Capital One Venture X Cardholders Get Disappointing Changes to Airport Lounge Access Benefits
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Written by
Jasmin Baron
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Edited by
Antonio Ruiz-Camacho
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is widely considered by experts as one of the best travel credit cards in terms of value. Despite being a premium card with a hefty $395 annual fee, the Venture X’s perks can more than justify the cost.
One of the biggest Capital One Venture X benefits is its airport lounge access. Currently, primary cardholders and up to four authorized users receive access, with guest privileges, to over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges, as well as the issuer’s own upscale Capital One Lounge and Capital One Landing locations after enrollment.
Starting Feb. 1, 2026, this will change. Access to these lounges will now be restricted to primary cardholders. Authorized users will then incur a cost of $125 per year, per user, for lounge access. And as of the same date, guests of primary and authorized cardholders will no longer get complimentary access either (a fee will apply).
Let’s break down exactly what to expect when the Capital One Venture X lounge access changes take effect.
Capital One Venture X Lounge Access Changes
In an email sent to cardholders, Capital One said the Venture X updates were to combat long lounge wait times. “To address this, we are making lounge access changes for additional cardholders (including authorized users and account managers) and guests”, the email said.
Here’s a summary of the changes.
Lounge Access for Authorized Users
One of the most compelling Venture X benefits is the airport lounge access it provides for up to four authorized users on the primary cardholder’s account after enrolling. Right now, it doesn’t cost anything extra to add authorized users, which is a great deal in comparison to other premium travel cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® ($795 annual fee plus $195 per authorized user) and The Platinum Card® from American Express (an advertising partner) ($895 annual fee plus $195 per authorized user).
With the changes starting Feb. 1, Venture X primary cardholders can still add authorized users at no charge. But if you want your authorized users to get access to Capital One’s lounge network, it’ll cost $125 per user each year.
This is a disappointing change, but a reminder that the best travel deals don’t last forever. I have the Venture X, and my four authorized user slots are filled by family members who’ve really enjoyed the lounge access during their travels. Come February, I’ll have to revisit the cost of keeping the card and weigh whether paying an additional annual fee of $125 per user is worth it.
Complimentary Airport Lounge Guests
Currently, Venture X cardholders can bring up to two guests into Priority Pass and Capital One Lounge locations at no charge. For Capital One Landings, cardholders get one complimentary guest.
Beginning Feb. 1, guests will no longer get free access to any of these lounges. For Priority Pass lounges, guests will have to pay $35 per visit. And at Capital One Lounges and Landings, the guest fee will be $45 (with a discounted rate of $25 for guests aged 17 and under, and free visits for children under two).
That said, you’ll be able to spend your way to complimentary Capital One guest access starting with the 2025 calendar year. Venture X cardholders who spend $75,000 total on their account each year will be able to bring up to two complimentary guests into Capital One Lounges, and one guest into Capital One Landings per visit. Once the spend threshold is met, you’ll get guest access for the remainder of that calendar year, as well as the entire calendar year following. The guest access also applies to authorized users who pay the new additional fee.
Capital One appears to have taken a cue from American Express and its spend-for-guest-access lounge policies. For example, to unlock up to two complimentary guests at Amex’s luxe Centurion Lounges, Amex Platinum cardholders must also spend at least $75,000 in a calendar year.
If you’re a solo traveler, these changes won’t have much of an impact. But for those who usually travel as a group, particularly families, these updates will hit a lot harder. Being able to bring my kids into the lounge when we travel is important to me, so I’ll be reevaluating my credit card lounge access strategy when these updates kick in.
What About the Capital One Venture X Business?
The Capital One Venture X Business is also getting updates around lounge access for primary cardholders and authorized users, although some of the changes might be welcome news for certain cardholders.
Right now, only primary Venture X Business cardholders receive any sort of airport lounge access. Unlike the personal Venture X, authorized users on the Venture X Business don’t currently receive airport lounge access at all.
Starting Feb. 1, primary cardholders will have the option to grant up to four additional cardholders access to Priority Pass and Capital One Lounges/Landings for a $125 annual fee per user.
Of note, Venture X Business primary and additional cardholders will get complimentary access for up to two guests at Priority Pass lounges (with extra guests costing $35 each per visit).
However, guest access to Capital One Lounges and Landings will be limited in the same way as the personal Venture X card. Guests will cost $45 each per visit ($25 for guests 17 and under and free for guests under age two).
And, similarly, spending $75,000 or more on the card in a calendar year will unlock two complimentary guests at Capital One Lounges and one guest at Landings for the primary cardholder and any additional cardholders who’ve paid the annual lounge access fee.
How Do Venture X Changes Impact the Card’s Value?
The updates to the Capital One Venture X are a letdown, to be sure, especially for cardholders who travel with family and friends and those who’ve enjoyed sharing airport lounge access with their loved ones by adding them as authorized users.
You might still find value in giving your authorized users lounge access for $125 a year, however. If they travel often, the fee might be worth it, especially if they’d otherwise pay for pricey airport food and drinks (for a decent airport meal, you’re probably looking at at least $30 or so). Compared to the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve authorized user fee ($195 each), this is still a relative bargain.
That said, the Venture X still holds tremendous value for travelers who maximize its rewards and benefits. Its $395 annual fee is easily offset by $300 in annual Capital One Travel credit and 10,000 bonus Capital One miles (worth at least $100 in travel) each card anniversary. Use both of these perks to your advantage, and you’ll actually come out $5 ahead of the annual fee.
Once you throw in airport lounge access (even just for the primary cardholder) and other valuable perks like strong travel insurance and a TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit, the annual fee becomes even less of a barrier. You’ll just have to decide if paying it upfront makes sense, and if the lounge access changes are a deal-breaker for you.
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