I only started using credit cards two years ago (in my 20s) and picked up the Savor card because it matched my spending habits and love it. I’m looking to pick up an entry level travel card and think the Venture and Sapphire are my best options. I heard about people doing the Savor+Venture combo and wanted to do that, but once I started looking into it, I think the Sapphire is the better card. The anniversary miles are a huge plus including the fact that the points are worth more on Chase Travel rather than Capital One’s portal. Furthermore, is the Venture really worth the $95 annual fee if all I’m getting out of it is a 2x multiplier? There’s no anniversary bonus or other bonuses that the Sapphire offers, but I feel like I already set myself up for the C1 duo. Since I’m already set up for the Venture should I just go with that? IMO I think it would be dumb to have the Savor+Sapphire since they are not complementing one another. Any thoughts?
Unsure about picking up Venture (not X) or Chase Sapphire Preferred
byu/Original_Lecture_777 inCreditCards
Posted by Original_Lecture_777
2 Comments
I think the venture is a useless card when the venture X is effectively free to have, I would consider that vs the CSP instead
All this assumes you have a good plan for maximizing value from your UR points and/or C1 miles. A cash-back focused setup is better for a lot of people.
I’ve never been a big fan of the $95 AF Venture. Its fine for a year, with a decent sign up bonus, especially if you use the global entry/TSA precheck credit, but long term I don’t think just having a 2x catchall is worth $95/year.
If you travel at least once every year and will use the $300 travel credit, the Venture X easily beats both the Venture and the CSP, especially if you already have the Savor.
The CSP is great when you have other cards in the Chase ecosystem. The Doordash credits cover the annual fee, so it’s easier to justify than the Venture especially with the anniversary bonus points. It really shines if you also have the Freedom Flex and the Chase Ink Cash. On the other hand, the Chase ecosystem isn’t great in some ways. The “online grocery” multiplier on the CSP is awkward to use, and the only other Chase card with a decent grocery multiplier is the Aeroplan card, which is a good card, but bumps up your AF expenses another $95.
The travel card I usually recommend for young people, assuming your income and expenses will vary a lot over the coming years is the US Bank Altitude Connect. It has a lot of perks for no AF.
Or just stick with cash back cards.