Capital One Lounge Opens at Washington Dulles Airport

Standard Capital One Lounge IAD hours will be 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The lounge occupies 8,500 square feet of prime real estate right beyond TSA PreCheck in the main terminal. This is the second lounge to open in the Capital One network joining the existing Capital Lounge at Dallas/Fort Worth airport (DFW). Lounges in Denver (DEN) and Las Vegas (LAS) are currently under construction.

The Capital One Lounge Dulles is designed to be a stop travelers make on their way to the departure gates as opposed to being inside one of the flight terminals like other IAD lounges. The lounge designers leaned into the idea that Dulles is a “fly from” airport rather than a transit hub like DFW. So instead of things like lounge chairs and showers, they amped up the bar and take-away offerings.

Even though the theme “Love Your Layover” is printed on complimentary eyeshades at the reception desk, this lounge would require a train ride from the departure gates. Because of this, it’s not suitable for layovers of less than an hour or so.

I tested the travel time. It takes five minutes to get to the train from the lounge, a wait of up to five minutes for the train to arrive and as much as an additional five minutes to reach the gates. So a back-and-forth trip to the lounge from your gate could take as long as 30 minutes.

If you go left beyond reception you’ll find the restrooms, a family care space with a nursing chair and changing table, and a small selection of desk seating. To the right are the main seating areas, which were intelligently designed with a mix of tables and easy chairs.

I especially like the family-friendly sunken seating area with low tables and stools that are well-suited for coloring or—who are we kidding—video gaming, along with the necessary charging stations to keep Mario happily on his cart. Some lounges hide the family room behind a door and don’t have any seating for parents in there, but this hybrid format is a smart use of space.

The bar has a hip-but-casual vibe keeping in concert with the mid-century modern architecture Dulles airport is famous for. Another appreciated touch is the modern artwork selection from DC-local artists that graces the lounge walls. It was refreshing to see a space pay homage to its locality without leaning into cliche. Even the coffee mugs are made by a Virginia-based pottery studio.

Upon entry, you’re greeted with a staffed coffee bar featuring Richmond-based Blanchard’s coffee-based lattes and other specialty drinks served by a barista. There’s also La Colombe cold brew on tap for self-service. Because no one wants coffee on an empty stomach, there’s a selection of pastries served right at the coffee bar.

Grab-and-go should not be a novel concept for an airport lounge, but Capital One was the first major lounge network to not only offer grab-and-go but to encourage it. Why suffer an economy-class meal on a long-haul flight when you can take a chia bowl and a falafel wrap with you? If you’re rushing for your flight, you can still pop in for a healthy bite to take with you onboard.

Once you get to the heart of the lounge space you’ll find a selection of tapas-style bites. On the preview day they included truffle corn pudding and a Tennessee hot deviled egg among others. In addition to the coffee bar pastries, a small selection of fresh desserts was presented. Everyone at the preview agreed that the house-made Strawberry Pop Tart was the star of the sweet show.

I applaud the individual portions at Capital One Lounges as opposed to the buffet-style service at other lounges. Not only does it feel more sanitary, it keeps the food both visually appealing and tasty no matter where you are in the queue. Nobody wants to get the warming tray dregs, but with small plates you don’t have to wait for the new pan of noodles and red sauce to come out of the kitchen.

The drinks menu is both creative and locally-based. As a Northern Virginia local I can vouch for Lost Rhino Brewing’s beer selection, which even includes a lounge-exclusive brew. Mixed concoctions include a cherry blossom margarita and an espresso-based rum drink called the Georgetown Headspinner. The Headspinner is a humorous nod to the steps in Washington, DC that served as a location for The Exorcist. I tried it and it lives up to its name.

The simplest way to access the IAD Capital One Lounge is to own either a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or a Venture X Business*. Venture X cardmembers enjoy unlimited access along with two guests to Capital One Lounges. Authorized users also get access, which is a huge plus for those with families. Additional guests will cost $45 per person and kids under two are free.

If you travel just a couple of times a year, you’ll be glad to know that Capital One Spark Miles for Business* members get two visits per year and access to additional visits at $45 per person. The general public can get in as well at a cost of $65 per person.

Note that the Capital One Dulles lounge is a departure or connection lounge only, meaning you must have a ticket leaving IAD to qualify for entry. You can also only enter three hours before departure. If you are looking for a lounge you could use on arrival into Dulles, some Priority Pass lounges allow those on a same-day flight to enter and do not specify it has to be a departure from IAD.

Only time will tell, but there are a number of factors that lean toward entry into this lounge becoming hotter than Taylor Swift tickets.

For one, the seating capacity of the IAD lounge is 124 people. This is significantly smaller than the DFW lounge, which already has lines out the door in peak times. Unfortunately, the seating capacity includes grab-and-go and espresso bar patrons. So while turnover may be faster than at other lounges due to its location away from the boarding gates, you still may have to wait in line even to get a coffee.

Secondly, Capital One is based in McLean, Virginia with IAD being the closest airport and there’s a large concentration of Capital One banks in the DC area. With this in mind, it’s safe to bet that a larger-than-usual proportion of the traveling population will have Capital One cards.

Add to this the median income in the DC Metropolitan area is about 1.5 times the average income across the United States. And higher-income travelers are more likely to be willing to carry a high-annual-fee travel card that provides lounge access.

The new IAD Capital One Lounge is a stunning addition to the nascent lounge network Capital One is building. It shows numerous nods to the local area without leaning into photos of DC monuments or cherry-blossom patterned carpet (although cherry blossom does show up on both the drink menu and in the chocolates at the door). The healthy grab-and-go food selection, full coffee bar and creative food and drink options are sure to please lounge guests.

That said, a lounge on the smaller-side plus a larger pool of qualified entrants equals the possibility of overcrowding. While the lounge itself will feel spacious at capacity due to the smart layout and high turnover, don’t be surprised if you have to wait to get in.