Capital One’s Denver airport lounge could be great, but it’s too small. As a result, the place gets packed and waits to get in can be long. Once inside, the food is good, but too many seats don’t have power outlets. There is a trick to find some privacy amidst the chaos, though.
I visited the lounge a couple of times recently. The first time, during the early evening, there was a wait to get in that stretched more than 40 minutes. That’s typical of Dallas, as well.
The lounge is near gate A34. All of the concourses are connected by train, so from the middle of the B or C gates plan for about 15 minutes each way.
In the late afternoon, the lounge showed estimating a 55 minute wait. I added myself to the wait list. I was showing up at #72 (!).
And, in fact, it took a little over 40 minutes to be welcomed into the lounge.
When I arrived there was a long line. That’s not the line to get it – it’s the line of people showing up who aren’t on a wait list. They just come to the lounge, figuring they can get in. Now, they get to the front and a few questions quickly reveal that many of them aren’t eligible unless they pay. They’re trying to get in with Amex cards, with Chase Sapphire Reserve, or with Priority Pass. They can pay for entry on a single visit basis, if they wish! Those who have eligible cards (or are willing to pay) get added to the wait list and the are going to need to come back in about an hour.
If you see a line like this and it’s your turn, do not wait in it! It is not for you! Just walk right past the staff member at the front, or walk by mentioning to them that it’s your turn to enter the lounge. I headed up the escalator. There, there was a line of people whose turn it was also! So I had to wait in line – as time ticked by on my allowable 10 minutes to show up. They aren’t going to turn you away if you don’t make it to the front of the line in time, though.
The lounge has a bar and dining room, work rooms and a conference room, a shower suite and individual restrooms.
When the lounge is especially busy, look to the work rooms. These are reserved at the front desk – and as packed as the lounge seemed to be, these were empty. They aren’t at the windowline, but they give you space and furniture.
Overall though there was seating once you’re inside. Capital One does a good job managing queues so that the lounge itself remains nice even when there are lines. You can get access to the bar, too. My biggest complaint about the lounge is that not all seats had access to power.
The food and beverage offerings here are good. I enjoyed both an evening offering and a breakfast. I like the current menu better than Dallas, where food seems to have declined.
The afternoon and evening food offerings include:
- toy box caprese salad
- petite charcuterie
- arugula salad
- spicy tofu poke bowl
curried cauliflower - garbanzo bean dahl
- pasta bolognese
- pasta pomodoro
- chocolate brownie, macarons, croissant, caramel pecan cookie
My second visit was on a morning and there was no line around 8:30 a.m.
It must have been early for some people!
But there was plenty more seating open throughout the lounge.
Morning offerings included:
- overnight maple oats
- strawberry guava chia parfait
- strawberry banana smoothie bowl
- chorizo empanadas
- three cheese frittata
- tofu scramble
- elk sausage kolaches
Grab ‘n Go was good but also less than I used to see in Dallas (but there’s seemingly less grab ‘n go options there as well). ‘Grab’ a paper bag and fill up from the fridge and don’t forget chocolate on the way out – each lounge has its own variant of chocolate, here it’s “peaches and hops.”
Access is via Capital One Venture X card [guest and authorized user access change February 1, 2026]. You need a same day departing boarding pass, and can enter the lounge no earlier than 3 hours prior to your flight – even on connections.
For a great breakfast variety, check out the Chase Lounge at LGA. I have never waited to get in.
I wonder how the new Cap 1 lounge is at LGA?
Good calls and pictures, Gary! The Cap1 lounge waiting game has been a mixed bag for me. Sometimes an 80 minute wait turns out to be a 30 minute one, sometimes longer than you’d expect. Guess it’s the luck of the draw. DEN is the second largest in the system so maybe that was part of the calculus in changing lounge access come next week. Interesting food for thought is how each of the lines form differently at each lounge. DEN you congregate by the escalator, DFW by the elevator, IAD by security (at least there’s seating)…
Never used the private rooms myself, but I see the value.
As for the food at DEN, bring back the bison sliders! Also I have been the unfortunate victim of missing the chocolate on the way out on my last few visits as they have always run out.
Bummed to hear you think that the food quality in DFW has gone down. I’m sure you’ve been more recently than I have so I’ll have to assess for myself but I contend that the DFW cream puff is the best single food item across all 5 lounges. (Except possibly the LAS stuffed donut!) I also found the DFW menu options on the more unique side compared to the other lounges i.e. chicken Marsala and sausage jambalaya. Even their Mac and Cheese have had extra toppings the others lounges didn’t. Drinks wise, JFK or LAS take the cake for me.
As for Grab ‘n Go I’ve seen what you mean. I can’t explain why in specifics but it feels like you’re right. The first time I went to DEN they had churros which were fantastic but haven’t seen them since. The LAS to go fridge is particularly small or maybe I missed a second section to grab things (I guess he pastry section counts). But those aren’t complaints as the fact that there’s one at all is a huge perk and asset of the Cap 1 lounges. Has come in clutch many times on later flights where there’s nothing to eat afterwards.
Now I’m hungry.
Lounge access changes come next year* Doh!
Is the Capital One Lounge at the Denver airport’s toy box caprese salad similar to a McDonald’s Happy Meal? Does it come with a complimentary toy, or will kids be left to entertain themselves with the empty cardboard toy box after you’ve finished your salad?
Why do people wait?
I’ve never had to wait at Chelsea Lounge JFK, or Flagship LAX…
If lounges want to solve the overcrowding issue, just implement a policy of no pants, no shoes, no service. Tired of seeing dudes in shorts and flip flops rummaging through the cookie tray. You’re not 10 years-old anymore. More like 6. Put on some pants, Blake.
@ Gary — It is getting to the point where lounges are undesirable places. The credit card companies will soon face blowback over the huge AFs combined with packed lounges. It is insane that people now go to airports to over eat and over drink rather than simply catching their flight.
For O&D passengers, better restaurants near an airport (in Denver’s case, say, along the Tower Road corridor) would be a better alternative to fighting the crowds in the airport.
To all that haven’t experienced Cap1 lounges. Don’t believe any of Gary’s report. These lounges are worse than any crappy PP lounge you’ve ever been in.
You’ll be sorely disappointed if you wait in line. Don’t bother. Keep on walking, there’s a better option around the corner.
Sincerely,
Director of Lounge Overcrowding Management
@Dhammer53 “I wonder how the new Cap 1 lounge is at LGA?” we anxiously await its opening!
Sounds like a fools paradise to me. You pay a fee and get to wrestle lines and people for what? Not for me.
The lounge game is a fool’s errand. I’m cancelling all my high dollar cards (Amex Platinum, Capone Venture X and Citi American with lounge access). Relaxation does NOT involve wait lists and crowds. Instead, I just go to a concourse restaurant, find a table and have plenty of room. And I can buy a lot of food and beverage for what I’m saving on card members fees. Going forward I’ll just get cash back cards and quit the lounge rat race.
Overcrowding like this is exactly why I canceled my Venture X one month into having it. They advertise lounge access but don’t actually provide it in a timeframe I considered usable, especially on connections.
Gary says:
“You need a same day departing boarding pass, and can enter the lounge no earlier than 3 hours prior to your flight – even on connections.”
But on June 26 I printed out from Capitalone.com:
“Visitors with a same-day connecting flight may access Lounge or Landing locations beyond three hours , as long as they are able to present both their arrival and departing boarding passes.”
Which is correct????
I emphatically think the Capitol One lounge food at IAD and DEN is way better than DFW.
I actually perfect The Club at DFW over the Capitol some longe
Haven’t tried LAS yet
@DFW Steve: Al Capone’s family issues a credit card with lounge benefits? Oh, wait, you just strung Cap one together into one word!
Seriously, I wish all these lounges had healthy food options. It’s not that difficult to make scrambled egg whites, use turkey bacon, steamed chicken breast instead of cooked chicken thighs (Amex must be the company buying all the thighs), brown rice, and veggies not literally soaked in oil.
At least with AMEX, it might not be the most stylish food, but I can remove the whites from hard-boiled eggs, eat oatmeal , melon, chicken for one meal and some salad fixins. However, I don’t understand amex telling me I can’t bring in outside food. It’s not as if they are selling theirs!