In an email to Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders this week and confirmed on the Capital One website, the card issuer announced that its airport lounge access rules – among the most generous of any travel rewards card – would be changing.
Beginning February 1, 2026, cardholders will no longer be able to bring guests into Capital One lounges or Priority Pass lounges for free. The credit card issuer is also taking away complimentary lounge access for authorized users added to your card.
While the primary cardholder can still kick back in Capital One’s popular lounges for free, you’re going to have to pay extra if you want your traveling companions to join you. The changes are sure to disappoint existing cardholders, but the new rules are still pretty generous compared to others. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming lounge restrictions and how you can adapt your travel plans next year.
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Is Capital One Venture X lounge access going away?
Capital One Venture X cardholders will still be able to access airport lounges after February 1, 2026. The biggest difference is that any authorized users on your account will no longer enjoy the same complimentary access, and you won’t be able to bring in up to two free guests for free.
But your days of lounging with friends and family in a Capital One or Priority Pass lounge aren’t done. The card issuer said that cardholders can still bring guests in. It’ll just cost you $25 to $45 per person, depending on age and whether you’re visiting a Priority Pass lounge or one of Capital One’s own lounges. Though children under two still get in for free.
Those new guest fees are still cheaper than buying a single visit pass to the lounges, which normally costs $90 for visitors without a Venture X or Venture X Business credit card.
As for those authorized users sharing your account, they can keep their lounge privileges for an extra $125 per year. Authorized users who are currently enjoying their complimentary lounge access will see their Priority Pass Select membership expire on February 1, 2026, unless you opt into that additional $125 annual fee.
What should Capital One Venture X cardholders do before losing guest lounge access?
Even with these stricter rules, the Capital One Venture X credit card still has some of the most generous airport lounge access perks of any travel credit card. For example, travelers with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express card just saw their Delta Sky Club access slashed to a handful of free visits per year – and they pay $50 per person for guests.
Still, losing free access is going to be a hit to cardholders and figuring out the best way forward will depend on how you use this particular perk right now. Here are a few things to consider as you brace for next year’s new rules:
- If you have additional authorized users who often travel without you, paying the $125 annual fee per user will be the most cost effective way to preserve their lounge privileges.
- If your authorized user typically only visits the lounge when traveling with you, it would be cheaper to pay the $25 to $45 guest fee if you visit the lounge fewer than three times per year.
- If you’re more likely to visit a Priority Pass lounge than a Capital One lounge, consider trading your Venture X for an alternative like the American Express Platinum card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Both include complimentary Priority Pass membership (along with access to their own branded lounges) and still allow you to bring up to two guests for free.
Bottom line
While the news is disappointing for existing cardholders, the Capital One Venture X credit card is still one of the best deals for travelers who love airport lounges. It has one of the lowest annual fees among credit cards that include unlimited access — especially for solo travelers who don’t often bring guests anyway.
But if you do visit airport lounges with guests regularly or share your perks with an authorized user, you’ll need to weigh the extra fees you’ll have to start paying against competing credit cards to see whether the Capital One Venture X still gets you the most value for what you’re paying in fees.
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