First-year winner
United Quest Card
$707 Year 1 edge
$1,976 vs $1,268
Compare Cards
Stack up the better credit card
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A
Card B
Monthly spend
Start with spending categories
Monthly Total
$2,430/mo
Reward assumptions
Credits & benefits
Count the credits and perks you actually expect to use. Credit rows start with conservative default values; edit them for your own merchant, timing, or travel friction.
Card A
United Quest Card
Counted benefits
$890
Credits
$890
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$200 United TravelBank Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $200/yr
Automatically receive United TravelBank cash after account opening and annually on the account anniversary.
Credit
$150 Renowned Hotels and Resorts Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $150/yr
Receive up to $150 back as statement credits on eligible prepaid Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays.
Credit
$100 Rideshare Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $100/yr
Enroll to receive up to $100 back as statement credits each calendar year on eligible rideshare purchases.
Credit
$80 Avis or Budget United Travel Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $80/yr
Receive United TravelBank cash for eligible Avis or Budget rentals booked through cars.united.com.
Credit
$180 Instacart Credits
Other · Listed $180/yr
Receive up to $180 in Instacart credits each calendar year for eligible Instacart purchases.
Credit
$150 JSX Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $150/yr
Receive up to $150 back as statement credits each anniversary year on eligible JSX flights.
Credit
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS Fee Credit
Tsa Global Entry · Listed $30/yr
Receive a statement credit of up to $120 every four years for a qualifying application fee.
Perk
Annual 10,000-Mile Award Flight Discount
Other · No listed cash value
Starting with the first anniversary, receive a 10,000-mile discount toward an eligible United award flight.
Perk
Free First and Second Checked Bags
Other · No listed cash value
The primary cardmember and one companion can each receive first and second standard checked bags free on eligible United itineraries.
Card B
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Counted benefits
$330
Credits
$330
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$300 Annual Travel Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $300/yr
Receive up to $300 back annually on eligible travel bookings made through Capital One Travel.
Perk
10,000 Anniversary Bonus Miles
Other · Listed $100/yr
Receive 10,000 bonus miles each year starting on the first account anniversary.
Credit
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit
Tsa Global Entry · Listed $30/yr
Receive a statement credit for one qualifying Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee during the eligibility window.
Perk
Capital One Lounge Access
Lounge Access · No listed cash value
Access to Capital One Lounges and eligible landing locations for cardholders and permitted guests.
Perk
Priority Pass Select Membership
Lounge Access · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can enroll in Priority Pass Select for participating airport lounge access.
Perk
Complimentary PRIOR Subscription
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders receive a complimentary PRIOR subscription.
Perk
Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection Benefits
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Eligible hotel bookings can include experience credits and space-available property perks.
Perk
Hertz President's Circle Status
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can enroll in Hertz President's Circle status for enhanced rental benefits.
Perk
Capital One Dining Access
Other · No listed cash value
Access to select dining reservations and culinary experiences through Capital One Dining.
Perk
Capital One Entertainment Access
Other · No listed cash value
Access to eligible entertainment, sports, and dining events through Capital One Entertainment.
Verdict
United Quest wins year 1 and long term.
Winner after year 1
United Quest Card
$457 ongoing edge
$976 vs $518
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $119,524 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Chase
United Quest Card
Year One
$1,976
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$976
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$436
1.49% effective return
Welcome Offer
$1,000
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$890
$890 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$4,000
3 mo window · $1,333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Comes with a particularly strong welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Capital One
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Year One
$1,268
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$518
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$583
2.00% effective return
Welcome Offer
$750
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$330
$330 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$4,000
3 mo window · $1,333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Spend Mix Math
Where the value actually comes from
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
2x
$5,400
United Quest
$108
2.00%
Capital One Venture X
$108
2.00%
Groceries
1x
$7,800
United Quest
$78
1.00%
Capital One Venture X
$156
2.00%
Travel
4x
$3,000
United Quest
$120
4.00%
Capital One Venture X
$60
2.00%
Gas
1x
$1,920
United Quest
$19
1.00%
Capital One Venture X
$38
2.00%
General
1x
$11,040
United Quest
$110
1.00%
Capital One Venture X
$221
2.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
United Quest$436
Capital One Venture X$583
Raw Breakdown
Full side-by-side details
Use the spec table below when you want the literal field-by-field differences in rewards, benefits, transfer partners, fees, and approval profile.
| Metric | United Quest Card | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $350 | $395 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | 2x | — |
| Streaming rewards | 2x 2X miles on select streaming services. | — |
| Travel rewards | 4x 4X miles on eligible United purchases; 2X on other travel; 5X on eligible Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays. | 5x 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. |
| All rewards | 1x | 2x 2X miles on all other purchases. |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles + 3,000 Premier qualifying points Earn 90,000 bonus miles + 3,000 PQP after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months. | 75,000 pts Spend $4,000 in 3 mo |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | ~$890/yr | ~$430/yr |
| Benefit highlights | $200 United TravelBank Credit · $150 Renowned Hotels and Resorts Credit · $100 Rideshare Credits · +6 more | $300 Annual Travel Credit · 10,000 Anniversary Bonus Miles · Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit · +7 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Good | Excellent |
| Network | — | visa |
| Reward type | Miles | Miles |
Costs
Annual fee
United Quest Card
$350
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
$395
Foreign transaction fee
United Quest Card
None
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
United Quest Card
2x
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
—
Streaming rewards
United Quest Card
2x
2X miles on select streaming services.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
—
Travel rewards
United Quest Card
4x
4X miles on eligible United purchases; 2X on other travel; 5X on eligible Renowned Hotels and Resorts stays.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
5x
5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
All rewards
United Quest Card
1x
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
2x
2X miles on all other purchases.
Offer
Welcome offer
United Quest Card
Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles + 3,000 Premier qualifying points
Earn 90,000 bonus miles + 3,000 PQP after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
75,000 pts
Spend $4,000 in 3 mo
Benefits
Estimated benefits
United Quest Card
~$890/yr
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
~$430/yr
Benefit highlights
United Quest Card
$200 United TravelBank Credit · $150 Renowned Hotels and Resorts Credit · $100 Rideshare Credits · +6 more
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
$300 Annual Travel Credit · 10,000 Anniversary Bonus Miles · Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit · +7 more
Profile
Credit needed
United Quest Card
Good
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Excellent
Network
United Quest Card
—
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
visa
Reward type
United Quest Card
Miles
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Miles