a Capital One Venture and Spark Miles for Business Card and you refer three people for each card, you will still only earn 50,000 Capital One Miles in total. Keep in mind that Capital One may send out a 1099-MISC form for referral bonuses, which may have negative tax implications for you. You'll want to consult your tax advisor for more information.
Related: How to use your Capital One miles for maximum value
Bottom line
Capital One miles are incredibly valuable, especially during this period of uncertainty. Airlines and hotels are ripe for devaluation next year, after a spree of points sales, mileage expiration extensions and other customer-friendly policies. With so many points and miles on the market and few people actually redeeming them, they are bound for a devaluation next year. This makes transferrable currencies like Capital One miles more valuable because you're not locked into one currency that may lose its value.
With a fixed redemption option for travel purchases, earning Capital One miles is much safer right now than stocking up on your favorite hotel or airline currency.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
Featured photo by Eric Helgas for The Points Guy
SPONSORED: With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.
And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free.
These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.
--
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.