Inside Capital One’s new ‘flagship’ lounge at JFK

In the city that never sleeps, there’s now an airport lounge that never sleeps.

Welcome inside the brand-new Capital One Lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), the first credit card-branded lounge to be open 24/7.

This new Capital One Lounge is also home to a few other firsts, including the first “flagship”-branded outpost in the issuer’s network, the first with a cheesemonger, the first with a reimagined bodega-style grab-and-go counter, the first to measure nearly 13,500 square feet and much more.

As you can probably already tell, Capital One pulled out all the stops for its first New York outpost. While the issuer might tell you it’s because New York is such an important market for its cardmembers, the truth is that JFK, and Terminal 4 in particular, is perhaps the most competitive airport for credit card-branded lounges.

Here’s everything you need to know about this brand-new lounge opening Thursday, June 19.

Capital One Lounge JFK access

The $395-per-year Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the primary way most travelers can access a Capital One Lounge.

Given the changes coming for authorized user and guest access, being a primary Venture X cardholder will become the most practical way to access airport lounges.

Starting Feb. 1, 2026, the Venture X will no longer provide complimentary lounge access to authorized users, nor will it offer automatic complimentary guest access to Capital One Lounges and Capital One Landings for primary cardholders.

Primary cardholders will have the option to pay $125 annually for each authorized user to maintain access to all lounges included with the card (Capital One Lounges, Capital One Landings and Priority Pass lounges). Primary cardholders who want to bring guests into the lounge will need to spend $75,000 a year on their card to unlock this benefit.

There’s much more to unpack with Capital One’s revised lounge access policies, so be sure to check out our complete guide.

The new Capital One Lounge is the first in the network to be open 24/7. While that might be a bit surprising — especially since Terminal 4 only sees a handful of departures between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., according to Cirium timetables — Capital One didn’t actually have a choice in the matter.

One of the nonnegotiable aspects of its lease was that the lounge space must be open around the clock.

Capital One Lounge JFK location

The Capital One Lounge at JFK is in the airport’s iconic Terminal 4, home primarily to Delta Air Lines’ big hub operation, as well as a slew of other international carriers.

If you’re flying from Terminal 4, you’ll find the lounge just past security on the departures level, which is one level below the entrances to the American Express Centurion Lounge, the Chase Sapphire Lounge and the Delta One Lounge.

The Capital One Lounge is in the central corridor connecting the A and B gates in Terminal 4, but it is a bit closer to the B pier. Either way, expect a long walk to the end of either the A or B pier and plan your visit accordingly.

The lounge’s entrance will be hard to miss — you’ll find familiar branding and signage to welcome you inside.

If you’re not flying from Terminal 4, you could theoretically use the lounge before departure by taking the AirTrain from another terminal, but you’ll need to clear security twice and allot enough time to make it back to your departure terminal before your flight.

Capital One Lounge JFK layout

Entering the lounge brings you into the main corridor that lies perpendicular to the rest of the lounge area.

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This entrance corridor has a few small seating areas split between two-top dining tables and individual recliners, and while the design here already exudes a sense of luxuriousness, I’d encourage you to continue inside to find more comfortable and private spaces to sit.

As you keep going, the first nook you’ll find is the library area, complete with a few two-top tables.

At the end of this hallway is the lounge’s flagship chandelier with red and silver crystals hanging above some bench-style seating adorned in red and arranged in an inverted circle.

This is also where you’ll catch your first glimpse of the impressive airside views of Terminal 4’s B gates. Unfortunately, the windows have small dots on them, which is a relic of the space’s previous tenant and something Capital One couldn’t change.

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If you turn left, you’ll enter the main dining area, which was designed to evoke Central Park.

There’s a small tree in the center of the space and a large variety of tables and seating areas surrounding this tree.

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You’ll find a cold buffet located along one of the walls, while the other wall has expansive windows that let in plenty of natural light and offer great views.

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Right at the end of the dining room is where you’ll find the all-new cheesemonger, but more on that below.

On the other side of the central corridor is a long hallway lined with bar-style seating, as well as Capital One’s signature dusty-pink solo recliners.

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This hallway features the lounge’s restrooms and another refreshment area.

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At the end of the hallway, you’ll enter the new flagship bar, which is perhaps Capital One’s nicest, and most premium, one yet.

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I loved the mirrored-ceiling treatment, and the sconces along the support beams really help elevate this space.

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The gold-plated bar design with the impressive chandelier definitely feels quite luxe and on-brand for a bar in New York.

There is also a variety of seating areas surrounding the bar.

Another hallway along the interior of the space connects the bar to the restrooms and the main corridor that’ll hopefully help ease traffic flow.

Given that the lounge is open 24/7, Capital One got creative in how it partitioned the spaces. There are doors that can be closed to shutter the bar and dining areas during periods of low demand.

Capital One will initially close those spaces during the overnight “graveyard shift,” but if it sees enough demand to keep them open — such as if a new airline launches overnight flights — it might consider keeping those spaces open on a 24/7 basis.

All in all, this space feels like Capital One’s best-designed lounge yet. The layout feels natural and intuitive, and the local artwork and lighting fixtures really help elevate the space, too.

Capital One Lounge JFK dining

When Capital One got started in the lounge game, it particularly focused on elevating the food-and-beverage experience.

That philosophy extends to the JFK outpost — and then some.

To start, the lounge features an all-day cold buffet near the dining area. Expect different salads, light bites and desserts in this area.

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Instead of putting hot food on a buffet, Capital One learned from its recently opened Landing concept that hot foods preserve their freshness and look better when they’re made to order. To account for this fact, all tables in the lounge now feature QR codes that can be scanned to open the a la carte menu of hot food.

The issuer’s data from its Landing in Washington, D.C., suggests that it should have no trouble fulfilling orders on time, even during peak hours.

To complement the buffet, Capital One will have a rotating signature cart service that roams throughout the dining area with different foods and drinks. Examples include wellness teas and black-and-white cookies during the afternoon, Champagne pours during sunset, and even a midnight snack at 12:30 a.m.

All Capital One Lounges feature grab-and-go stations, but this is the first one to feature the next-generation takeaway counter.

For one, all the grab-and-go items are located behind glass, meaning that they will be served by a lounge attendant. Capital One said that it has no plans to limit how much you can take, and that this change is solely driven by a desire to elevate the experience.

Either way, I’m mostly excited about what’s behind the fridge: a new bagel counter featuring freshly baked Ess-a-Bagel choices all day long.

Capital One partnered with this storied New York City bakery to bring six different bagel flavors to its lounges. And because this is New York, frozen or hours-old bagels just wouldn’t cut it. Ess-a-Bagel is bringing in the dough every day and partnering with Capital One to bake the bagels in the lounge’s kitchen.

As you might expect, your bagel can be topped with an assortment of schmears to your liking. There is also a handful of suggested bagel creations, such as the classic smoked salmon, which features smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, cucumber, red onions and capers on an everything bagel.

Bagels will be available for consumption both in the lounge and for takeaway.

There’s also a small snack counter next to this bagel and takeaway station featuring a few treats like chocolate-covered espresso beans and barbecue-flavored corn nuts.

But that’s not all.

Capital One even partnered with New York’s famed Murray’s Cheese to open a cheesemonger station all the way at the end of the dining buffet.

Here, you’ll find a rotating selection of 10 specialty cheeses, served alongside various meats and specially curated wines. Just to highlight how frequently these cheeses will change, Capital One isn’t printing a menu. Everything will be handwritten to save paper when the selections change throughout the week.

There are six stools at the cheese counter, and this complimentary 45-minute experience will be bookable once you enter the lounge.

A cheese specialist will guide you through a personalized tasting, served on a wood board and finished off with a black-and-white cookie.

Even if you don’t have time for the full tasting experience, the cheesemonger will preplate one cheese on small plates for your enjoyment while roaming the lounge.

While the food experience is hands down the best among the credit card lounges at JFK, Capital One didn’t forget about how you wash it all down.

The signature bar features a selection of more than 15 cocktails, all designed after different locations in New York City, such as the Lower East Side, Staten Island and even Idlewild, the original nickname for the airport where JFK sits today.

Laird and Co. even created a special apple brandy spirit for the JFK lounge (something Capital One likes to do at all its locations), which you can’t find served anywhere else.

In terms of nonalcoholic drinks, there are two beverage stations in the lounge. Each features drip coffee from La Colombe, some coffee drinks on tap and a water bottle refill station.

The bagel and takeaway area is also happy to whip up your favorite coffee order designed in partnership with Bean & Bean.

Everything I tasted during my tour was fantastic, and based on my experiences at other Capital One Lounges, I’d expect that to continue once the lounge opens to the public.

Capital One Lounge JFK amenities

While some Capital One Lounges feature gyms and sleep pods, this one is a bit lighter on the amenities.

To start, there are two private rooms opposite the bar. These are bookable on a first-come, first-served basis for 45 minutes, and I envision them becoming popular with families and groups traveling together.

There aren’t any desks inside, so they likely wouldn’t be ideal for a business traveler.

Speaking of families, there is a parents room near the restrooms that features a baby-changing pad, diapers, a bottle heater and other last-minute essentials you might need for your child. (As a new father myself, I love this concept.)

You won’t find any phone booths or other special amenities here, but at least the space has all the basics covered.

There are seven nicely appointed all-gender restrooms: five in the hallway connecting the two main corridors and two near the takeaway bar. (The latter two will be open during the overnight hours.)

One of the bathrooms doubles as a shower suite, complete with Dyson hair dryers and plush towels. The shower can be reserved with reception, though I imagine there will be quite a long line in the afternoons and evenings before the peak transatlantic departure bank.

I noticed power outlets and USB-C ports near almost every seat, and fast and free Wi-Fi was available throughout the space. (I love that Capital One etched the Wi-Fi password next to the QR code at each table, but the only downside is that if the issuer ever decides to change the password, it’ll need to replace all of the QR code placards.)

Capital One Lounge JFK bottom line

All in all, the new Capital One Lounge at JFK is a shining star both in the issuer’s portfolio and the airport itself.

The lounge is Capital One’s largest yet, and with upcoming changes to access policies, it hopefully won’t get too overcrowded.

The space also features some unique experiences, such as a cheesemonger and freshly baked bagels from Ess-a-Bagel. The design is among the nicest in the Capital One portfolio and definitely feels like its most premium one yet.

Of course, the lounge faces some stiff competition in Terminal 4, but while it will certainly be the newest of the credit card-branded outposts in JFK, it may very well be the nicest, too.

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