Where Coziness and a Modern Ambiance Meet: A Complete Review of the Capital One Lounge at IAD
by Krish Patel
Deep in the heart of Washington’s Dulles Airport is a space where passengers can relax in a modern and comfortable ambiance before the runway. Of course, I’m talking about the Capital One Lounge. Ever since Capital One joined the airport lounge market, they’ve surpassed the lounge experience offered by many airline clubs, and the location in IAD is a perfect example of that.
Capital One Lounge IAD Location, Hours, and Access
The Capital One Lounge at Washington Dulles is open from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM daily and is situated just after the TSA security checkpoint near the Z Gates. Note that the signage to locate the lounge isn’t that clear, and you’ll have to take an elevator to reach the lounge if you’ve cleared the regular security checkpoint.
Capital One’s Lounge access policy is pretty straight-forward. To access the lounge, you’re going to need the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or the Capital One Venture X Business Card. Access is complimentary for the cardholder and for authorized users (if there are any). The cardholder may bring immediate family or up to two complimentary guests per visit.
Capital One Venture Rewards and Spark Miles card holders will get two free lounge visits annually, however, that’s going away in 2025. If you don’t have a Capital One card, you can pay the lounge fee of $90 per person to get in.
Capital One Lounge IAD Seating, Layout, and Ambiance
Upon entering the lounge, you’ll notice the front desk area, which feels nice and modern with bold accents of wood.
Essentially, the lounge is a massive rectangular doughnut shape and sits in a former air traffic control tower designed by legendary architect Eero Saarinen. Past the front desk area is some comfortable restaurant-style seating with plenty of table space and charging outlets to charge your device. I love the pops of bold, vibrant color throughout and the locally-inspired artwork on the walls depicting various colors and patterns.
You have multiple variants of seating to choose from, ranging from armchairs to restaurant-style chairs and plush stools. There’s a triangular table with plush stools and barlike seating surrounding the table to work or relax. There are even botanical plants to give the lounge an elegant appearance, which makes it feel well-put together like someone’s nicely decorated living room. I wish more airport lounges shot for this look.
At the opposite end of the lounge is the main seating area, with plush chairs, and plenty of side table space and power outlets. The colorful light fixtures, wooden finishes, and vibrant walls give the area a wonderful accent. During my visit, the lounge was packed, however, it was still possible to find a comfortable seat.
To the left of this seating space is one of my favorite areas of the lounge, that being a relaxing corner with chairs for lounging. The floor is carpeted, and the blue walls and local artwork set it apart from the rest of the lounge.
Capital One Lounge IAD Amenities
At the IAD outpost, Capital One hasn’t installed as many amenities as their other locations. For example the location at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) features shower suites and a fitness room with Peloton bikes.
Located near the entrance area is a set of lockers to store belongings. This feature especially comes in handy if you don’t enjoy carrying your carry-on luggage throughout the lounge.
Found at the other side of the lounge are where most of the amenities are located, such as a nursing room, a few bathrooms, and two work stations. There’s high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity in the lounge, which is useful for getting work done.
The bathrooms are modern, spacious, and clean. I love the vibrant colors and attention to detail in the bathrooms, from the details on the countertop, to the modern flooring. Unfortunately, there are no shower suites in the lounge.
Both workstations feature a large amount of table space and charging outlets to charge your device. They’re pretty spacious and cozy, with blue wallpaper and a carpeted floor.
Capital One Lounge IAD Food and Drinks
When it comes to the food and drinks, Capital One has surpassed my expectations. The food and drinks are chef-inspired, and there’s an extensive buffet selection, as well as a variety of beverages to enjoy.
Near the entrance of the lounge is a grab and go food station, which I absolutely love. There are plenty of foods to choose from, such as salads, sandwiches, and some light snacks and desserts. Plus, there are bags and utensils to make it easier to take food with you for your travels.
Next to the grab and go food station is an espresso machine that can print latte art and a tap offering La Colombe draft lattes.
The lounge has its own coffee bar offering a great selection of café-inspired hot and iced coffees. In addition, there are freshly made pastries available at the coffee bar, such as strawberry pop tarts, croissants, and date and chocolate pound cake. I highly recommend trying the pastries, as they’re very delicious, and the drink selection surpasses the offerings in Amex Centurion and Chase Sapphire Lounges.
Located along the inner wall of the right side of the lounge is the buffet selection. The food is individually plated and served as small bites, which elevates the experience of the airport lounge buffet. Some of the food options include burrata salad, bruschetta toast with zucchini, deviled eggs, mac & cheese, quac, and shrimp bao. Everything I tried tasted great, and it’s much better than the typical food offered in an airport lounge.
There’s also a selection of drinks on tap, including craft sodas and cold teas. The soda flavors include unique offerings such as pineapple cream and agave vanilla cream, which is a refreshing change from the typical Pepsi and Coke products commonly offered in lounges.
Towards the end of the buffet counter is a selection of desserts such as chocolate chip cookies and scones.
Located at the front of the lounge is the bar, which features plenty of bar stools surrounding a red countertop. The staff at the bar are friendly, and can make you pretty much anything you’d like to drink.
There’s an extensive selection of craft cocktails, and the signature cocktail is the Bee’s Knees, which is an Instagrammable cocktail served in a glass that looks like the body of a bee. Capital One has also claimed to offer the perfect airport beer that’s supplied from a local brewery. Here in the Dulles outpost, the beer is supplied from Lost Rhino, which offers Virginia-style beer. I was happy to see a selection of zero-proof ABV (alcohol by volume) beverages, and opted for the Rock Creek Park, which was refreshing and tasted great. It’s a mix of jasmine green tea, cucumber, Fever Tree Lime, and yuzu soda.
Capital One Lounge IAD Verdict
Capital One’s outpost here in Washington is one of the nicest credit card operated lounges I’ve visited so far. It’s a fan favorite among enthusiasts in the world of premium travel credit cards. The food and drinks offered in this lounge are locally-inspired and taste great, and the comfortable seating in a modern ambiance makes this a great spot to relax before taking off. The amenities offered in the lounge are also impressive, however, it would be nice to see offerings such as shower suites, a fitness center, and nap rooms. Based on this visit, I’m more than excited to visit Capital One’s other lounges.