Capital One is officially in the airport lounge business … in a big way.
The company behind the popular *capital one venture card* and the premium *venture x* opened its first branded airport lounge in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) in 2021. It was a long wait, but the company has since followed up with three more lounges: Washington-D.C.-Dulles (IAD) and Denver (DEN) last year, plus the recently opened lounge in Las Vegas (LAS). The company is also working on some hybrid lounge-restaurant spaces, the first of which opened in Washington, D.C.-Reagan (DCA) last year.
Travelers love these lounges – and they should. The food and drinks are second to none, with great seating to relax and a beautiful design to soak in. They're easily some of the best airport lounges in the country, putting Amex Centurion lounges – once the gold standard in the U.S. – to shame.
But first you need to get in. What credit cards get you in for free, and what other ways can you get in? Where can you find these lounges, and what will you find inside, anyway?
Keep reading for everything you need to know.
Current Capital One Lounge Locations
So far, Capital One has just four airport lounges at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Washington-D.C.-Dulles (IAD), Denver International Airport (DEN), and Las Vegas (LAS). At least one more lounge is in the works in New York City (JFK), but no firm opening date has been announced.
Beyond that, Capital One clearly wants to build out even more branded lounges to challenge the likes of Amex Centurion lounges as well as Chase Sapphire Lounges. But much to cardholders' chagrin, Capital One's network expansion has been much slower than its rivals.
Case in point: Capital One has opened four lounges in the last 3 1/2 years … while Chase already has seven locations open (and a few more in the works) in less than two years.
Read more: Chase is Winning the Airport Lounge Wars … & It's Not Close
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
The DFW Capital One lounge officially opened its doors in early November 2021. And right off the bat, it blew almost every U.S. airport lounge out of the water.
Years later, it remains a truly impressive space, clocking in at roughly 10,000 square feet with amazing design and decor, comfortable seating with power outlets almost everywhere, and floor-to-ceiling windows to watch planes come and go on the runway below. You'll find it near Gate D22 in DFW's D Terminal, which is home to American Airlines and some of its partner international carriers.
There are also amenities you won't find in many other U.S. airport lounges, including two shower suites, a workout studio equipped with two Peloton bikes, two relaxation rooms, and even multi-faith prayer rooms.
But the shining star in Dallas – and all of Capital One's lounges, really is its food and drink program. And yes, all food and drink is free once you're inside.
Rather than serve-yourself vats of lukewarm food, Capital One specializes in smaller dishes. From a bowl of Korean bulgogi to fresh-made hummus and bacon mac and cheese, every single bite is delicious. The bar is stocked with free wines, beers, and craft cocktails, including a very tasty butter pecan Old Fashioned. And there are pour-your-own stations with water, soda, juices, and draft cold brew or lattes, too.
There's also a grab-and-go cooler full of fresh salads, sandwiches, and snacks if you want to pop into the lounge and grab something nice to eat that won't set you back $20 or more like most mediocre airport fare.
Read our full review of the Capital One lounge in Dallas (DFW)!
Again: All of this is free.
While it has gotten much busier recently as more and more travelers pick up the credit cards that can get them in the door, Capital One does a much better job with capacity controls – ensuring the experience is still enjoyable once you step inside.
Read more: As Airport Lounges Overflow, Capital One Gets it Right
Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD)
Capital One opened the doors to its second lounge at Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD) in September 2023. It replicates much of the excellence it debuted at its first location in Dallas.
The Dulles Lounge is located in the main terminal building just after clearing airport security. The 8,500-square-foot lounge has the same top-notch food and drinks – all complimentary. And the full bar has local craft beer on tap and cocktails inspired by the D.C. area.
One standout feature you won't find at other Capital One lounges? There's also a full-service coffee cafe. The baristas can make your drinks to go or to enjoy in the lounge itself. Our favorite part? The latte art.
Given the lounge's smaller size, it lacks some of the fancier amenities of the Dallas lounge. For instance, there are no showers, fitness or relaxation rooms.
But there's still an expansive grab-and-go section right when you walk in. With the lounge located a good 10-plus minute walk from any gates, travelers can simply drop into the lounge and grab a sandwich or a snack to take with them on their flight.
Read our full review of the Capital One Lounge in Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD)!
Denver (DEN)
After repeated delays, the third (and long-awaited) Capital One Lounge in Denver (DEN) officially opened in early November 2023.
The 10,800-square-foot space sports many of the same amenities and inviting design that have made Capital One lounges fan favorites among travelers – plus some unique features and quintessentially Coloradan touches.
The Denver Capital One Lounge is located just up the escalators near Gate 34 in Concourse A, which is home to American, Delta, Frontier, and a handful of other, smaller airlines. But all the Denver concourses are connected by tram, so anyone should be able to easily get there.
The oval-shaped Denver lounge has a clear focal point: A massive bar – the largest in Capital One's network – with seating wrapped all the way around it, where travelers can sip on specifically selected Colorado craft brews and hand-mixed cocktails.
Because Capital One knows many of its cardholders connect through Denver, it placed even more emphasis on lounge amenities like more relaxation rooms and shower suites at this lounge.
While there's no full-service coffee bar at the Capital One Lounge in Denver, there is a similar grab-and-go display full of drinks sandwiches, salads, and snacks you can snag on your way out of the lounge – or if you're just stopping by briefly on the way to your gate.
Read our full review of the Capital One Lounge in Denver (DEN)!
Las Vegas (LAS)
Capital One's fourth (and newest) lounge is in Sin City.
The lounge is located in Concourse D of Terminal 1 in the Las Vegas airport, not far from the concourse's main bank of escalators. It's open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
It measures in at 8,200 square feet, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, and offers some specialty food and beverage options. That includes an entirely new option it calls “Daily Rituals” – a roaming trolley cart delivering specialty food and drinks to passengers, right at their seats – that is now rolling out to other locations.
The lounge features the same design, amenities, bells and whistles travelers have come to expect from other Capital One lounges. There are separate work areas, a relaxation room, water bottle fillers, power outlets at every seat, Wi-Fi, a children's play area, and restrooms.
This new club also features a robust grab-and-go food area near its entrance for travelers pressed for time. But like all Capital One lounges, it also features a small plates available to dine for all three meals of the day. Vesta Coffee Roasters – a downtown Las Vegas coffee maker – furnishes the club's joe. A full service bar can be found in the club as well, with a signature frozen, gin-based cocktail from the famous Herbs & Rye cocktail bar in Vegas. Other signature drinks include a Bloody Mary and a Vienna Lager from Las Vegas Brewing Company.
Other Lounges on the Way
Capital One has made clear that they're not going to stop at just four U.S. lounges. At least one more is on the way – though there's no telling when it'll actually open.
New York City (JFK)
Last summer, Capital One announced it's planning to open another lounge in Terminal 4 at New York City (JFK).
The lounge will be located in the Retail Hall, not far past the Terminal 4 security checkpoint. And at 13,000 square feet, it will be Capital One's largest airport lounge yet, according to a news release.
But like the other lounges, this Capital One location will have some local flair: an in-lounge bodega providing coffee and bagels and a “specially trained cheesemonger” offering local cheeses from the Hudson Valley. Capital One is partnering with local mixologists, coffee roasters, and bakeries for the new lounge as well as a brewery to concoct the “Perfect Airport Beer” – a running theme at all its other lounges.
Art and design elements will also nod to New York City, including numerous glass sculptures and original artwork made from wood, acrylic, silkscreen prints, paintings, and textile pieces from local artists.
An opening date for the new lounge has not yet been announced.
More Future Locations?
And the bank has been tight-lipped about what other locations they might be targeting next.
Airport real estate is about as cutthroat as it gets. The company is likely weighing where their cardmembers are traveling as well as where the physical space to build out a Capital One lounge is actually available as they scout out their next location.
That's easier said than done. Case in point: Capital One has lost at least three bids for other new lounge spaces to Chase over the years in Phoenix (PHX), Las Vegas (LAS), and Los Angeles (LAX).
Dine at Capital One Landings
Don't call them lounges, but Capital One has something entirely different in store at select airports. They're sit-down dining spaces called Capital One Landings.
The first Capital One Landing opened last fall in Washington, D.C.-Reagan (DCA), providing both a sit-down dining space (free to eligible cardholders) and grab-and-go options (for a price) alike. Another location is planned in New York City-LaGuardia (LGA).
You'll find the D.C. location in the National Hall of Terminal 2 near Concourse D. It's open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, while the to-go counter, dubbed “On the Fly,” is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
The food and beverage programs at these restaurant-like spaces focus on Spanish-style tapas, all spearheaded by the award-winning celebrity chef and humanitarian José Andrés and his José Andrés Group. Visitors can order small plates and drinks via a QR code which will be delivered directly to their seats, much like a traditional restaurant.
With quality ingredients such as Spanish breads and olive oils sourced directly from José Andrés Group's trusted purveyors – including jamon straight from Spain – Capital One is aiming for an elevated dining experience that travelers would be excited to try anywhere, not just in an airport terminal. The menu includes a variety of traditional Spanish dishes including pan con tomate, pincho de tortilla de patatas, gambas al ajillo, croquetas, and more.
Although anyone can pay to get in, only cardholders with a *venture x* or *venture x business* will get unlimited complimentary access, plus the option to make reservations up to six months in advance in the Capital One app.
How to Get In
Capital One cardholders with eligible credit cards must show their card or digital lounge pass, which is available in the Capital One Mobile app, to qualify for complimentary or discounted access.
Whether you've got Capital One's top-of-the-line credit card or have never been a Capital One customer, there's a way to get into these Capital One lounges.
Here are the exact requirements to get into the Capital One Lounge.
Capital One Venture X Gets You In Free
In November 2021, Capital One unveiled its first-ever premium credit card dubbed the *venture x*, a direct shot at the likes of the *chase sapphire reserve* and the *amex platinum* … with a much smaller price tag at just $395 a year. And it's the only way to get into these lounges for free.
Venture X cardholders get complimentary access to all Capital One lounges. Just show your new Venture X card at the check-in desk or pull up their smartphone app.
They'll also get two guests free on each visit, paying $45 per additional guest after that. Children under two are free.
Learn more about the *venture x*.
Beyond that, Capital One Venture X cardholders can add up to four authorized users to their accounts for free. Each authorized user will get their own lounge access – including another two free guests! That's the most lucrative benefit you'll find on any premium travel credit card if you're hoping to share lounge access.
Read more about adding Capital One Venture X authorized users!
You'll get the same lounge benefits with the *venture x business*, but without the authorized user access.
Discounted Rates with the Venture Card
Hundreds of thousands of travelers have a *capital one venture card* in their wallets. Unfortunately, that won't get you in for free anymore.
Capital One previously gave its Venture cardholders two free annual passes to visit lounges … but cut that benefit effective January 2025.
Instead, Venture cardholders can get a discounted entry rate of $45 per visit, guests cost $45 apiece as well. *Spark Miles* cardholders also get the same discounted entry rates.
Paid Entry for All
Don't have a Capital One card in your wallet? You can still pay your way into the Capital One lounge.
Anyone can pay $90 to enter the lounge. That's on the steep side … and that's likely by design as a way to try to limit overcrowding in these lounges.
Lounge Access Restrictions
Whether you have the Venture X Card or simply paying your way in, you can't just waltz into the new Capital One at any time.
Capital One restricts entry to flyers with a boarding pass no more than three hours before departure. That mimics the same policy Amex enacted (and more recently, the Delta Sky Club) at its Centurion lounges a few years ago to limit crowding. But in this case, you still can't get into the Capital One lounge even during a longer layover.
That policy also states you can't get into the Capital One Lounge upon arrival unless you've got a connection. And in our experience, Capital One Lounge agents are quite strict at enforcing these requirements.
As word of Capital One Lounges has spread and more travelers pick up the Venture X card, they're filling up fast. But you generally won't find long lines outside these lounges like the ones you see at Amex Centurion Lounges and or even Delta Sky Clubs.
Join the Queue via App!
Capital One cardholders can now scope out how full their nearest lounge is with handy capacity indicators via the Capital One smartphone app – and digitally join the waitlist to get in when it's full.
Join the digital queue on your phone and Capital One will send a text with a pass to get in when it's your turn.
Join the digital queue on your phone and Capital One will send a text with a pass to get in when it's your turn.
Read more: Don’t Wait in Line: Queue up for Capital One Lounges via App!
Bottom Line
Capital One now has four lounges open in Dallas, Washington, D.C.-Dulles, Denver, and Las Vegas. Plus, a hybrid airport lounge-restaurant concept at Washington, D.C.-Reagan. An additional location in New York City (JFK) is on the way, too.
Capital One has a ways to go to rival the likes of Amex Centurion Lounges and even Chase in terms of how many locations are open. But if they can expand, these lounges are absolutely incredible and could compete for the best airport lounge network in the country.
Capital One only allows free access to these lounges for cardholders with its top-tier Venture X Card. Everyone else should expect to pay up – and it could be well worth it.