Fury as Capital One cuts beloved airport lounge access perks

Fliers who own Venture X and Venture X Business cards will soon lose the privilege of extending Capital One airport lounge access to guests and additional cardholders.
Capital One confirmed the change would be applied to all of these account owners in February 2026.
Venture X and Venture X Business card owners will still be allowed to give other individuals access to their cards - but they will have to pay $125 annually for access.
Venture X cardholders will also be required to pay $35 per guest to Priority Pass lounges, which are exclusive lounges affiliated with Capital One.
'As airport lounges continue to grow in popularity across the industry, we've seen our customers increasingly encounter wait times to enter them,' a Capital One spokesperson told DailyMail.com.
'It is important to us that we maintain a great airport lounge experience for our Venture X and Venture X Business customers, while continuing to deliver best-in-class premium travel cards at an accessible price point.'
Qualified cardholders will still be able to bring two guests to lounges and one to Landings locations, as long as the account owners spend over $75,000 a year.
Capital One launched Venture X cards in 2021, which they described as a 'unique premium travel card with industry-leading rewards and benefits.'
Venture X will be required to pay $35 per guest to Priority Pass lounges starting in February 2026
The company opened its first lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport later that year.
Other lounges operate in popular airports in states like Colorado, Nevada, and Virginia.
With these two cards, fliers typically save $395 when visiting any Capital One airport lounge.
The company opened its first Landing lounge in 2024 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
'We need to revolt against the lounge access change,' one user wrote on Reddit in response to the new restrictions.
'Yeah dropping to 0 flat out is kinda ridiculous. They should've just went with 1 guest for primary and no guests for authorized user,' another user agreed.
While the upcoming policy may leave guests heartbroken, the primary cardholders will still be allowed to enjoy the perk.
'You might be underestimating how many solo travelers are going to be happy about these changes,' a commenter suggested on the social media site.
Venture X and Venture X Business members must pay $125 annually in order to bring guests to Capital One lounges
The Capital One Lounge at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia opened in 2023
'Venture X and Venture X Business primary cardholders will continue to receive complimentary access to over 1,300 lounges, including Capital One Lounges, Capital One Landings and Priority Pass lounges,' the spokesperson confirmed.
'We thought carefully about these changes, and we remain committed to delivering a differentiated premium travel card for our customers.'
Airport lounges have remained must-visit destinations for passengers waiting for flights.
American Express was the first credit card issuer to open an airport lounge in 2013.
The company's lounges made headlines last year after announcing its decision to use online waitlists for all US Centurion Lounges.
Amex later caused backlash after removing an Equinox Body Lab from its Centurion Lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
While these two companies have been competitive with one another, Chase Bank joined in a few years ago by opening a Chase Sapphire Lounge in Hong Kong.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mail​

41 minutes ago

• Daily Mail​

Stressed Bill Belichick seen drenched in sweat with Jordon Hudson after rushing through airport to catch flight

Bill Belichick got so hot and flustered during a race to make a flight to Las Vegas on Wednesday that he was sweating through his clothes. Pictures obtained by Daily Mail show the six-time Super Bowl winner and 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson stood at their gate after sprinting through the terminal at Charlotte Douglas International airport. The couple were hoping to make a plane from North Carolina to Las Vegas but their efforts had left Belichick, 73, drenched in sweat. The pictures show the UNC coach and his younger girlfriend talking to a member of airline staff with a huge sweat patch all the way down his back. Unfortunately, he had chosen to wear a light grey hoodie which meant his perspiration could be clearly seen from distance. Belichick was obviously tense as he was seen arriving at the gate at 6:58am, just 16 minutes before his flight to Las Vegas was due to depart. Witnesses also claim that Belichick hadn't even had time to put on his socks, such was the rush he found himself in. Fortunately for the couple, they were allowed to board their flight. They even packed some extremely sparkly luggage as Hudson posted a picture of them wearing their respective championship rings. Tagging their location as Las Vegas, one of Belichick's Super Bowl rings and Hudson's cheerleading equivalent were both front and center of the picture. The purpose of their trip was to attend the grand opening of Tom Brady's Hall of Excellence museum at the Fontainebleau in Sin City. Two days later, Hudson posted a picture of her soaking up the sun in a bikini in California. She was lying on a sunbed with a cocktail in hand and plenty of delicious food next to her. Earlier this week she took a sly jab at Belichick 's ex partner, Linda Holliday, in a sentimental Instagram post, where she name-dropped 'Nantucket Socialites'. Hudson's post was primarily about Melissa Sapini, last year's Miss Massachusetts who relinquished her title this week to the new winner, with Hudson paying tribute to her friend's time on top on Tuesday. The long, sappy post included a jab at Holliday near the bottom, after Hudson gave Sapini tons of shout-outs. 'I know you will keep shining, metamorphosing and taking up space; even when others threaten you and insist that you don't belong, e.g. the "Nantucket Socialites"' Hudson said. Hudon's jab is in reference to an incident where Holliday did not like Hudson and Sapini coming to a certain Nantucket Christmas party late last year. Belichick, 73, and Holliday, 61, broke up in September 2023 after 16 years together. He met Hudson on a flight from Boston to Florida in 2021.

Reuters

an hour ago

• Reuters

Billionaire Brad Jacobs' QXO offers $5 billion for GMS, threatens to go hostile

June 19 (Reuters) - Billionaire Brad Jacobs' new building-products distributor QXO (QXO.N), opens new tab made an offer on Wednesday to acquire GMS (GMS.N), opens new tab for about $5 billion in cash and said it will proceed with a hostile takeover if the company's management rejects the proposal. This is Jacobs's second hostile takeover threat in the building sector this year and part of his plan to turn QXO into a $50 billion revenue building-products distributor within a decade. The offer comes three months after QXO clinched an $11 billion deal to buy Beacon Roofing Supply, ending a prolonged takeover battle for the roofing company and significantly expanding its footprint in the U.S. and Canada. An acquisition of GMS would expand QXO's market from roofs into house interior materials, including drywall. QXO's proposal is still technically in the friendly phase, but Jacobs said that if GMS's board did not accept the offer by June 24, QXO was prepared to bypass management. 'If you choose not to engage ... we are prepared to take our offer directly to GMS's shareholders who we're confident will find the offer attractive,' Jacobs said in a letter sent to GMS Chief Executive Officer John Turner. In similar comments made during his takeover offer to Beacon, Jacobs said GMS was poorly managed and could be more profitable to shareholders under his command. Georgia-based GMS said in a statement on Thursday that it has received an unsolicited proposal from QXO that will be reviewed by its board. It did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. GMS operates a network of more than 300 distribution centers and its product lineup includes wallboard, ceilings, steel framing and gypsum. Both Beacon and GMS operate primarily in the U.S., with additional presence in Canada. The U.S. building industry, mostly locally sourced and fairly protected from tariffs, is undergoing consolidation. QXO said it offered $95.20 per share for all outstanding shares of GMS, a premium of about 17% over the company's closing price on Wednesday. In the letter, Jacobs disclosed he first approached Turner in June last year, with conversations continuing until at least May 22, when the two CEOs met in New York. Jacobs added his decision to take the offer public came after GMS's shares rose following market speculation over a potential QXO acquisition. The offer represents a 29% premium over GMS's value on May 22, he said. On Wednesday, before the offer was made public, shares of GMS hit their highest level in almost five months after the company reported upbeat quarterly results and announced an additional $25 million in annualized cost reductions. Jacobs said following the private talks with Turner, he heard from industry participants that J.P. Morgan and Jefferies bankers had been aggressively trying to find other suitors to buy GMS. Home improvement chain Home Depot (HD.N), opens new tab has also made an offer for GMS, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Spokespersons for Home Depot and GMS declined to comment on the report. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are acting as financial advisers to QXO. And Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is acting as legal counsel. Jacobs has built an empire of multibillion-dollar companies spanning industries from logistics to waste management and equipment rentals by acquiring companies in industries undergoing consolidation, and spinning some of them off at a higher value. QXO was a relatively small software company until 2023, when Jacobs invested about $1 billion and renamed and repurposed it.

Reuters

an hour ago

• Reuters

Trump says he may have to change his mind about firing Fed chair Powell

WASHINGTON, June 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he may have to change his mind about firing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Trump made the comment in a lengthy social media post criticizing the Federal Reserve's decision to not lower interest rates. "I don't know why the Board doesn't override (Powell)," Trump wrote. "Maybe, just maybe, I'll have to change my mind about firing him? But regardless, his Term ends shortly," Trump added. "I fully understand that my strong criticism of him makes it more difficult for him to do what he should be doing, lowering Rates, but I've tried it all different ways," Trump said.