Capital One Launches New Airport Lounge Access for Select Cardholders

If you’re taking a plane trip this summer, you may want to keep your Capital One credit card handy in your wallet.

The popular card issuer has announced a new travel perk that provides free airport lounge access for select cardholders.

If you have the Capital One® Venture X® credit card, which money expert Clark Howard recently added to his wallet, you’ll have the best opportunity to enjoy lounge access. But cardholders of a couple of the other popular Capital One credit cards qualify as well.

This new offer is an attempt to compete with other travel credit cards that may already provide airport lounge access.

In this article we’ll walk through what the new Partner Lounge Network could mean for Capital One credit cardholders.

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Capital One’s Partner Lounge Network: What Is It?

In an effort to compete with major travel card issuers like American Express, which has its own well-established network of airport lounges, Capital One is offering access to airport lounges through its new Partner Lounge Network.

These lounges are considered a travel credit card benefit that gives you a place to relax between flights in an area that is isolated from the hustle and bustle of the airport terminals.

Capital One’s new network is a combination of its own new facilities along with lounges from Plaza Premium Lounges and Priority Pass.

In total, select Capital One Venture and Spark cardholders will have access to more than 100 airport lounges. And if you have the Venture X card, that number expands to more than 1,300.

Here are the details, as provided to Clark.com by Capital One:

• Venture X cardholders will now receive unlimited complimentary access to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges worldwide, in addition to current lounge offerings (unlimited complimentary access to 1,300+ Priority Pass Lounges worldwide and Capital One Lounges).
• Venture and Spark Miles cardholders can now use their two annual complimentary lounge visits to any of the 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges worldwide or Capital One Lounges, a unique benefit for a travel rewards card with a $95 annual fee.

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Which Capital One Credit Cards Qualify?

To enjoy the benefits of the new Partner Lounge Network, you’ll need to be an active cardholder of one of the following Capital One credit cards:

• Capital One Venture X
• Venture Rewards by Capital One
• Spark Miles Business Card by Capital One

As I mentioned earlier, though, the Venture X offers a superior benefit to travelers.

Venture X Cardholder Lounge Benefits

Thanks to a $395 annual fee, which is tops among Capital One credit cards, Venture X cardholders get the VIP treatment when it comes to this benefit.

They’ll get unlimited complimentary access to all three of the lounge providers in the Partner Lounge Network. And that includes benefits for at least two guests per visit, as well.

Here’s how it breaks down with each lounge service, per Capital One:

Priority Pass: 

• With enrollment, enjoy unlimited complimentary access for you, plus
• Unlimited complimentary access for your guests traveling with you. 

Plaza Premium Group: 

• Enjoy unlimited complimentary access for you, plus 
• Complimentary entry for two guests per visit.
• Additional guest passes may be purchased for an additional standard charge where available.

Capital One Lounges:

• Enjoy unlimited complimentary access for you, plus
• Complimentary entry for two guests per visit and special pricing of $45 per visit for additional guests.

Venture and Spark Miles Cardholder Lounge Benefits

Cardholders of the Venture and Spark Miles cards will get a more restricted version of the lounge benefit.

Each cardholder will get two complimentary visits to either a Capital One or Plaza Premium lounge per year. The Priority Pass lounges, which are offered to Venture X customers, are completely off the table.

You’ll notice that complimentary guest passes are off the table as well, though Capital One will let you use one of your two annual complimentary passes on a guest during a single visit instead of a second visit yourself.

Here’s how Venture and Spark Miles cardholders can expect this new benefit to work, according to Capital One:

For you:

• Enjoy two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges. 

For your guests:

• You may use one of your two annual complimentary passes for a guest at a Capital One Lounge or a Plaza Premium Lounge. 
• You can purchase an additional visit for a guest at a Capital One Lounge for $45.
• You may purchase an additional guest pass for a Plaza Premium Lounge for an additional standard charge (where available).

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Which Airports Have Lounges for Capital One Cardholders?

So if you have a qualifying credit card, you may be wondering if there is a lounge you can access on your next trip.

I took a few minutes to dive into the availability of airport lounges provided by each company mentioned in the Partner Lounge Network.

Capital One Lounges, which are a new concept, are located only in:

• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
• Denver (DEN)
• Washington, D.C. (IAD)

Plaza Premium Lounges can be found in more than 100 locations including international options in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Domestically, there’s service at the following airports:

• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
• New York City (JFK)
• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• San Francisco (SFO)
• Washington D.C. (IAD)

Priority Pass opens up another 1,300 lounge options, and they’re all over the world. But remember, you need the Venture X card for these to be included as complimentary options. You can read the full list of options domestic and international lounge options for Priority Pass here.

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What Can You Expect in One of These Lounges?

If you’re not a frequent air traveler, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about when it comes to lounge access.

Some of the amenities that Capital One advertises on its lounge website include:

• Coffee and Espresso Bar
• “Grab and Go” Food Options
• Curated Cocktails
• Chef-Inspired Menus
• Adequate family seating

The experience may vary from lounge to lounge, but some other perks you may expect to find are complimentary Wi-Fi, charging stations for your devices and access to televisions. The Priority Pass website also touts “extras” available in some lounges that include spa treatments and sleeping areas.

All in all, many people use the lounges just to get temporary respite from the airport noise and crowds.

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