Capital One's Venture X and Spark Cash Plus credit card welcome bonuses end soon

The offers mentioned below are no longer available.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Spark Cash Plus Credit Card have both been offering outstanding value in their welcome bonuses of 100,000 miles and up to $3,000 cash back, respectively, when you meet certain spending requirements in a specified time frame.

Eager consumers will have to act fast, however. You have until March 14 to apply for these two credit cards and score the welcome bonus offer. After that, the offers will change.

Below, Select lays out the details of the two Capital One bonuses, plus how to decide which type of credit card is right for you — a travel rewards or cash back credit card.

Both of these credit card sign-up bonuses provide a lot of value to cardholders.

With the Capital One Venture X Card, you can earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases within the first six months of account opening. Even at a modest 1 cent per mile value, that bonus is worth $1,000 — a 10% return on your initial spend.

On top of a generous welcome bonus, the card's robust travel benefits make this card even more beneficial. Cardholders receive everything from a $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel and a $200 statement credit towards travel rentals such as Airbnb or Vrbo® within your first year, to access to Capital One and Priority Pass lounges, a $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry and comprehensive travel insurance.

It's unclear what the bonus will be after March 14.

With the Capital One Spark Cash Plus Credit Card, you can earn up to a $3,000 cash bonus: $500 once you spend $5,000 in the first three months, and $2,500 once you spend $50,000 in the first six months. If you can achieve the $50,000 spend mark over half a year, the $3,000 bonus is a 6% return on your initial spend. And since you also earn an unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, you'll earn an additional $1,000 on a $50,000 spend — making your total cash back $4,000.

That $4,000 bonus can come in handy bolstering your emergency fund, contributing to your Roth IRA or paying down debt. And the best part is that credit card rewards are not taxable as long as you had to spend to earn them, according to the IRS.

Along with the valuable bonus, the card comes with no foreign transaction fees and no preset spending limit.

It's unclear what the bonus will be after March 14.

While both of these Capital One welcome bonuses are attractive, a question that comes up regularly among consumers is: Should I get a credit card with travel rewards or one with cash back?

While one is not automatically better than the other, there are several key questions to ask yourself:

• What are your financial needs/goals?

If you're aiming to offset the costs you spend on necessary purchases, a cash back card is an excellent resource, especially during a time of inflation. The cash you get back from the routine spending you have to do anyways can put money back in your pocket.

However, if you're financially comfortable and want to save money on your upcoming adventures, then a travel credit card would be more appropriate.

• If you are leaning towards a travel card, do you have a plan to redeem your travel rewards?

If you earn travel rewards, regardless of which card or currency, it's a smart strategy to 'earn and burn' — meaning to not let them sit for too long. This mainly applies to currencies that are directly linked to a brand, such as Delta SkyMiles® or Marriott Bonvoy® points, since brands regularly go through devaluations of their loyalty points. Transferable rewards, however, can be much more durable in their value.

Travel credit cardholders should make it a priority to take advantage of the miles they earn and the benefits that they have access to. So, if you decide the Venture X Card is the best for you, be sure to use its travel credits, enroll in TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and redeem the miles you earn for enjoyable travel experiences.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Spark Cash Plus Credit Card both offer great value for consumers in their welcome bonuses. Before applying for either of these cards prior to March 14, make sure you have a plan of how you will meet and pay off the large spending requirements. As always, you should never spend more just to earn a credit card bonus.

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