Throughout my Aria Suite Journey to Hong Kong, I had the prospect to take a look at the Capital One Touchdown at Washington Nationwide Airport (DCA), which is the bank card issuer’s new airport lounge(ish) idea.
My gosh, that is such a beautiful facility, and it’s so easy but progressive. I’m delighted to see the artistic ways in which some card issuers are bettering the airport expertise, and might’t anticipate extra of those places to open over time.
Fundamentals of the Capital One Touchdown idea
The Capital One Touchdown idea is meant to enrich the Capital One Lounges that the cardboard issuer has been opening at airports in recent times. To place it as merely as doable, consider Capital One Landings as being a terrific airport restaurant that eligible cardmembers have entry to, with all meals and drinks included.
What makes this completely different than a standard airport lounge? Effectively, there’s a lot much less of a deal with lounging round, and extra of a deal with nice meals and drinks, which can be found shortly.
Capital One Landings are described as a chef-driven, culinary-focused idea, supposed to deliver an elevated expertise to the center of airport terminals. The idea is obtainable in partnership with Chef José Andrés, who designs Capital One Touchdown’s meals and beverage menu, specializing in Spanish-style tapas.
The concept is for this idea to primarily be at home airports, the place passengers is perhaps trying to seize a fast chunk to eat or a drink, however don’t essentially have hours to lounge round. The subsequent location might be opening at New York LaGuardia (LGA).
Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA location
The Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA is situated in Terminal 2, which is utilized by airways like Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, and United (Air Canada, Frontier, and Southwest, depart from Terminal 1, which isn’t linked airside).
While you’re within the Nationwide Corridor, the Capital One Touchdown is situated proper close to Concourse D. So that you’ll see the signage for gates D34-45, and instantly subsequent to that you simply’ll see the power.
Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA hours
The primary a part of the Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA is open day by day from 6AM till 9PM. So it doesn’t cowl all departures from the airport, but it surely does cowl most.
There’s additionally the Capital One Touchdown On The Fly idea, which is open day by day from 5AM till 10PM. I’ll speak extra about that in a bit, because it’s not complimentary, so it’s a unique idea.
Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA entry necessities
Who can entry the Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA? That is primarily supposed for these with the Capital One Enterprise X (overview) or Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise (overview), who obtain complimentary entry on an area obtainable foundation. Cardmembers can deliver one visitor without spending a dime, and extra friends for $45 every.
On high of that, these with the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card (overview) or Capital One Spark Miles for Enterprise (overview) should buy entry to the Capital One Touchdown for $45 per individual.
In the meantime others should buy entry to the idea for $90 per individual. The associated fee in all instances is similar for youths, besides these beneath two, who can entry the area without spending a dime with an grownup.
The Capital One Touchdown amenities could be accessed as much as three hours earlier than a departing flight, or for those who’re connecting, could be visited sooner than that.
These entry necessities are particularly for the primary Capital One Touchdown space, whereas the Capital One Touchdown On The Fly idea is open to all, and you should purchase gadgets individually.
Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA reservations
Reservations aren’t required for the Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA, however they’re really helpful. Should you don’t make a reservation, then entry is offered on a primary come, first served foundation. Capital One does maintain again some tables for these with out reservations, so it shouldn’t be inconceivable to get a desk and not using a reservation.
Nonetheless, if doable, it’s finest to make a reservation prematurely. This may be accomplished by means of the Capital One app. Simply log into your account, click on on “Journey,” after which click on on “Lounges.”
On the subsequent web page, you’ll see all of the lounges listed, together with Capital One Lounges and Capital One Landings. Scroll right down to Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA location.
Then click on on “Make a reservation.”
There you’ll see all availability, and might reserve your desk.
Clearly reservations could be a bit tough, given the unpredictability of journey. Formally, your reservation might be canceled for those who don’t present up inside quarter-hour of the scheduled time, although I’m unsure to what extent that’s enforced.
Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA seating & structure
The Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA is roughly 5,500 sq. ft, with seating for round 90 friends. As you arrive, it seems like a restaurant expertise, with a number stand. The pleasant girl staffing the desk confirmed my reservation and requested for my card. She then defined the idea to me, and walked me across the facility, and requested the place I’d like to sit down.
The Capital One Touchdown principally consists of 1, large rectangular room, which opens up into the terminal. It has a pleasant number of seating choices, because of how the area is damaged up.
One of many foremost seating areas is alongside the inside of the lounge, with an extended sales space throughout from chairs, and tables seating two to 4 individuals.
Alongside the home windows of the lounge are even bigger “U” formed cubicles, which might simply seat 4 individuals.
There are additionally some smaller tables alongside the home windows, every seating two individuals. If you may get a desk close to the home windows, the lounge has superior apron views.
There’s extra seating again towards the doorway of the Capital One Touchdown, overlooking the terminal, with tables every seating two to 4 individuals.
There’s additionally a bar space, must you need to dine (or simply have a drink) at a few of the high-top seating there.
There’s additionally some counter seating overlooking the terminal.
I admire that the Capital One Touchdown has energy shops accessible from every seat, so you’ll be able to simply hold your electronics charged. There’s additionally complimentary excessive velocity Wi-Fi.
Whilst you can hold your baggage at your seat, there are additionally some baggage storage areas beneath a few of the furnishings.
All-in-all, I feel the Capital One Touchdown has such a cool design. It has the vibe of a high-end airport restaurant (which… virtually seems like an oxymoron). I additionally type of like how that is extra of a restaurant than a lounge, because you’ll by no means really feel prefer it’s crowded in the identical approach as some lounges, assuming you may get in, as you’ll by no means need to share a desk with somebody.
I used to be additionally stunned that the power was almost empty throughout my go to, round 8PM. There have been possibly a handful of individuals there.
Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA meals & drinks
The Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA is all concerning the meals and drinks, all of that are designed in partnership with Chef José Andrés.
Beneath yow will discover the Capital One Touchdown breakfast menu.
Beneath yow will discover the Capital One Touchdown lunch & dinner menu.
Beneath yow will discover the Capital One Touchdown drinks record.
So, really getting your fingers on meals and drinks works in one in every of two methods. Every desk has a QR code, to be able to order most drinks and a few of the meals. On high of that, there’s a show space with meals, the place you’ll be able to go to request sure gadgets, and one of many staff will plate it for you, to take again to your desk.
I’d describe the service within the lounge as being a hybrid between a typical restaurant and an airport lounge. While you arrive at a desk, silverware and a glass will already be there. A server then stops by and affords you some water. Something past that’s ordered by means of the QR code ordering system, however the servers ceaselessly come round to clear plates.
The lounge’s meals show is the place you’ll be able to decide up something besides the recent dishes. So that may be custom-made nevertheless you’d like, and doesn’t require ready.
I didn’t get something from the show, however as an alternative ordered a few of the sizzling dishes from the menu. Since that is tapas-style, the thought is that the parts aren’t large, and you may order a number of issues.
I figured I needed to give the drink record a attempt, so to start out, I ordered a negroni cortado, with gin, candy vermouth, campari, and palo cortado sherry.
In a while, I ordered the touchdown G&T, with barr hill gin, mediterranean tonic, citrus, and sakura.
These cocktails had been each phenomenal, not by airport lounge requirements, however by basic bar requirements. Like, it’s not typically you get a giant dice in your drink in an airport lounge(ish)!
To eat, I made a decision to order three dishes — the gambas al ajillo, the eggplant & tofu donburi, and the grilled zucchini (that final one wasn’t on the printed menu, however was on the QR code menu). All three dishes had been delivered on the identical time, round 10 minutes after I ordered them.
The gambas al ajillo consisted of pink shrimp confited with further virgin olive oil, garlic, chili, bay leaf, and oloroso wine.
The eggplant & tofu donburi consisted of tofu and eggplant, steamed rice, pink onion, avocado, and pickled nabo.
The grilled zucchini consisted of zucchini with yogurt, garlic, cumin, and contemporary herb.
I believed all three dishes had been glorious, and I might’ve been pleased with them in a restaurant. What a deal with to get this as a part of a bank card profit!
Whereas there’s not a correct menu for the dessert, the counter has a number of choices, together with burnt basque cheesecake and warrior bites, so I requested to attempt every.
Whereas it’s also possible to order barista espresso by means of the QR code, there’s additionally a station with self serve drip espresso, tea, soda, and water, which friends can assist themselves to.
You actually can’t ask for extra in relation to the standard of meals and drinks at an airport, so so far as I’m involved, Capital One knocked it out of the park.
Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA bogs
The Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA has two gender-neutral bogs, situated within the again nook of the lounge. These are actually nicer than you’ll discover within the terminal. As you’d count on, there aren’t any showers right here.
Capital One Touchdown On The Fly Washington DCA
Adjoining to the primary a part of the Capital One Touchdown Washington DCA is the Capital One Touchdown On The Fly. This has a separate entrance, and is open to the general public. This primarily affords meals and drinks for buy, packaged for takeaway. It has every part from breakfast gadgets, to sandwiches, to salads, to packaged snacks, to drinks.
This isn’t a part of the lounge idea, within the sense that you simply’re not getting something without spending a dime right here. Nonetheless, for those who pay with the Capital One Enterprise X (overview) or Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise (overview), you do obtain 50% off. I didn’t purchase something right here, however did snap just a few photos.
I have to say, the standard of things regarded fairly good, higher than your typical airport concession. For individuals who are in a rush and/or who couldn’t get a reservation on the Capital One Touchdown, it certain could be good if cardmembers got some dollar-amount credit score they might spend right here, to seize one thing on their approach to the gate.
Both approach, a 50% low cost for cardmembers will put pricing right here decrease than nearly some other airport concession.
Backside line
The Capital One Touchdown at Washington DCA is without doubt one of the most progressive twists that we’ve ever seen on the standard airport lounge idea. Capital One Lounges already innovated the bank card lounge area, with issues like chilly brew on faucet and seize & go snacks. Now the issuer is doing one thing cool but once more, with restaurant type eating experiences, in partnership with Chef José Andrés.
I’ve nothing however good issues to say about this idea, because the meals and drinks had been considerably higher than you’ll in any other case discover in most airport lounges and eating places. I simply want the Capital One Touchdown had been at an airport that I frequent extra typically, as I go by means of DCA possibly as soon as each couple of years, on common.
What’s your tackle the Capital One Touchdown idea at Washington Nationwide Airport?
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