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Capital One entered the lounge game in 2021. It currently has three locations open with more promised for the future. Capital One Lounges started the grab-and-go food and beverage concept in US lounges and are some of my favorite non-airline spaces at airports. Lounge crowding is a huge issue for many and Capital One has been cracking down in order to give guests the best possible experience. I applaud its latest move in raising the fee for non-cardmembers and hope it keeps the lounges accessible.
Access to Capital One Lounges is granted to the following customers at complimentary and discounted rates:
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (and any authorized users) enjoy unlimited complimentary access, plus complimentary entry for two guests (entry costs $45 for each additional guest).
- Capital One Venture X Business primary cardholders enjoy unlimited complimentary access, plus complimentary entry for two guests (entry costs $45 for each additional guest).
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Spark Miles for Business cardholders receive two complimentary visits annually. Additional entries cost $45 per visit. (These passes will no longer be offered in 2025.)
- All other Capital One cardholders and non-cardholders can pay $90 per visit. This was just raised on Monday from $65.
- Kids under the age of two, accompanied by eligible cardholders, receive complimentary entrance.
- A boarding pass for a departing or connecting, same-day flight, up to three hours before their departure time is required for entry.
As you can see above, the entry fee if you don’t have one of the cards that grants complimentary access jumped nearly 40% from $65 to $90. I give kudos to Capital One for working to keep its lounges from being overrun with people like American Express’ Centurion® Lounges.
Anthony’s Take: Capital One has made the right move here and I hope Chase and American Express think of ways to limit the crowds there. When lounges are too packed, they’re like waiting in the terminal (but with access to picked over food).
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
2 comments
I couldn’t agree more with your thoughts on this. Capital One has definitely made a smart move, and I really hope Chase and American Express take note. When airport lounges get too crowded, it completely defeats the purpose—they start to feel just like the terminal, but with the added frustration of limited food options that have already been picked over.
It’s essential for these lounges to maintain a certain level of exclusivity and comfort, and finding ways to manage the crowds is key. Your perspective really highlights the importance of a well-thought-out lounge experience. Here’s hoping we see some positive changes in that direction!
In at least one way, C1 lounges are even worse when allowing additional people: People walk up and load many bags full of food and drink to carry out of the lounge. I saw this a couple of days ago in DFW and it was pretty appalling.