Financiers Capital One have partnered with Michelin-starred chef José Andrés in a new airport lounge venture at Washington DC’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Opened on 19 November, the facility has a two-part set up, described by The Points Guy as “a traditional lounge with food, bar drinks and spaces to sit and work before a flight on one side, and a grab-and-go coffee shop called On the Fly with snacks, takeaway meals and hot and cold beverages on the other.”
This is unique among Capital One’s offer, which includes other lounges as Dallas Fort Worth, Denver International, and Dulles Airport.
A credit card perk
The lounge dining section is effectively a perk for certain Capital One credit card holders. Venture X and Venture X Business customers get complimentary access for themselves and a guest from 5 am to 10 pm every day. Venture and Spark Miles members can enter for a reduced rate of $45, otherwise it will set you back $90.
Meanwhile On the Fly will be open to all airport customers and there are no free handouts, no matter the colour of your credit card. However, Venture Xers do benefit from 50% off On the Fly’s food and drinks.
Book ahead to avoid disappointment
With guest capacity of around 90 covers, the DC Landing space is more intimate than in other airports, but the Capital One planners have taken this into account. To ensure flyers can access the space when they need, a booking system has been created, allowing guests to book in up to six months head. Ad-hoc arrivals can get in if there is space, or they can go on a waiting list, which they can keep an eye on using an app.
Another difference at DC is that guests will be assigned a table on entry to the lounge, rather than being able to hang out anywhere they please. And it’s not just any old seating. The Points Guy notes the seating areas are specifically tailored to guests who are travelling. “Coat/purse hooks and power outlets are available at every table, and there are spaces between and under tables for luggage storage. Additional luggage storage areas for larger bags can be found at each end of a row of tables. And for those who wish to stay connected while on the go, there’s complimentary high-speed internet access,” the Points Guy said.
Spanish provenance
So you can recharge your appliances, but what about yourself? While the Washington Post questioned the concept of paying $90 for airport food unless it was a “honeymoon” trip, the produce’s provenance alone is enough to get many foodies excited, right down to the bread, olive oil and ham, that comes all the way from chef José Andrés’s favourite suppliers. From breakfast options such as olive oil pancakes, eggs Benedict and tortilla, to personalised cocktails, and desserts of Basque cheesecake, the Spanish influence is unmissable.
Short-haul concept with spa-like ambience
Food can be ordered by QR code at the table, and the average time it takes to reach your table is seven minutes, according to Jennifer Scheurich, managing vice president of Capital One Travel and Lounge, who explained that the concept, without showers for example, is targeted more at short-haul and domestic flyers than the Capital One facilities elsewhere.
Despite that lack of washrooms, there is a spa-like feel to the decor which the Washington Post says “combines the soothing palette of a spa with the aesthetics of a boutique hotel lobby. Travelers sit amid an artful display of books, vases and house plants, and under a cumulous of hanging basket lamps. Spanish tiles nod to Andrés’s heritage, and foosball fans will cheer at the figures on the tap handles.”
