From Oct. 10 to Oct. 17, 2023, Capital One is offering cardholders a limited-time opportunity to save hundreds of dollars on travel — just in time for booking that holiday trip.
Eligible Capital One cardholders can access up to $200 in savings on select flights and up to 40% off hotels around the world when they book through the Capital One Travel portal.
Below, CNBC Select has the details on what you need to know about Capital One's Travel Sale and how you can take advantage.
Capital One Travel sale details
Capital One Travel's first-ever sale offers eligible cardholders the opportunity to save big on select flights and hotels when booking through the issuer's portal. The promotion will run from Oct. 10 to Oct. 17, 2023 (or while supplies last) and cover over 40 global destinations, including popular cities both near and far like Miami, Rome, Paris and Nashville.
You'll need to visit Capital One Travel to browse through the deals as the discounts vary depending on the destination and hotel. However, some standout destinations on sale include:
- Aspen: $200 off flights and 20% off (up to $200) hotels
- Abu Dhabi: $200 off flights and 40% off (up to $200) hotels
- Cape Town: $200 off flights and 20% off (up to $200) hotels
- Miami: $50 off flights and 20% off (up to $100) hotels
- Paris: $100 off Flights and 20% off (Up to $200) hotels
- Saint Martin: $150 off flights and 40% off (up to $200) hotels
- Singapore: $150 off flights and 40% off (up to $200) hotels
Information about the offers available will be listed on the search results page and then the discount will automatically apply at checkout. Plus, you can still take advantage of the sale even when redeeming Capital One miles or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card's up to $300 annual Capital One Travel credit.
While the discount on hotels is valuable, it's especially rare to score significant savings on airfare, and there are seemingly few restrictions to this part of the sale. A Capital One representative confirmed to CNBC Select that all airlines and fare types, including basic economy, may qualify for the discount.
So, if you find a round-trip ticket between Los Angeles (LAX) to Aspen (ASE) for $280, for example, the flight may drop to $80 after the $200 discount. Here's the kicker: You may be able to take advantage of the discount on one-way bookings, and the Capital One representative told CNBC Select that the flight cost may theoretically drop to $0. After all, it's not uncommon to find flights from the New York City area to Miami (MIA) for under $50 one-way on ultra-low-cost carriers.
However, while the sale sounds great on paper, you'll want to keep in mind that many of the destinations on sale are typically quite pricey so don't get your hopes up about the possibility of a free flight.
Also, as an online travel agency, Capital One Travel can control the availability it releases, and it may not always match what you see directly on an airline or hotel's website. Not all flights will necessarily be discounted.
Which cards get you access to Capital One Travel?
The Capital One Travel portal, including this sale, is available to all eligible U.S.-issued Capital One rewards credit cardholders, including Venture, Quicksilver, Savor, Spark and Walmart branded cards.
If you're looking to get the most bang for your buck, CNBC Select ranked the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card as a top travel credit card for its straightforward earning structure, flexible redemption options and useful travel perks like an up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit every 4 years. It earns 5 miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a reasonable annual fee and earns flexible travel rewards, which makes it a great travel card for beginners or heavy travelers.
Highlights
- Earn 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
- 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 and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- 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
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fee
None
Those seeing more premium perks, such as an up to $300 annual Capital One Travel credit, a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus and unlimited airport lounge access, should consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. It earns 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel. Cardholders also get luxury benefits when booking hotels through the Premier Collection and the Lifestyle Collection.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium credit card with a myriad of benefits and a lower annual fee than other high-end cards with similar features.
Highlights
- 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 and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- 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
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fees
$0
Perks of booking through the Capital One Travel portal
By booking through the Capital One Travel portal, cardholders could potentially earn bonus rewards and take advantage of other features, such as:
- Flight price prediction: If you're unsure of the best time to score affordable airfare, the Capital One Travel portal offers a tool that notifies you when it's the best time to book your desired flight.
- Free price drop protection: Get up to $50 in travel credit back if the cost of a flight you purchased drops within 10 days after booking.
- Price-match guarantee: If you find a better price for a flight, hotel or car rental on another site within 24 hours of booking, you'll get a travel credit for the difference.
- Discounted Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage - For a small upfront fee, this add-on allows you to cancel flights for up to 24 hours before departure with no penalties. This is typically a premium feature you can get with travel insurance plans.
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Bottom line
Eligible Capital One cardholders can save big on their holiday travels with the first-ever Capital One Travel sale. There are no promo codes or special steps necessary to take advantage of the sale, but you'll want to book sooner rather than later as the sale will only run for a limited time, while supplies last.
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