Like American Express, Capital One is building out its own network of lounges. Chase has their lounges in partnership with Collinson Group, which owns The Club and Priority Pass. So far, though, there’s only one Capital One lounge – at Dallas – Fort Worth airport. That opened about a year and a half ago.
Fortunately we’re getting a better sense of what’s happening with future projects.
Capital One Lounge Washington Dulles Looks Ready
Pizza In Motion photographs the state of their new lounge at Washington Dulles which, while still under construction, appears to be getting final finishing touches. A few things may need to be delivered, but from the looks of things all that’s left might really just be inspections and an occupancy permit?
Credit: Pizza In Motion
More photos of the Dulles Capital One lounge are available as well.
The Washington Dulles lounge is going to be great when it opens, I’m sure. It’s going to be a special space – the base of the historic control tower.
It’s a bit smaller than I’d like at 9100 square feet. The has been vacant space for years. Before the airport built the AeroTrain (and Pre-Check Security Lanes 50-55) this space was two restaurants and a food court. The airport authority advertised the space as including an upstairs observation deck.
It’s attached to the main terminal building, so accessible to all passengers eligible for entry regardless of airline.
New Wait List System Manages Lounge Crowding
On Saturday I visited the Capital One lounge at Dallas – Fort Worth airport. Shortly before noon on a Saturday there was a wait list to get it? I’d heard of the wait list, but it’s the first time I’d seen it in person. And I didn’t expect to run into it during a slow travel period.
- It turns out we were the first and only ones on the list. You’re supposed to wait downstairs and go up to the lounge when you’re texted that it’s your turn to enter. We went straight up and had cleared the wait list by the time we got there.
- But there were a few groups of people waiting to go up when we left.
- It wasn’t actually crowded! There was plenty of seating available. I didn’t have to wait to get a drink at the bar, the buffet area wasn’t as crowded as it gets under normal conditions at the Centurion lounge. So while you were in the lounge it never felt like being in the terminal.
Still, the Capital One lounge at DFW airport wasn’t the refuge that it was when first opening a year and a half ago. More people have eligible cards for entry, and more people know about the lounge. I much enjoy it, they’ve done a great job, but you… may not get in right away.
Additional Lounges In The Pipeline
Since Dulles appears so close to opening, I’ll say that this one comes next. I’d anticipated Denver would happen before Washington Dulles, so the Capital One lounge in Denver should be coming shortly thereafter. I’ll say this year. By the end of 2023 there should be three open Capital One lounges. And then they also have Capital One Landings at Washington National and New York LaGuardia – which appear to be restaurants (in collaboration with Jose Andres Group). The facility at National airport is in a former restaurant space in National Hall.
Since this concept is something new I think I’m even more excited for it than the new actual lounges? But the space inside the historic control tower should be really interesting. I’m just worried about the size of the lounge. New lounges aren’t usually crowded for awhile. It takes time for people to discover them. But once that happens 9,100 square feet isn’t very large for a bit airport club.
Wonder if you can get on the wait list while you are still in the air via the app?
I love the Capital One Lounge at DFW, it’s my go to, but in the past several weeks forget trying to get in from 1-4pm. Between it being the contract lounge for AY, AF, LH etc, the afternoon TATL bank – it fills up completely. Victim of their own success.
The waitlist system at the DFW Capital One Lounge is not new. It has been in use for several months.
Only 4 bathrooms at DFW is the one major negative.
I’m flying out of DEN this afternoon and I was hoping the Capital One lounge would be open by now, since the original opening date was supposed to be Q1. I’ll duck into Terminal A and see how close it’s looking.
Yes, I agree. The Capital One Lounges should be large given that they are in the planning stages. One would think that these days the newest lounges should be bigger to accommodate so many cardholders. I look forward to seeing the lounge at Denver International.
Still problems at the Dallas lounge beyond wait lists when they are not needed. The staff are rude. They appear to be people who were inexperinced in hospitality at this level and have not been trained by the senior lounge staff.
Luckily, AA and Priority Pass alternatives.
I would not be happy to wait for a lounge only to find it not really at full capacity.
I get managing overcrowding but I don’t get making inefficiencies further inefficient.
I have tried 3 times this summer. I had a 40-minute wait; a 20-minute wait, and a 5-minute wait. I waited only for the 5 minutes. Very disappointed.
Recently got the Venture X card. So far both times I’ve stopped by the DFW club it was at 99.9% capacity. Like the frenzy if you tossed bananas at the monkey cage at a zoo. Already have buyers remorse for shelling out the coin for this card. Since DFW is my home airport I hoped it would be a happy option to the flip-flop and tank top hordes at the Admirals Clubs. Wrong.
Never actually made it into that lounge. Tried 3 times now. Always a “wait list”.
Not worth my time. Ymmv
Dallas is a “big” crappy airport with not good connections from terminals.
It’s big though. Lol.
Was at DFW Friday night 7-8pm ish. TSA lines were busier than I’ve ever seen.
Same issue as you note–Capital One lady taking names, line out the door. Seems this lounge has been significantly busier in 2023 based on my visits to AA Flagship nextdoor .
The surprising thing was the Centurion Lounge had no line at entry and there were at least three tables open near buffet. Good food (surprised me). Later found spot near window. AA Flaghip was empty too but food selection sparse.
Alas, missed you by a day! I had my second visit to the Cap One Lounge on Friday and waited for about 10 minutes before being texted that it was time to go in. (NB, the upstairs Lancome event space just to the right of the lounge entrance area was a quiet space with plenty of room for the wait). The lounge was fairly crowded, but flying alone there were about 5 different spots around the lounge I could choose from (and nobody was at the big table right in the front, where I had previously sat with my family of 5 last summer). Still enjoying it as probably the best airport lounge I have visited in the US, perhaps tied with the Centurion Lounge at LGA (though it’s been a few years and I may be thinking back with rose-colored glasses).
I was there the same day and got out on a waitlist, never got let in. Ridiculous to pay this much for a card and get this poor service.
I’ve had great service in the dozen or so times I have been. Always pretty good food, good service, and only a wait for the bathrooms once or twice. Still, keep scaring people away so I can get in.
I live between Dallas, Houston, and Austin, with Dallas an extra hour or so drive. It’s worth it to have the lounge IMHO.
I have only had to wait on the waitlist once, and only had a waitlist too long to make my connection once. So I’ve had good experiences and don’t regret my Venture X. Maybe I’ve just been lucky at the times I have needed it, but it’s been good to have decent food for me and my family and USB charging ports that actually worked.
I laugh that you are confident Denver will open this year. Maybe, but the rate of progress is so slow it could well be 2024 before it opens. I am disappointed to hear about wait lists in Dallas. Frankly the, the lounge situation is so bad I am not sure it’s worth keeping my card.
Gary, I do wonder if browsing will be helped by the fact that everyone has to take a trip to their gates from the lounge – people will not sue it if there is not a lot of time before their flight, those passing through Dulles won’t use it, and those who use it will leave early to ensure they get to their gates.