Credit card lounges have become incredibly popular in recent years, including networks like Amex Centurion Lounges, Capital One Lounges, and Chase Sapphire Lounges. If anything, these lounges have become too popular, as there’s now sometimes a line to enter lounges, which doesn’t exactly feel premium.
Capital One has introduced a new feature for its lounge network, which makes it easier to manage expectations, and takes some of the pain out of lounges that are at capacity.
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Capital One lets you join lounge waitlist in advance
Capital One has introduced a couple of new digital features for its lounge network in the Capital One app, allowing cardholders to view the capacity of Capital One Lounges in real time. On top of that, those with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (review) or Capital One Venture X Business (review) can virtually join the waitlist when a lounge is at capacity. Best of all, this is possible from the convenience of your phone, before you even arrive at the lounge.
To access this feature, you’ll want to log into the Capital One mobile app, click on “Travel,” and then select “Lounges.” You’ll then want to search for the Capital One Lounge you plan to visit, and click on the lounge details page.
Once you’re on the page with the lounge details, you’ll see crowding levels, and if the lounge is busy, you’ll have access to the “Join waitlist” button, which will also indicate how long your estimated wait is.
If you want to add yourself to the waitlist, you’ll have to enter your first name, phone number, and party size.
Once you join the waitlist, you’ll receive text updates, letting you know when it’s your turn.
Then the app will contain your details, allowing you to enter the lounge. Note that while it’s up to you when you add yourself to the list, you’ll have to present yourself at the lounge within 15 minutes of receiving the notification that it’s your turn.
This is a fantastic feature for handling lounge crowding
Lounge overcrowding is of course an incredibly frustrating problem for travelers. Travelers pay (in one way or another) to access airline and credit card lounges, and then sometimes find themselves in lounges that are more crowded than gate areas, or even worse, in situations where they have to get in line to enter a club.
In situations where a lounge is at capacity, I far prefer a system like Capital One is using, compared to the lounges that simply make you queue outside the door.
The fact that you can add yourself to the waitlist before you get to the lounge is nice in theory, though in fairness, I’m not sure it actually makes all that much of a difference in terms of getting into lounges, since it will just change how people queue. If everyone just adds themselves to the waitlist earlier, nothing actually changes.
What I consider to be much more exciting is that you don’t have to stand in any line to enter a lounge. Personally I’d much rather just sit in a quiet gate area, and then head to the lounge when it’s my turn. So kudos to Capital One for this technology, and here’s to hoping this is adopted more widely.
Bottom line
Capital One Lounges have a great new feature in the Capital One app, whereby you can get a sense of lounge crowding at any given point. In situations where lounges are at capacity, you can add yourself to a digital waitlist. You can even do this before you arrive at the lounge, as long as you make it to the lounge within 15 minutes of your invitation. This innovation takes some of the pain out of the lounge crowding issue that’s so common nowadays.
What do you make of these Capital One Lounge developments?
I have tried 4 times over the last year to enter a cap one lounge. Twice at Dfw where I trekked over. Twice in Denver. Never made it into one yet. Always a 30-45 min waitlist. Done with it.
What a joke.
Capital One Lounge at DFW needs to stop having contract with other airlines, often the lounge is not full yet they still ask Capital One card member to be waitlisted for entry then if you have a lounge invitation from contracted airlines then there is no wait. Capital One can simply solve this problem by stop contract their space to other airlines so their card member can get in without waiting.
Capital One making AMEX look so ghetto...
They could tweak the system to avoid the problem of the wait getting longer due to people who put their name on the list but don't show by having people confirm they are coming. Then log who says yes but doesn't actually show and if they do it frequently take some action like a warning or even taking away the ability to get on the waitlist.
The app could require access to GPS so it...
They could tweak the system to avoid the problem of the wait getting longer due to people who put their name on the list but don't show by having people confirm they are coming. Then log who says yes but doesn't actually show and if they do it frequently take some action like a warning or even taking away the ability to get on the waitlist.
The app could require access to GPS so it would know if you are nearby and adjust how far ahead to notify you to start walking over and if you aren't nearby to refuse to put you on the list.
Good ideas!
I don't want to give them ideas but then they could set your priority by how much you use their card.
Shhh.
"If everyone just adds themselves to the waitlist earlier, nothing actually changes."
And if a big portion who would have declined to wait in a physical queue are happy to put themselves on a QR waitlist, the waiting time actually gets longer.
You just described me. If I see a line, I won't even bother because my anxiety in a crowded lounge goes through the roof. Even if the line is short, I know I'm going to be miserable once I'm inside so double whammy.