I visited the brand new Capital One Landing at Washington’s National airport back in November. And I went back in December. I can’t even communicate clearly enough how much I like this place. It’s a former restaurant space at the airport and now it’s a Capital One restaurant by José Andrés Group – Spanish tapas to order, a tapas bar, and a great beverage program that’s complimentary for their Venture X and Venture X Business cardmembers.
It’s not the world’s first restaurant-only or restaurant-first lounge space. The best example is probably Air Canada’s fine dining Signature Suite product in Toronto and Vancouver. But it’s something still new and innovative and for a much wider audience. (Signature Suites aren’t even open to business class upgrade passengers, or lowest-priced business class awards.)
Capital One actually lets you make reservations for their sit down dining tapas spot, although most tables are still held back for walk-ins and the bulk of reports have been you don’t need an advance booking.
This past week I visited again – I had a reservation – and found that there was a wait and staff were quoting an expected 25 minutes. I was surprised by the quoted waits since it didn’t seem full at all to me.
I make a habit of pulling up reservations as soon as I book tickets to travel out of the airport. And I’m really looking forward to seeing what the new space at LaGuardia airport looks like when it opens, what that menu will be, and how they vary this one seasonally.
I walked up to the counter and identified myself letting them know I had a booking. They checked my Venture X card (you can also show them a lounge pass in the app if you don’t have your card) and scanned my boarding pass.
- You can only go within 3 hours of scheduled departure of your flight
- And you have to be confirmed, not waitlisted, for the flight
Since I’ve visited and reviews the spot before, I’m not going to write nearly as extensively about it – except to say that I keep going back to several of the same staple items. I was seated along the window, which I love.
Every spot has power, which I appreciate. This isn’t a lounge but I still opened my laptop to work as I ordered and ate. And since I was alone there was plenty of space at the table for my rollaboard but I like that they have a furniture setup which also allows for plenty of discrete luggage storage.
I pulled up the menu using the QR code at my table and placed an order, and then stopped by the restroom to wash my hands, visited the tapas bar and boy I love their meats and cured fish.
Readers have seen me report on the croquettes, steak and shrimp before. I couldn’t resist re-ordering those. My daughter would love their version of a grilled cheese, which is why I wanted to give it a taste, but I left it at a single bite. I wanted to save room for dessert!
I’d add that while the ice cream machine was broken on my last visit, it’s been fixed.
I ordered a “Flamingo Shuttle” which is their non-alcoholic drink of guava, lime, and soda water. And it was fantastic, so much so that I ordered a second one. And how many U.S. lounges serve drinks where the ice cubes get attention to detail? They’re proper large squares.
How is this even free? I ordered seconds of the steak and the shrimp, by the way, to go with a second Flamingo shuttle and a coffee. With tax and tip that should have been a $150 meal at an airport restaurant, just for me? Maybe more? I could have brought a guest. My wife has an authorized user card on my Venture X account, and she’d get a guest also. We could have a group of six there at a time and not see a bill, which could easily be a $600 meal with alcohol.
There’s no grab ‘n go here like at Capital One lounges. There are refrigerators of drinks, though, and I do take a couple of waters with me when I leave.
There is a market next door, and qualifying cardholders do receive 50% off there. It seems like it is not obvious to most people in the terminal that it is a shop? There don’t seem to be many passengers going in there and browsing. I have to imagine that keeping the space as retail for the terminal was an airport requirement, and that Capital One would have included it as part of the restaurant space if they could have – that they can’t be using the retail as a money-maker, but rather it’s a loss-leader that lets them have the space since using it this way takes away from a restaurant option for everyone in the terminal.
I think this is probably my favorite lounge offering in the United States right now, though no doubt that’s in part because it’s new. Some will be partial to Delta One and others to Polaris lounges, some will like the Qantas first class lounge at LAX, but while I still haven’t been to the new Chase Philadelphia lounge this has to be among the top lounge options in the U.S. and certainly among the top that are broadly accessible (such as by credit card). I just love this space so much.
It’s free because it’s new and paid for through the marketing (customer acquisition) budget. Once they feel they’ve acquired all the customers they can, they’ll cut costs and serve Lean Cuisine. Tale as old as time.
@Erect — I appreciate how ‘firm’ your cynicism is. Like, your distrust of these often greedy corporations is ‘hard’ as a rock. No need to go solo on this—many of us feel like the way you do. They ‘tug’ us around with promotions like this all the time—they ‘edge’ us along with better food and new spaces—then, without warning, they ‘yank’ it all away, just we were really enjoying it…
@Erect – you are 1000% correct. New lounges start off strong, although that cannot be said about recent Centurion Lounge adds, and then fade.
Please don’t encourage large guested groups to go there for free food and to party for three hours.
@JetAway — @Erect would likely refer to them as ‘large-membered’ groups. *wink*
I get it. If a large number of members – or a number of large members – come at the same time, the lounge can’t handle the load.
@Dick — Yes! You got it! Right there!
40 minute waitlist for C1 lounge at DFW today. Only marginally shorter wait-list than centurion. I walk in and plenty of seating. I don’t care about stupid gimmicks like your promotional food offering, just let people in that paid the AF for access if there is seating available. It shouldnt be hard.
Newly remodeled Admirals Club is spacious, relaxing, and a great place to wait with lots of more than decent food and drinks. All included in my membership.
Is it really 2 guests? When I have made reservations it allows you to reserve for 1 or 2 total. Can you confirm?
Ahhh a Capital One Landing post, warms my heart 🙂 I’ve tried all the hot plates from both their breakfast and dinner menu and each one absolutely hits the spot. I haven’t had the Flamingo Shuttle but the Fresa y piña was really good. The cold bar selections are fantastic too, still making my way through all there’s to offer there. Planning to visit again next week, can’t wait!
One funny thing I’ve noticed: I saved the ordering link and I’m pretty sure you can order remotely for whoever is sitting at each table.
@Dick – Ha-haa!
@Karen — on the Capital One app it gives you the option to reserve for up to 10 guests (although you might not find availability for that many).
I’m right there with you. I was blown away by the food and drinks. Then I stopped in atl on the way back and was so depressed by delta and Amex centurion offerings.
@Karen — I just re-read your comment: to clarify it’s one complimentary guest per card at the Landing, unlike the Lounges.
Ah, again. Gary touts a club, and bingo, it’s jammed. Then caveats to entering. Then devaluation of the product. As with airlines, hotels and now lounges. Nothing changes. Just tips for hoovering up freebies. It’s almost as if people would starve without flying. Something wrong here.
Is it really any wonder that Americans are the most obese people in the world. Last I checked, gluttony was a deadly sin.
Articles like this are unfortunate because you are indirectly supporting the behavior that shouldn’t be. It’s why so many things end up abused. I appreciate your review but I think the reference to the implied cost and that’s it’s free and that you could take more people should have been left out. This happens a lot and then the wrong people abuse.
I hope it stays good.
I was just in the Delta Skyclub in Atlanta on Friday. And just like every other club I’ve ever been in it was like a Holiday Inn Buffet. I really don’t get the club hype, I think it’s entirely manufactured by credit card issuers.
The emperor has no clothes. It was 50 for a guest, and I would have gotten way more for that 50 from a terminal restaurant (free via platinum though)
I see clubs for road warriors. But for the rest, we are talking Kroger pre packaged croissants.
“Is it really any wonder that Americans are the most obese people in the world.”
Americans are not the most obese people in the world and are not even in the top ten nations per the Wikipedia entry “List of countries by obesity rate”, which is from data from the World Health Organization.
I fly to my home in France several times a year, and the last thing my wife and I want to do prior to boarding a long haul flight is to overeat and drink.
It makes no sense to me.