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Capital One is expanding its lounge presence in airports across the United States. That's welcome news if you have the personal version of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or its business-oriented sibling. You still get unlimited access as a benefit of your card.
But if you have other Capital One cards, the growing popularity of Capital One Lounges will spell the end of your cheap and easy access. This year, Capital One rolled out two new policies that'll impact how you can get into Capital One Lounges and how much it costs.
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Who Can Access Capital One Lounges?
Generally speaking, Capital One's lounge access policies are pretty simple. You need to have a card that affords you unlimited access, like the Capital One Venture X or the Capital One Venture X Business.
Alternatively, you can cash in one of the complimentary visits you get courtesy of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Spark Miles for Business — more on this in a later section.
If you don't have a Capital One card that offers any sort of access — or you're not a Capital One customer at all — you can pay a flat fee to enter a Capital One Lounge. However, this way to access Capital One Lounges is what Capital One just changed.
Capital One Lounge Non-Cardholder Fee Increase
Before August 12, 2024, non-cardholders needed to pay $65 per person per visit. Now, that fee has been increased to $90 per person per visit.
So, if you want to enjoy a Capital One Lounge pre-flight and don't have a card that gets you into the lounge or bank with the issuer, it'll cost you a bit more now than it did earlier this month.
At a $90 price point, you're better off considering a credit card that offers airport lounge access — such as Capital One's premium travel cards. You can alternatively pick up a card that offers a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. While Priority Pass won't get you into Capital One Lounges, it can still get you into 1,300+ other lounges worldwide.
Reminder: Capital One Venture and Spark Miles Cardholders To Lose Lounge Visits in 2025
On that note, it's also a great time to remind you that the two complimentary Capital One Lounge visits you get with your Capital One Venture or Spark Miles are going away at the end of this year. Thus, you'll want to redeem both of your free visits before the end of this year if you can.
The following airports have Capital One Lounges:
Starting in 2025, you can still use your card to get in to the lounges, but you'll pay a discounted admittance fee of $45 per person. If you're traveling with children under two, they'll still get in free of charge.
If you value this benefit and enjoy the Capital One Lounge experience as a whole, it's worth considering the Capital One Venture X. Or, if you run a business, perhaps look into the Venture X Business.
Both cards offer unlimited lounge access plus a whole lot more. And if you visit Capital One Lounges enough, the $395 annual fee of either card will seem more palatable than paying each time you show up at the door.
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
Final Thoughts
Earlier this month, Capital One quietly increased the cost to enter Capital One Lounges. This policy change impacts non-cardholders and those without a Capital One card that affords lounge access. If you don't have an eligible card, it'll cost you $90 per person to enter the Capital One Lounge. And at that price point, it's more than worth considering a card that offers airport lounge access.
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