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Travel credit cards are a wonderful thing, beautiful, even. I can’t tell you how much money I’ve saved over the past year by using this little plastic rectangle. (Sounds ironic, I know.) Even when I’m not using my card for travel expenses, I’m earning miles through my everyday purchases. As scripted and robotic as it sounds, this is not ad. I’m simply a girl who likes to travel and share ways that make it easier to do so.

Before I begin, I want to preface by stating that this credit card is only available for those living in the United States.

Whew! Now, that that’s over, let’s get into it.

For many, many years, I used my Apple credit card to buy everything. It was my first credit card, I didn’t know. Plus, the titanium aesthetic was pleasing to the young eyes of a college student. I knew nothing about credit cards. All I knew was that I was leaving the country for the first time in my life (studying abroad) and that Apple cards had no foreign-transaction fees. Slowly but surely, I found the benefits of my Apple card were slim to none. Sure, there’s cash back here and there, no international fees, and discounts on Apple products, but how often are you buying a new iPad? Once? Never? Not often enough to outweigh the cons.

Now, to my most prized possession, my baby, my golden nugget, the beauty queen at the county fair… my Capital One Venture X travel card. She’s hip, she’s cool, she’s invited to brunch, and all your friends love her. Why is she invited to the wedding? Well, let me tell you about all the things this Capital One Venture X brings to the table:

• $300 travel credit to start, then annually
• Priority Pass–lounge access to airports all over the world (huge!)
• $100 travel credit every year
• 75,000 bonus miles ($750) when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months
• Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check included ($100 value)
• Rental car insurance
• Cell phone protection against theft or accidental damage
• No foreign-transaction fees
• 10x miles on hotels/rental cars
• 5x miles on flights
• 2x miles on everyday purchases

What’s the catch? It’s a $395 annual fee. But in the grand scheme of things, you’re getting that money back with travel credit, lounges, and Global Entry. If you’re always on the go, this card practically pays for itself. Even if you’re not constantly traveling, the miles you earn on everyday purchases go toward your next trip. The only downside is that the extra miles earned on hotels, flights, and rental cars are only applicable on purchases made within the Capital One Travel site. Their booking website doesn’t offer any spectacular deals––usually the same prices, if not more, that you’d find on other travel websites.

Over the past year, I have used this card, and this card only, for all of my expenses. Which brings me to how I paid for my $1,000+ flight to New Zealand. It’s all about the miles. I refused to touch my miles since I opened the card last year, knowing my upcoming flight to New Zealand would be costly. Wow, did they eventually come in handy. After meeting Capital One’s spending requirements ($4,000) in the first 3 months of receiving the card, I gained 75,000 bonus miles valued at $750! From there, I kept using my travel card for all of my expenses and slowly but surely, more and more miles racked up that allowed me to purchase my flight to New Zealand guilt-free.

I’d like to take a moment to highlight my favorite benefits of the Capital One Venture X. The first one is a shining star, one that I previously had never heard about: airport lounges. If you’ve been to an airport, you know that experience requires a lot of waiting. You’re there 2 hours before a domestic flight, and 3 hours if it’s international. You bring a book or attempt to listen to your favorite playlist, even if it’s on repeat two or three times. What if you didn’t have to sit in poorly cushioned seats near the gate with spotty airport wifi? What if I told you that there’s a magical place in the airport that will fulfill all your hopes, dreams, and desires? Offering endless wine, food, and better-than-mediocre wifi.

Airport lounges changed the game for me. I run to the airport if I know there was a Priority Pass lounge in my terminal/gate area. Some even offer sleeping chairs or better yet, a massage lounge. Dreamy, right? You can stuff yourself silly with food and drinks––my favorite pastime. The best part is that it’s free with your credit card and you can even bring two friends for unlimited visits! Typically, one visit to a lounge will cost $50-80 pp. I’ve used this product probably 30 times, which would add up fairly quickly ($1,800) if I didn’t have this pass. Say goodbye to the sad, overpriced sandwich shop near your gate. You deserve more.

Another shining star benefit from the Venture X card is the Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check. While this benefit only works if you’re in the traveling within/to the United States, it’s still a stellar deal. Going through security is the most stressful part of the entire airport experience because you never know the wait times you’ll be greeted with upon entry. Even if you do arrive to the airport on time, security lines can decide whether or not you make your flight. With this benefit, you’re essentially bypassing those longlines––hooray! Whether you’re rushing for a close-call flight or, like me, simply trying to spend as much time as humanly possible in the airport lounge, this is an incredible benefit to have in your backpocket.

I know, I know, $395 is a steep annual fee for a credit card, but, if you’re planning a trip anyway and make this your everyday card, you’re reaping those benefits. I mean, you receive $300 in travel credit for simply having this card. The other $95 will pay its way back in benefits. All I’m saying is that if you’re using an everyday credit card already, why not get something more out of it?

One could argue that I did pay for my flight to New Zealand, considering the annual fee. However, I’ve had an estimated $3,000-$4,000 worth of travel covered by my Venture X card over the past year––money that has helped fund my travels tremendously. Although, it may not be the right fit for everyone, I implore you to look further into what a travel card can do for you.

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I found out about the world of travel credit cards from a pharmacist who seated next to me on a flight home to the US. He told me that he paid nothing for the very flight we were on. I was shocked. He also revealed that he alternates travel cards annually as the majority of the benefits only apply to the initial year. I, however, cannot seem to let my tried and true, Venture X, go.

Upon landing in the US with my newfound friend, he kindly invited me to the airport lounge where graciously let me be his plus-one (with priority pass, you can bring in two guests!). After we parted ways, I immediately applied for this card and have cherished it since. Thank you to the stranger, and later friend, that introduced me to the magic of travel credit cards. I’m now traveling smarter, and these days, usually with a glass of house white wine in hand at the lounge.

Cheers!