Capital One Is Nerfing Lounge Access for Venture X (and Venture X Business): What You Need to Know for 2026
If you’ve been using your Capital One Venture X or Venture X Business card to access airport lounges for yourself, your family, or your authorized users — big changes are coming in 2026, and they could seriously impact the value you're getting from your card.
Capital One just announced a major update to its lounge access policies, effective February 1, 2026, and many travelers (especially families, couples, and business owners) will feel the sting.
Let’s walk through exactly what's changing, who it affects, and what to do next if you rely on lounge perks as a key benefit of either Venture X card.
✈️ What’s Changing?
These changes affect both:
Capital One Venture X (Personal)
Capital One Venture X Business
Whether you're using the personal or business version of the card, the new lounge policy applies across the board.
1. Authorized Users Lose Free Lounge Access
Starting February 1, 2026, authorized users will no longer receive complimentary airport lounge access unless you pay an annual $125 lounge access fee per user.
This fee grants them access to Capital One Lounges, Capital One Landings, and Priority Pass lounges.
You can still add authorized users without lounge access for no fee.
This change drastically reduces the value for families or businesses who added authorized users primarily for airport lounge access.
2. Guest Access Ends for Priority Pass
Currently, Venture X cardholders can bring guests into Priority Pass lounges for free. That ends on February 1, 2026.
After that, each guest will cost $35 per visit.
This applies to both personal and business Venture X cardholders, and their eligible authorized users.
This change mirrors recent lounge policy updates from other premium cards — but it’s still a blow to those who travel with companions.
3. $75K Spend Now Required for Free Lounge Guests
Want to keep bringing guests into Capital One Lounges and Landings for free?
You’ll need to spend $75,000+ per calendar year on your Venture X (or Venture X Business) card. If you meet that threshold:
You get 2 free guests per visit at Capital One Lounges.
You get 1 free guest per visit at Capital One Landings.
Important:
Spend toward the $75K starts in calendar year 2025.
Complimentary guest access applies in the year you meet the threshold and the following calendar year.
Even if you don’t meet the $75K spend, you can still bring guests for a discounted rate:
$45 per adult
$25 per guest age 17 and under
Children under 2 remain free
💳 Do These Changes Hurt the Value of Venture X?
The Venture X (and Venture X Business) cards have been favorites for premium travelers due to their lounge access, $300 annual travel credit, 10,000-mile anniversary bonus, and solid earning structure.
But starting in 2026, travelers who frequently use the lounge perks with guests or family members will likely find less value unless they’re high spenders.
This is especially painful for small business owners and frequent family travelers who previously relied on these perks. I typically travel as a family of four, so this really affects our household. I will definitely be valuing my other cards that provide priority pass access with 2 guests.
🚨 What You Should Do Now
Evaluate how much you use lounge access today. If you travel solo most of the time, the impact may be minimal.
Review your authorized users. Decide whether the $125 lounge fee per user makes sense.
Track your 2025 spending if you want to hit the $75K threshold for 2026 lounge guest access.
Compare cards. If lounge access is a top priority for you, it may be worth looking into alternatives like the Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve.
📌 Final Thoughts: Capital One’s Lounge Perks Just Got Complicated
These changes mark a shift in strategy for Capital One — and it's clear that both personal and business Venture X cardholders will need to rethink how they use their benefits.
If you’re running a small business and added employees as authorized users for lounge perks, this may hit your team especially hard. And if you're traveling as a family or couple, guest access limitations will mean added costs starting in 2026.
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Check out my detailed review on the Capital One Venture X