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When it launched, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card quickly gained popularity for its generous lounge access policies. But starting in 2026, many of those benefits are changing or going away.
On Feb. 1, 2026, authorized users will lose their complimentary airport lounge access. That’s a major shift for the premium travel rewards credit card, which boasted of its ability to share benefits with authorized users when it first launched in 2021.
Additionally, cardholders of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture X Business will no longer be able to bring guests for free into a Capital One Lounge or Landing (the issuer's sit-down restaurant concept) without meeting a $75,000 spending requirement each calendar year.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card holders will also lose complimentary access for guests to lounges in the Priority Pass network. Capital One Venture X Business cardholders will not be affected and will still be able to bring two guests to participating Priority Pass lounges.
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“As airport lounges continue to grow in popularity across the industry, we’ve seen our customers increasingly encounter wait times to enter them,” Capital One said in a statement explaining the changes.
These card updates mirror steps that American Express has taken to limit the number of people in its Centurion lounges.
How do these lounge access changes affect me?
If you travel with others …
Starting Feb. 1, 2026, you’ll no longer be able to use the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card to bring guests to lounges for free.
To regain free guest access for Capital One Lounges and Landings, you’ll need to spend at least $75,000 on your card in one calendar year. After that, you’ll be able to bring in two guests at no charge to Capital One Lounges through the following calendar year. For visits to Capital One Landings, you’ll be limited to one guest. (Landings are sit-down restaurants, not traditional lounges.)
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card holders will also lose complimentary access for guests to lounges in the Priority Pass network.
While primary cardholders on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card will still be able to add or keep authorized users for free, those additional cardholders won’t get complimentary lounge access (even if they are an account manager). Instead, you’ll need to pay an annual lounge access fee of $125 for each additional cardholder. This will grant them access to Capital One Lounges, Capital One Landings and participating Priority Pass lounges.
If you currently have additional cardholders on your account, talk to them and figure out what the right approach is. Your authorized user may be willing to pay you $125 to cover the fee, or they may decide to get a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (or another travel card) of their own.
» Learn more: The best credit cards for airport lounge access
If you have the Capital One Venture X Business…
Starting Feb. 1, 2026, you will no longer be able to bring guests in for free to Capital One Lounges and Landings, unless you spend $75,000 on your card in a calendar year. If you hit that spending requirement, the guest policy is the same as before: two for Lounges and one for Landings. You’ll still be able to bring two guests for free into participating Priority Pass lounges once the new rules go into effect.
On the Capital One Venture X Business, up to four additional cardholders can receive lounge access at an annual fee of $125 per person. They will get their own Priority Pass memberships and be able to bring two guests for free. Previously, authorized users did not get any complimentary lounge access.
If you’re willing to pay for guests…
Capital One is lowering its pricing for minors at its locations for both Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Business holders.
If you want to bring in additional guests beyond those included for free, you’ll continue to pay a discounted rate of $45 per adult guest per visit. (The standard rate is $90 per visit.)
Effective immediately, Capital One will lower the rate for each guest 17 and under to $25. Children under 2 can enter for free.
Additional guests for Priority Pass lounges are $35 each.
Is the Venture X still worth it?
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has always stood out for its generous lounge access policies for authorized users as well as guests, and unfortunately, I'm not surprised by the changes. It was only a matter of time before Capital One followed in the footsteps of American Express and Chase, which require an additional fee for authorized users each year for their own flagship travel credit cards.
Unless you're a solo traveler, these changes are a major blow to the value proposition of the card, and it might be time to reconsider.
For one thing, Capital One does not have that many locations to begin with. Meanwhile, American Express and Chase partner with Delta Air Lines and Air Canada, respectively, to offer cardholders even more lounge access when flying with those airline partners — something that Capital One also lacks.
But at $395 a year, Capital One's premium travel card still offers compelling value for travelers — even with the reduced lounge access benefits. The card comes with a $300 annual travel credit that can be used in Capital One’s travel portal, as well as 10,000 bonus miles on each account anniversary. Plus, it earns 2 miles per $1 on every purchase. That’s solid, especially if you only want one card in your wallet and don’t enjoy figuring out which one offers the best rewards for each purchase.
Miles can be redeemed at 1 cent per mile in the travel portal or transferred to one of Capital One’s hotel or airline partners. Compared to other premium travel cards, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is still relatively easy to use. Capital One hasn’t adopted American Express' “coupon book” model, where the issuer justifies a sky-high annual fee with onerous credits that are difficult to use and keep track of.
As long as you use the annual travel credit and bonus miles, that helps recoup the cost of the entire fee.
» Learn more: The guide to Capital One transfer partners
Venture X alternative: Chase Sapphire Reserve
If lounge access is your top priority and you’re ready to ditch your Capital One card, you might consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which has its own network of well-regarded lounges. Cardholders can bring two guests for free into Priority Pass lounges, including its Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club.
Through a partnership with Air Canada, Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders can access select Maple Leaf Lounges in the U.S. and abroad.
» Learn more: The guide to Chase Sapphire Reserve lounge access
Following a recent overhaul of the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the card now comes with a hefty $795 annual fee and charges $195 a year for authorized users, who will get their own Priority Pass memberships. Other benefits include earning 4 points per $1 spent on travel booked directly with airlines and hotels, as well as a $300 annual credit for travel purchases. Unlike the Capital One travel credit, this doesn’t come with the restriction of having to use Chase’s travel portal.
There are also a slew of other credits for cardholders to take advantage of, from hotel and dining credits to credits for Lyft, DoorDash and event tickets. If you’re able to use them all — which, to be fair, is easier said than done — the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can provide significant value for cardholders.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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