Last Updated on March 7, 2024 by CreditFred
There was so much hype when Capital One announced its entry into the premium travel card space with the launch of the Venture X (review) credit card. Along with the announcement came Capital One’s ambitious plan to take on Amex and Chase with rolling out its own airport lounge network.
I finally got to check out the first and only Capital One Lounge (as of writing) on my trip to Texas in January. I’m so excited to be able to share my experience, enjoy!
Location & Hours
The lounge is located in DFW Terminal D, near Gate D22. As all terminals at DFW are connected airside (past-security) via the SkyLink train system, anyone eligible departing from any terminal can visit the lounge.
Hours are currently 6:00am to 9:00pm daily. Please check Capital One’s official site for most up-to-date information.
Access
You will need the following to gain entry:
- Same-day boarding pass (departing* and connecting flights)
- Mobile lounge pass (from Capital One mobile app) OR physical eligible Capital One credit card
*3-hours before departure, no time restriction for connections.
Capital One Venture X cardholders enjoy unlimited complimentary access, plus complimentary entry for 2 guests per visit (and $45 per additional guest).
Additionally, Venture and Spark Miles cardholders can enjoy 2 free visits per year (and $45 per additional visit or guests).
Finally, all others can enter the lounge for $65 per visit. Kids under 2 are welcome for free.
This is very generous entry policy that may quickly lead to overcrowding. I see them tightening this over time as more locations and cardholders get added. For most up-to-date access policies, visit the official site.
My Experience
Here’s a quick 1-minute tour of the space:
Entrance
As you walk in from the terminal area, you’ll be greeted by a nice lobby (which is a great space to relax btw if you don’t have lounge access). Here you will find elevators that will take you upstairs to the lounge space.
Once you exit the elevator, turn left and you will be at the entrance of the Capital One Lounge.
Check-In
Process was very smooth, with minimal wait. The staff was very welcoming and the overall atmosphere was very casual and relaxing (unlike legacy airline ones).
Here’s some pics of the lounge:
Seating
When I arrived, the lounge was already noticeably crowded. That being said, plenty of available seats were available, except the most sought-after “front row seats” overlooking the airfield.
Here are some images of the lounge:
My favorite part has got to be the amazing views of the tarmac. I had arrived before dark so was able to watch some planes take-off. However, I wasn’t able to get a seat by the window until after sunset.
Although I generally like the decor of the new space and really appreciate the expansive airfield views from the lounge, I did find that the swivel-chairs by the windows were not as comfortable and the fabric was already showing extreme signs of dirtiness as well as wear & tear.
Dining
The food area wraps around the center core of the lounge space, with various seating spaces radiating from all sides.
The food is all self-served, although a very nice touch is that most items seem to be individually portioned, so it was very easy to grab and go. I wish more lounges did the same!
Unfortunately, while I appreciated the individually-portioned items, I found the quality and taste of the food to be mediocre, and much preferred Amex Centurion’s food offerings, which tends to be healthier and more “unique”. Overall, I still found enough options to enjoy my time there!
There’s also a variety of non-alcoholic drinks on tap:
The overall environment was very clean, modern, and easy to navigate.
One of my FAVORITE thing about this lounge is the La Colombe Oat Milk Draft Latte ON TAP!!! I think I had way too many refills of this…it was so good! Having lived in Philly for a couple years, this certainly makes me nostalgic.
Dining while watching planes take off and land was awesome!
Bar
Like with most airport lounges, there is a complimentary bar. I personally really love the interior design of this space, especially the wood accents and the curvature of the walls!
Here’s some pics I took slightly earlier before sunset:
As I had maybe too much La Colombe coffee, I did not order anything at the bar.
Bathroom & Showers
The bathrooms are all individual stalls. While I found the space VERY aesthetically pleasing (it even comes with sounds to make you feel like you are in a jungle!), this design is very inefficient and I saw long lines forming outside during peak periods.
Even though this was a really nice bathroom, the fact they make the space so welcoming and comfortable probably makes people want to spend longer in there, so I can really see this becoming a more serious issue as the lounge becomes more and more popular.
Even though there were showers available, you have to sign up for the waitlist at the front desk. I signed up more than an hour before I had to leave for my flight, but it still wasn’t enough time. I’d say don’t count on it, unless you are here for a really long layover (or if your flight is delayed).
Amenities
The other amenities are located at the far side of the lounge, down a long hallway past the bathrooms. Here’s a list of all the amenities offered.
Walking down the long hallway, I had the chance to check out two of them.
First is the Fitness Room. This space is equipped with Peloton Bikes and yoga mats. Nice!
And some more pics:
Next is the Relaxation Room. The space is equipped with a single immerive nap pod, and is available by appointment at the front desk on a first-come-first-served basis.
Food To-Go!
Before I left for my flight, I was encouraged to take some items from the REFUEL to-go section and the staff even offered utensils and a paper bag to carry the items!
While other lounges actively discourage you from taking anything out (I may have smuggled out fruits, cookies, snacks, tea, and other goodies from other lounges before :P), it was very surprising to see Capital One ENCOURAGING this behavior.
I personally love the idea of having this to-go section, as sometimes I have just enough time time to pop in for a quick bite. However, it remains to be seen how quickly Capital One will reverse this decision once people start abusing it…
I’m so glad I picked up some items to-go, as my flight as delayed for over an hour on the tarmac (de-iced twice!) and it felt so luxurious being able to have something to eat and drink while being stuck in a metal tube!
Service
Wow! Overall, service was very impressive. All the staff there were incredibly enthusiastic, positive, and hard-working. Plates were cleared frequently and the buffet constantly being replenlished. A staff member was also super enthusiastic about showing me all the amenities!
Conclusion
Capital One really delivered and (in my opinion), this was the best credit card lounge (aka excluding United Polaris, AA Flagship Dining etc.) money can buy today. In fact, it’s not even that much money, as the Capital One Venture X card easily MAKES YOU a profit every year you hold it. For more info, check out my full review here.
I’m excited to see Capital One expand their lounge network, with other locations such as Washington Dulles and Denver joining in later this year. However, many of the “too good to be true” perks like the generous guesting policy and to-go offerings may be tightened as the lounge becomes more popular. That said, there is definitely fierce competition in this space, as Amex continues to invest in expanding and opening more Centurion lounges across the world, and Chase will soon open its first Chase Sapphire Lounge in the US!