Skip the Line: Capital One Now Offers a Digital Waitlist for Airport Lounges

Who doesn’t love a good airport lounge? Unfortunately, waiting in line for them diminishes their value and creates frustration. The increased popularity of premium travel rewards credit cards has also brought a new reality of overcrowded airport lounges.

Capital One is now making it easier for cardholders to access its lounges when crowding becomes an issue — all without having to wait in line.

Details of Capital One’s New Mobile Lounge Waitlist

Starting today, using the Capital One mobile app will let you view the capacity of Capital One Lounges in real time.

Even better, travelers accessing the lounge with a Capital One Venture X Credit Card or Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card*×Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One. can virtually join the waiting list when a lounge is at full capacity.

Here’s how to use this new feature:

• Step 1: Open the Capital One mobile app, and then select “Travel”
• Step 2: Select “Lounges”
• Step 3: Click the lounge details page
• Step 4: View real-time lounge capacity, and select “Join Waitlist” if applicable

Capital One says cardholders will receive a text informing them when to check in with a lounge agent. When it’s your turn to enter the lounge, you’ll have a 15-minute window in which to arrive. Travelers also can let the lounge know when they’re on the way, running late, or no longer planning to come to the lounge.

How To Access Capital One Lounges

The easiest option for ongoing access to Capital One Lounges — which also provides access to the waitlist feature — is to have a Capital One Venture X card or a Capital One Venture X Business Card.

Holders of either card receive unlimited, complimentary access to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network.

Final Thoughts

Capital One is fighting to establish itself in the lounge space amongst other credit card issuers, competing against both Amex’s Centurion Lounges and Chase Sapphire Lounges. While Amex has a decade-long head start in this area, Capital One and Chase are opening their own, impressive lounges at numerous airports.

As of today, Capital One has an advantage over its competitors in at least 1 aspect: the ability to join the lounge’s waiting list virtually, even if you aren’t physically at the lounge yet.